| Welcome to the February newsletter! |
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| Hi Writers! Do you know the rules?
The writing journey has many rules and they change, depending on who you ask.
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist,” Picasso once said. That's the challenge for artists and writers alike. In this era of Tik-Tok, NFTs, and genre-bending blockbusters, it seems we learn the rules only to see them broken five minutes later! What do we do?
They say the teacher appears when the student is ready so we keep learning. We ask questions and wait...for the answer. Then ask someone else! We attend courses and festivals, listening attentively, taking notes.
And we keep reading! We read widely in our genres but also devour those 'craft' books by the likes of Anne Lamott, Chuck Palahniuk, Stephen King...
I am currently reading Pity the Reader by Kurt Vonnegut and Suzanne McConnell. Imagine having a writer of Vonnegut's ilk as a mentor and teacher... but then through the magic of the printed word, he is my mentor along with all the other writers who had the courage and the audacity to tell us what was on their mind.
Stay well and keep writing! Christine Betts
Newsletter Editor |
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President's Report
I am looking forward to connecting in person with members and guests again in February after our cancelled January meeting. I want to take this time to let everyone know that we will follow all health regulations to keep members and guests safe during this time. Please let us know if you have any concerns or questions.
The committee have been busy with the passion projects, ideas to add value to you the members. If you haven’t attended Writing Fridays at Elanora Library, I would highly recommend it. Please make sure to chat to the committee as they are all looking for members to be involved in the various projects and events we have planned for the year.
You will see the wonderful opportunity for free membership offered by Somerset Storyfest when you renew or join GCWA in 2022. Have a look at the amazing benefits included and please take advantage of the offer through our collaboration with Somerset Storyfest.
We are looking forward to 2022 and a calendar of events promoting creativity and writing.
Hope you all stay safe and well.
Kellie M Cox
President
Create, Inspire, Connect. |
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Our next meeting is on
Saturday 19 February 2022
at Burleigh Waters Community Centre,
Christine Avenue. |
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 | | Join us for our first Writing Workshop of the year at the GCWA
12pm Saturday 19 February, 2022
World-building isn’t just for fantasy and science fiction!
Whether you’re writing Memoir, Contemporary or Genre Fiction, a short story, a series of novels, or anything in between, your characters need somewhere real to live. Establishing the rules and boundaries of your world and how everything functions within it, is essential if you want your readers to lose themselves in your story, but not get too lost on the way.
Even if the world you’re building is exactly like the one we live in, the world of your story needs rules.
Join us for an exploration of the expectations, tropes, cliches, and stereotypes found in genre fiction and a series of writing exercises to help flesh out your fictional world and further your craft in world-building and setting the scene.
12-3pm Saturday 19 February at the Burleigh Waters Community Centre, Christine Avenue. Bring Notebooks and pens and get ready to write! Read more... |
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| Somerset Storyfest are thrilled to offer members of the Gold Coast Writers Association free membership to Storyfest for 2022!
Any members joining or renewing their GCWA membership in 2022, Storyfest's membership programme includes the following benefits:
- 1x piece of Storyfest merchandise. Your choice of a hat, drink bottle or coffee cup
- Exclusive preview to our annual festival programme
- Early bird tickets to all events all year
- 10% discount on tickets all year, including catered events
- 10% discount at the festival bookshop |  |
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| More GCWA membership information here... |
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 | Each Friday in February 10am to 3pm
All writers welcome! Cost:Free
Bookings required: Yes Book now Gold Coast Libraries and Queensland Writers Centre and Gold Coast Writers Association have teamed up to offer Gold Coast writers a space to cultivate their habit of writing and connect with other writers in the community. Following the Pomodoro technique, Writing Fridays is a free, volunteer-led program for local writers at all levels. What is Pomodoro?
Step 1: Choose your task
Step 2: Start the timer and work
Step 3: Take a short break
Step 4: Repeat. Check the GCWA Facebook page for updates. |
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 | The Ten Penners is a sub-group of the GCWA. They began when the Adults Writing for Children support group from the GCWA decided to produce an anthology in 2004. Marion Martineer has recently stepped down after sixteen years as coordinator and Jill Smith has taken over the reins. During the last disrupted year of venue changes, member changes, and COVID restrictions, they began plans for their next anthology. ‘Backyard Stories’ is planned to be released later this year with the launch scheduled for October. The Ten Penners meet regularly at Helensvale Library.
The Ten Penners last met on Saturday, 5th of February. Here's a rundown of their meeting. - Our anthology will be called 'Backyard Stories'.
