QUOTE FOR THE MONTH

The successful man will profit from his mistakes
and try again in a different way.”
-Dale Carnegie

http://www.freewritingcenter.com/quotes-that-will-inspire-you/#more-585

NEXT FWG MEETING

NEXT FWG MEETINGS

27th of August 2011

Novel/Short Group-10.30am

Anthology Group-12.00pm

10th of  September 2011

Exercise Group-10.30am

Anthology Group-12.00pm

24th of September  2011

Novel/Short Group-10.30am

    

VENUE:

Fairfield Library

Fairfield Gardens Shopping Centre
180 Fairfield Road
FAIRFIELD Q 4103

COMING EVENTS 2011

Writers Festivals and Events 2011

Australia

http://bclbooks.com.au/festivals.htm

20 to 26 August 2011 - Australian Children's Book Week - The theme for 2011 is One World, Many Stories. For information on the winning books and costumes that celebrate characters from children's books see our BCL Book Week page.

26 August to 4 September 2011 - Melbourne Writers' Festival

7 to 11 September 2011 - Brisbane Writers Festival

7 to Sunday 11 September - Write Around the Murray Festival - in Albury, New South Wales.

2nd to 5th October 2011 - Australian School Library Association XXII Biennial Conference

Festival News

Preparations for the first-ever Festival of Independent Writers and Publishers to be held on the Gold Coast on 29 October this year are well under way. An impressive line-up of writers and publishers have already signed up: Journalist and novelist Michael Jacobson, award-winning author Stephanie Dale, as well as Patt Gregory, Iris Detenhoff, Petajo, Julie Boyd, John Clark, Duncan Richardson, Jane Hanckel, Kathleen Stewart, Daryl Greer, Owen Clement, Joan Songaila, Terry Spring and Caroline Glen. Watch this space for more author news or check out the website:

http://www.indieauthorsfestival.com.

COMPETITIONS

PETER COWAN WRITERS’ CENTRE INC

 www.pcwc.org.au .

Guidelines for entries in the

2011 Julie Lewis Biennial Literary Awards

POETRY

POEM: Up to 50 lines

THEME: Open

AGE LIMIT: Open

PRIZES: 1st - $400, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100. Highly Commended and Commended certificates

CLOSING DATE: 31 August 2011

ENTRY FEE: $10.00 each entry or 3 entries for $25.00.

For more information  www.pcwc.org.au .

PETER COWAN WRITERS’ CENTRE INC

(PCWC)

 www.pcwc.org.au .

2011 Julie Lewis Biennial Literary Awards

PROSE

The Peter Cowan Writers' Centre is now calling for entries in the 2011 Julie Lewis

Biennial Literary Awards for prose.

Entries must be unpublished works, and to have not won prior recognition

No. of words: Up to 2000 words

THEME: Open

AGE LIMIT: Open

PRIZES: 1st - $400, 2nd - $200, 3rd - $100.

Highly Commended and Commended certificates

CLOSING DATE: 31 August 2011

ENTRY FEE: $10.00 each entry or 3 entries for $25.00

For more information www.pcwc.org.au .

The Australasian Association of
Independent Writers

The Australasian Association of Independent Writers is pleased to announce the inaugural Festival of Independent Writers and Publishers to be held on the Gold Coast at the Robina Community Centre near the Robina library on 29 October 2011.

As part of this celebration of independent writers and publishers we also announce the inaugural open Short Story Writing Competition.

Entry fee: $7.50 for single entries, $18 for three.

1st prize: $200 voucher off your printing costs plus $100; 2^nd prize: $200 voucher off your printing costs; highly commended certificates.

Word limit: 1500 words

Theme: open

Closing date: 30 September 2011

Enter by post or online

See website for details of the festival, how you can be involved and the writing competition: http://www.indieauthorsfestival.com

And:

Are you an independent writer or publisher? If so, why not combine a wonderful trip to the sunny Gold Coast with the chance to meet your fellow indie writers, publishers, printers and READERS?

The Australasian Association of Independent Writers is seeking sponsors and independent writers or publishers to take part in the inaugural Festival of Independent Writers and Publishers to be held on 29 October 2011 on the Gold Coast at Robina Community Centre next to the Robina library.

