Quote For The Week

Writing is easy.

All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper
until the drops of blood form on your forehead.
~ Gene Fowler

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Attention All Would-Be Authors!

 Queensland Writers Centre / Hachette Australia

Manuscript Development Program for Fiction and

Non-Fiction Writers

Applications open nationally on Monday 3 May 2010

Attention all would-be authors!

Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) and Hachette Australia are proud to announce their national program for fiction and non-fiction writers in 2010.

Now in its 4th year, and created for emerging Australian authors of commercial adult fiction and non-fi ction, we are looking for manuscripts that range from 50,000–120,000 words across all genres.

We have places for up to ten burgeoning writers, and those selected will work with editors from Hachette Australia to develop their high quality manuscripts at a week-long intensive program at Queensland Writers Centre in Brisbane, in November this year.

The manuscripts with publication potential will then be considered by Hachette Australia,and we hope that along the way we will help to demystify the publishing process.

Two Hachette Australia authors have already come from the QWC/Hachette Australia Manuscript Development Program:

Phillipa Fioretti’s THE BOOK OF LOVE published April 2010

‘a really fun read’ Bookseller + Publisher
‘the writing is uncluttered and her voice is wry’ Courier Mail

And Favel Parrett’s PAST THE SHALLOWS, which will publish in 2011.

For full guidelines and an application form please visit http://www.qwc.asn.au/

This program is a partnership initiative between Queensland Writers Centre and Hachette Australia.
Supported by Arts Queensland.

Coming Events.....

July

•(Australia) Mildura Writers Festival - 15 to 18 July 2010. Part of the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival. Mildura, Victoria.

August

•(Australia) Byron Bay Writers Festival - 6 to 8 August 2010. Byron Bay, New South Wales.

•(Australia) Romance Writers of Australia National Conference - 13 to 15 August 2010. Crowne Plaza, Coogee, New South Wales.

•(Australia) Australian Children's Book Week - 21 August to 27 August 2010 - The theme for 2010 is across the story bridge. For information on the winning books and costumes that celebrate characters from children's books see our BCL Book Week page

•(Australia) WA Spring Poetry Festival - 27 to 29 August 2010. Organised by The WA Poets Inc.

•(Australia) Melbourne Writers' Festival - 27 August to 5 September 2010.

bclbooks.com.au/festivals.htm

Exercise For July

Writing Exercise for July 2010 – Fairfield Writers Group

Remember when you were at school and after the holidays one of the first things that the teacher asked you to do was to write about ‘My Holidays’?

Well, that’s what your exercise is this month.

Write a short story (limit 1200 words approx.) about a holiday, or an episode from a holiday.

It should be told in the first person, hence the title, MY Holiday.

Other than that, let your imagination take you wherever you or your lead character want/s to go.

A State Of Writing

A State of Writing now live!

A State of Writing (ASW) connects readers, writers and ideas in Queensland. If you are a writer, librarian, teacher, bookseller, community organisation or passionate reader, you can draw inspiration, contacts and support from A State of Writing. You can also contribute your own knowledge and resources.

A State of Writing is an open network that welcomes members who are passionate about supporting creative engagement with writing, reading and storytelling throughout Queensland.

This website is a digital community. Here you can find events and projects and resources about writing and reading, but you can also promote your own projects and locate activities happening in your own region. Join the website and establish your own profile – sign up your book club, your writing group, your library, your festival. Sign up yourself and connect with other people involved in writing in Queensland.

LINKS: http://astateofwriting.org.au/

COMPETITIONS

PLEASE CHECK THE ENTRY GUIDELINES BEFORE ENTERING ANY COMPETITIONS.

The CALEB Prize is now open!

Submissions close: June 30

The CALEB Prize for faith-inspired writing is now open to writers in Australasia (Australia, NZ and the Pacific Islands) for books published between 1 January 2008 - 30 June 2010. There are 3 categories: non-fiction, fiction, poetry.

Primary first prize: $1000

Secondary first prizes: $250

The primary first prize may come from any of the categories. Discretionary prizes may also be offered in sub-categories, if entries warrant. For example, if a dozen or more children's picture books are received, a prize for Best Children's Picture Book will be created in addition to the above.

