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Ben Walter

@benwaltez.bsky.social

290 followers 78 following 180 posts

Writer in Lutruwita/Tasmania. Author of What Fear Was, Lithosphere. Walkley winner. Former Fiction Editor, Island. Words in The Kenyon Review, 3:AM Magazine, Poetry Ireland Review. Experiments | Stories | Essays | Nature writing https://ben-walter.com/

ben-walter.com

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 1d

I'm just really into Roy right now!

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 1d

I can't stop listening to Roy Orbison.

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Catriona Menzies-Pike @catrionamp.bsky.social · 1d

What’s this? Yet more research concluding that robust public investment in the arts yields economic benefits?

A great outcome for Ireland, and a rebuke to all those tired cliches about freeloading artists sapping the resources of the state.

But also, art enriches us all, economic benefits or no.

Mike Sowden @mikeachim.bsky.social · 2d

Damn. This is amazing. £325 per week, paid monthly, for 3 years - and the result was a profit for the Irish economy:
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employmen...

Post from Threads user rodneyowl: "Ireland has declared the Basic Income for Artists scheme permanent. This will be officially announced in tomorrow’s budget. Details to follow. Congratulations to all who fought for it and the present and future artists of all sorts in Ireland. That includes me 👌We’re just comin to the end of a 3 year pilot scheme. It’s been a roaring success. For every €1 paid out to the 2000 participants, the government got €1.46 back. Can’t argue with that. Other countries are already taking note."

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 8d

I am working on a story about snake footprints that seems, against the odds, to be coming together?

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Tajja Isen @tajjaisen.bsky.social · 12d

I spent the summer reporting this essay on why it seems harder than ever to sell a book right now—especially if it isn't a debut and comes with the dreaded "sales track." I'm grateful to the writers, agents, editors, publishers & experts who spoke to me for this piece: thewalrus.ca/the-publishi...

The Publishing Industry Has a Gambling Problem | The Walrus

Companies keep betting on the next bestseller. Literature is poorer for it

thewalrus.ca

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 12d

Fantastic Andrew! So pleased for you :).

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Andrew Roff @roffwrites.bsky.social · 13d

I do! I do love to see it!!

Martin Shaw @thebooksdesk.bsky.social · 13d

You luv to see it: @roffwrites.bsky.social’s Here Are My Demands is fiction-book-of-the-week in the Age/SMH! “meticulously constructed speculative fiction, which shows off a command of novelistic structure & form..philosophical ambit & sharp insights (of his debut)” www.theage.com.au/culture/book...

From serial-killer chiller to the history of play: 10 new books

Our reviewers cast their eyes over recent fiction and non-fiction titles

www.theage.com.au

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 14d

ha! I was more focused on a weird bird call I've only been hearing for the last morning or so. Maybe bird was talking about earthquake.

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 14d

How did I not feel this?!

Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 14d

Lithosphere is launched! Now in a (surprising) number of bookshops all over the country. Would love you to pick one up if you ever like to dip into poetry...

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 14d

thank you!

Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 15d

Very stoked with my biggest publication credit so far - new fiction over in @kenyonreview.bsky.social.

kenyonreview.org/piece/then-t...

Then There Will Be More Breathing - The Kenyon Review

Already have an account? Log in Join KR for even more to read. Sign up for a free account and read any five pieces a month. Sign Up and Read […]

kenyonreview.org

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Michael Winkler @micwink.bsky.social · 15d

Looking forward to chatting with Konrad Muller about his exceptional debut novel.
www.readings.com.au/events/konra...

Konrad Muller in conversation

We are delighted to have Konrad Muller in conversation to discuss his debut novel, My Heart at Evening. 1832, Van Diemen’s Land. A troubled, unnamed emissary narrates his journey north from Hobart To...

www.readings.com.au

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 15d

just saw this in an email! Congrats, it's well deserved :).

Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 16d

Here's me over at the ABC writing about the challenges of balancing creativity with fatherhood (sort of).

www.abc.net.au/religion/ben...

Why is it so hard to be an artist and a parent in Australia? - ABC Religion & Ethics

If we want creative parents who are not primary caregivers to be spending active time attending to and parenting their children, we need to find ways to pay them appropriately for their work.

www.abc.net.au

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Save Meanjin @savemeanjin.bsky.social · 21d

It just does not add up. We're aware of at four offers being put to MUP to clear their financial woes @andyhazel.bsky.social @nickfeik.bsky.social

Andy Hazel @andyhazel.bsky.social · 21d

“I think anyone who has looked at the actual sums involved can see that the financial arguments just don’t add up. It’s hard not to surmise that Meanjin was killed at least in part because it was too problematic politically and culturally for the University of Melbourne." | @nickfeik.bsky.social

Who killed Meanjin?

And why won’t Melbourne University Publishing engage with efforts to save it?

www.crikey.com.au

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Nick Feik @nickfeik.bsky.social · 22d

New:
A deep dive with some alarming new revelations on the silencing of one of the few remaining independent progressive voices in Australian media. Who killed Meanjin?

Who killed Meanjin?

And why won’t Melbourne University Publishing engage with efforts to save it?

www.crikey.com.au

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 22d

so lucky!

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 22d

now there's a strategy!

Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 22d

Play one game of AFL football and you'll probably have a wikipedia page, but if you win the Miles Franklin Award this year you can forget about it.

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 23d

On Fullers' insta the shirt has apparently been getting all the praise? Maybe I should just be releasing shirts?

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 23d

Me in today's 70s wallpaper shirt plugging Lithosphere book launch at Fullers.

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Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 27d

Meanjin absolutely must be surrendered and allowed to survive.

Laura @lucytartan.bsky.social · 28d

Big turnout at this morning’s rally against @mupublishing.bsky.social vandalism of Meanjin. @beneltham.bsky.social called for Meanjin’s name and archive to be surrendered so the magazine can be published by someone who deserves to and appreciates the honour

Protesters gathered outside Melbourne University Publishing office at 715 Swanston St

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Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 27d

Greens: Sarah Hanson-Young - [email protected]

Ben Walter @benwaltez.bsky.social · 27d

Save Meanjin - write to your local member of parliament, your senators, and the arts representatives of the major parties to bring pressure to bear on MUP.

Labor: Tony Burke - www.tonyburke.com.au/contact
Coalition: Julian Leeser - [email protected]

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