There are numerous ways you can become involved, so if you’d like to be part of this great initiative, please contact us at indiewriters@gmail.com.

For further information, check out our website: http://www.indieauthorsfestival.com.

Prole

www.prolebooks.co.uk

poetry and prose

Prole is a literary journal publishing fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry. Based in the UK, we have published writers from around the world and sell in many countries. We receive no funding but pay our writers royalties based on a share of profit. For our last three issues we have paid all our writers.Prole, Poetry and Prose is open for submissions for issues 6 and 7. Details regarding the submissions process can be found on our website.Here is a summary of our current competition:

The Prolitzer Prize

A prose competition for fiction and creative nonfiction of less than 1500 words.

Entry fee £4

Prizes: 1^st £130 and publication, two runners up £30 each and possible publication.

Closing date: October 1^st 2011

Winners announced: December 3^rd 2011

Full details here: http://www.prolebooks.co.uk/page8.html

The New Writer magazine

Prose and Poetry Prizes 2011Closing date 30 November

Now in its 15th year, one of the major annual international competitions for short stories, microfiction, single poems, poetry collections, essays and articles; offers cash prizes as well as publication for the prize-winning writers in The Collection, special edition of The New Writer magazine each July. 

Back copies are available at the TNW website:http://www.thenewwriter.com/subscribe.htm 

Further information including guidelines and entry fees at:http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizes.htm 

Writers can enter online at our secure credit card server at:http://www.thenewwriter.com/entryform.htm 
Or, the entry form can be downloaded from that page on the website and sent in the post with your entry.  

Also, we can supply this year's printed entry forms on request to writers' groups and organizations in the UK – just let us know, no SAE required. 

The 2010 Prose & Poetry Prizes winners are announced on this webpage:http://www.thenewwriter.com/prizewinners.htm 

MEMBERS CORNER

COLLECTION OF LIMERICKS

By Findlay McKechnie

I'm stuck in this poor old body

I'm trapped in this poor old shell

But beneath the skin

I'm the same old Fin

But how the hell can you tell?


By Carol Jell

There was young pup called Tia
Sometimes known as Tia-Maria

She pee-ed on the floor
Carol shouted "no more"

Now Tia's known as "Tia the pee-er."


By Helga Parl

There once was a hen called Wendy
Her eggs came often quite handy

The cock cried hurray
I will have my way

His name was deservedly Randy.

By Jennifer Nosovich

There once was a short man named Drew
Who loved a tall lady called Sue

Because he was short
He thought that he ought

Show her he had parts that grew.


By Anna Arnold

We danced till the morning came
Passions burning,we felt no shame

He held me tight
For just that night

And I never did learn his name.



By Lorraine Cobcroft

There once was a young man named Dean

Who fell madly in love with the queen

He sent his message of love

On the wings of a dove,

But its droppings did cause quite a scene!



By Maarten Wijnberg

A French aristocratic baby in Brest

Possessed an impressive crest

The young and the old

Gave him jewels and gold

But he thought, just give me the breast

WRITING SOFTWARE

Lorraine has come across a demo for a software program called Dramatica Pro. Though slightly expensive she thinks it's worth a look at especially if you are a serious novelist. The demo is free and worth a look at.

http://www.dramatica.com/

WRITING ARTICLES

ARTICLE ON USING FILTERS

"So what is a filter?
The most basic form of a filter is when the writer tells the reader that a characters sees, hears, smells, feels (as in the sense of touch), or tastes something. A related, and slightly more nuanced filter, is when the writer tells the reader that a character notices, realizes, recognizes, or feels (as in an emotion) something."

Read more-

http://robbgrindstaff.com/2011/07/do-you-filter-your-fiction/ 

USEFUL WRITING TIPS

http://dramaticapedia.com/contents/dramatica-theory-book
contains a wealth of useful hints for would-be novelists about how to build characters and weave a story successfully.

MEMBERS CORNER

A LETTER TO SOMEONE WHO HAS PASSED AWAY

By Lorraine Cobcroft

Dear Dad,

My aunt made a remark at your funeral. She didn’t mean to be insensitive. How could she ever hope to understand? She said it was good that you died while I was still too young to know you. You can’t miss someone you never knew. But I’ll miss you, dad. Oh how I will miss you!

