Writers in Townsville Society Incorporated

Behavioural Pricing

2012-01-29T20:53:00.000+10:00

Take a look here this is a bit of the article

What if when you bought a new Macbook, the price was higher because your tweets constantly referenced your love and devotion for Apple? What if Orbitz used the fact that your Facebook Likes include “Party Rocking in Miami” to charge you more for a flight to Miami?

This is called online behavioral pricing. It’s a consumer’s worst nightmare as it uses the traces of your online identity to maximize prices on the products and services you want most. It’s also an ecommerce merchant’s dream.

So Be careful what you wish for...

2012-01-27T20:46:00.000+10:00

Over here for some Poets and writers competitions. Hone your skills, find a competition to suit your writing.
this is a little of what they say
The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

grammar test from Bristol University

2012-01-26T20:44:00.000+10:00

Here is a grammar link. Test your knowledge of who and whom.
In this exercise, you will be presented with some sentences with a word missing. You will have to decide whether the missing word should be 'who' or 'whom'. Remember, if you can re-arrange the sentence and put a subject pronoun (I or he) in the space, you should use 'who'. If you can put an object pronoun (me, him) in the space, you should use 'whom'.
So follow the link
and maybe do some more exercises.

Short story comp with a twist

2012-01-25T15:41:00.000+10:00

Twisted Stringybark Short Story Award 2012
Nothing entertains a reader more than a good short story with a nifty twist at the end. Stringybark Stories is delighted to invite all writers to enter their best work in the Twisted Stringybark Short Story Award 2012. The maximum word length of your story is 1500 words; it must have some link to Australia (no matter how tenuous); and it must have a twist in the tail! There is over A$500 in prizes available, cash, plus publication for place-getters and highly commended stories. There is an entry fee of $9.75 (discounts for multiple entries) Closing date 4 March 2012. Details: www.stringybarkstories.net

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writing for the Woman's weekly

2012-01-24T21:33:00.000+10:00

Here are the guidelines for those writers who aspire to be the next romance Queen.

What we are looking for

For the weekly magazine:
Short stories of 1,000 and 2,000 words
Serials in 3 or 4 parts of 3,300 words each
For Fiction Special (At least 20 stories 10 times a year):
Stories of 1,000 to 8,000 words

Take a break and read what they say about submitting, formatting, posting, and writing. Even if you don't have anything in the cupboard now, it just might get you started on something for later.

Third Sunday Blog submissions

2012-01-22T21:30:00.000+10:00

This is the opportunity to submit your work. With a rolling submission process throughout the year on the er~ third sunday in the month you will always have an opportunity
Here is the link to submit and a little of what they want.
If you have a blog ...and who doesn't these digital days then perhaps you should try this out.

(Updated 1/13/2012) The Third Sunday Blog Carnival is an online magazine that features current and past blog posts from various contributors. A new edition of the blog carnival is posted on the third Sunday of each month.

Feel free to submit posts that contain the following:

Poems
Short stories, flash fiction, or novel excerpts
Posts about writing, the writing life, or publishing (posts from book review sites are not eligible)

YA market ripe for digital

2012-01-20T21:23:00.000+10:00

here is the future for YA books

Caroline Horn gives the statistic lowdown on why and why again.
We as writers should be informed on our market. We should be active in our target writing.

Member Hettie Ashwin on Smithsonian blog

2012-01-19T15:46:00.000+10:00

Wits member Hettie Ashwin is features with other writers on the Smithsonian Institute's blog.

Read the whole interview Here and leave a comment.
It just goes to show that writing can take you all sorts of places and meet all different people.

Faber and Faber running a self pub course

2012-01-18T21:19:00.000+10:00

What is going on when a mainstream company is advocating self publishing

read here to find out
A publisher running a self-publishing course? At first glance that sentence may look a little odd. We don't think so.

the way ahead for publishing

2012-01-16T21:16:00.001+10:00

this article in the Guardian Here Stephen Page says;

n my view, while 2011 may have signalled the beginning of the end of the era of publishers-with-access-to-the-mass-market as the dominant model for book publishing, it did not signal an end to the opportunity presented by writing or publishing more generally.

Writing advice from Chuck

2012-01-06T21:05:00.000+10:00

click here for some really interesting articles about the craft of writing. Writing is an individual pursuit but we all have the desire to progress our craft.

self published Author interview Nick Russell

2012-01-04T21:34:00.000+10:00

Nick Russell is a self published author of Big River, a kindle edition that is going great guns on Amazon. A generous man who lives in an RV in America and travels the road Nick was kind enough to participate in this short interview.

If you were ever looking for inspiration to publish on Kindle, Nick has the formula/drive/talent to follow.

What was your reason for going the Kindle route?

I have been involved in self-publishing for many years, and have several nonfiction books out in print. A number of years ago I wrote my first novel, a mystery set in the White Mountains of Arizona, called Big Lake. I sat on the book for a long time because I had no confidence in my abilities as a fiction author. In early 2011, I began researching e-publishing, and a friend and my wife both urged me to publish Big Lake on Amazon. I decided that it was a good way to test the waters and see what the reading public thought of it.

Were you computer literate before you decided to go digital?

Yes, I work at a computer every day. We publish a bimonthly RV newspaper called the Gypsy Journal, and I publish three blogs, so computers are the tools of my trade.

Do you think you need a big social network to promote your book Big Lake?

Kindle edition link

There is no question that the followers of our newspaper and my blogs played a huge role in the early success of Big Lake. When I announced that it was available in Kindle format, many of them went right to Amazon and ordered a copy.

How did you promote your work?

I started with an announcement in my daily RV blog, and announcements on Facebook and Twitter. I also mentioned the book on two or three RV and writing forums. As sales progressed, I posted updates on the blog and social media websites.

Are you pleased with sales/results of your efforts?

Sales of Big Lake have exceeded my wildest expectations. I thought that I’d sell a few copies a month, but sales grew steadily. In July, I sold 103 copies, by October I was up to 545 copies. In November, sales exploded, with 4,283 copies sold. As of today, Christmas Day, December sales are at 24,713 copies.

How long have you been writing to get to this point in your career?

I’ve always used writing to express myself, and I’ve been fortunate to have made my living with the written word for much of my life. I owned and published small town newspapers for 30 years, as well as self-publishing niche books and booklets.

Would you recommend Kindle/Amazon to budding self publishers?

I think that the Kindle program is excellent for any author, be they an experienced wordsmith, or a newbie just wanting to break in.

What one piece of advice would you give to a writer who is about to embark on Kindle publishing?

Buy and use a good style guide. Spend the time to learn the basics of punctuation. I have seen many Kindle books that have an excellent story line, but the terrible punctuation makes them hard to read, and detracts from the finished product. Do not try to proofread your own manuscript. Have your manuscript proofread by somebody with good English skills. More than one proofreader is even better.

What are your future writing plans?

I have a sequel to Big Lake, titled Big Lake Lynching almost finished, and I hope to have it available in the Kindle bookstore in the next month. There are a couple more books germinating in the back of my mind that I hope to turn into something in the next year.

What are your future publishing plans?

I believe that e-books are the future of publishing, and Amazon’s Kindle Desktop Publishing program is leading the charge. I plan to continue writing and publishing, and to be part of the e-book revolution.

Finally, where can we see/download/buy/read/chat/find Nick Russell and Big Lake.

Big Lake is available on Amazon in Kindle format, and on Smashwords for those who use other e-book readers. I have an author’s page on Facebook, Nick Russell’s Writing Life, at http://www.facebook.com/NickRussellAuthor. I also publish a daily RV blog at www.gypsyjournalblog.com, a self-publishing blog at http://publishing4profit.com/blog, and a general rant/soapbox blog at http://badnickblog.com.

Writing Monologues

2012-01-03T22:40:00.000+10:00

Ever thought to write a monologue?
The Monologue DataBase is asking for submissions
The Good ear wants your writing.
Here is what Wikipedia says about monologues. Alan Bennett is the Master. play this video and you will get the idea of a great monologue. Patricia Routledge

A lady of letters part 1

A lady of letters part 2

A lady of letters Part 3

Short Fiction journal comp

2012-01-03T21:00:00.001+10:00

This is an opportunity to go global with your short story. The journal is printed once a year with over 192 pages. here is the link to their web site. What have you got to lose.

The most popular articles about writing in 2011

2011-12-31T22:25:00.000+10:00

writers digest is a wealth of information. It is a good idea to begin by consulting the experts. And just now they have a download that will give you 101 best websites for writers.
Are you a writer.