Please note: Although either publisher or writer may enter, the writer must be Australasian. The book may be published in Australia or overseas. There are three judges, including Jeff Townsend of Write Advice, formerly of CMC Australasia. The writer is required to make a brief statement on the entry form as to how their writing has been influenced by their faith. Thus, by "faith-inspired", the entry need not necessarily be overt in its presentation of faith; subtlety would not count against any entry.

Entry fee: $25 + 5 books

Two of these books will be used for ongoing promotional purposes (for the author) during the year and also during the course of the year, the books will also be reviewed twice. One of these reviews will appear in Off the Shelf, the quarterly newsletter of our sponsor, the Australian Church Library Association.

The CALEB Prize will be announced at the Word Writers Fair in November in Brisbane, Qld. Long lists and short lists will be announced as they become available.

To download an entry form, see www.omegawriters.com We encourage entrants to send books early as this enables us to expedite the review process.

For clarification, please inquire by return email.

Thanks for your interest

Annie Hamilton

President (Omega Writers Inc)

30 June


Watermark Literary Society Eric Rolls Prize

www.watermarkliterary

society.asn.au

E watermarks@tsn.cc

T 02 6559 9953

Entry fee $10 [Cheque or money order payable to Watermark Literary Society.]

General Division – for prose fiction or non-fiction in the genre of natural history writing, max. 6,000 words. 1st prize is $1,000 plus participation in the 2011 Watermark Literary Muster (17–20 June). Up to two highly commended entries may be rewarded at the discretion of the judges. Prize/s will be full attendance at the June 2011 Watermark Literary Muster. More details on the website.

Post entries to:

Lyndal Coote

Administrator Eric Rolls Prize General Division

PO Box 284

Laurieton NSW 2443


The Bridport Prize 2010

www.bridportprize.org.uk

Entry fee £7 per story, £6 per poem, £5 per flash fiction.

Poems: 42 lines, 1st prize is £5,000. Judge is Michael Laskey. Short stories: 5,000 words, 1st prize is £5,000. Judge is Zoë Heller. Flash fiction: 250 words, 1st prize is £1,000. Judge is Zoë Heller.

Open to all. Enter and download postal entry forms via the website. Send as many entries as you want.

Post entries to:

The Bridport Prize

PO Box 6910

Dorset DT6 9BQ

UK


5pm, 6 July

Arts Queensland Val Vallis Award for Unpublished Poetry

http://www.queenslandpoetryfestival.com/

E qldpoetry@gmail.com

T 07 3842 9990

Entry fee $20

This prestigious prize is committed to encouraging emerging poets throughout Australia. Entrants may submit up to three poems per entry, but each entry must be accompanied by a separate entry form and a separate entry fee. 1st prize is $1,000 plus one week fully paid at Varuna Writers House and publication in Blue Dog Australia; 2nd prize is $500; 3rd prize is $250. Visit the website for guidelines and entry forms.

Send entries to:

Queensland Poetry Festival

PO Box 3488

South Brisbane Qld 4101


5pm, 13 July

Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize

http://www.queenslandpoetryfestival.com/

E qldpoetry@gmail.com

T 07 3842 9990

Entry fee $20

Committed to encouraging emerging Queensland poets and now in its 8th year. This prize, for an unpublished poetry manuscript, comes with a total prize money of $3,000. Visit the website for guidelines and an entry form.

Send entries to:

Queensland Poetry Festival

PO Box 3488

South Brisbane Qld 4101
 
http://www.qwc.asn.au/

POEM OF THE MONTH

‘A DANCING BEAR’

Oh! My beautiful dancing bear

What have they done to you?
I remember when you danced free
Pirouetting through the forest
Like a ballet dancer
Graceful and agile
Thick, luxuriant coat, gleaming eyes
A confident demeanour
Then they came – they took you
You’re freedom gone forever
Trapped in a concrete enclosure
You sway and pace with lack-lustre eyes
My heart breaks
Children watch with fascination
They don’t know what is was you came from –
A paradise where you were free
Now a butterfly trapped in a spider’s web – my beautiful
Dancing bear
In the hands of humans I cry for you
And wish your death to come quickly
You would be better off
Yes, better off!

© Carol Jell June 2010

Quote For The Week

Manuscript: something submitted in haste and returned
                                   at leisure.
                           ~ Oliver Herford
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Reptiles_And_Amphibi_g87-Common_Toad_p609.html

Quote For The Week

Writing is the hardest way of earning a living with

 the possible exception of wrestling alligator

~ William Saroyan

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