The surveys arrived from all over Australia, reflecting our broad national readership. Victoria was the most responsive state (38%). Only 7% were submitted anonymously. (That offer of free books and a ten-year subscription must have been a spur.) Twenty-five per cent of respondents are writers; 32% are retired; 49% have subscribed for five years or more (bless them). Sixty-three per cent hold postgraduate qualifications. The survey revealed widespread ignorance of our website (64% had never used it; 25% occasionally). Already this has led to an overhaul and expansion of this resource, which now complements the magazine in sharper ways.

You are an attentive lot. Sixty-one per cent spend ‘a reasonable period’ with ABR; 30% read it cover to cover. Few use it for teaching purposes. Pleasure was the major reason for reading ABR, followed by the desire for information and for guidance in buying books. Ninety per cent agree or strongly agree that ABR offers vital access to independent critique; 88% that it is an important source of information; 73% that it is essential reading.

Overall, readers were complimentary about the magazine and individual features, more so than we expected, given the negative potential in surveys.

Opinions varied, of course, as we expected – and hoped. You are passionate about the magazine’s focus on Australian literature (43% agreed, another 43% strongly). In general, you seem happy with the balance between local and overseas titles (61% wanted the same, 13% less overseas coverage, 20% more).

We invited you to rate your enjoyment of different aspects and features of the magazine. The six most popular were the Australian emphasis (total of 89%, in three positive categories); the standard of writing (85%); fiction reviews (82%); essays and the monthly format (both 79%); and non-fiction reviews (77%). Least popular were the gallery notes (40% in two categories); theatre notes (38%); new poetry (27%); letters to the editor (26%); diaries (24%); and children’s/young adult books (22%).

Then we asked what features you thought we should cover in greater or less detail. You want more reviews of fiction (40%), philosophy (36%), and media and politics (both 25%). Conversely, you want less sport (40% – what, no Warney!); performing arts (16%) and art (13%). You seem to enjoy the three major components of the magazine: one-page reviews (91%, in three categories); In Briefs (79%); and extended articles (75%).

The devil often lies in the detail. Your annotations were fascinating, and full of provocations and insights. Our readers have a clear sense of ABR’s role in preserving literary values and subjecting new writing to proper scrutiny. Our independence was often cited. And what is our role, actually? We liked these comments: ‘To be more than a recorder – to be a disturber’; ‘Challenging the culture of forgetting’; ‘To counter pop reviews in the media’.

Remarkably, auspiciously, 12% of respondents indicated that they would consider becoming patrons of the magazine. They will be hearing from us early next year when we announce the ABR patrons’ scheme, whose purpose is to inject needed funds into the magazine so that we can expand and indeed preserve it in coming years and decades. Literature in this country has been relatively slow to encourage private philanthropy – unlike state galleries and museums, orchestras and theatre companies. ABR is well placed to galvanise support and to spread the word to Australian readers that, if we really want a vibrant independent literary review of this kind – one that is more than a recorder, but a disturber of orthodoxy and promotional hyperbole – then we may have to explore new ways of consolidating it.

The Melbourne Prize

The Melbourne Prize Trust has announced the finalists for the Melbourne Prize for Literature and the Best Writing Award (both of which will be offered every three years). The former category, worth $60,000, comprises an international travel grant worth $30,000 and $30,000 in cash. The finalists are Helen Garner, John Marsden, Alex Miller, Dorothy Porter and Hannie Rayson. The ten finalists in the Best Writing Award category include several ABR contributors, including Sonya Hartnett and David McCooey, who has a poem in this issue, titled ‘Hands’. Both winners will be announced on November 15. They are the most valuable prizes of their kind in Australia.

Annual offer to school libraries

Each year, we offer ten complimentary subscriptions to school libraries. Help us to reach young readers and to assist those schools that might not be in a position to subscribe to a wide range of magazines. Just ask your school librarian to contact us and mention this special offer (e-mails to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), which closes on December 31. This offer is limited to state schools that have not previously subscribed to ABR.

The good e-news

Stay informed about online-only features of the ABR website, such as Critic of the Month, Poet of the Month and the ABR blog. Be the first to hear about ABR competitions and events. Get the chance to win free books. How? Subscribe to our monthly e-news by e-mailing Jo Case at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with ‘e-news’ in the subject line.

Changes at ABR

Many of our readers will have got to know our wonderful Office Manager, Lorraine Harding, who has been with us for more than a year. Lorraine has decided to concentrate on her studies – art’s gain, our loss. (She assures ‘Advances’ that it wasn’t the survey that did it.) Leigh Parris is the new Office Manager.