TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre

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TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
TOMORROW’S VISION
ISSUE 270             Anna Whateley – Debut in a Pandemic
Sep 2020 – Nov 2020   Philip Neilsen – QWC Chair 1992–94
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
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TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
PUBLISHED BY

                                                                           ISSUE 270
                                                                           Sep 2020 – Nov 2020
                                                                            ISSN 1444-2922

Contents
                                                                  Editorial and Production
                                                                  Sandra Makaresz
                                                                  Editor
                                                                  Jandamarra Cadd
                                                                  Guest Artist
3          Philip Neilsen                                         Green Fox Studio
                                                                  Design
4          Debuting During a Pandemic                             CPX Printing & Logistics
                                                                  Printing
           By Anna Whateley
                                                                  Submissions
                                                                  Members can submit Milestones or details of
6	
  Life Story Writing                                              Events or Competitions and Opportunities,
           By Robin Storey                                        or pitch articles for WQ, by emailing us at
                                                                  editor@qldwriters.org.au
                                                                  QWC reserves the right to edit all
8	Ways to Save Money on an Editor                                submissions with regard to content and
           By Callum McDonald                                     word length.
                                                                  Advertising
9	QWC Quills Member Robyn Sheahan-Bright                         Advertising rates, deadlines and dimensions
                                                                  and other information on how to advertise
   remembers Sue Pechey                                           in WQ is available at qldwriters.org.au/
                                                                  advertise. For advertising enquiries please
                                                                  contact editor@qldwriters.org.au
10          isappeared into Thin Air:
           D
                                                                  QWC members enjoy a reduced advertising
           Gone Girls in Children’s Fictions                      rate. Before booking an advertisement
                                                                  potential advertisers should read QWC’s
           By Shannon Horsfall                                    Advertising Terms and Conditions at
                                                                  qldwriters.org.au/advertise
12	
   How to Impress Competition Judges                              Staff
                                                                  Lori-Jay Ellis
15	Announcing the Flinthart                                      Chief Executive Officer
                                                                  Charlie Hester
           Our New Writing Residency and Online Writing Course.
                                                                  Social Media Officer
                                                                  Craig Cauchi
16	Memoir through Poetry                                         Livestream Officer
                                                                  Meredith Taylor
           By Anna Jacobson
                                                                  Financial Officer
                                                                  Callum McDonald
17	Chasing The Wild Pineapple                                    Aleisha Yu
                                                                  Aimee Cheung
                                                                  Project Officers
18	The Geography of Love                                         Management Committee

           By Patty Beecham                                       Kym Hausmann
                                                                  Chair
                                                                  Ann Wilson
20	Writing Competitions                                          Vice Chair
                                                                  Vacant
24	Publisher Update                                              Treasurer
                                                                  Carleton Chinner
                                                                  Secretary
26         Events                                                 Sandra Makaresz
                                                                  Andrea Brosnan
                                                                  Sarah Thornton
28         Member Milestones                                      Angela Samut
                                                                  Judy Gregory
29         QWC Membership Benefits                                Ordinary Members

                    WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                              1
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
ISSN 1444-2922

                                                                                                          ISSUE 270
                                                                                                           PUBLISHED BY

GUEST ARTIST                           Editorial
Jandamarra Cadd
                                       Sandra Makaresz
Cover Illustration:                    Editor
Ancient Dreaming;
Tomorrows Vision