- Sharron Alexiou and Chez Rafter are not able to contribute to this anthology. But yay, Julie Baythorpe (alias Reid Devron) and Elli Housden will be. Thanks so much, lovely ladies for joining us. Lindy is writing stories as well.
- We plan to launch our book in October.
- Our marketing plan will be organised closer to that time.
- The revamp of our website will continue over the next few weeks. Visit the website.
Not much else to say but have a great day, week and month. Happy writing.
Jill Smith, Coordinator - The Ten Penners |
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| | | | Opportunities and Competitions |
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| Somerset Storyfest is calling for Volunteers Want to be a part of Australia's Premier Children's Literacy Festival?
This is your opportunity! Exciting volunteer opportunities are available in March, from author transport, food and beverage service, work in our Storyfest bookshop, be a gallery attendant during our upcoming illustrator exhibition at HOTA (Home of the Arts) and the list goes on... For more information on the areas required and what is involved, kindly click here. If you have previously volunteered and know the area you would like to be involved in for Somerset Storyfest 2022, please complete the online volunteer form. If you are interested in being a Gallery Attendant for Whimsical Worlds Art Exhibition at HOTA (Home of the Arts) please follow the link here. Please note, to comply with QLD Health regulations, all contractors and volunteers of Somerset Storyfest must be fully vaccinated. If you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us events@storyfest.com.au or phone 07 5559 7377. CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER TODAY! |
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 | Storyfest is currently seeking expressions of interest from volunteers who would like to assist as Gallery Attendant’s during our upcoming illustrator exhibition, Whimsical Worlds by Lucia Masciullo, at HOTA (Home of the Arts).
Whimsical Worlds will run from Monday 14 March to Wednesday 13 April at Home of the Arts.
Gallery Attendant volunteers play a vital role in the day-to-day supervision of the gallery by interacting with the public and promoting the exhibition. They welcome and direct Gallery visitors through the exhibition, displays and works of art. They provide information about the artist, artworks and the exhibition in general. Gallery Attendant volunteers are given a comprehensive induction as well as on-going support.
If you are interested in being a Gallery Attendant for Whimsical Worlds Art Exhibition at HOTA (Home of the Arts) please follow the link here. |
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 | | Somerset Alumni Association presents
Words That Heal
Monday 21 February, 2022
The focus of this session will be on seminal themes from literature and will use selected pieces of literature as launching pads into the domain of these themes such as Love, Death, Good vs Evil and Adolescence, by way of Poetry, Song or Prose. Click here to secure your tickets Monday 21 February | 5.00pm arrival for 5.30pm start
The Basement HOTA , Home of the Arts |
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 | GenreCon
The leading conference for genre writers.
18-20 February 2022 Featuring an impressive line-up of leading names in Australian and international genre fiction across a spectacular weekend of panels, workshops and special events, 2022’s conference is dedicated to you - The Storyteller.
Plus, don’t miss out on your chance to pitch your work to leading publishers and agents. COVID has driven us online for another GenreCon but we've found ourselves a great new Gather-ing place.
Discover the full schedule - a massive weekend of workshops, panels and events all dedicated to celebrating genre fiction - in the unique and interactive online environment Gather. Check out the lineup on the GenreCon website and join us with an All Access Pass. Join in and find your tribe! GenreCon is an initiative of Queensland Writers Centre |
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 | For all the poets and adventurous writers in our ranks - February’s Right Left Write is for you.
Writing on an open theme, show us an exploration (or subversion) of a classic poetry form. Perhaps a sonnet or ballad? An elegy or villanelle? Maybe even a haiku.
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Submissions of poetry up to 40 lines (maximum 500 words) close 28 February. Submit your entry now.
This month’s entries will be guest judged by Norwegian-Australian poet Sebastian Williams. |
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 | Open for submissions
The 2022 Heroines Anthology is now open for submissions of short fiction and poetry.
The Heroines Anthology is a collection of stories about women written by women.
The Heroines/Joyce Parkes Women’s Writing Prize is awarded to one piece of short fiction and one piece of poetry that is published as part of the Anthology.
In 2022, the 1st prize for Short Fiction is $1000 & 1st prize for Poetry is $1000. Read more... |
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 | | Entries are currently open for the 2022 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize. The Jolley Prize is worth a total of AU$12,500 – first place will receive $6,000, second place will receive $4,000, and third place will receive $2,500. The Jolley Prize is open to all short story writers writing in English. We seek original short stories of between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Entries will close at midnight, 2 May 2022. Read more... |
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 | | Kill Your Darlings Each year New Australian Fiction showcases stories from some of Australia’s best and brightest short fiction writers. We encourage writers from diverse backgrounds and all levels of experience to submit. The 2022 edition is due to be published in September, and all genres will be considered. Submissions close on 4 March. For more information and to submit your work, visit our Submittable page.
