Internet Resources and Opportunities
The Internet has become arguably the most easily accessible source of information concerning all things literary. Websites dealing with English language, grammar, style, publishing, essay and article writing, poetry, film, script and screenplay writing, editing, and final draft preparation abound. Here is some useful literary resource links:
Australian Society of Authors - the peak association for Australia's literary creators http://www.asauthors.org/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=ASP0016/ccms.r
Literary Agents - contact the Australian Literary Agents Association for an explanation of what agents do and members listing http://austlitagentsassoc.com.au/
The Central West Writers' Centre is a member of the Litlink Writers' Centre Network of NSW. Other members include:
Varuna The Writers' House, Blue Mountains at http://www.varuna.com.au/
NSW Writers' Centre, Rozelle
New England Writers' Centre, Armidale
Broken Hill Writers' Centre
Northern Rivers Writers' Centre, Byron Bay
Hunter Writers' Centre, Newcastle
Booranga Riverina Writers' Centre, Wagga Wagga
South Coast Writers' Centre, Wollongong
Writing Courses and literary instruction - for a variety of on-line and face to face courses and workshops try the NSW Writers' Centre at: http://www.nswwriterscentre.org.au/
Grammar and Language
For writers interested in improving their knowledge of language and style, the complete text of the indispensable critical work The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. is available on the internet in its entirety at http://www.bartleby.com/141/
More information about Strunk's book
Other websites that deal with words and grammar are:
http://www.wordwizard.com/
http://copydesk.org/words/
A weekly e-zine for professional writers contains interviews with writers, editors and publishers, and articles on careers in literature http://www.inscriptionsmagazine.com/
Film Industry Opportunities
For those interested in script and screenwriting for film and television the Australian Writers Guild (the professional association for performance writing) can be found at http://www.awg.com.au/, and http://www.writemovies.com/
Software for writers is the primary focus of the site http://www.finaldraft.com/Highly recommended by successful television writer Tony Morphett, this site operates like "a hyped-up word processor".
On-line community contact with unpublished writers, look up;
http://www.writepro.com/wp_sales.htm and http://tracearchive.ntu.ac.uk/
Children's book writing
Children's book readers and writers may be interested in The Children's Book Council of Australia at http://www.cbc.org.au/
Poetry websites
For contemporary poets the Poets Union at http://www.poetsunion.com is indispensible.
Here is the link to the Australian Bust Poets Association http://www.abpa.org.au/
The membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association comprises of writers, performers and individuals who are interested in bush poetry. If you are interested in Australian bush poetry either traditional or modern, as a writer, reader, performer or just an admirer then membership to the ABPA is for you
For regional events for bushpoets visit www.crookwellbushpoets.net The idea is to create a Poets Triangle which includes Orange ,Grenfell, Cowra, Goulburn Crookwell Shires and small towns in and around these areas
Arts websites
Arts OutWest promotes, facilitates, educates and advocates for the arts across the Central West http://www.artsoutwest.org.au/
Regional Arts NSW is the peak body for regional arts activity in NSW http://www.regionalartsnsw.com.au/
Arts NSW is the NSW Government's arts funding and policy body http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/
Literature Award websites
LiteraryAwards.com.au covers some 50 english speaking literary awards in details, including about 20 Australian adult and childrens awards. It is a sister site to www.bookawardsonline.com in the USA www.literaryawards.co.uk in the UK. It also has a searchable directory listing details of well-over 200 English language literary awards. Check it out.
Assorted other websites
For a great literature site and home to the Matilda blog go to http://www.middlemiss.org/lit/lit.html
Those curious about a worldwide community of writers, both fiction and non-fiction writing, as well as resources and articles for professionals and beginners can look at the Burry Man Writers Centre at http://www.burryman.com/.
The Central West Writers' Centre is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW
