Our member gets published

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

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

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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