And check out the podcast-
New Australian Fiction 2021 collects a number of brilliant short stories from authors from around the country, and in this episode you’ll hear excerpts from some of them. Tune in to hear Mykaela Saunders, Scott Limbrick, Emily O’Grady, Daley Rangi and Alice Bishop read from their work, and don’t forget to pick up a copy of the anthology to read these brilliant stories in their entirety. You can purchase a copy from the online shop. |
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 | | THE ANNUAL TEXT PRIZE FOR YOUNG ADULT & CHILDREN’S WRITING Awarded annually to the best manuscript written for young readers, the $10,000 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing aims to discover incredible new books by exciting authors. The prize has unearthed extraordinary, multi-award-winning books and launched international publishing careers. Learn More... |
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 | The Big Issue’s Fiction Edition is out now. This year, the organisers received 692 submissions.
This edition features 12 short stories, including commissioned new work from celebrated authors Alice Pung and Laura McPhee-Browne. Plus, we bring you tales from emerging and established talents whose stories were judged anonymously from 692 submissions, including reads from crime writer Aoife Clifford, and novelists Anna Spargo-Ryan and Mandy Beaumont.
Subscribe to the newsletter for information on future opportunities to submit to the magazine. Read More... |
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 | | Peter Carey Short Story Awards 2022 Moorabool Shire Libraries and local writers Jem Tyley-Miller and Wayne Marshall are proud to announce the 2022 Peter Carey Short Story Award.
Peter Carey is arguably Australia’s greatest living writer. The author of fourteen critically acclaimed novels and four works of non-fiction, Carey has won the Miles Franklin three times, and the Man Booker twice. Early in his career Carey published two short story collections of rare and startling power—The Fat Man in History and War Crimes—both of which remain, forty years on, unrivalled in their mastery of the short story form. The award is for short stories between 2000 - 3000 words, and is open to all Australian residents. Longlisted entries in 2022 will be judged by Melissa Manning. Full Terms and Conditions.(PDF, 165KB) |
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The Queensland Writers Centre is a community that champions writers across Queensland. We help writers at all stages of their writing journey develop skills to improve their craft, engage their readers and build a sustainable career. Read more... |
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 | | Writers' Block with Tess Rowley The first Writers' Block for the year. Are you drawn to the beauty of poetry and song lyrics? Learn how to channel your five senses to expand your perception of the world around you through the power of poetry and lyricism. Tess has been writing poetry since she was knee high to a grasshopper. From the time she was a poet in residence at Brisbane World Expo in 1988, she has published multiple titles, including poetry, children's books, and short stories. She has won awards for her work across all genres and is a crowd favourite and multi-month winner at Brisbane Ruckus Slam Poetry events, which she took first place in 2019. This series is in collaboration with Queensland Writers Centre. Broadbeach Library
Book now |
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 | | Allira Potter - Wild & Witchy - author talk Allira Potter is a creator and writer, reiki practitioner, motivational speaker, model and empowerment mindset coach. The proud Yorta-Yorta woman is also a manifesting queen, using the power of the mind. Wild & Witchy is written in Allira's trademark style where you'll find tasks, tools, techniques and a few witchy rituals to help you being in your most abundant life ever. At this talk, meet Allira and be inspired by her journey so far and where she hopes to go in the future. Grab your copy of Wild & Witchy.
Library: Broadbeach Library Book now |
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 | Discovering Gothic Fiction
DISCOVER HOW AUSTRALIAN AUTHORS HAVE TAKEN THE GOTHIC AND MADE IT THEIR OWN. Discover what gothic fiction is, how it relates to mainstream writing, and how to write it. Spend time with Kathy George, award-winning author of Sargasso, close-reading famous examples from historical and contemporary gothic literature to see how tone, mood and tension is cultivated. Learn how Australian authors have taken the gothic and made it their own, and how the genre can be utilised to strengthen and improve your own work. Read More... |
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 | | Why I write... In a few sentences, tell us why you write. To be published in the GCWA newsletter. Email: gcwa.news@gmail.com |
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 | Come and join us on the GCWA Facebook page and members, be sure to join the
Gold Coast Writers’ Association Members group. |
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| Feedback Welcome! You may have noticed the changing face of the Newsletter and the Website. Please let us know what you think of the changes. Contact Us... |
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