If you are waiting for inspiration you're not a writer you're a waiter!

posts with attitude.

2011-12-29T22:20:00.000+10:00

The Wits blog will now have links within its posts. so look out for more reading, more searching and more learning.
check out this post from Writing Spirit on how to maximize your potential.
have a read of this article Cross Marketing about marketing. Whether it be your work, your book or yourself as an author.

if you want to have an edifying read go here to the London Review of Books

listening is just the beginning of what you can find.

it's not snobbery or frippery just good writing, good essays and a great read.

advice to writers

2011-12-27T22:06:00.002+10:00

You can get what you need to write (as opposed to what you need to make a big nuisance of yourself at cocktail parties) by shutting yourself in a room by yourself for twenty minutes a day and reading aloud from E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web,

and going on from that to other works of skill, until you begin to see, by hearing, how much the choice and arrangement of the words contribute to the impact of the story, even when no sound is uttered in its reading. And you will begin to see, very quickly—guaranteed.

GEORGE V. HIGGINS

thanks to Advice to writers

take a look at the Publishing talk daily for all things to do with the art of writing.

Poetry for Poets by M Fitzgerald-Clarke

2011-12-17T21:02:00.000+10:00

this is an opportunity to get to know how poetry works, why it works and how to do it yourself. Michael F-Clarke has a black belt in poetry and this is a must for those wishing to rub shoulders with the master.... wax on ...wax off...
(apologies to the Kung fu kid)

This workshop will be in two, complementary, parts. Before lunch, we will discuss
several poems, with a view to learning some poetical techniques. After lunch,
everyone will be helped to write, then edit, their own poem, so that by the workshop’s
end, all present will have a finished poem.

Time: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Date: Sunday, February 26, 2012
Venue: Meeting room, Aitkenvale library

Cost: Free, bring a plate to share for lunch

RSVP to Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke on 0400330914
Bookings essential, enquiries welcome

Short Story competition

2011-12-14T20:56:00.000+10:00

Since Dr. Hurley laid the first foundation for his Snake-Oil Cure in March 2011, our little journal has come a long way, featuring poetry and art, tonics and photography, music, memoir and fiction. Although our editors are fans of many kinds of artistic endeavour, the good Doctor loves a rip-roaring yarn that includes passion, adventure, character study, and a minor note of melancholy.

To that end, he has requested that we announce Dr. Hurley’s Snake-Oil Cure‘s First Ever Short Story Contest, the winners of which will be announced to coincide with our first anniversary in March 2012.

You may have some questions, such as:

What can I submit?
Short fiction only, please. No flash fiction.

Is there a word limit?
Not strictly, but we prefer pieces that are at least 1000 words, and not more than, oh, 7000. Great stuff that is a little shorter or longer will still be considered.

Is there a genre the Doctor really doesn’t like?
He’s never been partial to westerns or bodice-rippers, but other than that, you can submit anything in any genre. If it is good writing, it will be considered.

Can I submit previously published work?
No, unless it is a piece you have previously published with Snake-Oil Cure. If you are already a contributor, and wish to nominate a previously published piece, please email us to let us know, at snakeoilcure[at]gmail[dot]com.

What is the deadline?All contest submissions must be received at the above-mentioned email address by February 29th, 2012. Please indicate in your subject line that you are submitting for the contest.

What do I win?You, dear winner, will be the inaugural short story in Dr. Hurley’s Snake-Oil Cure‘s First Print Edition. Also, you win the hearts and minds of our editors.

So get writing and submitting your best short stories now! Our first print edition will be published next year (before the Mayan calendar ends, do not worry), and we want great fiction!

The Editorshttp://snakeoilcure.com/

publishing opportunity

2011-12-11T20:49:00.001+10:00

Morris Publishing Australia is a new publishing house. And they are looking for novels for their 2012 list via a competition. They also want books for their new ebook publishing venture. Do you have a manuscript that is ready to go. Then follow this link for the opportunity to get published.

Legend Press Advent Calendar snippets

2011-12-05T20:23:00.001+10:00

this is the link to legend press who are giving away a story a day as an advent calendar. It's a grand idea and you can download and enjoy some snippets. dip in, dive in, or just wallow what ever takes your fancy.

Josephine Ulrick short story competition

2011-12-04T09:34:00.001+10:00

Josephine Ulrick short story competition this is the link

This competition is the Uber one to enter. With a huge audience and a grand prize of $20 big ones we all should have an entry in this one.
$20k for 3000 words. Thats a cool $6.66 a word. Not bad. But it's not all about the money...is it.

The Josephine Ulrick Literature Prize 2012

For a 1000 - 3000 word short story

First Prize: $20,000

Closing date 31 January 2012

Opportunity to make a movie

2011-11-17T00:00:00.001+10:00

click here to go to the details
This is one hell of an opportunity if you have a hell of an idea for a movie.
Script Pipeline’s Great Movie Idea Contest gives you the chance to pitch ANY concept you think is film-worthy. All genres and subject matter welcome. Repeat: ALL subject matter. So finally time to dust off that random story your grandfather told you 20 years ago. It might be the next big movie.

And absolutely no writing experience necessary. Just get creative—really, way-beyond-outside-of-the-box creative. Because we pick one amazing idea and set up the winner with exclusive industry meetings to discuss their pitch.

Script Pipeline has always been about access, linking talented screenwriters with the proper channels in the hopes of selling their work. Now, all you need is a single, awesome concept.

Pan Mcmillian digital imprint in Australia

2011-11-15T21:05:00.001+10:00

This article is about the new trend in Australian publishing houses
Digital Publishing

Joel Naoum, newly appointed publisher of Pan Macmillan Australia’s digital-only imprint Momentum, author of The Smell of Books blog and best thing to come out of Australia since Vegemite (that’s a compliment) recently arrived in London as winner of the Unwin Fellowship.

Felice Howden interviews him about his experience with digital publishing and what the future might hold for Momentum Books.

Thanks Book Machine.

call out to Townsville writers

2011-11-15T19:43:00.001+10:00

Our writing friends at TWPC. The Towsnville Publishers Centre is asking local writers to get out there and write.

Write CafÉ
Celebrate the National Year of Reading.
writers will emerge from their home offices
to take up residence in cafÉs across the city.
Are you a writer? Or have you ever
wanted to give it a go? Use your most
loved genre to record some of the colour
and energy of Townsville. There will be
opportunities to publish your contributions.
The period of residence may be from one month
to three months, two to three days per week.
Get to know the cafÉs that make
great coffee and are arts-friendly.
Expressions of interest are sought from writers and cafÉs. Please
email info@twpc.org and writers include two samples of writing
with a brief outline of what you hope to do while in residence.

Are you aged
8 to 18?
Do you write, doodle or take photos?
Ever dreamed of seeing your
work in print, in a book or online? 2012 is your year!
Get creative. Our theme is
‘In an Ideal World’
Free workshops will help you prepare.
Get cracking by checking out www .twpc.org
or for further information info@twpc.org

Short story competition Stringy Bark.

2011-11-14T20:22:00.001+10:00

Stringy Bark short story award 2011 is open
The Stringybark Short Story Award 2011 is open. Unlike our other competitions, this competition has an open theme. That is, we accept every genre — the only catch is that your story must have some link to Australia.
This is a great opportunity to try your luck or talent. click the link and follow the easy instructions.

Print on Demand in America

2011-11-11T23:09:00.001+10:00

print on demand
WASHINGTON -- The on-demand book machine unveiled at Politics & Prose Wednesday evening serves as more than just a vehicle for publishing independent volumes, the staff says. It's a way for local writers to realize their dream.

If it happens in the USA then it will happen here. Just give it time. Read the whole article on the link.

Harlequin Seeks New Authors

2011-11-11T20:58:00.001+10:00

Harlequin is looking for new authors. Check out the link. This article was from Publishers Weekly. A good opportunity for those romance writers out there.

"Even though it is one of the world’s largest romance publishers, with about 1,300 active published writers, Harlequin is still looking for new writers. And it is hosting an online conference and manuscript contest with a publishing contract as a prize to help draw them in."
“Last year, we just asked for submissions, and this year we said, ‘Let’s kick it up to a contest to get the word out there even more but also to let people know we’re serious, we actually want to publish somebody out of this, “ said Davis-Todd. The manuscript contest runs from Nov. 11 to Dec. 15, and Harlequin plans to announce the winner on March 1. The prize is a standard publishing contract with “a fair advance against royalties.” David-Todd couldn’t divulge an exact figure, saying that it would depend on which of Harlequin’s lines the book fit into, but that the book would be published in Harlequin’s international markets beyond North America.

