About Us

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Fairfield, Queensland, Australia
Fairfield Writers Group is a mix of beginner and experienced writers who meet the second and fourth Saturdays of the month at the Brisbane City Council Library in Fairfield Gardens Shopping Centre, Fairfield road, Fairfield, Queensland. Our passion is writing and we work hard at our craft. Our aim is to encourage, support and help each other to reach new heights in our writing. New members are always made welcome and usually whisked off to the local coffee shop at the end of meetings for sustenance and socialisation with the rest of the crew.

Welcome to Fairfield Writers Group

We hope you will stop for a while and browse our site and if you like what you see, please visit us again soon.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Merry Christmas

Wishing all our members a Merry Christmas
 and a Happy New Year.
Looking forward to another fantastic and productive writing year.
See you all in 2011.
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NEXT FWG MEETING

Next Meetings:

11 December – Youth Group/Anthology Group/Writing Workshop/Christmas Party
25 December – Christmas Day
8 January 2011 – BYO Writing

Christmas Party


Bells and holly Christmas decorWhen: 11th of December 2010
Time: 12.30pm.

Where: Coffee Shop in the Fairfield Gardens Shopping Centre
opposite the Bank of Queensland.

Sandwiches and Coffee provided.

All to bring a sweet plate to celebrate the festivities
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WRITING WORKSHOP

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We are having a fun writing workshop for our last meeting this year which is on the 11th of December.

Bring your paper and pen and let your imagination run wild with the playful
exercises we have planned for you.

Then later, join us for our Christmas party.

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YOUTH GROUP

The Fairfield Writers Group have decided to form the Fairfield Young Writers Group (FYWG).

The first meeting is to be held on the 11th of  December 2010 at Fairfield Library at 9am.

FYWG is a Writers Group for young people aged 18 to 25. Members offer mutual support to encourage young writers to develop their skills and seek publication.

Fairfield Young Writers Group (FYWG) meets in the Fairfield Library on the 2nd Saturday of each month, commencing at 10am.

Meeting format is determined by the members, but generally members critique each other's work and may agree to work on assignments to develop specific writing techniques.

FYWG was established specifically in response to demand from younger members of the community, and is mentored and assisted by members of the well established Fairfield Writers Group.

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ANTHOLOGY 2011

Members of The Fairfield Writers Group are writing another anthology to be available September 2011.

Below are the October minutes,the updated project plan and guidelines of how to write an outline for the anthology

FWG 2nd ANTHOLOGY
FAIRFIELD WRITERS’ GROUP MEETING
9TH OF OCTOBER 2010
Present: Carol, Lorraine, Helga, Jennifer, Martin, Cecilia, Renae and Anna.
Apologies: Findlay.
Chairing this meeting: Anna

 The Fairfield Writers Group decided in September to proceed with another Anthology. The members that wish to participate are:   Helga, Lorraine, Jennifer, Findlay and Anna.

 Lorraine has kindly set up a plan in order to make sure we are on schedule for the release of our anthology around September/October 2011.This plan was emailed out in September.

 Ideas for the theme of our anthology are as follows:

1. Swings and roundabouts.
2. Life’s a rollercoaster.
3. Memories
4. Out of the window
5. Sliding doors

 Theme for Anthology 2011 as voted by the members:   LIFE’S A ROLLERCOASTER.

 It was decided that a $100 deposit will be required at our next Anthology meeting which is on the 11th of December 2010. This deposit will secure your contribution to the book.

 The stories submitted by the members will be arranged in alphabetical order.

 Number of words required is approx 10,000 words. This could be in the form of one story or two stories each having 5,000 words each.

 As the theme is depicting life as full of ups and downs you can write one happy and one sad story.

 An outline of the story is to be submitted on the 11th of December.

 Lorraine will send out a sample and guidelines of how to present your outline.

 Lorraine will also update the plan and include a checklist for every meeting.

 It was agreed that media coverage and arranging sponsorship was important in successfully marketing the book. Further discussion required at future meetings.

Anna

Next Anthology Meeting: 11 December 2010

FWG 2011 ANTHOLOGY: PROJECT PLAN
Anthology Project Plan

 Writing a Synopsis and Submission Cover Letter
Find out how to write your outline for the anthology

STORY OF THE MONTH

Novembers exercise focused on using the principle of  'show don't tell'.
Helga's story was chosen to showcase this exercise.
Well done Helga!!!