Biography:
Jandamarra Cadd – a Yorta Yorta
and Dja Dja Warung descendent,         Welcome to our second ‘created in isolation’ edition of WQ. Once again,
is an inspirational man with many      it’s been a challenge. But it’s definitely been worth the effort!
stories to tell. With his vibrant
and     expressive    portraitures,    The title Tomorrow’s Vision comes from our beautiful cover image by
Jandamarra’s artwork is emotive        Jandamarra Cadd, Ancient Dreaming: Tomorrows Vision. I think you’ll agree that
and insightful – and is a powerful     it’s a stunning image and I’m so happy to feature his work both on the cover
medium to bridge the story telling     and the writing competitions page. Please take a moment to visit Jandamarra’s
divide between Aboriginal and          website and explore his work.
mainstream Australia.
                                       Each of this month’s articles holds something of our vision for tomorrow.
Painting has been a way of life        Whether it’s Philip Neilsen drawing on the past to advise emerging writers
that has enabled him to express        about the future, Anna Whateley and Shannon Horsfall speaking to new
his creativity and story telling. In   representations in fiction or our articles aimed to grow your skills as a writer,
many of his paintings of the human     they are all filled with a positivity about the future of writing that is inspiring.
condition he seeks to be a peaceful    I hope you will take that inspiration and use it to motivate whatever creative
voice for unity. Jandamarra uses       project you’re working on or would like to be working on.
a variety of styles and mediums;
                                       By the time you read this our newest competition, Scriptable, will have
with his unique blend of traditional
                                       opened. If you dream of seeing your words come to life on a screen of any
aboriginal art techniques along with
                                       size, now is the time to finish those manuscripts and send them in. This is
his own signature contemporary
                                       an excellent opportunity with up to 15 winners receiving mentoring from
portraiture.
                                       industry professionals. We’ve also arranged for a special meet and greet with
                                       our industry partner Screen Queensland, so our winners can start making
                                       valuable connections!

                                       The Queensland Writers Centre, Management Committee and staff present WQ
                                       in good faith and accept no responsibility for any misinformation or problems
                                       arising from any misinformation. The views expressed by contributors or
                                       advertisers (including advertising supplying inserts) are not necessarily those
                                       of the Management Committee or staff.

2                                                       WQ
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
Philip Neilsen
                                              QWC Chair 1992-1994
Philip Neilsen is an award winning poet whose latest book             which often engage critically and in depth with social,
Wildlife of Berlin was shortlisted for the Kenneth Slessor Prize in   environmental, gender, race and health issues.
2019. He has written or edited 16 books, received an Australian
Notable Book Award, and an Australia Council fellowship. He           The continued existence of QWC is critical to develop
founded the creative writing program of degrees at QUT where          and sustain writing in Queensland. From the beginning
he was a professor in Creative Industries and now teaches
                                                                      we were concerned to include regional writers, and the
poetry writing at the University of Queensland.
                                                                      recent development of online workshops helps serve
                                                                      that purpose.
Helen Horton, Craig Munro and I headed a team that
worked for years to establish Queensland Writers Centre.              My advice to emerging writers always includes joining
A lot of paperwork and lobbying followed. Craig became                QWC, entering the competitions listed in the newsletter,
the first chair and I the second, from 1992 to 1994. It               as well as submitting work to literary magazines. And to
was an exciting time to be a writer in Queensland, as it              attend readings and book launches by the many world-
coincided with a buoyant feeling of self-confidence here.             standard writers who live here.
Writers who had fled ‘south’ during the Bjelke-Petersen
years started to return, and there was a Labor government             Study creative writing if possible and read widely. (Too
with a more supportive attitude towards the arts.                     many beginning writers have read too little). You are
                                                                      either born with talent or not, but a great deal can be
It’s not widely known that the National Party premier Mike            learned to develop your talent and craft. And the maxim
Ahern had supported the new QWC being incorporated                    ‘writing is rewriting’ is true.
into South Bank. There followed years of battling to gain
a permanent location − but with hard work QWC thrived,                Writers may need to be flexible to succeed as professionals.
becoming the largest centre in Australia. And we finally              Though I began exclusively as a poet in my 20s, I have
gained the ‘promised land’ by the river with our leased               also had quite a few short stories anthologised, written
space at the State Library of Queensland.                             five fiction books for young adults and children, and ABC
                                                                      radio scripts. I’m working on an adult time-slip novel as
It has always been harder for literature to receive funding           well as a new poetry collection. Find ‘critical friends’ who
than art forms providing ‘colour and movement’, despite               will tell you constructively when you are writing badly and
writing being the most practised art form in this country.            celebrate your successes.