Overland Literary Journal

2011-11-10T22:06:00.002+10:00

The Overland Journal takes Unsolicited submissions. click the link for an opportunity to be part of a dynamic, forward thinking, political magazine. They take fiction, non fiction, poetry in the bucket loads and articles.

GUIDELINES

Overland accepts unsolicited manuscripts from Australian and overseas writers, although we are only able to pay those from Australia.

Overland relies on its subscribers for survival. For that reason, the editors prioritise submissions by subscribers. While all work will be read, we cannot guarantee response times to submissions by non-subscribers.

Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke

2011-10-31T21:00:00.000+10:00

Poet in Residence M. F-C was in the Townsville Bulletin a few days ago.

He certainly is putting poetry in North Queensland on the map. Mary Vernon wrote a piece on Michael.

POETRY has not been, to date, a popular spectator sport in Townsville. We are much more inclined to spend an evening at the footy, the basketball or the pub than at a poetry slam.

But that may well be about to change, compliments of our poet-in-residence Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke.

Short story submissions

2011-10-29T23:57:00.003+10:00

Have you a yearning to publish your short stories. Wits is now calling all paid members to submit.

just go to this link Submishmash to view the guidelines. Worthy entries will be included in an annual anthology.
Now is your chance to be published. This submission process will run until the AGM in April 2011.

poetry workshop in Townsville

2011-10-28T08:08:00.002+10:00

link
On the 17th November, our member, Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke will be giving a workshop at the local Townsville Library. click the link to take you to the library calender and all the booking details.
This is an opportunity to find out what poetry is all about, how to write it, appreciate it, and get involved in what might be described as the other 50% of writing.

WiTS in NQ Life

2011-10-27T20:28:00.000+10:00

OK, I'm guest blogging here. So just a quick word that WiTS appeared in the nq Life magazine from the Townsville Bulletin dated October 15th. There is a photo of WiTS member Shaun Allen (me) who couldn't stop cracking up laughing when the photos were being taken, and just a short blurb on WiTS and what we get up to. It's all good fun and a great learning experience if you’re just starting out as a writer or have completed your book and don't know what to do next. So call or e-mail or just walk in one night. We hope to see new faces every week. http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/nqlife/

Dr. Hurley's snake oil cure magazine

2011-10-18T21:06:00.000+10:00

here is the link to the magazine. Our member Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke was the guest editor of this literary magazine and as such he asked five of our members to submit.

Hettie Ashwin, Lori Hurst, Stephen Ryan, Shaun Allen, Martha Landman all put their best foot forward, or should that be pen and for the whole week of the 17th to the 21st Townsville will be the focus of the magazine.
Well done Michael and all the participants.

Queensland Writers Week

2011-10-08T22:06:00.000+10:00

This is a great opportunity to find out about writing and enjoy some free nights entertainment and maybe learn something along the way.

Statistics for the blog.

2011-10-03T21:25:00.001+10:00

We are getting on average 223 visits to the blog per month since our beginning in May 09.
Now we have to try harder. If you like what you read
follow us
tweet about us
facebook friend us
and let us know we are part of your writing world.

ABC OPEN Project

2011-09-26T15:03:00.000+10:00

link The moment behind the photo.
This is an Open project and worth a visit via the link
Open until the 4th December you are required to grab a photo and tell the ABC via audio/text what it is all about or what happened next or what went before.

I'm sure we all have a picture that tells a thousand words!
So dig out your snaps and get creative.

MICHAEL FITZGERALD-CLARKE HAS A POETRY MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED

2011-09-26T14:50:00.000+10:00

Breaking news: WITS poet Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke's manuscript A Quadraphonic Whisper has been accepted by the small American publishing house Virgogray Press (http://virgograypress.com/). "It's been several years since I've had a collection published," Michael says, "but I feel this new chapbook of mostly very recent poems shows that my work continues to develop, my creativity still is vibrantly alive." The volume is scheduled to appear some time in 2012, and is dedicated to all Michael's friends at Writers In Townsville Society. Stay tuned for updates.

Queensland Writers Centre, opportunity.

2011-09-16T23:25:00.001+10:00

WITH ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO SUBMIT THIS IS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOMEONE.

Want to write and then write about writing? Of course you do!

Thinking about writing a novel? Love blogging?
Want to write a novel and blog about your experience? QWC is offering an exclusive opportunity to a writer keen to blog about their favourite topic . writing!
What do I get?
Our lucky resident blogger will get access to the Year of the Novel Online with Alison Goodman - our year-long program that guides you through the process of putting together your novel. Valued at $445, this is our most popular and rewarding course and features lessons from Dr Kim Wilkins.
A great platform on the QWC blog - your posts will be promoted through our website and social media and read by thousands of writers and industry professionals!
Heaps of motivation and support.
What will I have to do?
All you need to do is commit to posting on the QWC blog once a fortnight, for one year (the duration of the course), about your experience in Year of the Novel Online, your writing practice, your hopes and dreams, and everything in between!
What do I have to do to apply?
Send us 100-200 words telling us about your writing and why we should choose you to be our resident blogger, as well as a short bio of about 100 words, before Friday 23 September. Email qldwriters@qwc.asn.au.

Writers digest : Wits Web help

2011-09-14T08:45:00.002+10:00

Thanks to Writers digest and Jeff Gerke.
FIRST 50 PAGES CHECKLIST

Before submitting your manuscript to an agent or editor, it’s important to make sure your submission package is in the best possible shape it can be. Here’s a checklist that can help you troubleshoot your manuscript and improve your chances of success:

How strong is your first line? Make sure you lead off with something that will catch an agent or editor from the very beginning.
Do you start with a dream scenario? Because that’s a quick path to rejection.
Does your story have an engaging hook?
Are you telling instead of showing? Remember the old writing adage “show don’t tell.”
Double check your point-of-view. Make sure you don’t have any errors or shifts in POV.
Make sure your characters have depth.
Is there a lack of beats for pacing and description?
Check for stilted dialogue.
Are there inadequate descriptions of characters and settings (or details that are introduced to the reader too late)?
Are you starting the main action too soon?
Are you going into flashbacks too early in the story?
Do you jump to a new viewpoint character too early?
Is there enough conflict?
Is there something at stake for your hero?
** Based on The First 50 Pages: Engage Agents, Editors, and Readers, and Set Your Novel Up For Success by Jeff Gerke.

Monologues and humour

2011-09-11T21:29:00.000+10:00

This is a very very funny monologue. The writing is wonderful and the execution superb.

The Age short story competition Free to enter!

2011-09-08T15:35:00.002+10:00

The Age newspaper has a brilliant competition every year.

click here

to go to the web page with all the information

Send entries to:
The Age Short Story Competition
The Age
Level 2
655 Collins Street
DOCKLANDS 3008
or email shortstory@theage.com.au

Closing date September 23, 2011 - 5pm (late entries will not be accepted)

Winners will be announced in December.

The 1st, 2nd, 3rd winning stories will be published in Life & Style. They will also be published at www.theage.com.au.

First prize winner will receive $3000; 2nd prize, $2000; 3rd prize, $1000.

Poet in Residence in Townsville.

2011-09-07T23:27:00.000+10:00

MICHAEL FITZGERALD-CLARKE BEGINS AS THE RESIDENT POET AT THE AITKENVALE LIBRARY

On Thursday morning, 1 September 2011, WITS member and respected poet Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke had his first morning as Poet In Residence at the Aitkenvale library. Michael had barely sat down when he was approached by a library customer, and he spent the next seventy minutes or so in sometimes animated conversation with an inexperienced poet who was keen to discuss a draft of his first, to be self-published, book. Michael offered him advice and counselling on a variety of poetry-related matters, and at the end of it had a satisfied customer. A member of the library staff approached Michael after the man had gone, and thanked him for spending the time with him, as the regular staff didn't have that time available.

Poetry Tip: When drafting a poem, examine what Michael terms "potentially empty" words such as "that", "so", and "the" carefully, to see if they can be omitted without affecting the sense of the poem.

