The Mastering Story workshop presented by Nikesh Muralli and supported by WITS was a great success. Nikesh has a talent for both writing and teaching. Judging by the quality of the six hour presentation a good deal of research and preparation had gone in beforehand. It was a hands-on experience and as we went through the stages of presentation, by interacting with Nikesh we constructed a credible outline for a story. We were then able to apply the principles to our own work. Fourteen people came away with that crazed look writers have when with fingers twitching they make a bee-line for their computer.
The main focus of the workshop was on mastering the art of story structure. You can have a great story and engaging characters but unless it goes through the necessary stages, in the end it won’t work. By putting the correct foundations in place, the construction of your story, regardless of length follows a pattern the same as if you are constructing a building. In using the correct method to create a working outline you are saved the agony of doing endless rewrites. I’m speaking from experience here. My novel which took me eight years to research and write went through endless drafts. I thought I was finished with it two years ago, but knew deep down that something wasn’t quite right. It needed restructuring; the trick was to know how to go about it the right way. Writing like any craft has to be learned, as long as you have the gift of story-telling and the willingness to learn, the tools are all there for you. Thank you Nikesh, for providing me with the tools to make A Hint of Darkness a best seller.
Nikesh Murali can be reached at http://www.nikeshmurali.net/
Join The Shack at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shack/101463736572726?v=wall
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
AUSTRALIAN POETRY COMPETITION
TOWNSVILLE POETRY PRIZE
Category: Young Adult
Theme: FREEDOM
First prize $200 :: Second Prize $ 150
Judged by acclaimed Queensland poet Julie Beveridge
Closing Date: 31 August 2010
Requirements:
• Complete the details in the entry from at the bottom of the page
• Entrants must be in the 15 to 17 years age group
• An entry free of $5.00 (Australian) applies to each poem
• Poems must be the original work of the author.
• There is no restriction on the number of poems submitted by each entrant. One entry form covers multiple entries. The competition is open to poets from around Australia.
• Please submit 2 copies of each poem entered into the contest, double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman
• Each poem must be given a title. All poems are judged anonymously and the name of the poet must not appear on the manuscript/poems
• The entry fee can be paid as money order and posted along with the cover sheet and entries to PO Box 4083, Kirwan QLD 4814 or Electronic transfer - Account name: Writers in Townsville Society Inc - BSB & ACCOUNT NO. 633-000 140258542
• Poems must not exceed 20 lines (not including title). Entries must be in English.
• Poems must not have been previously published
• Competition entries cannot be returned under any circumstances.
• The competition organisers are NOT able to confirm receipt of entries and are not responsible for loss of entries.
Winners to be announced and will be invited to read their poem at Performance Readings at City Library in Nov (Dates TBA)
For any further details contact us on witsnq@gmail.com or visit us @ www.witsnq.blogspot.com
.
***********************Entry Form**********************
Name _______________________________ Age ______
School ______________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number __________________ Email Address ______________________________
Title of Poem /s:
Please read and sign if you agree with this statement: The submissions are my own work and all the information I have entered in the form is accurate.
Signature of author ____________________________________ Date _________
Signature of parent/principal/teacher/carer/guardian _______________ Date _________
..........................................cut here................................
TOWNSVILLE POETRY PRIZE Adult
Theme: FREEDOM
First prize $200 :: Second Prize $150
Judged by prize winning poet Anthony Lawrence
Closing Date: 31 August 2010
Requirements:
• Complete the details in the entry from at the bottom of the page
• An entry free of $5.00 (Australian) applies to each poem
• Poems must be the original work of the author.
• There is no restriction on the number of poems submitted by each entrant. One entry form covers multiple entries.
• The competition is open to poets 18 years and above from around Australia.
• Please submit 2 copies of each poem entered into the contest, double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman
• Each poem must be given a title. All poems are judged anonymously and the name of the poet must not appear on the manuscript/poems
• The entry fee can be paid as money order and posted along with the cover sheet and entries to PO Box 4083, Kirwan QLD 4814 or Electronic transfer - Account name: Writers in Townsville Society Inc - BSB & ACCOUNT NO. 633-000 140258542
• Poems must not exceed 20 lines (not including title). Entries must be in English.
