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

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).

Come along to this workshop on Professional Writing for Visual Artists on Thursday 15 September, 5.30pm to 7.30pm. It will be held at the Heritage Building, Bathurst Health Service (the old hospital building) Howick Street Bathurst.

Arts OutWest will run an Artists Professional Development session as part of our Creative Industries and Arts and Health programs.

Writing Workshop Number One will look at promoting yourself, your works and exhibitions through looking at skills for writing a media release and an article for a lifestyle magazine. This workshop includes a practical component where you will have the opportunity to write a media release, so if you have an exhibition to plan, now is the time to get pointers. You will also have the opportunity to develop an outline of a profile story targeted for publication in a lifestyle magazine.

Please bring: your artist statement and a laptop to work on if you prefer it to paper and pen.

The FREE workshop will be led by Maryanne Jaques, Communications Officer for Arts OutWest.

Bookings: Arts OutWest 6338 4657 or email artsoutwest@csu.edu.au

Poetry Slam is coming to Forbes and you're invited! In the lead up to the Poetry Slam we will be hosting a free workshop with Miles Merrill and there are still places available. It is part of the Kalari-Lachlan River Arts Festival:

Australian Poetry Slam Free Workshop at 11am in the Reading and Writing Tent, Lake Forbes Foreshore. Please book your place at Forbes Library on 6852 1463

Then it is all action and fun for the Australian Poetry Slam. It is not a poetry reading though. It's more like a howling literary campfire with verbal voodoo, breathless rhythms and sweat breaking nerves. Anyone can get up and have a go or be in the audience and you could be a judge!

**Please note new start time**

Australian Poetry Slam Forbes Heat - Main Stage 12 noon, Sign up 11.30am Lake Forbes Foreshore along Buck Bentick Walk, via Lachlan Street, Forbes

Check out www.riverartsfestival.org.au and www.australianpoetryslam.com

Imagine two minutes in the spotlight. No props. No music. Judged by the audience. Just you... and your story.

The Australian Poetry Slam is not a poetry reading. It's more like a howling literary campfire with verbal voodoo, breathless rhythms and sweat breaking nerves. Think Hilltop Hoods mashed with Obama, a line of Paul Kelly, a few pinches of Judith Lucy, and a test tube of Les Murray all vying for audience love.

Writers need to perform well in their regional heat and place in their state final. Two finalists from each state and territory will meet in Sydney to battle with their words on the main stage of the Sydney Theatre for the Australian Poetry Slam Final National Final. One will be crowned Australia's Slam Champion.

Come and find out what it is all about at the Australian Poetry Slam Workshop:

Kalari-Lachlan River Arts Festival, Reading and Writing Tent, Lake Forbes Foreshore along Buck Bentick Walk, Sunday 4 September at 11am, Please book your place at Forbes Library on 6852 1463.

Then perform your poem, story, hip hop or whatever at the Australian Poetry Slam Forbes Heat:

**Please note new start time** Kalari-Lachlan River Arts Festival, Lake Forbes Foreshore along Buck Bentick Walk, Sunday 4 September, 12 noon on the main stage, please sign up from 11.30am, Hosted by Miles Merrill.

Check out these sites for more details: www.australianpoetryslam.com and/or www.riverartsfestival.org.au

Recent Tourist in your Own Town writing workshop presenter and poet Deb Westbury mentioned a list of "good writer" attributes from her friend Ron Pretty and here it is:

What makes a good writer?

They do not waste word.

They speak in an authentic voice.

They put the readers there, make them believe.

They cause things to happen for the reader as they happen for the writer (or narrator).

They create oppositions which pay off in surprise.

They build.

They ask something of readers.

They reward the reader with meaning.

Good writing is clear, vigorous, honest, alive, sensuous, rhythmic, without pretension, fresh, economical, authoritative, surprising, memorable and light.

Deb said based on her own experience as an editor, teacher and judge of writing compeitions, these criteria are comprehensive and generally agreed upon. Thank you Deb.

The Central West Writers' Centre was successful in receiving a Positive Ageing Grant from the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care to run a series of writing workshops for regional people aged over 50. The project aims to capture feelings about life on the land through storytelling. Workshop presenters Dr Noeline Kyle and Lorraine Purcell will help you get writing effortlessly about characters, events and places and provide practical advice on writing. Dr Noeline Kyle has published women's history, Australian history, biography/memoir and family history. Lorraine commenced her library career at the State Library and has been passionate about Australian history ever since. Both presenters are professionals in their field as well as experienced workshop facilitators.

The project also gives workshop participants the opportunity to be published on a dedicated Words from the Dust website created by Sauce Design and Central West Writers' Centre.

Words from the Dust Workshop Series

Condobolin: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop Lachlan Shire Council Training Room 58 – 64 Molong Street, Condobolin Thursday 28 April & Friday 29 April 9.30am – 12.30pm Bookings at Lachlan Shire Library Ph: 6895 2253

Forbes: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop Forbes Library Victoria Lane, Forbes Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 May 9.30am – 12.30pm Bookings at Forbes Library Ph: 6852 1463

Grenfell: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop Conference Room, Grenfell Community Hub 88 Main Street, Grenfell Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 May 9.30am – 12.30pm Bookings at Grenfell Library Ph: 6343 1334

Cowra: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop Cowra Multipurpose Room, Darling Street, Cowra Friday 6 and Saturday 7 May 9am – 12 noon Bookings at Cowra Library Ph: 6340 2180

Blayney: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop Centrepoint Scout Hall, entry via Ogilvy Street, Blayney Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 May 9.30am – 12.30pm Bookings at Blayney Library Ph: 6368 2581

Orange: Words from the Dust Writing Workshop West Room, next door to Orange City Library Byng Street, Orange Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 May 9.30am – 12.30pm Bookings at Orange City Library: 6393 8132

For further enquiries call Central West Writers' Centre on 6393 8125.

The Autumn Central West Writers' Centre Words Out West Newsletter is now available. It has all the latest news on upcoming events including our Words from the Dust Writing Workshops for older Australians, Medical History Book by local author Elisabeth Edwards, Cafe Poet Poetry Reading with special guest Deb Westbury, a Tourist in Your own Town Writing Workshop for all types of writing and a reminder to get your Banjo Paterson Writing Awards entry in and lots more....To read and subscribe, head to the Words Out West Home page.

From Arts OutWest: Arts Business: Arts and the Law Thursday November 25, 10.30am-2pm West Room, Orange Regional Gallery With a legal expert from Arts Law NSW. Copyright, royalties, contracts and other legal issues for artists and arts makers. $33 (includes lunch) (subsidised by Arts Training NSW.

Arts Business: Finding work in the Arts Tuesday November 30, 10am-1pm Auditorium, Orange Regional Conservatorium How to work as an artist (writer, visual artist, performing artist) and use your skills in the community cultural development, education and health sectors. A look at the opportunities, generating your own work, protocols for working in schools and health services, tax and insurance. $33 (includes lunch) (subsidised by Arts Training NSW) Find registration forms at: http://www.artsoutwest.org.au/training/aow_workshops.php