Conversation with the authors: Kalina Maleska, Žarko Kujundjiski, Mihajlo Sviderski, Dijana Petrova, Ivan Antonovski
Moderator: Simona Jovanoska
What does it mean to be a writer today? Can literary work be understood as a profession, or does it remain in the field of enthusiasm and passion for writing? In what (un)circumstances does domestic literature vegetate? What obligations and rights are the Macedonian writer subject to? What about the awards?
This panel will open up the topic of writing in the broadest sense – from the creation of the work to its path to the reader.
Special attention will be paid to the challenges faced by authors: financial uncertainty, a limited market, insufficient support for promotion and translations, as well as cooperation with publishers. The panel will also raise questions about royalties – how is writing valued, what constitutes fair compensation, how is a percentage of sales calculated, and how to create a system in which writing can become a profession.
The role and significance of literary awards will also be discussed: whether they are a true incentive and recognition for authors or just a symbolic act that rarely changes the real position of the writer.
The conversation will also highlight the advantages: freedom of creation, creative autonomy, the opportunity to reach new readers and cultural spaces. The participants whose works marked the last literary year will also look to the future: what can be done to improve conditions, what models would be useful for the literary community, and how authors can jointly advocate for greater visibility and better status.
