THIS week we chat with innovative yet traditionalist writer and author Beck Sutton.<\/p>\n
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What initially motivated you to have a go at writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n I was 21 years old and working to make ends meet, but life had lost its shine. I needed something to help me see life\u2019s beauty again. I remembered that I\u2019d always loved writing stories. So, I made the decision that year to become a writer. This set me on the \u2018pollen path\u2019. Doors opened. Before I knew it, I was enrolled in Bendigo TAFE\u2019s professional writing and editing course.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How would you describe your individual style?<\/strong><\/p>\n My passion has always been for short fiction. Since the beginning I\u2019ve had an interest in the inner life of humans – more so than in plot-driven action. I started out writing psychological horror and fantasy.<\/p>\n Then, I articulated from the TAFE course into second year of a bachelor of arts at La Trobe Bendigo. I studied philosophy, literature and comparative religion. It was the opportunity of a lifetime.<\/p>\n Now my writing explores spiritual encounters. I\u2019m interested in how we experience these in a world that doesn\u2019t believe in soul and spirit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Which other writers inspire you?<\/strong><\/p>\n I love late 19th and early 20th century writers of tales, authors like Edgar Allan Poe, Karen Blixen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Oscar Wilde.<\/p>\n Their writing is alive with an extra dimension, it\u2019s musical.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What are some particular highlights you have from your creative journey so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n The greatest highlight of my creative journey has sprung from my decision to self-publish my collection of stories titled Closer than Breathing, Seven Tales and produce the book using only traditional bookmaking techniques. When I set out on this path in 2016, I called it The Harebrained Press Project.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Can you please tell us more about that?<\/strong><\/p>\n Although my tales had been published individually in Australian, Canadian and American journals, I decided I wanted to publish them myself, as a collection.<\/p>\n My focus was making sure that the book\u2019s form reflected the spirit of its content.<\/p>\n These tales have been variously described by publishers as \u2018beautiful\u2019, \u2018haunting\u2019 and \u2018poem-like\u2019. So, I wanted to create my book in the most beautiful way possible, completely by hand!<\/p>\n Over a seven-year period I learnt each bookmaking technique and, as I did, I crafted the book. I typeset each word of its 136 pages by hand.<\/p>\n I printed using letterpress, our main printing technique here in the West from the 15th century until it was phased out for digital and offset in the 1980s.<\/p>\n I created the book\u2019s endpapers using a magical art form called paper marbling. And I\u2019m binding each of the 120 volumes by hand.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve funded everything myself, so progress has advanced as resources have become available. Nevertheless, providence has helped me to overcome every hurdle I\u2019ve faced.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n