MICHAEL FITZGERALD-CLARKE HAS ANOTHER POEM PUBLISHED

Michael's lighthearted poem "Helen Marie Gunz; and Me" has recently appeared in the 1 September 2011 post of the American e-journal Dr. Hurley's Snake-Oil Cure (http://snakeoilcure.com/). The poem was in response to the journal's call for submissions on photos that appear in the Smithsonian Institution's public archive. The pic of Helen Marie Gunz (displayed with the poem) convinced Michael she might be the Ideal Woman...

WIN WIN WIN

2011-09-06T21:28:00.001+10:00

WIN A $40 WORTH OF GOODS FROM THE WITS SHOP

WITS poet Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke occasionally turns his hand to prose, if his arm is twisted, and he has been contributing lighthearted articles on things Australian for American novelist Dawn DeAnna Wilson's blog, The Year of Writing Dangerously (http://dawn-theyearofwritingdangerously.blogspot.com/). The series, titled "Aussie August", began at the beginning of August, and has been extended into September because of Dawn posting on Hurricane Irene (which affected her). To win a book by one of Dawn's peers, or $40 AUD of WITS merchandising from the excellent WITS shop (see the link on the LHS of this blog), all you need to do is leave a comment on one of Michael's posts before Dawn draws the prizes on 12 September 2011. There is no catch. You won't go on any mailing lists, or be subject to any marketing campaign spam e-mails. Be in it to win it!

Cairns conference of Book Creators Circle

2011-09-05T08:17:00.004+10:00

this is a free event

click here to take you to their site and go to announcements.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

BOOK LAUNCH - 10 AUGUST
ONLINE
24 SEPTEMBER
BOOK CREATORS EXPO

BOOK CREATOR EXPO
RYDGES TRADEWINDS Cairns - opposite
St Monica's Cathedral - Trinity Room
SATURDAY 24TH SEPTEMBER 2011
Speakers:
DR LINDSAY SIMPSON
LAURA MILLIGAN

Exhibitors:
Approx 30 exhibitors in book industry.

KERRY ASHWIN MAKES BLOGGING EASY

2011-09-04T20:58:00.000+10:00

At the WITS meeting on Wednesday evening, 31 August 2011, our widely published author and experienced blogger Kerry Ashwin gave us the lowdown on how to start and maintain a free blog. Kerry began with first principles: what is your objective in starting a blog? do you want it to raise your web profile? She showed how you can make your blog stand out in the crowded cyber-space by inventive titles and keywords (tags); and how to compose an effective biography for your blog. The presentation focussed on Google blog -- www.blogger.com -- rather than WordPress, given that both are free options.

Designing your blog was covered in a lot of detail, from templates; to headers; to posting; and editing, once you have begun the process. Kerry's message stressed experimenting with the various settings, and she went through a number of experiments during the evening, prompted in part by enthusiastic questions from the audience. A strength of the presentation was Kerry's use of the technology available, including having the internet live on the big screen, so that she could show us, among other things, several of her personal blogs to illustrate points.

All told, the presentation was excellent. There was so much to take in, it was very information-rich, but Kerry very kindly offered to send those present her power point presentation, which contained her session notes as well as graphics of the various screens she spoke on, and much else besides. A totally worthwhile evening!

$10,000 prize for unpublished manuscript.

2011-09-02T21:06:00.003+10:00

Inaugural Writing Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award

$10,000 + $2,000 for a mentor of your choice

The Award, to aid in the development of the next stage of an unpublished manuscript, is for a work of adult literary or genre fiction. It will be granted to the work that shows the greatest promise and likely to benefit most from this opportunity.

The winner will receive a cash prize of $10,000 and, in consultation with organisers, will be offered a suitable mentor selected from some of Australia’s best authors.

The Judges

Valerie Parv, international best-selling author, is a successful writer of romance and non-fiction. Valerie’s books have sold more than twenty-six million copies internationally, and been translated into over twenty languages from Russian to Japanese and Icelandic.

Mark Macleod is a Senior Lecturer in English at Charles Sturt University and well known as a Television and Radio Presenter. Mark was Project Manager of ‘My Favourite Book’ for ABCTV. He published books for young readers and for adults under his own name imprint at Hodder Headline.

Peter Bishop is one of Australia’s most effective writing teachers and mentors. Working with Australia’s leading authors he has enjoyed outstanding success as the Creative Director of Varuna -The Writers’ House in the Blue Mountains - from 1994 to 2010.

Applications close: Thursday 13 October 2011

Entry form: http://writingaustralia.org.au/

Blogging for beginners workshop

2011-08-30T15:05:00.003+10:00

DITCH THE TYPEWRITER AND GET BLOGGING.

Don't forget the workshop is on the 31st August 2011 at 7pm at the Aitkenvale library room.Ten dollar fee.

there is still time if you would like to come.

Learn about blogging and get yourself on the world wide web.

Non members are also welcome.

Michael Fitzgerald Clarke published.

2011-08-24T20:03:00.004+10:00

Michael our resident poet has done it again with another poem being published. Obviously he is working hard.

Under a Bridge in Gloucestershire has just appeared in the August 22, 2011 post of the e-journal Dr. Hurley's Snake-oil Cure click on the Snake oil link to take you there.

Queensland Writers Centre

2011-08-24T16:18:00.003+10:00

Hi Writers in Townsville

We’ve got exciting, free workshops aimed at writers curious about crime writing coming up in Townsville and Cairns on 17 and 18 September respectively. I hope you can make it, They’re free for Queensland Writers Centre members and $115 for non-members. Details below:

Crime fiction writer PM Newton is coming to North Queensland (Townsville - 17 Sept, Cairns - 18 Sept) to take you into the dark and suspenseful world of crime fiction.

PM Newton will introduce you to the seething underbelly of crime writing and arm you with the ammo that will give you the confidence to get started with a life of crime.

This workshop is designed for beginners interested in learning the basics of beginnings, plot, structure, setting, and suspense. This workshop is FREE to QWC members so book soon to avoid disappointment..

Bookings essential: phone (07)3842 9922 or visit the QWC website.

Just to reiterate: Wits is a member of QWC so anyone who is a paid up member of Wits for this year (2011) is FREE

Also: Writers should support these regional events. The more bums on seats the more workshops etc we will have up here.

Queensland Premier's Literary Awards Shortlist

2011-08-24T16:08:00.002+10:00

2011 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards shortlist announced

The shortlist for the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards has been announced.

The Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards is one of the richest and most diverse literary awards programs in Australia, with a proud history of recognising, celebrating and supporting outstanding Australian writers on a national scale.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Tuesday 6 September.

Wits Web help WRITERS DIGEST

2011-08-24T16:03:00.003+10:00

Click this link or cut and pastehttp://www.writersdigestshop.com/

Writers Digest is a comprehensive site for all your writing needs.

Not only do they have a shop where you can purchase cheap books on the craft but they have a wonderful array of help. From Dictionaries, to composing your first query letter and more.

check out the site and you might want to subscribe.

You are never too old to learn. You can only get better with Writers Digest help.

Shaun's mini workshop

2011-08-19T22:46:00.002+10:00

10 minutes turned into a very informative half an hour. Shaun took us through his process of researching his Sci-Fi novel and how history can still be relevant today.

It was fascinating to learn his main character is based on the the Duke of Wellington. A stalwart character who never lost a battle. The topography of some of Shaun's battles are from real locations, ie. the hills, the sea, the battle lines etc.

Why not borrow from history?

We quizzed him on the need for foreign languages in Sci-fi, and Shaun explained that he uses Nouns in this way, but the day to day language is English. Also a fact that he has created a whole new world so why use the word earth for dirt. He has refrained from 'earth' and used soil, sods, dirt etc. Makes sense!

Thanks Shaun for an interesting insight into your thought processes.

Wits web help: writing meter

2011-08-15T20:16:00.004+10:00

If you are looking for a gadget/widget to show the world how your writing is coming along then check this out.

gadget link It is a good way to keep track and quite easy to install. Just follow the instructions from the link and best of all it can be personalised ie. 80000 words, 10000 words or just 500 what ever you want.
check it out.

Also here are two web sites that one our members found helpful
Bad Language click the link or cut and paste.

http://www.badlanguage.net/concentration-22-ways-to-stay-focused-on-writing

The artists way

http://www.theartistsway.com/tools/the-basic-tools

Shaun's mini workwhop 17th August

2011-08-11T18:08:00.002+10:00

Shaun is a writer of war/fantasy/SF. His novel is complete and is in the dreaded editing stage.

