As some of you would have seen by now, our creative writing anthology Kindling is coming back in 2016 for a third and final time.
As one of the editors of these beautiful books, I’ve got a lot of mixed emotions about putting together the last instalment in the series.
Over the past two years, these books have brought talented and inspiring people into my life from all over the world. They’ve fed my love for the writing community, and of course for the Writer’s Edit family.
I’m sad that 2016 will see the last Kindling book published – these books are a wonderful tribute to our authors, to lessons learnt, and to our community. But I’m also incredibly happy and grateful that we’ve been able to publish them.
It’s been such an uplifting journey into the world of publishing, and has certainly fuelled my passion for creating and producing beautiful books. This may be the final year of Kindling, but we have a lot more in store for our readers in the not-so-distant-future.
Today, I’m incredibly proud to announce that the entire editorial team from Kindling Volume II will be back on board for the last hurrah!
To celebrate, I thought we’d get to know all of them a little better. Who they are, what they do and why they’ve come back for seconds and thirds of the Kindling anthologies…
Kyra Bandte – Poetry Editor
Kyra Bandte is a writer, editor and reader from Wollongong, NSW. She’s found her calling in writing short fiction but loves reading poetry just as much.
Kyra was the 2012 winner of the Questions Writing Prize and has been published in Seizure, Space Place & Culture, Kindling I, Tide and more. You can find her on Twitter with @KyraThomsen and on the web at kyrathomsen.com.
“Curating and editing poetry for publication in Kindling is one of the best things I’ve done since leaving university. Back when I was doing my degree I never thought about editing as a job. I thought it was all about technical mark-ups and dry manuscripts. But it’s not like that at all!
Working with the Writer’s Edit team on Kindling has really ignited my love of publishing in a whole new way.
Reading the work of my contemporaries is really eye-opening and inspiring, and editing their writing is much more of a collaborative process than I ever anticipated (which is what I love about it).
I enjoy picking apart the techniques the author has used, going through line by line with feedback, and discussing certain choices with them.
It’s such a buzz to see the edited works pulled together into a manuscript. And at the launch you’re given a chance to meet the authors (these incredibly talented writers you’ve been emailing for months!) and get to know each other as industry contacts and as friends.
I’m very lucky to come back this year and edit the poetry for the final Kindling anthology, and I can’t wait to jump into the submissions!”
Kelly Emmerton – Fiction Editor
Kelly Emmerton is a creative writer by choice, copywriter to pay bills and the Fiction Editor for the Writer’s Edit Kindling anthologies. She recently graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney with a Bachelor of Communications with Honours, majoring in Writing and Cultural Studies.
Kelly has loved reading and writing her entire life and has always wanted little more from a career than the opportunity to read good books. Her future career plans involve a blend of novel writing, editing and travelling, not necessarily in that order.
“I think it goes without saying that I love the writing in Kindling – it’s original, thought provoking and beautifully crafted. I can’t wait to see what our authors are going to come up with this year.
But getting to read some wonderful short fiction is really only a bonus for working on Kindling. If that’s all I wanted, I’d just buy a copy of the book. What I really love about working on the anthology is that it gives you the chance to connect with other writers and be a part of the incredibly supportive culture at Writer’s Edit.
I’ve had the chance to work with fledgling authors for whom Kindling was their first chance to see their writing in print, to experienced storytellers with a well-defined style.
Part of the challenge and the fun of working on an anthology like Kindling is that every writer and every story is different, and it’s your job to bring out the best in each one. I think that connection between writer and reader – when you know you’re both on the same page and you get it – is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences in publishing.
It was an absolute privilege to work with Writer’s Edit on the first two volumes of Kindling, and I can’t wait to meet a fresh new group of authors and get started on the third and final instalment.”
Rory J. Cole – Non-Fiction Editor
Rory J Cole is a freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and published author (print and digital).
He is a writer of off-kilter science fiction, speculative fiction and horror short stories. His horror short story for young readers, The Specular, was published by Penguin Group in 2013 as number 12 of the Eerie Series.
His creative non-fiction essay, ‘Error in Transfer’, was published in the Writer’s Edit anthology, Kindling Volume I and online, along with other short stories and creative non-fiction pieces published and scattered around the web.
He lives in the shire (yes, an actual shire) of Hurstbridge, Australia, and holds some resemblance to a Hobbit, but with less hair on his head and feet. His writing and more information can be found at http://www.roryjcole.com.
“Humans are storytellers. In everything we do, in all forms of communication. We beg for stories with simple questions like, “How are you going?”, “How was your day?”, or “And then what happened?”
We tell stories not for fame or money, but because it is innate in us, this need to communicate thoughts and truths, and find connections with each other. Stories have gotten us this far, and stories will carry us into the future.
I first became involved with Writer’s Edit’s Kindling I as proofreader, and then author of one of its non-fiction submissions. Initially, it was an opportunity to exercise my skills and gain more industry experience, but as I read through the pieces submitted by other authors, it quickly became much more.
I found myself drawn into the worlds of their creation, pulled along through the emotional realms each author weaved on the page. In short, I fell in love with the power that words have to change your perspective and leave a piece of themselves with you long after they’ve been read.
For Kindling II, I was lucky enough to be invited into the more hands-on role of Non-Fiction Editor, and was not only offered a glimpse of these worlds, but also to have a small hand in shaping them.
Some landed on my desk as tight as any editor could wish for. Others held strong seeds of something so promising, and needed a little nurturing. But by the end, what was included in Kindling II were some powerful pieces of prose and fragments of their writers’ hearts and souls.
And already, I see submissions for Kindling III that stir and evoke the core of what it means to be human, and to be a storyteller.
To help writers bring these stories to an audience, and to help an audience find the voices of these authors, is an absolute honour and joy, and I can’t wait to see what the finished and final volume of the Kindling trilogy evolves to be. Something incredible, I can already tell.
Claire Bradshaw – Proofreader
Claire is a freelance writer, editor and proofreader from Newcastle, NSW. She holds a B. A. in English and Writing and a Graduate Certificate of Editing and Publishing.
A lover of books, blogs, magazines, and everything in between, you’ll either find her reading, working on an editorial project, or drinking endless cups of tea while writing things of her own. You can find out more about Claire through her website, clairebradshaw.com.au.
“After joining the wonderful Kindling team last year, I can’t tell you how happy I am to return as proofreader for this third and final volume. The enjoyment and inspiration I gained from working on Kindling II was immense.
Receiving each round of proofs was genuinely exciting – I looked forward to every tiny change that brought the book closer to perfection. I can’t wait to read the fresh crop of pieces from this year’s talented writers, and to play my small part in helping the anthology come to life.”
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As you can see, we’re incredibly lucky to have such a talented, passionate team of editors to help bring Kindling Volume III out into the world.
I’m incredibly proud of the amazing work these editors have already achieved, and have no doubt they’ll provide our next group of authors with invaluable advice and support.
Submissions for the third and final volume of Kindling are open until March 1st. Click here to read the guidelines.
Here’s to our biggest and best book yet!
Until next time,
Helen Scheuerer
Founding Editor