What’s in a Name? Stork delivering baby design
Helga Parl

With shoulders sagging forward Mrs Weedon sat at her desk near the open window. With her elbow leaning on the desk she cradled her chin in her left hand. The other hand held a pen that was gleaming with moisture from her nibbling it while agonising about a name for her yet unborn first child. The test had shown that a daughter was due to arrive within the week.

She had stared for some time into a booklet called ‘Names for Your Baby’, when she heard a little bird call out ‘wen–dee, wen-dee!’ before flitting off to the next tree. Mrs Weedon couldn’t believe her eyes, as she now looked down to the bottom of the page. There it was, black on white, ‘Wendy’.

She straightened up, threw her arms in the air and cried, ‘Okay, that’s it!’

Her best friend Tina came for a visit, armed with her own ideas for a name to bestow on her intended god-child. She towered over her friend, with arms akimbo, pinched mouth and blazing eyes.

‘Surely, Sharon, you wouldn’t do that to anybody, let alone your own baby!’

‘What’s wrong with Wendy? I like it, even the bird sang it.

‘Wendy is a lovely name, I agree. If your surname would be Ahern or Butler, I’d have no hesitation to have her christened Wendy. A name like Wendy Weedon is just asking for ridicule. Why not Amanda or Bettina or anything else? Please, Sharon, not one that surely will become a Wee-word. You know, how kids love anything that has connotations with the nether region, don’t you?’

Sharon looked down on her swollen belly. Folding both arms protectively over it, her face set firmly, she told her friend to look for some other god-child if Wendy wasn’t good enough for her.

‘In that case, Tina snapped back, I’m out of here.’ She slammed the gift, she had brought, on the desk and stormed out of the room, muttering,

‘Wee, Wee Weed on. Really!’

For more than five years Wendy lived in blissful ignorance of the row the choice of her name had brought about. Now, enrolled in pre-school, the world seemed to be crushing down on her.

All of Wendy’s books had her name clearly printed on them in capital letters.

The little imp, sitting next to Wendy, had already learned from his older siblings how to read a few letters. He leaned over to Wendy and put his finger on the printed names.

‘WE... WEED.. he read out loud, and finding his own joke hilarious he laughed, showing all the gaps that his first teeth had left when they had fallen out a few weeks earlier. Before Wendy could stop him, he had grabbed one of her exercise books and held it up for the class to admire his cleverness, dancing on the spot he shouted,

‘Wee-wee weed, wee-wee weed!’

Teary eyed, lips curled to the inside of her mouth and curls thrown back, little Wendy was on top of her taunter’s seat and whacked Johnny’s crown with her other book before he could finish her name. In that instance, Ms Baker entered through the open doorway. Johnny started crying the moment he spotted the teacher. Wendy took a bit longer, before hopping from her perch. Ms Baker shook her head and scolded her.

‘Wendy, that’s unacceptable behaviour, I hope never to see you do it again. Do you understand?’ Wendy only bent her head toward her chest and letting her tears flow freely. Ms Baker then addressed the blubbering Johnny. With her right index finger she gently touched him under his chin, forcing him to look up to her.

‘Why those big tears, John?’

‘Wendy hit me!’ He blurted out and using the back of his hand, he wiped his eyes and nose almost simultaneously.

‘Ah, and did you also hurt Wendy before she hit you?’

‘No, I didn’t.’

‘But you called her names, didn’t you?’

‘I only read what’s written on her books. It does say WE ,WEE , I know. My brother is in grade two and he told me.’ By now John stood straight, just as he had seen his brothers do when they were taken to task by their parents. With feet apart, arms folded behind his back he stared straight into Ms Baker’s face.

‘Wendy’s feelings were hurt by your silliness. Now promise me never to be so cruel again.’

With crossed fingers behind his back Johnny vowed that he would never do it again. The instant the children behind him saw it, Wendy Weedon’s fate was sealed.

All her primary school years she was called wee, wee Wendy and later everybody knew her as Wee. In a perverse kind of way the nickname helped her to become a kind of celebrity. She was asked to most parties and often for advice. She was voted in as captain for the hockey team and she represented her year at debating.

Between all those hangers-on Wendy had found just one single true friend, Ursula Smith. One day, when Ursula hurried toward their meeting place, she found her friend slouched on a park bench.

Wendy was flicking bits of her lunch towards the quacking ducks, yet her face didn’t betray any enjoyment she might have derived from the activity. Ursula plonked herself next to her, making the bench quiver. She grabbed Wendy’s arm and exclaimed,

‘Listen Wee, I know how you can start Uni with a new image.’