This is Shaun's second workshop. The last one on weapons was amazing. Guns, spears, ammo, bombs,swords and bows and arrows. It just makes you want to go and write a fight scene.

Here is a run down of his up and coming mini workshop.

For WiTs; Mini workshop on researching for Zicastor.

A brief rundown of how I prepared for the writing of my novel Zicastor:

A quick overview on:-

What inspired me to write.

How I created my characters

What tools I used to get my story started and flowing.

How I researched weapons and tactics

And what I’ve done since finishing the novel.

Very happy to answer questions throughout

New writing Festival.

2011-08-05T13:17:00.002+10:00

Check this out plus one more web site for indie authors

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; 2nd 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 .

Blogging for beginners.

2011-08-04T21:29:00.003+10:00

The blogging workshop on the 31st August is filling up fast.

so...if you want a place, just email

witsnq {at} gmail {dot}com

and let us know. There is a small fee of ten dollars to cover handouts etc.

Our member gets published

2011-08-04T20:28:00.003+10:00

Michael Fitzgerald-clarke has been appointed the Townsville Library Systems
Poet in Residence. An accolade and well deserved. Not content to sit on his laurels he has had a couple of publishing success of late.

"A Morning on Our Earth" in Bolts of Silk:
http://boltsofsilk.blogspot.com/2011/07/morning-on-our-earth-by-michael.html

"A Highly Political Poem; To Rally the GOP Minority in Asheville" in Dr. Hurley's Snake-Oil Cure (July 7 post):
http://snakeoilcure.com/

New merchandise to buy

2011-08-02T23:00:00.005+10:00

Wits now has a Cafepress store. Just the thing to let people know you belong.
click here to buy some awesome stuff.

or
visit the link on the left any ol' time.

Blogging 101 workshop

2011-07-22T16:15:00.002+10:00

Ever wanted to know how to make your own blog. This workshop by Kerry Ashwin on 31st August will get you started on the road to Blogging.
There will, (in the two hours) be hand-outs, questions answered and hands on experience.

Kerry has been blogging for 5 years and has three successful blogs. Her knowledge of the practicalities of the blog site and the "tricks of the trade" is extensive.

Wits Web Help: Sites to check out

2011-07-21T14:47:00.002+10:00

These are just two of the writing sites that might be of interest.
You can subscribe to their posts and receive the latest in your in box.
first
Guide to Literary Agents. This site offers just about every type of advice to getting an agent. Plus they have webnars ~ like seminars~ that you can access for a small fee. It is invaluable if you want to land an agent or want to know how to write the definitive query letter.
Writer Unboxed This is a wordpress blog that has heaps of author interviews, helpful advice and general information on the art of fiction writing. Started by two writers it has become a must read for anyone serious enough to call themselves a writer.

Pesky Grammar made easy,

2011-07-09T21:06:00.003+10:00

Watch out for this new section called Wits Web help. We will be posting helpful links to writing conundrums.

Grammar made easy
check out this web page Grammar check for free

they have questions, answers and all kinds of things. Get the edge in your writing by doing it right!

FAREWELL TO NIKESH MURALI

2011-06-29T11:05:00.001+10:00

High on the list of benefits of belonging to a Writer’s Group is the opportunity to link up with other
writers. Regardless of their level of writing experience or genre, people come along prepared to
share their work & their knowledge with other members. The generosity among writers never fails
to amaze me. Sharing your successes or rejections with friends’ results in a bond of fellowship.

For the past four years we have had the pleasure & privilege of having Nikesh Muralli as a member
of WITS. Nikesh is a very accomplished writer & has run several workshops for us. Writing, like all
art forms needs to be nurtured, and so we continually strive to improve our understanding of the
craft.

Sadly, now it is time for Nikesh to move on. We will miss his particular brand of humour, his ability
to offer honest criticism & encouragement & his willingness to always listen to & help out a fellow
writer. For the time being (maybe a year or so!!!) Nikesh will continue to manage our blogsite.

From tropical Townsville to the frozen depths of Canberra , Nikesh, surely you could have picked a
better time of the year to move. We’ll miss our late night coffee sessions, but since you are only an
email away your good friends in the north will no doubt still be running their work by you. We wish
you every success & remember the eyes & the ears of WITS will be upon you.

FAREWELL TO GEMMA

2011-06-06T14:30:00.002+10:00

Last Wednesday night we said a sad farewell to Gemma who is heading back to the UK. Their
gain our loss. Still social media makes it so easy to keep in touch. Not quite the same I know. But
hopefully once Gemma finds herself a new writer’s group (& now that she realizes the benefits to be
gained ) we may be able to establish WITS as a sister group.

Heritage Day

2011-06-06T14:30:00.001+10:00

Every year WITS has a stand at Heritage Day. Townsville provided us with the perfect day. I swear
you could not get better weather anywhere. Thousands of local people came out to enjoy the
community displays.

The park where this annual event is held is located at the front of the old West End Cemetery.
What better place to commemorate our heritage & to celebrate life in general; past & present
intermingling.

With banners in place & a heap of brochures we four who had volunteered to man (person) the
stand munched on chips, drank coffee & enjoyed the carnival atmosphere. Sadly due to stuffy
restrictions we were not allowed to play on the jumping castle. Maybe next year.

Writing Workshop with Nikesh Murali

2011-03-02T11:56:00.000+10:00

Making A Scene

Have you struggled with writing individual scenes that constitute your novel/short story/memoir?

Have you ever wondered if there was an effective way to structure your scenes to create maximum dramatic effect?

Would you like to learn the formula for creating an opening scene that will hook your readers?

To understand the way a scene works and how it relates to the overall structure of a story, it is important to analyse the basic mechanisms that drive dramatic conflict, such as scene and sequel and motivation reaction units. It is also essential to outline your scene in advance, to seek out the ‘heart’ or the ‘heat point’ and ensure that you are not writing fluff that will be trashed during the revision phase.

Under the expert guidance of critically acclaimed author Nikesh Murali, who specialises in researching micro and macro structures in fiction, unravel the hidden structure of scenes using techniques from legendary writing teachers like Dwight Swain, Jack Bickham and many others.

Cost: $50.00
Date: 10 April 2011
Time: 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Venue: Aitkenvale City Council library Workshop Room

Due the hands-on nature of the workshop we have limited seats. Book before the 5th of April 2011 to avoid disappointment.

For bookings please contact nikeshmurali(at)nikeshmurali(dot)net

SUITED TO WRITERS AT ALL STAGES OF THEIR WRITING CAREER - ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR AUTHORS WHO ARE STARTING ON THEIR FIRST MANUSCRIPT

Trainer Bio:

Nikesh Murali's poems and short stories have appeared in more than 70 publications around the world. His works have been translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. He was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in 2007 and won the Tom Paine Award in Non-Fiction Writing in the same year.

He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Griffith University for which he was awarded the Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence in 2005, and his Masters in Teaching from James Cook University in and a Bachelors degree in English Literature and World History from University of Kerala. He is a tutor and researcher at James Cook University and is working towards his Doctorate in Creative Writing.

For workshop testimonials please visit http://www.nikeshmurali.net/p/workshops.html

2011-03-02T00:56:00.003+10:00

Amanda Hocking is the best-selling “indie” novelist on the Kindle store with around 100,000 copies of her 10 e-books selling each month. Unlike traditional book deals, however, Hocking keeps a whopping 70 percent of revenue earned from her books, which sell for $0.99 to $2.99 apiece. (Amazon keeps the other 30 percent.)

If you do the math, this means Hocking is earning somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 million per year — a staggering amount. In fact, according to Novelr, “there is no traditional publisher in the world right now that can offer Amanda Hocking terms that are better than what she’s currently getting, right now on the Kindle store, all on her own.”

For more visit: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shack/101463736572726?v=wall

2011-02-14T11:58:00.001+10:00

From this coming Wed 16th February WITS is back in full swing, a bit late due to Yasi's unscheduled visit. Let's hope that anyone suffering from writer's block is now back in action after having the cobwebs blown away.

Townsvillians who have not yet experienced the benefits to be gained from being a member of a Writer's group now is the perfect time to pick up the phone or send an email for more details.

Writing like any art form is a craft & WITS offers you the opportunity to develop your skills, share your knowledge & experience, in a friendly motivating atmosphere.

