"The idea behind the writers’ room is a concept of shared solitude: that the best writing environment is somewhere that is totally quiet, but everyone else is also writing."
What are you most proud of achieving with Sydney Writers’ Room?
There have been some amazing books produced since we started Sydney Writers’ Room in 2007. Hannah Richell wrote one of her novels. David Hunt wrote his bestselling Girt Nation and two more books in the series.
I have often said we should compile a list of the sheer creative output but it’s almost uncountable because we're talking about dozens of books a year, screenplays, podcasts, it just goes on and on. There’s just a huge amount of creative output that comes out of Sydney Writers’ Room.
What does it mean for you and other writers to have this dedicated space to work on projects?
It means an enormous amount. Sydney Writers’ Room is now 17 years old – the longevity of that as an institution shows that it's something that's obviously necessary. And it’s growing. Other tenants in the building, like Sydney Youth Orchestras are also growing and thriving. When we have to rehearse for our live events, we use the orchestra’s rehearsal space. When you go to pick up the keys from them, during their rehearsals, you could just sit there for 20 minutes listening, enjoying a performance by a full orchestra! It's amazing being in the same space as other talent.
An intangible part of it is just being in the proximity and seeing the craft in action, seeing how the sausage is made, day after day in a way that has to be sustainable and professional.
How important is it to have access to spaces like Haymarket Creative?
It's interesting how we rarely regard space as a factor in creative processes. Whereas in actual fact, often it's completely key. I've long held the theory that themost important thing for creative endeavours is space. And not just physical, or geographical space, but the concept of space. The space that time gives you, and in having a blank canvas of space. It allows you the ability to dream whatever dreams you want.
Part of the benefit of Haymarket Creative is that space and the cost of the space are linked. If you're having to generate thousands of dollars a minute in order to pay for that space, then you don't have space, you just have confinement.