While I was QWC chair I was a member of the Literature                You have to be mentally tough to be a writer, but it is
Board of the Australia Council. It was exhilarating to be             endlessly rewarding.
able to argue for grants to emerging Queensland writers
like Andrew McGahan. It is a disgrace that the Literature
Board has been disbanded – and difficult not to conclude
that governments are uncomfortable with art forms
such as novels, creative non-fiction, plays and poetry

                                                 WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                  3
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
Debuting
                                           During a
                                           Pandemic

                                           By Anna Whateley

Releasing your debut novel during          safe haven. As the restrictions lift in   and kept saying yes, I’d keep calling
a global pandemic is an intense            Queensland, we are now faced with         them. I had that feeling of connection,
experience. My life is an intense          a world that feels too large, too busy,   and something to hyper focus on
experience at the best of times,           and too loud.                             while the world shifted under my feet.
so in many ways it felt natural that                                                 Video editing is much like manuscript
every booking would be cancelled,          Just before the coronavirus spread, I     editing. Details relax me, and the
and my three children would start          started a vlog. I wanted to get used      soundwaves of a chuckle or a laugh
                                           to my face on screen and relinquish
home schooling the month before                                                      are unique to each guest. Nova
                                           my previously strict privacy. I like
Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal would hit                                                  Weetman had long sections of spikes
                                           processing outwardly – talking my
the shelves. Peta goes on the school                                                 with a deep undertone. Wendy Orr’s
                                           way to what I really think. I’ve heard
ski trip and falls in love with the new                                              laugh trickled up and then down.
                                           many ADHDers say the same. I make
girl. Peta is also autistic, has ADHD,
                                           excuses for my wriggles in nearly         The details were also confronting. I
sensory processing disorder, and
                                           every video, only realising that it’s     deleted awkward silences, or the parts
she’s gifted. We share our alphabet
                                           perhaps not those reasons when I          where I was so lost in their words I
soup. Intensity is something I crave
                                           edit.                                     forgot to respond. I learnt the sounds
and endure in equal measure.
                                                                                     I make when I really want to hang up,
                                           On the day I realised Australia was
Our family would normally be camping                                                 and that I can’t look at someone when
                                           closing down I recorded a plea to
at Woodford for The Planting Festival                                                I ask a question. Overcoming this
                                           the writing community. I wanted
in May. The sun changes to Autumn                                                    would hinder my thinking process,
                                           to stay in contact. Writing events,
gold, and we enjoy Byron Bay donuts        festivals and workshops have been         and so I figure everyone will just get
for more meals than is strictly healthy.   a structured social space where           used to my ways. They can choose
In winter, we’d visit Stanthorpe and       I could feel accepted and valued.         whether to watch or not, and in this
tread on frosty grass.                     Even when going out is hard, I knew       way, I accepted my letters once again.
                                           I’d be glad I went. I refused to have
I’ve hardly seen the sun this year. Our                                              Since my diagnosis as autistic last
                                           that connection to my people taken
living room became the classroom,                                                    year, a direct result of writing Peta
                                           away. The next weekend I started
office and relaxation area for five                                                  Lyre, I’ve faced my own internalised
                                           #AusChat; a YouTube series of
people. My partner has the office,                                                   ableism head on. I was overjoyed
                                           zoom calls between myself and book
and I have the better internet             industry folk.                            when I could talk to my children and
connection. The details and bargains                                                 say, ‘we often think this way,’ or ‘it’s
seem insignificant, but they aren’t.       I rang Kay Kerr, my fellow autistic own   alright that we need headphones in
These trivialities have become the         voices, young adult fiction writer and    the airport’. We. Not they or them.
topic of conversation for everyone         friend. We chatted. It was lovely. Then   The pronouns changed and they
since lockdown began, and again            I called another person, and another.     were no longer Other to their mum.
now, in Melbourne. This home is our        So long as people were interested,        On the flip side, I was faced with

