Find out all your need to know about getting published, who to contact, how to present your work, contracts, agents...the lot. Even if you don't have something ready to go, this two hour session presents the basics for all authors and illustrators:

ASA Getting Published, 6 - 8pm at Orange Friday 17 February in the West Room, next door to Orange City Library, 147 Byng Street, Orange. Refreshments provided. Cost: $15.

Bookings essential - book online at http://www.asauthors.org or call the office on 1800 257 121. Enquiries call the Central West Writers' Centre on 6393 8125. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to learn from the experts.

Calling all writers! The Words Out West Summer 2012 Newsletter is now available. It has all the latest news on upcoming book launches, Getting Published Workshop and Oberon Performance Poetry as well as writing competitions, opportunities, and lots more....To read and subscribe, head to the Central West Writers' Centre Words Out West Home Page: www.wordsoutwest.com.au

Enjoy!

Hardie Grant Egmont has always supported emerging writers, and this time they want everyone to know about it. Introducing Ampersand: a new collection of short novels by debut fiction writers.

It's an ambitious idea, but they're excited about bringing new voices to the YA fiction scene. They want to cater to teenage readers who just aren't into fantasy or paranormal romance, and show them a world just like this one. Real life can be just as dramatic and thrilling as other-worldly adventures, and any teenager who's climbed out their bedroom window for an illicit adventure knows it.

To kick this collection off, the editors of Ampersand are looking for fabulous stand-alone manuscripts about the secret lives of teenagers. They want a voice that leaps off the page, a hint of a literary vibe, and teenage characters facing conflict in the course of their everyday lives. Manuscripts that are by turns funny, dramatic, gritty, romantic, heartbreaking or challenging. Ampersand will give each debut novelist the launch they need to build their profiles in a competitive YA market.

They want Ampersand books to feel real to teenage readers. We want to push the boundaries, but we're not interested in moral-panic-inducing, usually urban-legendary topics (no sexting or rainbow parties here, please). Speculative elements are welcome, so long as they adhere to the rules of the real world. The difference is in the execution; for example, Tomorrow When The War Began is a real-world exploration of war as it could occur today, but The Hunger Games is not. Head to website for submission guidelines and story starting points:

http://hardiegrant.com.au/egmont/contact-us/the-ampersand-project

Get on the airwaves! A free 3-day radio workshop is being held at Oberon this week, 18-20th by AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School). This workshop is being presented by Arts OutWest and funded by Arts NSW. Dates: 18, 19, 20 January

Venue: Oberon Community Centre, next to the library; Time: 9am-5pm; Ages: 13-24 years. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people in the Oberon, Lithgow or Bathurst area to learn how to present and design their own radio show. On the Friday, participants are being driven to Bathurst in a mini bus for a radio station tour and also a chance to record some of their own material! This course is also run is Sydney and usually costs a couple of hundred dollars. Places are limited.

For bookings or further info please call or email Zoe on M: 0434 368 033 or Email: zrodwell@yahoo.com.au

Twelfth Planet Press is looking to develop a new line of dynamic, original genre novels. Twelfth Planet Press novels will push boundaries to question, inspire, engage and challenge. They are specifically looking to acquire material outside that which is typically considered by mainstream publishers.

They are looking for science fiction, fantasy, horror and crime. They will consider borderline literary, new weird, steampunk, space opera, hard science fiction, soft science fiction, urban fantasy, cyberpunk, military science fiction, young adult, paranormal romance and everything in between.

Twelfth Planet encourage writers to take the time to familiarise themselves with the kind of content they publish, and the kind they do not. They are not interested in gratuitous violence, misogyny and gore or sex scenes for shock value. They are looking to acquire all English language territory rights and ebook rights. They are offering advances and royalties. Submission details at www.twelfthplanetpress.com/news/twelfth-planet-press-novel-manuscript-submission-month-january-2012

Are you a children's book author? Would you like to have your book on the world stage? Australian Self-publishing group are calling for expressions of interest for any author who would like their book to premier at the Bologna Children's book fair in March 2012. Bologna is the main children's book fair in the world and where all the publishers, agents, and distributors of children's books go to get new titles.

This is a face to face book fair where they make appointments with industry professionals and show them Australian author's books. If you have a children's book (ages1 to 18) or will have one before March 2012 then contact them for inclusion and get your name in. Spaces are limited for this fair so do not hesitate to get in touch.

Contact William at: www.australianselfpublishinggroup.com Email: publishaspg@gmail.com Australian self publishing group: Promoting Australian author's to the world.

Participants had a great time learning how to choose the best images and upload them to the Internet then add a great story for the ABC Open Moment Behind the Photo Workshop. ABC Open Producer Luke Wong explained about selecting the right photos, re-sizing photos and of course copyright concerns. He explained the best way to tell the story behind the photo was to find the emotion in the story and try to explain why it is important to you, how it makes you feel and why.

Bev is a car club enthusiast and uploaded an image from a car club event, Alex included an image of her German parents and their first car. Workshop facilitator Luke is pictured above with Bev and Alex.

The workshop results can be seen on www.abc.net.au /open and click on the Moment Behind the Photo projects link.

Interested people can also add their own story and images and there is also an opportunity to record an audio description if you prefer. Check it out.

This is for writers! The Spring Central West Writers' Centre Words Out West Newsletter is now available. It has all the latest news on upcoming workshops including our Crime Writing Workshop with Peter Doyle and Moment Behind The Photo Workshop with ABC Open producer Luke Wong as well as writing competitions, opportunities, and lots more....To read and subscribe, head to the Central West Writers' Centre Words Out West Home Page: www.wordsoutwest.com.au Enjoy!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but often that's only half the story. Sometimes the best memories come from recalling the stories behind the photo.

The Central West Writers' Centre and ABC Open are inviting you to share your stories behind your favourite photos. Select three of your best photos and come along to the workshop to learn how to upload your photos to the ABC Open website and tell the story behind the images. It can be a family holiday pic, a photo of your ancestors and their story or just a favourite snapshot.

Maybe you vividly remember the moment it was taken, or maybe there is something captured within the image that speaks volumes about that time in your life. Whatever the image and story, we want to know about it. Select a couple of images to be emailed or brought along to the workshop:

Central West Writers' Centre

Orange City Library

Byng Street, Orange

Thursday 3 November

2.30pm – 4.30pm

Please book your place by calling: CWWC 6393 8125 or ABC Open 6393 2542. Free

Central West Writers Centre and ABC Open have joined forces to bring to you a workshop to teach you how to upload your photos to the web. We want to collect your water stories in the lead up to Water Week in October so come along to this workshop:

Central West Writers' Centre at Orange City Library, Byng Street, Orange, Thursday 29 September 12.30pm - 4.30pm. Bookings call 6393 2542.

Share your photos and stories about the important role of water in your life as a photo and text. Water is...life giving, refreshing, terrifying, exciting, fun - and so much more. What does it mean to you? Whatever your take, share your tales of water and add to the river of stories about this precious source of life and inspiration. Bring a photo to the workshop or email it to Luke about your connection to water and share your story with the rest of Australia. For information and to register your place please contact Luke at ABC Open on 6393 2542 or email: abcopen.centralwest.nsw@abc.net.au and for details about ABC Open projects check out the website: www.abc.net.au/open. (Photo credit: ABC Open/ Waters edge by rothche).