WA publishing spotlight
Established in 1976, Fremantle Press is a not-for-profit publisher best known for its focus on identifying new and emerging Western Australian writers.
It publishes fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children’s literature. Literary fiction and crime are some of the biggest-selling titles, as are its picture book and junior fiction ranges.
Fremantle Press runs two major prizes for unpublished manuscripts and offers publication as part of the prize. The City of Fremantle’s TAG Hungerford Award, named after WA writer Tom (TAG) Hungerford, is a biennial award open to unpublished WA writers and carries a prize of $15,000. Previous winners include Brenda Walker, Gail Jones, Simone Lazaroo, Donna Mazza, Alice Nelson, Natasha Lester, Madelaine Dickie, Jay Martin and Holden Sheppard.
In 2019, Fremantle Press announced a new award for young WA writers: the Fogarty Literary Award. A biennial unpublished manuscript award for writers aged from 18 to 35, it is one of Australia’s richest literary prizes for young writers, with a cash prize of $20,000. Submissions for the Fogarty Award open on Monday 15 March 2021 and close on Sunday 18 April 2021. The inaugural winner was Rebecca Higgie with her manuscript A History of Mischief, published in 2020.
Fremantle Press has helped launch the careers of many nationally and internationally recognised writers including Joan London, Kim Scott, Craig Silvey, John Kinsella, Tim Winton and Robert Drewe. Other authors on its list include Sally Morgan, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Amanda Curtin, Annabel Smith, Liz Byrski, Dave Warner, Tracey Gibbs, James Foley, Kelly Canby, Moira Court, Alan Carter and Michele Drouart.
The breadth of experience of the publishing team and authors prompted Fremantle Press to begin a series of workshops and seminars called ‘The business of being a writer’, which focused on the business side of the writing profession.
Combining the experience and knowledge of its authors and staff, the seminars proved hugely popular and led to the creation of the new book, How to be an author: The business of being a writer in Australia.
Co-authored by Fremantle Press publisher Georgia Richter and senior lecturer and writer Deborah Hunn, the book pulls together practical advice on everything from learning about the writing craft and developing a manuscript to finding a publisher, self-promotion and building a writing career, all with a focus on the business in Australia.
