President's Note
Dear members and guests,
Can you believe it’s March already? Are your writing goals heading where you want them to? Some of our members have been on fire this month. Achievements include publishing a book, launching a first book, launching another book, having a manuscript longlisted, becoming a quarterfinalist in a competition, among many other accomplishments. Well done to all! Don’t forget to let us know when you reach an exciting goal in your writing journey. We love to celebrate our members’ achievements.
If you are a current member of GCWA, I want to encourage you to take advantage of the many member benefits available, including less than half-price advertising on our website and member-only focus groups. Our aim is to support you in your writing goals wherever you are at. Let us know here how you would like to be involved in GCWA.
We welcome visitors and members at our monthly meeting. It is an ideal place for you to make some meaningful connections, gain some new writing-craft skills and learn something new. Being part of a tribe of other writers can be incredibly powerful and beneficial to encourage your writing progress.
Our February meeting was a great example. In our first session, Ky Garvey bravely shared her own story of what she needed to overcome to be the writer she was aiming to be. This moment created a unique connection in the room as several people publicly thanked her for conveying a difficult message that many could relate to and needed to hear. Following this, Sandra Mayer delivered an inspirational practical presentation of the role of AI in illustrations. This was definitely a new topic for many of us in the room.
What a month! What are you going to put into practice this month to stretch yourself towards your next goal?
On behalf of the GCWA committee, we wish you all the best over the next few days as Cyclone Alfred approaches SE Queensland. Stay safe and we look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on 15th March.
Rochelle Miller, GCWA President
Create, Inspire, Connect. |
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 | The GCWA meets on the third Saturday of each month. We are at our usual meeting place at the
BURLEIGH WATERS COMMUNITY CENTRE. 111-136 Christine Ave, Burleigh Waters QLD 4220 Click here for the Google Maps location |
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FYI: The April meeting date will be the 12th.
Details in the April newsletter. |
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15th MARCH 2025
MEETING ORDER OF EVENTS Members and guests are encouraged to arrive at 11:45 to complete the entry process so we can start on time. If you have flu-like symptoms or feel unwell, please stay at home and get better quickly. -
11:45 Arrive and register -
12:00 News and brief announcements -
12:10 Speaker: Josh Hale – The Screenwriting Journey from Concept to Screen -
13:15 Afternoon Tea & Networking Break -
13:45 Workshop: Screenwriting Concepts with Damian Hussey -
14:45 Raffle - 15:00 Close
To book your spot at the meeting and get fast-tracked, please click here. Entry is also available at the door. GCWA members: $5.00
Visitors: $10.00
EFTPOS payment preferred; however, cash is accepted. |
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 | | Josh Hale - Film Producer
The Screenwriting Journey from Concept to Screen
Join us for an engaging presentation by Josh Hale, a seasoned professional in the film industry, who will share valuable insights and personal anecdotes from his extensive experience, particularly in screenwriting. Josh will explore the challenges and successes he faced, detailing the screenwriting journey from concept to screen. There will also be a lively question and answer session with Josh.
For more information, please click here. |
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| Damian Hussey - Film Producer
Screenwriting Concepts
The workshop will cover the concepts of screenwriting and will help people create a new screenplay, or adapt an existing work into the screenplay format. We’ll cover formatting, structure, point of view, writing styles and beats. Participants will write their own short scene and share with the group.
For more information, please click here. |
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 | GCWA is holding micro fiction competitions throughout 2025 instead of a longer short story competition.
Micro fiction incorporates all the elements of short story writing, including story arc and character development. The difference is that you have a significantly lower word count to achieve this in!
Some benefits of writing micro fiction that will transfer to other writing:
• You learn to identify and reduce filler words. Every word counts.
• You have a clear beginning, middle and end.
• It is a great way to practice dialogue that gets to the point.
• You develop the skill of writing scenes that start in the middle of something. This is useful for story and chapter openings.
NYC Midnight has some great micro fiction writing tips to get you started. Check them out here.
For entry details and the terms and conditions, please click here.
We are looking forward to reading all your entries. But get those pens moving – submissions are only open throughout March! |
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 | | We love sharing news from our GCWA members to shine the spotlight on new work, awards and publishing wins from local writers. Here's just a taste of the success in and around the Gold Coast writing community in recent weeks.
Our heartfelt congratulations this month go to these incredibly talented GCWA members - well done!
Alison Grabham has published her book My Rhymes, a book of 38 nursery rhymes providing hours of interactive, educational fun for kids. Find out more at myrhymes.com.au and on YouTube at My Rhyme Time.