4                                                            WQ
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
accepting that my masking had been        bookstores. I’ve met more people          many more send messages that
a destructive force throughout my life,   than I did in the previous six months     they’ve finally realised they aren’t
and that I hadn’t been as good at it as   and attended more book events than        alone in how they think; that the
I thought. Masking is the process by      I dreamed possible. I’ve interviewed      tears won’t stop flowing, and they
which neurodivergent people behave        and been interviewed for the Sydney       have bought copies for their family
in ways that appear neurotypical. We      Writers’ Festival, and I’ve pitched for   and friends. I’m never quite sure
play you. It’s exhausting.                Adaptable. I can have my feet in a
                                                                                    what to say. Congratulations? Thank
                                          massager, wring my hands or play
                                                                                    you? Sorry? There are no rules for
Peta Lyre faces a similar struggle,       with a fidget toy, wear my favourite
                                                                                    this. Mostly, I say welcome. This is
and she’s helped me understand            comfortable clothes, and all while
I’ve judged myself harshly for ‘getting                                             not the end of our story, it’s just the
                                          promoting my own voices novel. I
things wrong’ all my life. No one                                                   beginning.
                                          hope this accessibility remains in
showed me an alternative. I hope my       some way when we resume physical
novel offers a space for readers to       events. That said, I’d rather it had
                                                                                    Anna Whateley, author of Peta Lyre’s
search for that alternative.              come about without so many people         Rating Normal (Allen & Unwin) lives in
                                          being ill, or losing their lives or       Brisbane, and holds a PhD in young
My launch events were virtual, and        livelihoods to Covid-19.                  adult fiction. Anna is an ‘own voices’
I loved them all. We launched an                                                    author, proudly autistic, with ADHD and
online platform, @ozauthorsonline,        Since Peta Lyre came into the world,      sensory processing disorder. She founded
under the leadership of Wai               I’ve had two friends seek and gain        #AusChat, and is an active member of the
Chim and it directs sales to local        diagnoses as autistic or ADHD, and        #LoveOzYA community.

                                            WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                5
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
Life Story
                                                  Writing

                                                  By Robin Storey

Sometimes when people ask me what                 Over a series of recorded interviews        Sometimes the client has been
my occupation is, I’ll tell them I’m a            with my client I collected as much          wanting to tell their story for years
ghostwriter. Many non-writers don’t               information as he could remember,           and hasn’t had the opportunity until
know what that is, and it sounds rather           and wrote his story. The family were        you come along. This happened to
mysterious and exotic. But if I’m not             thrilled and published it themselves,       me with a client, Bob, who had been
in the mood for lengthy explanations,                                                         instrumental in the transformation of
                                                  using an online publishing program.
I’ll say I’m a life story writer. It covers all                                               the Queensland Ambulance Service,
bases – autobiographies, biographies              I was hooked, and from there it             and had been wanting to tell his story
and memoirs.                                                                                  for over 20 years.
                                                  snowballed. My next client was a man
                                                  who lived in the same retirement            That he was able to do so and publish
Life story writing is a niche profession,
but steadily growing because people               village as my previous client, and I’ve     his book at the age of 96 was life
are realising the importance of telling           gained subsequent clients by word           changing for him, and for me, that
their stories, whether as a legacy                of mouth and referrals from friends         was the greatest reward. Holding
for their family, publishing for the              and associates.                             the published book you’ve written,
wider community or becoming a part                                                            even if your name’s not on it, is also
of history. Baby boomers coming                                                               a tremendous source of satisfaction.
                                                  Rewards and Challenges
into retirement are eager to write
about their lifetime of rapid and                                                             There are challenges as well. While
                                                  One of the most rewarding aspects           you should make sure before you
extraordinary change, and are also
                                                  of being a life story writer is the         start that you and the client agree on
persuading their parents, of a more
                                                  relationship you develop with your          the structure, content and tone of the
modest, self-effacing generation, that
their stories are worth telling.                  client. Writing is by nature a solitary     story, the client has the final say. They
                                                  profession – we often feel as if we’re      might insist on including something
                                                  writing in a vacuum, especially if we       you think is irrelevant or changing
How I got started                                                                             something else you don’t agree with,
                                                  only get limited responses or feedback
                                                  from consumers of our work.                 but apart from politely expressing
I’ve been a professional writer for                                                           your opinion, there’s nothing you can
over 25 years, first as a freelance                                                           do except respect their wishes.
                                                  Talking to your client about the
writer then a fiction novelist, but I
                                                  events in their life and their struggles
fell into life story writing by accident.                                                     You also need to be flexible in other
                                                  and successes forges a strong bond
I had a part-time job as a social                                                             areas. My usual process is to email
support worker for a man in the                   between you. During the process the         the finished first draft to my client for
early stages of dementia. His family,             client often gains new perspectives on      them to read and suggest changes.
knowing I was a writer, asked me if I             their life - for example, their strengths   However this wasn’t going to work
would write his life story before his             and their value to the community -          for Bob, due to his poor vision and
memory faded completely.                          and you’re a witness to that.               minimal computer skills. So we

