Copyright Protected, New Prizes Launched, and a Surge in Horror
The Australian Government has made a critical decision for creatives, blocking attempts to change copyright law. This move prevents tech companies from training their artificial intelligence models on your work without permission. Publishing industry groups have met the news with strong support.
This ruling clarifies the legal ground for writers and artists. While the law protects your work from unauthorized use in AI training, understanding how to use these tools ethically in your own process is a separate skill. Staying informed on AI tools and best practices can give you a clear advantage.
Local Wins & Industry Moves
The Brisbane Writers Festival posted a record-breaking year, drawing over 16,000 people to its new home at the Brisbane Powerhouse. It's a positive sign for live literary events.
After a three-year absence, the literary journal Southerly has returned with issue 80.1, "First, the Future." Elsewhere, Creative Australia held its first national giving-to-the-arts day, AusArt Day, on October 23. Fremantle Press welcomed Libby Jackson-Barrett and Ben Paganoni to its board, and Amba Press is set to acquire 38 educational titles from ACER Press.
Awards and Opportunities
Significant funding and recognition were awarded to writers this week, creating valuable opportunities for the community.
- Author Luke Carman was named the 2025 Judy Harris Writer-in-Residence Fellow, a $100,000 prize supporting a year-long residency.
- Ann-Marie Priest won the $35,000 Blake-Beckett Trust Scholarship, with Lenny Bartulin named runner-up.
- Darren Rix and Craig Cormick took home the ACT Book of the Year award for Warra Warra Wai (Scribner).
- The State Library of NSW announced its 2026 fellowships, distributing $314,000 across nine categories.
- The Copyright Agency's Cultural Fund also named the recipients of its 2025 fellowships for both established and emerging writers.
Additionally, UWA Publishing revealed the shortlist for the first Spiers Prize and the nominees for the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award were announced.
New Deals & Acquisitions
The market for new books remains active. On the fiction front, Bakers Lane Books acquired world rights for Bryony McGuinness's YA novel Violet Town, and Allen & Unwin secured world rights for The Angry Wives Club by Gabbie Stroud. Upswell Publishing also acquired world rights to Six Days by Amanda Curtin.
In nonfiction, several high-profile deals were made. HarperCollins acquired Australian rights to Ben Crowe's Where the Light Gets In. Hachette Australia picked up The Titanic Story of Evelyn by Lisa Wilkinson, and Hardie Grant Books acquired the memoir of former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
Global Scene & Market Trends
A New Booker for Young Readers
The Booker Prize Foundation is launching the inaugural Children's Booker Prize. The new award will celebrate contemporary fiction for kids aged 8 to 12. You can learn more at the official Booker Prizes website.
The Rise of Horror
Just in time for Halloween, reports from the UK point to a growing appetite for horror fiction. The trend suggests readers are looking for controlled ways to process real-world anxieties.
"The world feels like a very scary place right now," Orbit publisher Anna Jackson stated. "Horror fiction offers the chance to face your fears in a controlled, safe way... but without any real-world consequences."
Upcoming Events & Features
Looking ahead, the Blak & Bright First Nations Literary Festival will run from September 3-6, 2026. For those interested in historical fiction, the History Unbound festival has released its full program for its event in Parramatta on November 1-2.
In response to the ABC's Top 100 books poll, author and academic Melanie Saward shared her own list of the top ten First Nations books from the past 25 years, offering an alternative "books of the century" perspective.
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