• Poems must not have been previously published
• The competition organisers are NOT able to confirm receipt of entries and are not responsible for loss of entries.
Winners will be announced at the WITS XMAS dinner in November (Dates TBA)
For any further details contact us on witsnq@gmail.com or visit us @ www.witsnq.blogspot.com
.
***********************Entry Form**********************
Name _______________________________ Age ______
Address _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number __________________ Email Address ______________________________
Title of Poem /s:
Please read and sign if you agree with this statement: The submissions are my own work and all the information I have entered in the form is accurate.
Signature of author ____________________________________ Date _________
Category: Young Adult
Theme: FREEDOM
First prize $200 :: Second Prize $ 150
Judged by acclaimed Queensland poet Julie Beveridge
Closing Date: 31 August 2010
Requirements:
• Complete the details in the entry from at the bottom of the page
• Entrants must be in the 15 to 17 years age group
• An entry free of $5.00 (Australian) applies to each poem
• Poems must be the original work of the author.
• There is no restriction on the number of poems submitted by each entrant. One entry form covers multiple entries. The competition is open to poets from around Australia.
• Please submit 2 copies of each poem entered into the contest, double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman
• Each poem must be given a title. All poems are judged anonymously and the name of the poet must not appear on the manuscript/poems
• The entry fee can be paid as money order and posted along with the cover sheet and entries to PO Box 4083, Kirwan QLD 4814 or Electronic transfer - Account name: Writers in Townsville Society Inc - BSB & ACCOUNT NO. 633-000 140258542
• Poems must not exceed 20 lines (not including title). Entries must be in English.
• Poems must not have been previously published
• Competition entries cannot be returned under any circumstances.
• The competition organisers are NOT able to confirm receipt of entries and are not responsible for loss of entries.
Winners to be announced and will be invited to read their poem at Performance Readings at City Library in Nov (Dates TBA)
For any further details contact us on witsnq@gmail.com or visit us @ www.witsnq.blogspot.com
.
***********************Entry Form**********************
Name _______________________________ Age ______
School ______________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number __________________ Email Address ______________________________
Title of Poem /s:
Please read and sign if you agree with this statement: The submissions are my own work and all the information I have entered in the form is accurate.
Signature of author ____________________________________ Date _________
Signature of parent/principal/teacher/carer/guardian _______________ Date _________
..........................................cut here................................
TOWNSVILLE POETRY PRIZE Adult
Theme: FREEDOM
First prize $200 :: Second Prize $150
Judged by prize winning poet Anthony Lawrence
Closing Date: 31 August 2010
Requirements:
• Complete the details in the entry from at the bottom of the page
• An entry free of $5.00 (Australian) applies to each poem
• Poems must be the original work of the author.
• There is no restriction on the number of poems submitted by each entrant. One entry form covers multiple entries.
• The competition is open to poets 18 years and above from around Australia.
• Please submit 2 copies of each poem entered into the contest, double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman
• Each poem must be given a title. All poems are judged anonymously and the name of the poet must not appear on the manuscript/poems
• The entry fee can be paid as money order and posted along with the cover sheet and entries to PO Box 4083, Kirwan QLD 4814 or Electronic transfer - Account name: Writers in Townsville Society Inc - BSB & ACCOUNT NO. 633-000 140258542
• Poems must not exceed 20 lines (not including title). Entries must be in English.
• Poems must not have been previously published
• The competition organisers are NOT able to confirm receipt of entries and are not responsible for loss of entries.
Winners will be announced at the WITS XMAS dinner in November (Dates TBA)
For any further details contact us on witsnq@gmail.com or visit us @ www.witsnq.blogspot.com
.
***********************Entry Form**********************
Name _______________________________ Age ______
Address _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Phone Number __________________ Email Address ______________________________
Title of Poem /s:
Please read and sign if you agree with this statement: The submissions are my own work and all the information I have entered in the form is accurate.
Signature of author ____________________________________ Date _________
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Shack: 01/06/2010
The great novel survey to learn how writers broke in and made that first big novel deal, and to use actual data to confirm or bust some of the myths about making it as a novelist. (PRICELESS!!!)Patricia Briggs resources for writers
Are you the next JK Rowling
How about a great publishing success story to warm up our cold Townsville nights
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