‘Oh yea? Tell me.’

‘You do have a middle name, don’t you?’

‘Apparently, Mother never thought of one.’ Biting her inner lip, she bunched up her lunch wrappers, pressing them hard to make a ball; then tossed it into the nearby rubbish bin.

‘Never mind,’ said Ursula and wrapped her arm around Wendy’s shoulder. ‘We invent one for you. Since you’re nearly eighteen, you can apply straight away to make it legal. How would A. R. Weedon grab you? Doesn’t it sound impressive and really grown-up?’ Wendy’s eyes had lit up when she asked,

‘What would you have the A and R stand for?’

Ursula jumped up from her seat. Her words tumbled out of her mouth as she explained her idea.

‘You told me once that you liked the name Abigail, remember? And since your father’s name is Robert I choose Robyn as a middle name. So, if you agree, then I will, with the power not invested in me, declare you to be Abigail R. Weedon, till death does us part!’

A big grin invaded Wendy’s earnest face as she embraced her friend.

Giggling, as only happy teenagers can, the two of them sauntered hand in hand towards the offices of the Public Curator.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Newsletter-November 2010

Newsletter – November 2010
Fairfield Writers Group

In this issue: 
Meetings 13 & 27 November 2010
Christmas Booklets
Youth Group
Writing Workshop
January Exercise
A State of Writing
Christmas Party
Anthology Meeting
Meeting Dates

November 2010
Volume 1, Number 10

Minutes of  meeting Fairfield Writers Group – 13th November 2010-Exercise Group.

Present: Cecilia, Helga, Lorraine, Pam, Martin, Maarten, Jennifer, Carol & new member Robert
Apologies: Anna, Findlay

• Helga handed out the Christmas booklets she printed and made for us that contain our own pieces of writing. A big, big thank you, Helga. You do a wonderful job! I’m sure people don’t realise the work and time involved in producing these booklets. They make lovely keepsakes to remember our days at FWG and a great Christmas gift for someone.

• Lorraine and Martin have been busy organising the formation of our Youth Group together with help from Anna. Posters have been made and letters sent out, to Universities, TAFE Colleges and schools for expressions of interest.

• Lorraine was the chairperson for the ‘Critiquing’ part of our meeting.

• Today our writing exercise was to write up to 1000 words using the principle of ‘show don’t tell’. There was some excellent work submitted with Jennifer and Maarten reading their pieces ‘out loud’ for our enjoyment.

• There has been no exercise set for December, as instead we will hold a writing workshop.

• There has been no exercise set for January next year also. However, members are asked to bring along a piece of their writing for critiquing.

• Helga’s is submitting her piece of writing from today for inclusion on FWG’s blog.

• I have registered our writing group on a ‘State of Writing’ the community of Queensland writers and readers. Anna and I thought it a good idea to put our group ‘out there’. Please check it out. We can promote our group’s events etc on the site by way of blog posts and there is a link to our own blog.

• Our Christmas party will be held after the writing workshop on 11 December at the coffee shop. More details to come about the party.

Carol

Minutes of meeting Fairfield Writers Group– 13th November 2010-Novel Group

Present:    Carol, Lorraine, Helga, Martin, Maarten and Anna.
Apologies: Cecilia, Robert and Findlay.
Chairing this meeting: Anna

• 11th of December is the last Fairfield Writers meeting for this year and we’ll resume on the
   8th of January 2011

• At this meeting we will have a fun writing workshop to end the year.

• Our Christmas party will be held after the workshop at 12.30pm at the Coffee Shop in the Fairfield Shopping centre.

• Sandwiches and Coffee will be provided, but please bring a dessert plate to celebrate the festivities.

• The first Youth Group meeting will be held on the 11th of December 2010 at 9am.This will be run by Lorraine, Martin and Anna.

• Anthology 2011 meeting to be held at 10am after the Youth Group Meeting. The deposit of $100 will be collected from members who are participating.

• The Outline/precise for their story will be collected for approval.

• Martin’s exciting novel provides a great insight into the differences in the levels of society.

• Carol has started writing her novel, which is based on one of her stories she wrote a while ago. Great start!

• Helga read out her wonderful story- a story all women can identify with!

• Lorraine’s novel is as always heart wrenching! It’s coming along nicely.

Anna

Next Meetings:

11 December –   Youth Group/Anthology Group/Writing Workshop/Christmas Party
25 December –   Christmas Day
8 January 2011 – BYO Writing