The Shack: 21/11/10

2010-11-21T17:31:00.003+10:00

Do you want to be a writer?

http://writerunboxed.com/2010/10/09/so-you-wanna-be-a-riter/

For more visit: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shack/101463736572726?v=wall

Writing Workshop with Nikesh Murali

2010-09-13T16:08:00.001+10:00

Plotting Made Easy

Have you got a great story, but you are not sure how to structure it into a cohesive and gripping narrative? Struggling with your novel? Not sure of how to plot a story featuring memorable characters and pen a riveting story brimming with external and internal conflict?

Advance your understanding of the craft with this hands on, intensive 5 hour workshop where you will learn about some of the most popular and effective plotting systems employed by successful authors and gain new insights into the micro mechanics of fiction writing

You will learn how to…
• Examine the values and ambitions of your protagonists and antagonists, which in turn will help you formulate a strong story goal

• Create an effective outline based on the 3 act structure using step-sheets

• Break your novel down to story beats and character arcs to manage your manuscript and discard the boring bits

• Craft a strong beginning and climax by breaking it down to its effective components

SUITED TO WRITERS AT ALL STAGES OF THEIR WRITING CAREER - ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR AUTHORS WHO ARE STARTING ON THEIR FIRST MANUSCRIPT

Cost: $50.00
Date: 14 November 2010
Time: 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Venue: Aitkenvale City Council library Workshop Room

Due the hands-on nature of the workshop we have limited seats. Book before the 1st of November 2010 to avoid disappointment.

For testimonials see http://www.nikeshmurali.net/p/workshops.html

For bookings please contact nikeshmurali(at)nikeshmurali(dot)net

TESTIMONIALS

I learnt so much about one of the story structures for novels as well as for short stories. He is energetic, interesting, fun and knows his business. I would certainly attend any workshop he held in the future, even the travel to and from Townsville didn’t take the shine off.

Jacque Duffy, Children's Book Author , http://www.jacquesartandbooks.com

***

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.

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.

Lori Hurst, Author and President of Writers in Townsville Inc.

***

The workshop on story structure was both fun and informative. Nikesh is a natural-born presenter, oozing passion and enthusiasm,and I came away totally fired up for all things writing. The information offered was well organised and easy to understand with Nikesh illustrating many points with examples from modern day movies and texts.

I've been able to apply the knowledge I gained in the workshop to the novel I am currently writing and finding with this structure my story is flowing coherently and easily. I am so glad I attended and would heartily recommend this workshop to any writer.

Tess McCarthy, Winner of WOTS Short Story Contest

The Shack: 29/08/10

2010-08-29T07:05:00.001+10:00

Janet Fitch's 10 rules for writers | Jacket Copy | Los Angeles Times

For more visit...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shack/101463736572726?v=wall

Performance readings at Thuringowa Library

2010-07-10T19:06:00.007+10:00

Don Gallhager introduced us and kept the audience engaged.Lori took us along for a ride with a short story with a twist.
Michael entertains us with witty poems

A chance to meet and greet the audience and the writers.

The Shack: 04/07/2010

2010-07-04T11:46:00.001+10:00

Authors Stephen King and Audrey Niffenegger talk about their writing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htKcijBHu3s

For more visit...

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shack/101463736572726?v=wall

support writers in the north

2010-07-03T18:24:00.004+10:00

GAZETTE&REEF WRITERS

2010 Short Story and Poetry COMPETITION writers in

PO BOX 917, PORT DOUGLAS,QLD ,4877

reefwriters@gmail.com

www.reefwriters.org

writers in the north of Queensland need to support each other. Try your hand at this competition.

Master Story Structure with Nikesh Murali

2010-06-17T16:13:00.002+10:00

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

AUSTRALIAN POETRY COMPETITION

2010-06-10T20:30:00.001+10:00

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 _________

The Shack: 01/06/2010

2010-06-01T21:50:00.002+10:00

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!!!)

http://www.jimchines.com/2010/03/survey-results/

Tess Gerritsen on how she writes

http://www.tessgerritsen.com/blog/doing-it/

Patricia Briggs resources for writers

http://www.patriciabriggs.com/links.shtml

http://www.patriciabriggs.com/books/writing/editing.shtml

Are you the next JK Rowling

http://www.cuckleburr.com/are-you-the-next-jk-rowling

How about a great publishing success story to warm up our cold Townsville nights

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2010/04/15/word_of_mouth_helped_propel_mass_novelist_to_pulitzer/

For more visit

www.nikeshmurali.net

Writing Workshop Townsville

2010-05-19T09:25:00.002+10:00

Mastering Story Structure: The smarter way to work on your novel

Have you got a great idea for a story? Not sure how to go about completing your 80000 word manuscript? Don’t want to spend decades working on your novel?
If you have always wanted to create memorable characters and pen a riveting story brimming with external and internal conflict, you need to master the story structure.
Cut down hours (in some cases years) of unproductive work on your manuscript by learning to plot gripping yarns that will gain the attention of agents/publishers and satisfy readers. Learn to write an effective outline which will guide you in your story telling efforts without curbing your creativity.
Story Structure is all about working smart and is equally beneficial for beginning and advanced practitioners of the craft. Sign up for Mastering Story Structure Workshop with award winning author Nikesh Murali.
In 6 intense hours of lectures and hands on exercises, learn to create an external and internal story arc and generate a plot outline which will form a strong foundation for your novel.

Cost: $45.00
Date: 13 June 2010
Time: 10:00 am to 04:00 pm
Venue: Aitkenvale City Council library Workshop Room

Due the hands-on nature of the workshop we have limited seats. Book before the 8th of June 2010 to avoid disappointment.

Please transfer registration fees to the following bank account with the description WORKSHOP and also emailnikeshmurali(at)gmail.com so that I can forward your confirmation email and welcome letter. If you want to pay by cash on the day please email me so that I can reserve your place and please bring exact cash as I will not be carrying any change on me.

Commonwealth Bank Account: 064823 10549626

Trainer Bio:
Nikesh Murali's poems and short stories have appeared in more than 50 publications around the world. His works have been translated into several languages. He was nominated for the Pushcart Prize in Poetry (2007) and won the Tom Paine Award in Non-Fiction (2007).
He has completed his Masters in Journalism from Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia for which he was awarded the Griffith University Award for Academic Excellence in 2005, and his Masters in Teaching from James Cook University in Townsville, Australia and a Bachelors degree in English Literature and World History from University of Kerala, India.
He is currently working on 2 novels as a part of his PhD on Story Structure.

The Shack: 21/04/2010

2010-04-21T01:08:00.005+10:00

How to save money and time with professional editors

http://blog.writersdigest.com/norules/2009/06/22/HowToSaveTimeAndMoneyWithProfessionalEditors.aspx

Should you hire a professional editor?

http://writerunboxed.com/2010/03/19/should-you-hire-a-professional-editor/

To plot or not to plot

http://www.snowbooks.com/weblog/2008/02/post_14.html

Does having a room of your own improve your writing?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2010/mar/12/room-of-ones-own-novel

If you love SCRIVENER (The best writing software in the world) then these additional tips will help you get more out of this great software

http://www.literatureandlatte.com/videos/index.html

http://gwenhernandez.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/make-scrivener-work-for-you/

http://gwenhernandez.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/tech-tuesday-project-replace-in-scrivener/

http://gwenhernandez.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/tech-tuesday-word-frequency-in-scrivener/

http://gwenhernandez.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/tech-tuesday-tracking-progress-in-scrivener/

For more visit www.nikeshmurali.net

Literary Festival Galore

2010-04-20T14:08:00.002+10:00

Go north to the sun this winter. The first Whitsunday Writers Festival will be held at beautiful Daydream Island Spa Resort July 23-25. Meet authors, publishers, and journalists in an intimate atmosphere. Programme includes welcome cocktail party and gala dinner under the stars.

See http://wowfestival.blogspot.com for more details and bookings.

Also check out

WORDSTORM Literary festival

http://www.ntwriters.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=43

Anthony Lawrence Workshop report by Lori Hurst

2010-04-20T14:07:00.000+10:00

WITS proudly supported Dr Sylvia Kelso who was instrumental in bringing award winning poet Anthony Lawrence to Townsville. Thank you McDonalds, Townsville City Council and FALS for your financial support. Perc Tucker Gallery generously offered a room for the Friday evening Poetry Reading. Surrounded by a thought-provoking, photographic display we, the audience, were transported into the world of poetry. As an art form poetry enriches our lives. Anthony was introduced by Don Gallagher who described him as a poet who speaks to men. With his usual dry humour Don apologized to any in the audience who considered that a sexist remark.

