So what about Australian Literature?

Over the past two decades, many writers, publishers and editors have commented on the effects of globalisation on the book trade. It is clear today that the ebook and print book are surviving side-by-side in the publishing world however other concerns have now surfaced. As people begin to accept that technology has impacted publishing, editing and writing in Australia and around the world, the fear of the future of the book has morphed into questioning the future of an author’s rights and royalties as well as, fear for the future of our literary culture.

Dramatic changes to the book trade industry are not supportive of Australian publishers, authors and readers. Where profit from the sale of non-fiction would normally support, literary fiction or poetry, the industry is now segregated by internal competition between genres. The effect on publishing of introducing the data collection system BookScan allows booksellers to access sales data at the point of sale. This means that what sells, or what is considered high in profit, is published rather than what is considered high in literary value. In turn, it is the readers who drive the sale of different book genres. The recent popularity of genre fiction is an example of how readers drive trends, with books such as Fifty Shades of Grey, an erotic fiction book, topping the national bestseller lists for twenty-one weeks. Now with the availability of instant data on book sales, many publishers play ‘follow the leader’ when it comes to choosing titles, based on an accountancy risk of what will sell. Publishers are investing time and money in to marketing rather than the traditional way of printing books. The effects of globalisation on the book trade have also upset the shelf life of books in a book store, limiting the time it is allowed access to the public shopping front.

But you’re an avid reader of literary magazines, you already know all of this. What does it mean for Australian literature and Australian authors?

In the nineteenth century, Australian literature had a better chance at being published by an overseas publisher, meaning most poetry was published locally and most fiction and non-fiction was published overseas. Not having adequate publishing resources may mean Australia has relied on overseas publishers for fiction and non-fiction, which has regimented itself in Australian culture. The book trade’s questionable future is definitely a global issue, except that in Australia, literary works are not perceived as being profitable and this is a cause of concern for Australian culture. Why are Australian literary works put down so? Is there something to be ashamed of in our past that might mean we can no longer sustain with confidence, a strong literary canon in Australia?

The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) ran a petition to fight against the parallel importation of titles to protect Australian books from overseas publishers undermining Australian authors. This shows just how much Australia is still trying to catch up on its history of building a strong identity of Australian publishing culture.

The dilemma of digital book quality has surfaced with some writers questioning the application of generalised management in mergers and takeovers of large companies over small ones. If general managers are editing manuscripts, it is perfectly understandable why genre fiction is the new entertainment. If overseas general managers are in charge of the publication and distribution of Australian literature, then a sellable, recognisable Australian cultural work may not exist in the popular world as a fit form of profitable entertainment. Why? What good story do Australians have to tell? I know one but it is often hidden away because many Australians avoid identifying themselves as being a part of Aboriginal history or they feel ashamed of what our white government and colonising party did to our Aboriginal people. It makes one ask, so what does define typical Australian culture? What is our identity? Are overseas general managers sick of tasting the well-done chunk of typical bogan Aussie meat that we’ve served on a plastic platter over the last few decades? Can’t believe why such a delicacy lacking in cultural substance would not continue to be ordered…

The perception of the book trade industry seeming to have morphed in to one of profit plundering under the influence of international conglomerates does not mean that books, nor the role of book editors and publishers will become, non-existent. There is plenty of opportunity to adapt to new technology and move on without losing the essence of a good story. But not if Australian writers aren’t even being validated or paid. ‘Who will own what we read?’ is a pertinent title of an article featured in The Australian, acknowledging a revolution in communication in relation to the book deal sought out by Google to digitise and distribute published and out-of-print works. Five hundred objections were made to block the deal. Significant questions are raised by author Steele in asking, who will own Google in ten years from now; who will own the rights to these books once the ten million shares in Google are sold?

These are all valid concerns for a writer, past, present and future. Another concern for writers is that even if the Australian publishing industry increased its royalty fees, Google has set a low expectation on the price of digital books. Literary Agent Lyn Tranter states in the ASA’s Australian Author magazine that, ‘it’s hugely problematic and I blame Google. They put things out for free and people now assume anything available electronically is free or so cheap that it’s not funny.’ If we as Australians don’t value ourselves and our culture, how can America, or Google or any other country? We can’t blame Google when we have a responsibility of our own to embrace.

Many small and niche publishers are pinned for success in the commotion and disarray that is the topic which currently fatigues discussions across Australian Literary Magazines. As technology impacts the way readers access books, many people live in fear that we as a society are getting ‘dumb’ as knowledge becomes increasingly marketed. There are some great questions being asked about consuming information versus absorbing knowledge. What does this say about our culture?

Australian literature shapes our culture. Australian author Don Watson believes that language is the frontier to our society. Australian University Lecturer Dr Jeremey Fisher states that ‘as a culture, we don’t equate artistic success with commercial success. It worries me that we have the perception of art that is not based on how well it engages its intended audience but only how well it engages a few like minds.’ With these statements in mind, maybe it would be wise to say that Australia’s dependence in the past and contemporary reluctance to succumb to overseas publishers remains an issue because of Australia’s lack of cultural independence and that this is part of a bigger discussion about Australia’s Indigenous past. Ignoring a valid Australian identity has led to a lack of cultural substance which is reflected in our minute representation of Australian literature. Using globalisation and the effects it has had on the book trade as an excuse, as a deterrent, is a move only suitable for consumers rather than Australian citizens who wish to absorb the knowledge of truth about the real reason why Australia’s literary face is falling to the floor.

So let’s break this down now.

Many new and emerging writers are panicking in rants and editorials in Australian literary magazines in fear of the future of the book. Many others are engaging in it, embracing the new technology that comes with globalisation. It is safe to say that there is an ambiguous attitude towards understanding the publishing industry as it expands from traditional print to digital writing. Why aren’t people just simply asking, where is our cultural identity? We need to question who we are and confirm an identity to represent the world with, one that includes our eclectic taste for all things international as well as our Indigenous people. If we shade our cultural identity under a tree for ‘protection’ no one will know it unless that tree is cut down and turned to paper to write these very words on it.

Change and transformation are acknowledged for the book trade. The publishing industry is now immersed in a large corporate world and it needs to be managed. The positive part of this is that writers have so many choices in today’s publishing world, but we also have a responsibility. The varying opinions on publishing in Australia, accepting or rejecting the digital age, does demonstrate how a social divide has formed about the future of book publishing. People are caught up in the frenzy of which they are describing and what’s more is, there are so many platforms to now express their fear. This social divide also represents an aspect of our cultural past: some people are moving on and forgetting the past and others and hanging back, clinging to it. Ironically, flooding literary conversations around the world with expressions of discontent and fear towards the future of the book seems counterproductive, as opposed to taking a moment to immerse one’s self in a good book, to slow down, and read between the lines.