I believe it's open to application, although I didn't see it this year so can't comment on the criteria or anything. Hay itself does seem to have a somewhat confused attitude to Welsh writing. They talk about wanting to do more and ask how can they can do more, but it rarely seems to filter through to the programme. I've had some very promising conversations with representatives there over the years but positive moves always seem to end up being around the peripheries, such as Writers at Work (with all due respect to those who have been on it and the people charged with the task of making it happen - no small feat).
Yes, some valid points. I also believe there is an issue here with ableism. Not everyone can manage the requirement of attending events all day every day, so there will inevitably be a focus on those who are physically able.
I would say that given this cohort, the term 'emerging' needs to be reconsidered (or redefined) for future rounds. I wish the successful candidates well, but I lament the lack of opportunities/schemes for new writers in Wales (particularly poetry) given the withdrawal of Books Council funding from established physical publishing showcases, namely New Welsh Review, Planet and indeed, Wales Arts Review.
Absolutely. I think the issue here is that the term 'emerging' has been used to define early-career writers previously. That does need to be redefined if the programme is better suited to more career-advanced writers.
And in fairness, maybe that's what's happening here, as not every writer in the cohort is as established as the next. I hope so. I hope this isn't drawing to a close Lit Wales/Hay Festival's early-stage support for new Welsh talent.
Most of my experience is in filmmaking, but the publishing world seems similar: each year there are a bunch of regional, national, and international schemes for "emerging filmmakers" that might include, for example, attendance of the London Film Festival, workshops in Amsterdam, or a co-production forum (like a book fair maybe?) in Berlin, etc. The selection process is opaque and must not be spoken of. One must resist the urge to elicit feedback and stay very quiet and still until it is time to apply for the next one. The trick, I have found, is to have zero expectations of being selected on merit alone but demonstrate maximum effort when applying nevertheless (hoping that one ticks that year's boxes sufficiently to stand a chance). Career-wise, you hardly ever get much out of them anyway, except maybe the unassailable knowledge that life is a crapshoot! And, yes, free accommodation and travel to the venues is an undeniable benefit and you never know you might meet your next publisher there (ha ha)—sorry, cynicism is a coping strategy :) We just have to keep on rolling the dice don't we?
This is all true, I would say. But I would say, what I've seen of Hay is, because of the writers they have there for the festival, the opportunity to sit in a room and discuss craft with some of the biggest names in the world must be unique for this sort of thing. I've never been on it, but I'v seen also long-term camaraderie and support from the earliest cohorts. I'd be interested to know - there must be some article somewhere - how many top writers (as in successful literary figures - there are countless definitions of successful, of course) have ever been anywhere near a writing programme or scheme of any kind. I once saw Eleanor Catton talk at a festival promoting The Luminaries, and she said that people forget growing up in New Zealand, you're 6 hours flight from another country. You're write in near total cultural isolation. I wonder how much camaraderie and sense of belonging actually helps.
Yes, the focus is unclear. Appointed or open to applicants?
As usual, Hay does not embrace Welsh writing as a major consideration.
I believe it's open to application, although I didn't see it this year so can't comment on the criteria or anything. Hay itself does seem to have a somewhat confused attitude to Welsh writing. They talk about wanting to do more and ask how can they can do more, but it rarely seems to filter through to the programme. I've had some very promising conversations with representatives there over the years but positive moves always seem to end up being around the peripheries, such as Writers at Work (with all due respect to those who have been on it and the people charged with the task of making it happen - no small feat).
Yes, some valid points. I also believe there is an issue here with ableism. Not everyone can manage the requirement of attending events all day every day, so there will inevitably be a focus on those who are physically able.
Don't they make reasonable adjustments, Rachel?
I'd be very surprised if an organisation as big and liberal as the Hay Festival wasn't all over stuff like this.
I would say that given this cohort, the term 'emerging' needs to be reconsidered (or redefined) for future rounds. I wish the successful candidates well, but I lament the lack of opportunities/schemes for new writers in Wales (particularly poetry) given the withdrawal of Books Council funding from established physical publishing showcases, namely New Welsh Review, Planet and indeed, Wales Arts Review.
I'm pondering the notion that in the contemporary climate in literature, apart from the chosen few, aren't we all always emerging writers?
Absolutely. I think the issue here is that the term 'emerging' has been used to define early-career writers previously. That does need to be redefined if the programme is better suited to more career-advanced writers.
It's a shame that it has to be either/or, really.
And in fairness, maybe that's what's happening here, as not every writer in the cohort is as established as the next. I hope so. I hope this isn't drawing to a close Lit Wales/Hay Festival's early-stage support for new Welsh talent.
Glad you thought I was cool.
Not you. The other ones.
😅
Most of my experience is in filmmaking, but the publishing world seems similar: each year there are a bunch of regional, national, and international schemes for "emerging filmmakers" that might include, for example, attendance of the London Film Festival, workshops in Amsterdam, or a co-production forum (like a book fair maybe?) in Berlin, etc. The selection process is opaque and must not be spoken of. One must resist the urge to elicit feedback and stay very quiet and still until it is time to apply for the next one. The trick, I have found, is to have zero expectations of being selected on merit alone but demonstrate maximum effort when applying nevertheless (hoping that one ticks that year's boxes sufficiently to stand a chance). Career-wise, you hardly ever get much out of them anyway, except maybe the unassailable knowledge that life is a crapshoot! And, yes, free accommodation and travel to the venues is an undeniable benefit and you never know you might meet your next publisher there (ha ha)—sorry, cynicism is a coping strategy :) We just have to keep on rolling the dice don't we?
This is all true, I would say. But I would say, what I've seen of Hay is, because of the writers they have there for the festival, the opportunity to sit in a room and discuss craft with some of the biggest names in the world must be unique for this sort of thing. I've never been on it, but I'v seen also long-term camaraderie and support from the earliest cohorts. I'd be interested to know - there must be some article somewhere - how many top writers (as in successful literary figures - there are countless definitions of successful, of course) have ever been anywhere near a writing programme or scheme of any kind. I once saw Eleanor Catton talk at a festival promoting The Luminaries, and she said that people forget growing up in New Zealand, you're 6 hours flight from another country. You're write in near total cultural isolation. I wonder how much camaraderie and sense of belonging actually helps.