Words Out West - Fiction

The CAL Scribe Fiction Prize for the over 35s

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:28:00 +1000

The CAL Scribe Fiction Prize is now open and is searching for the best unpublished manuscript by a writer aged 35 or over. Read all the requirements and Download an entry form from the Scribe website: www.scribepublications.com.au/prize. They are pleased to announce that the prize money in 2011 has been increased to $15,000. The winning novel will also be published by Scribe. Entries close on 15 September. Good Luck!

Can you write a story in 12 words or less?

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:32:00 +1000

Set yourself the challenge or if you suit the age group enter the competition at the website for people to tell a micro-story in 12 words or less: www.12wordscom.au Whether you are a published writer or have never written any fiction before, you can give this a go and enjoy it. If you are aged between 15 and 25, you can be in the running for a Random House writing mentorship and check out 12 words on twitter, facebook and youtube. Here's my story: He stared into flames wishing that he had not lit the match.

2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Shortlist

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:39:00 +1000

Arts Minister Peter Garrett has announced 29 great Australian titles that have made it onto the 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards shortlists. Minister Garrett said being shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards is a great achievement for authors that will bring further public recognition of their writing. For the first time, Young Adult Fiction and Children's Fiction categories have been added to the awards. Here is the Fiction shortlist: Summertime, J.M. Coetzee; The Book of Emmett, Deborah Forster; The Lakewoman, Alan Gould; Dog Boy, Eva Hornung; Ransom, David Malouf Lovesong, Alex Miller; and As the Earth turns Silver, Alison Wong. The Children's Fiction shortlist includes Harry and Hopper, Margaret Wild and illustrated by Freya Blackwood. Find out more about the shortlists at www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards/shortlists

Australian/Vogel Literary Award Open for Under 35s

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:22:00 +1000

Do you dream of being a published writer? Enter Australia's most prestigious award for an unpublished manuscript. The Australian/Vogel Literary Award is one of Australia's richest and the most prestigious award for an unpublished manuscript by a writer under the age of thirty-five. Offering publication by Allen & Unwin and prize money totalling $20,000, the Vogel Award has launched the careers of some of its most successful writers, including Tim Winton, Kate Grenville, Gillian Mears, Brian Castro, Mandy Sayer and Andrew McGahan. Vogel-winning authors have gone on to win or be shortlisted for other major awards, such as the Miles Franklin Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize and the Booker Prize. Entry forms for the 2010 Australian/Vogel Literary Award are now available from the Allen and Unwin website: http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=442 This year is the 30th anniversary of The Australian/Vogel Literary Award and some exciting changes are afoot. After the judges make their final decision, the winner will be contacted by Allen & Unwin and work will begin on the winning manuscript. However, it won't be until May 2011, that the winner's name will be made public simultaneous with publication of their winning book

First Tuesday Book Club - What It Takes to be a Best Selling Author

Mon, 10 May 2010 16:47:00 +1000

Okay don't worry about the budget ( well not too much anyway). This sounds much better instead - check out the first Tuesday Book Club on ABC TV tomorrow night featuring Jennifer Byrne Presents: Blockbusters and Bestsellers 10pm ABC1 ... Jennifer Byrne is joined by the heavy artillery of the publishing world to discuss what it takes to be a bestselling author. She is joined by the man behind the enigmatic Jack Reacher Lee Child, author of Ice Station and The Five Greatest Warriors Matthew Reilly, author of 17 bestselling novels including The Silent Country , Di Morrissey as well as Australia's biggest selling author Bryce Courtenay. It is repeated on Sunday 16th May 6:30pm ABC2. And for more author interviews head to the website: www.abc.net.au/tv/firsttuesday/

Vote in the 2010 People's Choice Awards

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:35:00 +1000

The judges have selected these six titles as the best in new Australian fiction for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2010: The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy, Ransom by David Malouf, Wanting by Richard Flanagan, Summertime by J.M Coetzee, Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey, 88 Lines about 44 Women by Steven Lang. And now the people of New South Wales can have their say. By casting a vote and signing up for the newsletter, you will have the chance to win some fantastic prizes. Voting is open until midnight 10th May 2010. Go to the website: http://www.pla.nsw.gov.au/