Christine Betts made the long list of the Hawkeye Publishing Manuscript Development Prize for 2025 and is also hosting creative writing workshops at HOTA.
Kate from the Ten Penners has published a YA novel called Kylie Cooper and the Misplaced Bushranger under her pseudonym ‘Katharine R. Pepper’.
Sandra Mayer is a Quarterfinalist in the 2025 BlueCat Screenplay Competition with her 'short' script titled 'BLOW'.
Jim Dickson delivers a gripping tale of duty, resilience and redemption in his heart-pounding debut novel Feel the Fear, the first in the James Dalgleish series. You can find it here on Amazon.
Kathy Shanks from Turtle Publishing is hosting a book launch event Sat 22nd March with the Kids4Kids Foundation and you're invited! This is more than just a book launch—it’s a celebration of young voices, big dreams, and the magic of storytelling! To find out all the details, please click here.
Congratulations to all our phenomenal members on these remarkable accomplishments! Your dedication and creative talents inspire us all!
If you have exciting GCWA member news to share, please email our Association Editor at gcwa.editor@gmail.com with all the details. |
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 | | Would you like to be a member of the GCWA?
The Gold Coast Writers' Association aims to support and encourage writers of all levels, across all genres. We welcome writers and readers to share their experiences and connect with a wider audience.
Here are some of the benefits of joining the Association: - Gain access to the ‘Members Only’ Facebook page where you can connect with other members and find useful writing resources.
- Critique Groups (online and in person).
- Member-only writing competitions.
- Promote and sell your books through associated avenues.
- Receive members’ rates at all GCWA special events.
- Network and collaborate with individuals across all levels of writing.
- Benefit from opportunities to meet and socialise with like-minded people in a friendly environment.
| More GCWA membership information here |
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The Ten Penners (a subgroup of the GCWA) are a creative collective of children's book authors and an illustrator, dedicated to bringing imaginative stories and illustrations to life for young readers. They had their first monthly meeting at their new location, Helensvale Community Room South.
The Ten Penners report for our March Meeting 2025
We read our homework stories on 'The Library After Dark' theme.
We discussed the Gold Coast Writers 'Micro Fiction' competition, 100-word stories, which we all hope to enter.
Maree provided great handouts for everyone, 'The Ten Best Selling Genres', and 'Story Framework - The Academy of Magic'. We each chose a story chapter to do as homework for next month. We talked about what a School of Magic would look like, and each story chosen would be in a different classroom. This set our imaginations on fire.
Watch this place for more from our creative team.
To discover more about the magic of the Ten Penners, please click here |
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| CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP |
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 | Facilitated by award-winning writer Christine Betts, we will take inspiration from the current exhibition Magic + Memory: make me a home exhibition. Through a series of fun, interactive exercises participants will learn how to generate ideas for their writing on ideas about home.
The Studio, HOTA Art Gallery
Sat 22nd March
2.00 pm
To get your tickets, please click here! |
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This month's tip comes from Sandra Mayer: 'Don't shun new technology, learn from it and use it only if you want or need to, I did and it opened up a whole new exciting and achievable world for me.'
To learn more, check out Sandra's blog post about AI Disrupting the Illustration Industry here. |
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BOOKSHOP
Advertising Member A$50.00 Website Advertising for 1 year (Member)
Advertising Non-Member A$120.00 Website Advertising for 1 year (Non-Member) Email gcwa.websitemanager@gmail.com for details of specifications required |
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 | DANZ Boldly Launches Into Its Second Year!
The ASLA Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award is back for 2025 to celebrate and spotlight even more underrepresented children’s book creators!
www.thedanzchildrensbookaward.com |
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| | |  | | Each month the Gold Coast Libraries offer
brilliant workshops and author talks.
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 | Writers Plus! We've got everything to support your writing journey. Whether you're just starting out or already published, we have something to help take your writing to the next level. Attend one of our monthly Masterclasses, led by an industry expert, to learn and extend your knowledge and skills. Drop into a writing session utilising the Pomodoro Technique at Writing Friday, Writing Saturday or Writing Sunday. Or just use our spaces for free Wi-Fi and creative environments great for your writing projects. Don't forget to check out the latest writing books while you're in there. For more information go to Gold Coast Libraries |
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| Gold Coast Libraries and the Queensland Writers Centre 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, Saturdays and Sundays are a free, volunteer-led program for local writers at all levels.
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 | | Support your local Independent book store.
GCWA MEMBERS Mention your membership at Big B Books
in Burleigh Heads to receive 10% off books. |
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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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 | | We'd love your feedback! If you have some tips and suggestions for the committee, please email Rochelle at gcwa.president@gmail.com |
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