In the West Tent at the Adelaide Writers’ Festival last Thursday, Wet Ink co-editor Phillip Edmonds spoke of the journal’s progress over the past few years, and in particular of the magazine’s new short story prize.
“It’s been a remarkable journey punctuated by the usual stresses that all small magazines experience: establishing a subscriber base, diversifying cash flow, distribution frustrations, and relying on voluntary labour in the initial stages. But it’s been a hoot, and I for one wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Edmonds noted that though we seem to be living today in a spectator society, Wet Ink and its crew feel they’re participating rather than spectating. “And that has given us a sense of power. Today, I can happily announce that we’re selling copies overseas in places such as the US, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Africa and Fiji. We’ve gone g-l-o-b-a-l! But we still of course need ongoing support from the locals. Otherwise it will be to no avail.“
“Thinking of coming here today, I was reminded of the beery night five years ago in the Exeter Hotel in Rundle Street in Adelaide where Emmett Stinson, who was to become one of our fiction editors, and I were drinking up some Dutch courage. For some reason, we came to the conclusion that – to borrow the title of a story by Raymond Carver – Wet Ink could become a ‘small good thing’. We hope it’s that at least.”
Edmonds introduced two readers – Gillian Britton, published in outlets such as Brave New Word, Famous Reporter (FR3 : April 1989) and more recently in Meanjin – and Shannon Burns. Both read a piece of fiction before Edmonds returned to the microphone to announce the Wet Ink Short Story prize, to be judged by Peter Goldsworthy and Wet Ink’s two fiction editors, Emmett Stinson and Sally Breen. [Entry forms are up on Wet Ink’s website, the competition closes on 31st August, 2010. First prize is $3,000 and publication in the March 2011 issue of the magazine. Two highly commended entries will each receive $100 and publication in the March 2011 issue of Wet Ink and a year’s subscription to the magazine.)"
“Just to reiterate" Edmonds added in closing, "the Wet Ink Short Story Prize is now open. It closes in August, go to the website – and subscribe: it’s a lovely experience, subscribing. If you feel just a bit religiously opposed to subscribing, you can buy it in the book tent. Thank you very much.”
Shannon Burns, Gillian Britton