Journal and Ideas

March 31, 2001

Today was the 2nd day in the Ten Days on the Island arts festival.  It's an interesting idea.  The program includes music, dance, theatre, literature...all kinds of artistic endeavours are represented.  Remote areas of Tasmania are included in the schedule.  Performers and participants were chosen for their "islandness"... if they came from an island, their work reflects life on an island, etc.

Today, I went to the State Library of Tasmania for a program that included three talks given by people who have lived in various island communities around Tasmania.  As well, there were several authors who were short-listed on the Tasmanian Pacific Region prize, one of the biggest prizes offered in Australia.  I spoke briefly with Elizabeth Knox, author of The Vintner's Luck.  She has never visited the region in which the book takes place, the Burgundy region of France.  I found talking to her about how she approached this type of writing to be interesting.  How do you "make it up"...but in an authoritative way?

After this encounter with writers, I can't help but wonder if I have anything worth saying.  Can I really make the leap from playing at writing to doing so seriously?  Maybe it just isn't in me.  But I'd like to think that I could attempt something really daring (at least for me) and learn not just to creep around the edge, but dance along it.