Anthony has the rare gift of taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. Those of us who attended the Poetry Workshop on Saturday the 10^th, were given the opportunity to share his views and knowledge. The first half of the session we listened, jotted down notes and asked questions- for the second half of the workshop we were turned loose in the beautiful bush surrounds of James Cook Universtity to actively demonstrate what we had learned.

I haven’t miraculously become a gifted poet. What I gained from the workshop was a different perspective on how a subject can be viewed from many different angles, and the confidence that I too can express myself through the medium of poetry.

If in the future we can get Anthony back to Townsville for another workshop, I would highly recommend anyone interested in writing poetry to attend.

The Shack: 04/04/10

2010-04-04T11:13:00.003+10:00

The ten rules of writing fiction from some of the top writers

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one

The writing advice industry

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/books/the-writing-advice-industry/article1480041/

Good novels don't have to be a hard slog

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203706604574377163804387216.html

A hilarious examination of ghostwriting by bestselling author Scott Westerfield

http://www.bscreview.com/2009/03/on-ghostwriting-by-scott-westerfeld/

More at http://www.nikeshmurali.net/

WITS writers in Tropical Writers anthology

2010-03-29T11:06:00.001+10:00

Thank you Tropical Writers for the invitation to submit individual stories for your next anthology. It is a publication worthy of such a progressive writing group and I am delighted that two members from WITS have been selected for inclusion.

Kerry Ashwin’s Digging a Hole and my own short story Kathy Doesn’t Live Here Anymore will both appear in the publication. Congratulations Tropical Writers.

Lori Hurst
President
Writers in Townsville Inc.

WITS meeting dates and venue announcement

2010-03-26T13:09:00.000+10:00

- Wed 7th April, 7.30pm, Reading night at Riverside Gardens Community Hall

- Wed 14th April, 7.30pm, AGM followed by time for reading & discussion at at Riverside Gardens Community Hall

- Friday 16th April, 7 pm, Writing night at Aitkenvale Library

- Friday 7th May, 7 pm, Reading night at Aitkenvale Library

- Friday 21st May, 7 pm, Writing night at Aitkenvale Library.

- Friday 4th June, 7 pm, Reading Night at Aitkenvale Library

- Friday 18th June, 7 pm, Writing Night at Aitkenvale Library

Important Announcement

2010-03-15T12:05:00.002+10:00

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE _WRITING MEETING_ THIS COMING FRIDAY 19TH MARCH WILL BE AT THE AITKENVALE LIBRARY AS ORGANIZED. STARTING TIME WILL BE 7.00PM.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP FEES FOR 2010-2011 ARE DUE AS OF THE 31ST MARCH. $30.00 ANNUAL FEES & CONCESSION $28.00 .

Poetry Workshop in Townsville

2010-03-03T17:05:00.007+10:00

ANTHONY LAWRENCE

Winner of the New South Wales Premier’s Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry, the Judith Wright Calanthe Poetry Prize, finalist for the Colin Roderick Prize

‘a profound connection between landscape, fauna and human emotion’

IN TOWNSVILLE 9TH-11TH APRIL 2010

FOR A POETRY WORKSHOP

Transfiguring Poems

Strategies for seeing the world anew using poems by a number of poets to show how you can make the ordinary extraordinary in your poetry.

Duration: 3 hours with lunch break Cost: $45

Venue: Room 132, Block DA004, first floor of the Social Sciences Building, Eastern Campus, James Cook University, Douglas

Commencing 11 am 10th April, 2010

Please complete the form (available from the following link in doc format) and email to witsnq@gmail.com

http://www.mediafire.com/?i2wimznummm

The Shack 23/02/2010

2010-02-23T21:33:00.006+10:00

John Grisham on writing

http://www.charlierose.com/guest/view/241

Heart warming tale of writers helping writers

http://www.bookpatrol.net/2010/02/writers-helping-writers-or-not-cheever.html

These Mills and Boon authors are word demons

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/15/insider-guide-writing-mills-boon

For more visit www.nikeshmurali.net

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WORKSHOP -Historical fiction comes alive in North Queensland

2010-02-15T10:30:00.002+10:00

Have you ever been told, “You should write a novel about that…”

Now you can with Queensland Writers Centre’s Writing Historical Fiction workshops in March. This workshop is great for people writing historical stories, family history, or who are just interested in researching their local area history. Historical novels and creative fiction are becoming increasingly popular and there’s a wealth of material from North Queensland ready to be used.

Nerida Newton (The Lambing Flat) will guide participants through re-creating times, events and places in history accurately and evocatively in writing.” Participants can expect to learn about what resources are available and the kind of methods they could use in researching the details of everyday lives,” Ms Newton said. This workshop will give participants a broad knowledge of resources to access historical facts, alongside number of methodologies that can be used to translate facts into compelling prose.

The workshops will be held Townsville on Saturday 20 March at Thuringowa CityLibrary and on Sunday21 March at Tropical North Queensland Tafe, between 10am-4:30pm.

Nerida Newton is an acclaimed Queensland novelist, whose first novel, The Lambing Flat, won The Queensland Premier's Award for an Emerging Author, the Commonwealth Writer's Prize for a Best First novel and One Book One Brisbane. Her second novel, Death of a Whaler, was published by Allen and Unwin in July 2006.She has taught a wide variety of creative writing workshops and has tutored at the University of Queensland.

For information on payment, contact Queensland Writers Centre Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm on 073842 9922, qldwriters@qwc.asn.au or www.qwc.asn.a

AUTHOR IN TOWN - Lenny Bartulin

2010-02-15T10:22:00.001+10:00

CityLibraries, in conjuction with the Courier Mail Big Book Club presents an evening with - LENNY BARTULIN

Thursday, 18th February, 2010, 7pm at CityLibraries Aitkenvale

Lenny Bartulin's latest book "The Black Russian" is the sequel to his debut novel, "A Deadly Business".

About the new book:
After yet another slow week at the cash register, that fine purveyor of second-hand literature, Susko Books, is facing financial ruin. Jack Susko sets off to a gallery in Woollahra to scrape up some coin with the sale of an old art catalogue.

With his usual panache and exquisite timing, he arrives just as De Groot Galleries is being done over by masked thieves. Along with a mysterious object from the safe, the robbers seize a valuable first edition from Jack's bag, too.

When the owner of the gallery doesn't want to call the cops, Jack is offered a sizeable sum to keep silent: but when de Groot arrives at the bookshop with his heavy to renege on the deal, all bets are off. With an ease that almost constitutes a gift, Jack finds himself at the centre of a world full of duplicity, lies and art theft.

THE SHACK: 08/02/10

2010-02-08T08:19:00.011+10:00

Cassandra Clare's ALL YOU WILL EVER NEED writing resources
http://www.cassandraclare.com/cms/writing#howlong

Charlaine Harris - TRUE TALENT

Australian Writers Resource website

2010-02-01T15:21:00.001+10:00

The February 2010 update of the Australian Writers Resource website has taken the list of
Australian publications accepting unsolicited submissions to over 160.

With links to Australian literary competitions updated monthly, this is a free resource that you
can tell your members about.

www.austwriters.com

WITS dominates WOT short story competition

2010-01-21T12:43:00.000+10:00

And the winners were: (time for a commercial break here. No?)

*1^st * /The Orange-Eater's List/ by Tess McCarthy

*2^nd * /Jimmy’s Little Problem/ by Elizabeth Lengthorn

*3^rd * /The Moth/ by Vanda Coyne

*Highly commended* /A Dull Life/ by Andy King

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

WITS Christmas party

2010-01-19T15:01:00.002+10:00

Poem by Mary Casolin

2010-01-14T13:45:00.000+10:00

What Indisposition? by Mary Casolin

Like a tonic
You are my doctor
To heal
The wounds of life's neglect
Your eyes dispense
The soothing pharmacon
Your hands' caress
Apply the therapy
Which
Feed my soul
Nurture my mind
Cure my flesh.

Your perception does not halt in silence
A spur to my own desire
You affirm my wish
With speechless admission of reciprocated affection
Its recognition
The ultimate unction of mutual acceptance.

To inflict the world
With our infection
Becomes the prescription
To excise its affliction.