I’ll miss the joy of welcoming a daddy home at the end of the day – the hugs and kisses, the ‘how’s my little girl?’ and ‘what did you do today?’ I’ll miss curling up on your lap when I’m sleepy and riding on your back or in your arms when we are out and my legs tire. I’ll miss the little treats fathers bring home for their daughters, and the gifts that only fathers understand little girls treasure; your proud smiles and praise when I excel , your encouragement when I struggle; and your soft reassurances when I fail.

I’ll miss your admiration of my beauty the first time my hair is cut or I paint my face or dress for my first ball. I’ll miss dancing with you on my debut night and walking up the aisle on your arm when I marry. Who will give me away? Who will dance the ‘father/daughter’ waltz with me? Who will my children call ‘grandpa’?  It may be twenty years or more from now, but they will surely miss you too.

In the schoolyard and in groups, I’ll be the odd one out – the daughter of a poor widow. Kids can be cruel with their torment of anyone who differs. 

And then there’s the practical issues.  Oh, sure, there was an insurance payout, and Mum will get a pension, I guess. But she will struggle financially, and she’ll carry the entire tiring load of running a household. I guess my uncles will help out at times, but they can’t be there every evening to chop the wood and help with the dishes, or to give me my bath or read me a story while she cooks dinner or cleans the kitchen. Who will keep her company when she’s lonely after I have gone to sleep? Who will she turn to for the warmth of a lover? If your absence makes her bitter and resentful, will I lose her love as well, or will she smother and suppress me in her search for comfort?

I’ll miss that ‘good cop, bad cop’ balance that two parents achieve when a child needs both discipline and understanding, and I’ll miss your comfort and reassurance when exhaustion , stress, or inexperience make Mum sharp or unfair.

I’ll miss the knowledge of my history and heritage. How will I answer my doctor’s concerned “Any family history of…?”  I’ll never know.

I’ll look at your photographs and I guess I’ll see resemblances. I’ll know that my clear milky skin came from my English father, because our Sicilian neighbour will comment often. I’ll know that my singing talent was inherited from you, because everyone knows Mum can’t hold a note. Gran will tell me you had the softest speaking voice, but when you sang in that magnificent tenor tone, you lifted the roof off and brought the entire neighbourhood flocking to listen. If I find myself being pedantic about neatness, I guess I’ll wonder was that a trait passed on through genes, because Gran will tell me you ironed your pyjama bottoms with creases that would cut cold butter. But sadly, Daddy, that’s all I’ll know of you. Just those two things Gran will tell me, and what I see in photographs.

I’m only six weeks old, and I have no hope of remembering what you looked like, how your voice sounded, or how it felt when you held me in your arms. I can never hope to know how your face dimpled or how your eyes lit when you smiled, or how your face hardened when you were angry or disapproving. I don’t what foods you most liked to eat, what books you liked to read, what kind of music you liked to hum or dance to, how you preferred to spend your leisure time.  

“You never knew him,” my aunt will say when I am older. “How then can you claim to miss him?”

I’ll miss having a dad in my life. But most of all, I’ll miss knowing half of me, and how that part of me came to be.

Love, Me

ANTHOLOGY NEWSLETTER FOR JULY

FWG 2^nd ANTHOLOGY

    FAIRFIELD WRITERS’ GROUP MEETING

                                                  9th of July 2011

Present: Anna, Helga, Jennifer, Lorraine, Maarten

Absent: Findlay and Lou.

Chairing this meeting: Anna

Taking minutes this meeting: Anna

The following key points were discussed in this meeting:

 

Cover design

·          A few minor changes were done to the cover design.

·          Helga has done a wonderful job despite not having a computer.

Action:        Lorraine will email final cover design.

Editing

·         Most of the editing has been done.

Action:        Lorraine will now go over the final editing.

Marketing

·          Members have agreed that marketing is now top priority.

·          All marketing will be done by September as the book launch is to be on the

       15^th of October 2011.

Strategy-

Members will rally support for the book. Members will approach post offices, newsagencies etc to put up our posters. 

The first poster which will be put up in the next few weeks –it is general information about the group and advertising the anthology book.

Second Poster will be put up in September and this will be advertising the launch of the book.