6                                                                   WQ
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
devised a system whereby after                the same principles apply for life
                                                                                           How to start as a
every couple of chapters I wrote, I’d         story writing.   Hook readers in the
                                                                                           life story writer
print them out and read them out              first couple of pages, show character
loud to him, so he could correct any          development, build up to a climax            Like any business, you need a website,
factual errors. This worked well and          and finish with a sense of resolution.       an ABN and whatever social media
was easier for us both to do it as we                                                      sites you want to be active on. (I just
went along, rather than wait until I’d        Interviewing is a skill developed with       do Facebook and LinkedIn).
finished the manuscript.                      practice, but you can’t go wrong if you
                                                                                           There are lots of free apps you can
                                              remember the classic advice of asking
                                                                                           download on your phone or tablet for
Required skills                               open-ended questions. I think of it          voice recording. I use Smart Recorder.
                                              more as having a conversation. Even          If you don’t want to do your own
The two most important skills are self-       though I have a list of topics I want to     transcribing, which is time consuming
evident – writing and interviewing. If                                                     and laborious unless you’re a speed
                                              discuss at each session, I also go with
you don’t have a portfolio to show                                                         typist, there are a myriad transcription
                                              the flow and if a client is particularly
potential clients, you could try writing                                                   services available.
                                              keen to talk about a certain part of
a short memoir for a friend or family
member – or your own!                         their lives, I usually let them.             For support and advice I recommend
                                                                                           joining Life Stories Australia, an
I found my lessons learned from               You can always put it all in chronological   organisation for professional life
writing fiction invaluable, because           order later.                                 story writers.

Robin Storey is a life story writer and
also offers a mentoring service for those
wishing to write their own. She has
published eight of her own books, including
her own memoir Making The Breast Of It.
You can find her at Storey-Lines, https://
storey-lines.com or on Facebook https://
www.facebook.com/RobinStoreywriter
or LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/
in/robinstoreyauthor.

                                                WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                   7
TOMORROW'S VISION Anna Whateley - Debut in a Pandemic Philip Neilsen - QWC Chair 1992-94 - Queensland Writers Centre
Ways to
Save Money
on an Editor