Scribe Short Stories Anthology Submissions

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 13:22:00 +1000

Scribe will be publishing another anthology of short stories, New Australian Stories 2.0, again edited by fiction acquisitions editor, Aviva Tuffield. New Australian Stories 2.0 will be published in February 2011. The anthology will feature established stars of the short-story firmament alongside new and emerging ones. Scribe are collaborating with two partners: Varuna, the Writers' House, will be running the Varuna/NAS national short story competition, with the winners (judged by Peter Bishop, Cate Kennedy and Aviva Tuffield) to be published in New Australian Stories 2.0, and/or to be awarded a week-long residency at Varuna to work with Cate Kennedy, one of Australia's finest writers of short stories. Submissions to the Varuna/NAS competition open on 1 June and close on 30 June. Visit the Varuna website for more details: www.varuna.com.au. And they are teaming up with the Ned Kelly Awards to publish the winner of the S.D. Harvey Short Story Award in New Australian Stories 2.0. This award was established in 2009 in honour of Sandra Harvey, a respected journalist who worked both for the Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC's Four Corners program, and was fearless in her pursuit of the truth. The prize money for the S.D. Harvey Short Story Award will be in excess of $1000. Applications for the S.D. Harvey Award close on 31 May. For more information about entering the award, go to: www.nedkellyawards.com

The Big Issue looking for fiction submissions

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:53:00 +1000

The Big Issue is calling for submissions to its annual fiction edition for 2010. Last year's edition virtually sold out and attracted contributions from the likes of Cate Kennedy, Debra Adelaide and Alice Pung, with two of its ten stories making the cut for Black Inc.'s Best Australian Stories 2009. To submit, send two printed (not electronic) copies of your entry (of up to 3000 words) to: Fiction Edition, The Big Issue, GPO Box 4911VV. Make sure your name and details are included on a removable coversheet. Closing date for entries is Monday 20 May 2010.

Call for Entries in Banjo Paterson Writing Awards

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:30:00 +1000

Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson was born on February 17, 1864 and to celebrate his birthday Orange City Council, Central West Libraries, Central West Writers' Centre supported by The Central Western Daily and ABC Central West Radio announce the call for entries to the Banjo Paterson Writing Awards. It is important to note that entries into the Prose (Short Story), Open Poetry and Children's Writing Awards categories of the competition do not have to be in the style of Banjo's writing. Entry forms are available from Central West Libraries branches, by phoning 6393 8120, email: writing@orange.nsw.gov.au or [download here]. Entry is $10 for adults and $5 for children per entry. The competition closes on Friday 16 April 2010 and winners will be contacted by phone on Monday 21 June 2010. There are cash prizes to be won and the winning Prose (Short Story) entry will be published in the Central Western Daily.

Romance Writing at National Library

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:40:00 +1000

Celebrate Valentine's Day with world-renowned romance writer, Valarie Parv, as she reveals some of the secrets of writing a romance novel. With 25 million copies of her books sold internationally, it's no wonder Valerie Parv is known as Australia's queen of romance. Then, following a booksigning and refreshments, enjoy a special screening of the Australian film Paperback Hero (1999), starring Hugh Jackman and Claudia Karvan. Imagine Hugh Jackman as Jack Willis, a handsome roadtrain driver with a secret - he has just become a top-selling romance novelist. But being a 'man's man', he needs a name, a woman's name - and he chooses that of his best friend, Ruby Vale. Cost: $10 (refreshments included) National Library of Australia, Theatre on Friday 12 February at 5pm. Bookings: 02 6262 1271 or bookings@nla.gov.au

2009 Prime Minister's Literary Awards Winners are

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:46:00 +1000

Minister for the Arts Peter Garrett has announced the winners of the 2009 Prime Minister's Literary Awards......fanfare, applause....... The winner of the 2009 Fiction award is Nam Le for his book of short stories The Boat. The judging panel was impressed by the daring scope and excellence of its execution, the generous breadth of its emotional and social traverse and the excitement generated by every story. In 2009, two books and three authors share the Non-Fiction award. The winners are Evelyn Juers for House of Exile: The Life and Times of Heinrich Mann and Nelly Kroeger-Mann; and Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds for Drawing the Global Colour Line. Both books explore important racial, moral and political issues of Australia's past. The Non-Fiction judging panel said "With great intellectual authority and international research Evelyn Juers, Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds tell their stories magnificently." Find out more about the shortlist and winners at www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards

Armidale Playhouse Seeks Short Stories or Scripts

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:08:00 +1000

The Armidale Playhouse Inc invites you to submit short stories and/or play scripts to be considered for its 2010 season of "Favourite Shorts". This annual event is now into its 4th year bringing the works of both published and unpublished Australian writers to the stage using directors and actors from the Armidale district. Each week of the two week season of "Favourite Shorts" has a different programme. This year they squeezed 36 actors into eleven plays with nine directors. All of the actors, directors, lighting and stage crew are amateurs, in that they are not paid for their time and expertise however many do have formal qualifications or are working towards them. The Armidale Playhouse Inc will not be providing performance payments to successful writers however they do offer a free double pass to those who wish to travel to Armidale to see a performance of their short story or play. After each performance the audience are requested to select their favourite item and after the final performance the favourite for that week is announced in a short informal presentation. All successful writers will receive their own pair of "Favourite Shorts" and a participation certificate. They request permission from all successful writers to film the performance of their short story or play. An Armidale-based professional production unit will be filming performances with DVDs available for sale a few weeks after performances conclude. Submissions of play scripts and short stories up to 30 minute duration* can be sent via email to scripts@armidaleplayhouse.org.au or to Favourite Shorts 2010, Armidale Playhouse Inc, PO Box 368, ARMIDALE NSW 2350 by Friday 18 December 2009. *To estimate the duration of your short story or play script it's about 10 minutes per 1000 words.

Children's author and illustrator Talk at Orange City Library

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:15:00 +1000

Join in talks by author Libby Gleeson and local illustrator Freya Blackwood when they tell school children about their latest book Clancy & Millie and the Very Fine House. The book is published by Little Hare Books and was launched just this month. It is about a little boy called Clancy who has moved to a new house that is huge and unfamiliar. He is missing his old house terribly - the new house is much too big and much too lonely. How will he ever make it his home? As despair takes hold Clancy hears a small voice. Soon, Clancy with the help of his new friend Millie is building towers to the sky and trains to the street outside, and together they build the home that Clancy thought he had lost forever. Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood will be speaking at Orange City Library on Friday 30 October at these times: 9.30am 10.30am; 11.30am 12.30pm; 1.30pm 2.30pm. Come along and sit in on one of the talks by this award-winning team. The event is supported by Boomers Bookshop & ABC Centre. They will also be siging books on Saturday morning (1st Nov) at the bookstore from 11am.

Writing from Page to Screen Seminar at Katoomba

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:07:00 +1000

Join in a one-day forum for writers who want to take their work from the page to the screen, featuring top names from the Australian film and TV industry: Producer Margaret Fink (Candy, My Brilliant Career), writer/director Nick Parsons (Dead Heart), writer/producer David Roach (Beneath Hill 60, Young Einstein), agent Jane Cameron (Camerons Management); plus Airlie Lawson (Hachette); Martha Coleman (Screen Australia); Amanda Higgs (ABC Head of Drama); Caterina De Nave (SBS Drama and Comedy); Stephen Liddell and Bob Barton (Ink to Screen); writers Phillip Gwynne (Australian Rules) & Denise Young (Last Ride). Experienced industry players, including David Stratton (At The Movies), actor Shane Porteous and writer Charlotte Wood, will chair the sessions, guiding you through the development of film and TV scripts from first pitch to the red carpet. Cost: $150 for NSW Writers' Centre members (includes morning tea/lunch/afternoon tea) Time: 10:00am to 5.00pm - 2nd November at Carrington Hotel, Katoomba, Limited places - please book your place by contacting Varuna, The Writers' House Ph: 0247 825674 and for a full program & booking details go to www.varuna.com.au

Cloudstreet to be made for small screen

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:43:00 +1000

ABC news is reporting that Tim Winton's Cloudstreet is to be adapted for television. Tim Winton's novel won the Miles Franklin award in 1992 and shot on location in Western Australia. Culture and Arts Minister John Day confirmed yesterday that ScreenWest had secured the filming of Cloudstreet through its production attraction fund. Winton's modern Australian classic won the Miles Franklin award in 1992. The novel chronicles the story of two working class WA families thrown under the one roof in inner-suburban Perth from the 1940s to 1960s. It has already been staged as a theatre production. Showtime Australia commissioned and will mostly fund the television version of Cloudstreet. Pre-production is expected to begin in November. The six-hour series, once completed, will be screened on Foxtel and Austar.