Dr Angela Slatter
- 4 Apr 2016
What
In November 2015, Dr Angela Slatter attended the World Fantasy Convention in New York, USA with investment from Arts Queensland’s Individuals Fund.
During the convention, an intensive four-day literary industry event, Angela participated on panels, performed public readings, launched her new novella and networked with world leaders in her profession, connecting with publishers and readers alike. Participation also consolidated gains from her previous attendance with post-convention follow-up and visits to publishers in New York City.
At the convention, Angela was awarded the prestigious World Fantasy Award for her collection, The Bitterwood Bible and Other Recountings. Angela is one of only eight Australians to have won this award in 45 years.
As a result of this award and the international reputation developed at the convention, Angela recognises the potential to significantly expand markets and audiences for her fiction, including wider genres and film production. Angela has received several offers of publication and project participation, a direct outcome from this inspirational opportunity.
When
November 2015
Where
World Fantasy Convention, New York, USA.
Arts Queensland contribution
$3,393 – Individuals Fund
Outcomes
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Participation at the World Fantasy Convention provided Angela with valuable networking and international market development opportunities. Angela was invited to take part in several US podcasts to be made available online. Angela was asked to submit for consideration a new novella at Tor.com and sold another new novella to Spectral Press, UK.
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Angela negotiated two new collections while at the convention; Prime Books will publish Angela’s collection, A Feast of Sorrows in the US (2016) and PS Publishing will publish, Winter Children and Other Chilling Tales in the UK in 2017.
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Winning the World Fantasy Award contributed to growing professionalism and reputation, leading directly to invitations to submit work to markets that are invitation only with increased earning potential.
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Angela’s public reading of her Tor.com novella, Of Sorrow and Such, increased the visibility and potential readership of her work in the US market.
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Angela’s public readings at the Kill Bar, New York and at the convention directly led to new readers; a growth in positive reviews on Goodreads (Angela now averages 4.3 out of 5 stars) and participation in her Goodreads book giveaways has leapt from around 60 entrants to 2,000.
Learnings and reflections
Angela valued the number of project, professional, network and market development opportunities to pursue. Face-to-face opportunities were invaluable to connect with industry and professional leaders and to access new and diverse markets for her work.
It was brought home to me once again how critical it is for Australian creatives to travel as part of their career. It is essential to be able to meet people and have them put a face to a name, to find those opportunties to discuss new projects and proposals that simply may not have occurred if left up to Skype or email correspondence. As a writer with a growing international reputation if people - both fans and publishing professionals - know you are at a convention, that you're appearing on panels or doing a reading, they will come along and see what you've got to say, see how you conduct yourself. Readers in particular will come along with great sacks of your books and ask you to sign them because they know you don't live in the US or the UK and won't be easy to locate. If new readers who aren't familiar with your work see you on a panel or go to your reading and like what they hear, they will go and buy your books; if you are not at a convention like WFC then these things cannot occur.
Contact for further information
Website: http://www.angelaslatter.com/
A pdf version of this Case Study - Dr Angela Slatter (PDF) (288.69 KB) is available.