In thank you for their support we will include their business in the book.

The following is a list of members and their chosen venue

Suburb	Venue	Member	Support
Springhill	Post Office	Jennifer
	Kremer Coffee Shop	Jennifer
	Anytime Fitness	Jennifer
Yeronga	Post Office	Maarten
	Newsagency	Maarten
Fairfield	Post Office	Helga	Yes
	Newsagency	Anna	Contact Michelle
	Coffee Shop	Anna	Yes
	Copy Shop	Anna	Yes
	Centre Management
Graceville	Post Office	Anna
Mt Gravatt	Book/Coffee shop near Harvey Norman	Anna
Forest Lake	Post Office	Anna
	Writers Groups	Lorraine

Action:      All members to approach appropriate businesses for support.

Action:      Lou to provide marketing project plan.

Guest Speaker

·         Fairfield Library will invite Estelle Penny to be a guest speaker at the book launch.

            Action:  Linda at Fairfield Library to advise.

Mission Statement

·         It was voted that our mission statement should be:

 To build the skills and confidence of local writers, and community appreciation of their talents.

About the Authors page

• Comments from the last anthology about who we are as a group and how and why we worked together to produce this collection came up.
• Also some people would be more supportive if they understood that some writers are beginners and that this is a group formed to support the development of local writing talent.
• Information about the group will be included.

Action: Lorraine to email a draft for voting

Fees

• Remaining payment for participating in the anthology will be collected on the 13^th of August meeting.

• Payment can be done by cash, cheque or direct deposit

Next Anthology Meeting: Saturday 13 August 2011

9.30am at the back of the Fairfield Library

FWG 2^nd ANTHOLOGY

                        FAIRFIELD WRITERS’ GROUP MEETING

Unscheduled 23^rd of July 2011

Present: Anna, Helga, Lorraine, Maarten, Findlay and Lou.

Absent: Jennifer

Chairing this meeting: Anna

Taking minutes this meeting: Lou

The following key points were discussed in this meeting:

Update on marketing plan

• List of places to promote and / or distribute (sell) has been sent by Anna by email

• List is going in anthology to acknowledge those who assisted with launch or stocked the anthology for sale, as a thanks for helping out

• Lou has draft marketing plan including media releases as per the Arts Queensland media release guidelines

• Lou flagged we all need to be clear on what each member is doing and by when, lest we double up on contacting guests and special guests for the launch

Update on speakers for launch:

• Nicole Johnson, local member with BCC, is not booked

-          Maarten volunteered; will make appointment at ward office

-          Lorraine to follow up with letter and copy of book

• Proposed to hold launch at10:30am at Fairfield Library

-          Anna to confirm time with librarian, Linda

• Local author Estelle Pinney has been contacted for interest in launching the anthology

-        Lorraine to write to Nicole and Estelle

-        drafts to be sent to members first; comments invited back and then will forward on to each

• Estelle and Nicole need guidelines / speaker's notes on what to say at the launch

-        Lorraine to prepare speaker's notes for each

-        Limit self-promotion of Estelle's own work and book

-        Suggestion for Estelle to read Lorraine’s story about the flood at launch; agreed

-        Anna to brief Estelle on launch guidelines

• Extra items for launch update:

-        Each member to print their own copy of the posters for launch and use when speaking with retailers

-        'Big' posters will be distributed about launch begin October (2 weeks before launch – beginning of October)

Update on proof copy:

-        Helga and Lorraine congratulated on proof copy

-        Helga provided editorial feedback

-        All copyediting to be sent to Lorraine either marked up in PDF, or printed and hand written

-        Lorraine to receive declaration by 2 August

-        Final payment for anthology due – cash, cheque or by deposit to FWG account

Action Items:

Lou to send marketing plan and list of publications to send media releases to FWG anthology members by Wednesday 27 July

Lou to follow up with Avid Reader (events@avid.com.au) for Tuesday 18^th October or Thursday 20^th October for launch at store

Helga to send Lou jpeg of logos for media release templates

Lorraine to email / send to writing groups of our book launch

Lorraine to correct spell error on list in anthology for Avid Reader (Readers should be Reader)

Next Anthology Meeting: Saturday 13 August 2011

                 9.30am at the back of the Fairfield Library