The Shack 31/12/09

2009-12-31T17:22:00.004+10:00

Stephenie Meyer on writing TWILIGHT

http://www.oprah.com/media/20091113-orig-stephenie-meyer-twilight-video

Rachel Swirsky on why bad publishing credits won't help you

http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2009/12/07/bad-credits-wont-help-publish/

A novel in a year - a column on the art of fiction

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3649184/A-novel-in-a-year.html

for more visit www.nikeshmurali.net

From the President's desk

2009-12-22T13:58:00.002+10:00

Xmas dinner this year was not only our final WITS get together for 2009 but also the venue for the exciting announcement of our illustrious Poetry Competition Winners.

Equal first prize winners were:

Dianna Messervy from Yungabuura “Molly Taylor 1934”

Dianna gave me permission to read out her poem. Thank you Dianna it was a lovely piece.

Jennifer Garvey “At the End”. We had the pleasure of having Jenny attend our dinner and read out her poem.

Second Prize went to: Casey Salt :“Ex Libris”

Congratulations to all three winners & Honourable mentions.

Aimee Norton’s “Jewel Case/ For An Electric Landscape”

Andy Frost “Cyclone Watch”

“Beneath the Camouflage of Spear Grass” Melanie Busato.

General Comments from our judges Dr Mary Cassolin & Dr Sylvia Kelso

A number of poems surfaced at the top of the entries for this competition, all very evenly matched, and making final choices, as the results indicate, quite difficult. Some poets also submitted several poems, and among these were strong bodies of work rather than outstanding single pieces, though one such appears in the honourable mentions, with the experimental and very interesting but not yet quite finalised “Jewel Case / For An Electric Landscape.”

The prize-winning poems prevailed because they were the most polished of strong but fresh variations on very well-worked topics, age, death, and the fate of readers, writers and books. We congratulate the winners, but also, and very warmly, the honourable mentions, and we would like to thank everyone who entered the competition. Your work may not be mentioned here, but it was read and appreciated.

As President of WITS I am so proud of what we have accomplished this year, thanks to our very hard working and dedicated committee. Peter Hurst Secretary, Stephen Ryan treasures, Kerry Ashwin events co-ordinator and Nikesh Muralli for his wonderful efforts at keeping our blog site up to date. I am going to list some of our achievements for the year. Not necessarily in chronological order.

Justine Wilkinson’s Strategic Planning Workshop gave us inspiration and helped keep us on the right path.
Sylvia Kelso’s Fabulous February Fantasy workshop; which lived up to its title.
Shaun Allen’s stimulating discussion on researching background informtion for novels or short stories involving battle scenes. He showed us the amount of material out there which will give authenticity to your work. We did a time trip back to medieval times and worked our way forward to the nitty gritty of modern warfare.
Thalia Klonis’s workshop on developing a professional approach to performance readings and general oral presentation of our work has given us guidance and added confidence.
I was proud of the quality of WITS members’ performances at the City library, Aitkenvale and lastly the Thuringowa library. It was a great learning experience for us all and next year though we’ll be spacing the events out over the year we will also be a lot more aware of what needs to go into making our events even more successful
Performance readings help promote WITS as a writing group while showcasing the talent of our members. Recently we have had several very talented members join our group and we look forward to welcoming them as new members and sharing their work.
Dr David Reiter was a guest speaker along with Ann Jones. David provided insight into the world of small independent publishers and also the alternative option of self-publishing.
Thanks to Kerry Ashwin who won our competition to come up with a new logo, we now have a very impressive Logo on our letterheads, application forms and of course on our fabulous new banners. WITS is setting itself up as a brand name.
We have to hand quite a number of copies of Telling Townsville WITS latest anthology. At $15.00 each they make wonderful and inexpensive Christmas or birthday gifts and particularly for ex-Townsvillians. Please let someone on the committee know if you would like to purchase a copy.
A few of us did a Sunday morning stall at Cotters Market and it was quite an involved process, so instead we may have to call for all hands on deck for next years Heritage Day stand. It means giving up a few hours of your Sunday (it’s a great outing for the kids) and it provides a great opportunity to raise money. We had to miss out this year because of lack of support- BUT I’ll be calling for volunteers early in the piece.
We’ve had very positive feedback on the professionalism of our blog- site. While this started out as Kerry Parkes baby and she did exceedingly well, Nikesh and Kerry Ashwin have taken it one step forward; re-laying it out- in fact re-inventing it.
Our inaugural poetry competition has been an outstanding success with nearly fifty entries submitted. We plan on making this an annual event and once a procedure is put in place for the setting up of not only this event but all others, life gets much easier there’s no point in continually re-inventing the wheel.
Thank you Andy King for your time and effort in promoting the competition so effectively and special thanks to Dr Mary Casolin & Dr Sylvia Kelso for their valuable assessment of the entries.
One of the highlights of our year was the Literary Dinner hosted by WITS and held at the Townsville Motor boat club. Kerry Ashwin put a lot of time and effort into co-ordinating the event with QWC who bought our literary guests: Belinda Jeffries, Matthew Condon and Greg Rodgers up to Townsville for the Writer’s train journey out west.
Behind the scenes the tireless workers go on. The secretary’s job is continually keeping a finger on the pulse and without a good treasurer it doesn’t take much for things to go awry.
BUT… and I can’t emphasise this enough. The success of WITS depends on our members.
It doesn’t matter what your particular dedication is- Poetry, Screen plays, prose, short stories- novel writing. We can all encourage and learn from each other.
I know it’s an old saw, but the truth is writing is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration but take into account the friendship, knowledge and feedback you gain from a writer’s group and you have 100% motivation. .
And last but not least I have some very inspiring news to share. Nikesh Muralli’s brainchild T’ville, a fantasy anthology based on Townsville, purely in a topographical sense is being published by Publish America one of the biggest independent publishers in the U.S.
While this started out as a WITS project it became too unwieldy and so six authors Nikesh, Kerry Ashwin, Stephen Ryan, Casey Salt, Peter Hurst and Lori Hurst pressed on till the end. Following all the blood, sweat and tears and after two years of editing collating and formatting we are now as proud as new parents. We are at present having the contract checked over and hope T’ville will be printed fairly early in the New Year. T’ville will be dedicated to WITS.

Our recommencement next year will be the first Wed in February (3rd) and we have something very special planned. More on that later.

Please note the date right now in your 2010 diary. Invitations will be sent out with a RSVP date.

Yours in Writing

Lori Hurst

THE SHACK: 01/012/09

2009-12-01T09:01:00.003+10:00

Junot Diaz on becoming a writer
http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200911-omag-junot-diaz-writing

Donald Barthelme's syllabus for a literary education
http://www.believermag.com/issues/200310/?read=barthelme_syllabus

How to write a great novel
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703740004574513463106012106.html

Great advice from David Hewson for first time authors
http://www.davidhewson.com/2009/10/advice-for-first-time-authors/

www.nikeshmurali.net

The Poetry of WITS member Michael Fitzgerald-Clarke

2009-11-26T07:14:00.002+10:00

I Love You, But I Need My Friends

My bed is all yours tonight, it's warm,

I'm meeting Merlin in his favourite

gay bar in South Melbourne.

On the tram there I persuade a woman

reading Milan Kundera's latest novel

to kiss me and accept my hardback

copy of Coleridge's Collected Poems

in exchange for her underpants.

In the bar this wealthy blonde guy

is trying to get Merlin interested.

Merlin wants a woman tonight,

but he's left his wand in a saucepan

of lasagne at Silvio's house.

(We must visit Silvio. I'm worried.

His habit of pissing in his goldfish pond

is killing the goldfish.)

I lend him a chopstick, and at 1AM

he leaves for a brothel near Camelot,

telling me to sleep in the Botanical Gardens

because it's warm and the statues need company.

On the tram there I persuade a woman

reading Goethe in translation

to give me her underpants

in exchange for the other chopstick.

In the Gardens it's too late to have

an earnest conversation with King George,

so I ask him his star sign,

and to my delight he's an Aries, like you.

To learn more about the poet and his books visit http://www.globusz.com/Authors/Michael.php

WITS stall at the Sunday markets

2009-11-09T22:23:00.001+10:00

THE SHACK: 27/10/09

2009-10-27T17:40:00.005+10:00

Miguel Syjuco's Writing Life
http://goodbooksguide.blogspot.com/2008/10/writing-life-miguel-syjuco.html

Should you self publish???
http://pattyjansen.wordpress.com/2009/09/23/should-i-self-publish/

Index card plotting
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Write-a-Novel-in-Six-Months--Week-3--Index-Cards-Are-My-Friends
http://hollylisle.com/fm/Workshops/notecard_plotting.html

For more visit www.nikeshmurali.net