This week we introduce you to Sam Cooney: wearer of jumpers, new editor of The Lifted Brow and endorser of the man-skirt.

 

What do you do in your day job/life?

Right now I am a:

• a writer (of non-fiction, fiction, journalism and tweets)
• uni student (at the Sydney Consortium, doing a Master of Arts in Cultural and Creative Practice)
• and an editor/publisher (of bimonthly magazine The Lifted Brow, and also as an independent lackey for places like Giramondo Publishing and Momentum Books)

I also do freelance work in order to make money so that I can live and eat and breathe without hyperventilating, because the above pursuits even combined often don’t provide to enough moolah to sustain me financially.

What did your grandmother do for money?

One grandmother was — and still is — an artist, and art teacher. The other worked as a secretary until she had kids; I don’t think she worked after that; Catholicism is her thing.

What’s your process for writing or do you free-ball?

Process: idea -> begin writing -> keep writing -> leave piece alone -> rewrite -> send to friend(s) for feedback -> rewrite rewrite rewrite.

Whether I free-ball or not is kind of private, don’t you think? But yes, underwear is evil.


If you were stuck on a desert island what would you write about?

Probably pretty much the same things I write about now. There’d probably be more mention of desert islands though, I reckon. And the ocean. And I’m guessing my work would most likely have a more despondent tone. Very down-in-the-dolrums-ish. I’m not oblivious to my surroundings. I live in the world as much as anyone.


What’s the one invention that you thought would have been invented by now?

A cure for sleep. Food in pill form. Better batteries (the rechargeable kind; actually also the chicken-coop kind). Everyday virtual reality headsets. Love.

A piece of advice your sixteen year old self would give you.

I was a bit of a priapic cretin when I was sixteen, so maybe: “Stop being such a dickface, dickface.”

What I wish he would say: “Don’t forget that you don’t actually deep down care about status or money or widespread approval. You dickface.”

What’s next?

Finishing my master’s thesis and prodding at it until it becomes something publishable; getting stuck right into The Lifted Brow; pushing a collection of digital long short fiction by a up-and-coming Australian authors; listening to more music seeing more films reading more books hanging out with old and new friends and doing more writing always more writing if you stop then it’s all over.