Taking Time: How time transformed the writing, reading and value of four Australian novels

This article explores the factor of time in the creative process of producing novels in Australia. Using case studies drawn from four specific novel writing practices, we examine the impact of time as an integral component of novel writing. Examining our narratives of this impact together, we found a shared basis in multi-level durational work present in each creative practice: 1. The emotional experience present in the arc of the writer during the production of a novel; 2. The survival of the novel operating in its necessary production pace despite the 21st century evolution of the industry and discourse; 3. The presence and function of time both within and outside the novel process; and 4. The anxiety around shifting discursive contexts over time that can shape novel production. Considering the complex and varied, yet shared, role of time in the practices of experienced and working novelists, we integrate our collective knowledge as a call for an overdue longitudinal study on Australian novel production.<p></p>