By Callum McDonald

Unless you’re an A-list author with a Hollywood movie            only because I have not had the time to make it shorter”.
deal, writers aren’t known to have deep pockets. So, it          In other words, anyone can ramble on for 100K words;
might seem unfair that, as a yet-to-be-published author,         it takes talent and time to cut that down to 70K without
you’re expected to spend your own money on an editor             losing its message. Not only will tightening your prose
at some stage. This is the case whether or not you intend        improve your writing, but if your editor charges per
to publish traditionally or independently. Yes, once you         word, presenting them with a manuscript of 70K words
get a book deal, your publisher will provide you with a          will be (wait for it) cheaper than presenting them one
very fancy in-house editor free-of-charge, but you need          with 100K. Likewise, if your editor charges per hour, 70K
to submit a pretty brilliant manuscript to get there. And        won’t take them as many hours to get through. That is,
to get your work to that stage, you’ll need to pay an            unless there is something else that’s slowing them down:
editor that plays on your side of those big pearly-white         the standard of the writing itself.
publisher gates.
                                                                 If your manuscript is riddled with simple errors, it
But what if you’re just a humble student/barista? What if        will take your editor more time to go through your
you’re retired? Perhaps you have a big family with limited       manuscript, and that means more dollars paid by you.
funds? Everyone has their reasons why money might                That is why it’s worth brushing up on the technical rules
be an issue, and why that editor’s estimated cost after          of the English language so you can present your editor
reading your sample chapter might have left you rocking          with the best possible version of your manuscript. Of
in the foetal position as your dreams grow even more             course, you might be thinking: “But I’m a writer. An artist,
unattainable. Luckily, there are a number of ways you            if you will. The technical aspects of writing are beneath
can save a few hundred dollars on an editor. And you             me. That’s the editor’s job.” That’s where you’re wrong,
can do most of them before you even talk to one.                 humble writer. As a writer, words are your tools, as is
                                                                 proper punctuation and syntax. You don’t need to be
The first step is understanding how an editor’s rates work.
                                                                 a master (that’s what the professional editors are for),
Some charge per word, others per hour. Depending on
                                                                 but you should familiarise yourself with the basics and
the type of editing, some will have a flat rate, but that cost
                                                                 hold yourself to a certain standard. Poor attention to
will depend on the state of each individual manuscript.
                                                                 the technical aspects of writing is the easiest way to
Regardless of how one particular editor charges, here
are some ways you can take advantage of this.                    undermine yourself as a writer, so a grammatically
                                                                 clean manuscript (regardless of any plot holes or two-
A habit many novice writers have is to overwrite. This           dimensional characters you might have) will show your
is because some still think good writing is measured by          editor that you take the craft of writing seriously. Most
a work’s length. After all, isn’t the Iliad more impressive      importantly, the time it takes your editor to polish up
than The Very Hungry Caterpillar? But there’s a famous           those simple, easy-to-fix-up-yourself mistakes might be
and apologetic quote by Blaise Pascal that suggests              the difference between a $400 estimate and a far more
otherwise: “I have made this letter longer than usual,           expensive one.

8                                                            WQ
QWC Quills Member
                                                               Robyn Sheahan-Bright
                                                               remembers…
                                                               …editor, writer and oral historian,
                                                               Sue Pechey (1941–2019).
                                                               ‘Sue edited and desktop published my literary
                                                               history of the Gladstone region Kookaburra Shells
                                                               Port Curtis Literature and the year we spent working
                                                               largely remotely on this was a huge pleasure to me.
                                                               My abiding memories of Sue are of her humour
                                                               and wit, her passion for local history and the
Finally, a new draft is only as good as the feedback you       importance of individual memories in that history,
received on the draft before it. And while editors may be      her commitment to social justice, and of her deep
the professionals, they aren’t the only people who can         connection to the area of Pechey, where her family
give you advice on your manuscript. You can also reach         had lived for generations.’ Robyn Sheahan-Bright.
out to other writers through writers’ groups, online
                                                               During the 1990s, Sue shared office space for a time
forums, or Queensland Writers Centre to get new eyes
                                                               with QWC when it was located on Wickham Terrace.
on your manuscript and some decent feedback. Even
                                                               She conducted many workshops for QWC and other
well-read family and friends can be good value as well.        organisations in Brisbane and regional centres. She
Feedback from other writers and readers can not only           was invited by the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery
smooth out any glaring technical errors, but also bring to     and Museum, in the early 2000s, to conduct the
light potential logical holes in your story, or where your     Waves of Settlement project.
narrative feels too slow or falls flat entirely. Of course,
an editor will do this as well, but by exhausting other
avenues for feedback first, you can save your editor time
and yourself money in the long run.

You might still be asking, “But isn’t cutting down words,
perfecting grammar, and giving feedback an editor’s job?”
Yes. And, honestly, we would gladly take all your money if
you had it. But renovating a fixer upper manuscript into
a mansion takes time and money; money you can save
by doing your own structural work beforehand. In all, if
you want to save money on an editor, learn to think like
an editor. This will also make you a better writer.

Callum McDonald organises the set-up and delivery of the
events program at Queensland Writers Centre. He is also
a freelance editor with a Bachelor of English Literature and
Writing. He is currently undergoing a Masters in Writing,
Editing, and Publishing.

                                           WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                             9
Disappeared into Thin Air:
Gone Girls in Children’s Fictions

By Shannon Horsfall

                                         Statistically, girls are less often        the aspect of helping those on
                                         diagnosed with AS. Scientists in           the spectrum to ‘understand their
                                         recent years have uncovered several        difference’ and to encourage learned
                                         explanations for this skewed gender        ways in which to ‘control’ the condition
                                         ratio, with studies finding females        as per societal expectations of
                                         manifest AS differently, by masking        ‘normative’ behaviour. It is important
                                         or compensating for the symptoms           for narratives to conduct alternative
                                         more effectively than males. As a          readings of AS. They must challenge
                                         result, a gendered bias in diagnoses       the assumptions and tropes of so-
                                         is exposed. Mirroring these reduced        called normative characteristics as an
                                         rates in diagnoses is this absence of      exercise in exploring estrangement.
                                         representation in media, which fails       Narratives need to examine the
                                         to reflect reality, and impacts females    positives      stemming      from    the
Fiction is empowering, beautiful,        with the condition substantively. An       conventions of the syndrome, and
and provocative. It has the potential    increased representation of girls on       illustrate differences as enhancement
to dispel myths and improve public       the spectrum in fictional media will       rather than hindrance – where the
understanding of the experiences of      enable individuals to see themselves       idea of ‘normal’ is questioned.
under-represented groups within our      reflected in those narratives and will
                                         assist in destigmatising the condition     Stereotypical representations of AS
society. Fictional representation of a
                                         through developing awareness of AS         abounds across children’s and adult
diverse population allows individuals
                                         across the broader community.              media. Previously in popular culture,
to feel included, connected with, and
                                                                                    predominantly     male     portrayals
understood. Inclusion literature has
                                         Literature about disabilities, or          have been seen to overemphasise
become popular with publishers,
                                         ‘inclusion literature’, is of great        certain symptoms, such as social
authors and readers in recent years
                                         importance. It allows young readers to     awkwardness and restricted interests.
across all age ranges, and yet there
                                         progress from a distanced awareness        Some characters were depicted
remains a glaring absence in female      to a place of understanding, empathy,      with savant-like abilities, when in
representation of neurodiversity.        and acceptance of diversity. However,      reality, savantism is rare among
Look to children’s and young adult       it is common that when AS is written       individuals on the spectrum. This
media and you will find a plethora       in fiction it is from a perspective of     tendency to exaggerate quirks and
of male characters with autism or        alienation – explored and interpreted      omit subtler features of autism
Asperger Syndrome (AS), yet an           as something that a character              paints a cartoonish picture of the
absence of female protagonists ,         struggles with, gives in to, or seeks to   condition instead of the intricate
particularly in middle grade fictions.   understand. Literature that speaks         portrait it warrants. A close study
There are a number of speculations       directly to the issue of neurodiversity    of narratives on both screen and in
as to why this is the case.              tends to approach the subject from         books reveals myriad male characters

10                                                         WQ
with exaggerated showings of their          Through the novel’s first-person point     pathological, or tragic, and it does not
condition.     Glorified,    hyperbolic     of view, Haddon argues through             need to be sentimentalised. It is not
renderings, of AS being alienated           Christopher’s eyes that disability         an opportunistic metaphoric device.
again and again. Society reflects this      is a social construct. Disability is       Instead, give readers a portrayal of a
fictional portrayal. It alienates and       not central to Christopher’s own           real girl with a complicated identity –
‘others’ people on the spectrum,            experience of the world, and Haddon        complex and motivated by a variety
perceives them to be measured               emphasises the value of personal           of forces.
within a socially constructed scale of      experience as opposed to expert
intelligence, potential and capability.     authority in accessing ‘truth.’
                                                                                       Shannon Horsfall is undertaking her
                                                                                       Honours degree in Creative Writing at
So, I come to the seminal fictional         There is a definite need for narratives
                                                                                       USC. She is the award winning author-
novel on autism, Mark Haddon’s The          that work against this tendency            illustrator of Was Not Me and Nomax
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-   popular culture has to portray             (both HarperCollins), and the illustrator
time, in which the male protagonist         AS as male-gendered, hyperbolic            of Dear Santa (Scholastic) and My Unicorn
Christopher is presented as having          and stereotypical. There is a need         Farts Glitter (Hachette). She has published
                                                                                       short stories, poetry and flash fiction in
a condition that makes him a social         for complex, nuanced female
                                                                                       the USC anthologies 2018 and 2019. In
outcast, ‘other’, ‘special needs’. In       protagonists on the spectrum, rather       2017-2018 she illustrated Issue 259 of
many ways he is not what is thought         than just characters who fill the          WQ Magazine for QWC.
of as ‘normal’ particularly in terms        role of the alienated ‘other.’ All too
of how his mind works. However,             often, characters on the spectrum
in questioning the idea of normal,          are a symbol of contamination or
the narrative in effect challenges          tragedy, exotic in their difference
ableism. Christopher does not see           or spectacle – a phenomenon in
himself as having a disability; in fact,    literature described as a kind of
in response to being categorised as         narrative prosthesis. It happens
‘special needs’, he sees everyone as        when a character is used only to
having some sort of need, whether it        hold together the text’s narrative.
be the need to wear glasses, or, in the     These characters never speak for
case of his father, the need to carry       themselves, but they fulfil a narrative
artificial sweetener around with him.       function by resolving plots or repairing
Christopher aligns his limitations to       societally deemed deviances. Readers
those of any person, suggesting that it     need to see female, AS empowered
is the need that defines disability, not    characters presented with agential
the person. By challenging readers to       identity, away from the symptomatic,
see Christopher as normal, the novel        gendered and stereotypical. AS does
questions the very idea of normalcy.        not need to be written as exotic,

                                              WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                  11
How to Impress
Competition Judges

Short fiction is in demand. For
emerging writers, it’s a swift path to
publication—swifter than that first
novel, for sure. Submission calls
                                           The Technical Nuts & Bolts:

                                           While I can’t guarantee you a
                                                                                      5.
                                                                                      5. E
                                                                                          nsure that your characters have
                                                                                         differing voices/personalities. You
                                                                                         should be able to strip away your
                                                                                         speech tags (i.e., Kitty said), read
are global, and a few publications in      first place—that’s up to you, your            your story out loud, and have
your portfolio will light up the pitch     imagination, and your original writing        your audience know who said
for your first book. Listing with a        skills—I can guarantee that without           what. If they can’t, draw more
competition conveys to publishers          these essential criteria covered,             character nuances.

                                                                                      6.
that you can follow guidelines,            substantial writing prizes will stay out
work with editors, and gather an           of reach.                                  6. W
                                                                                          ork on your story’s structure

                                           1.
audience—the star qualities they                                                         and pace. Your story must have
                                           1. S
                                               how Not Tell. Use the five senses        a beginning that grabs, inciting
seek in their authors.
                                              to place the reader in the story.          incidents that build tension, a
When we enter competitions, we’re             Good writers spend their entire            climax, and a resolution. Longer
pitting ourselves against a legion of         careers improving this tool. It’s          sentences slow the pace. Curate
other writers who are largely just as         easy to read Anton Chekhov’s               shorter sentences to show tension.

                                                                                      7.
talented and passionate about their           famous quote, ‘Don’t tell me the
                                                                                      7. E
                                                                                         nsure your main character is
subject as we are. Competitions are           moon is shining, show me the glint
                                                                                         an instigator of action. Passive
filled with good to great writers. The        of light on broken glass,’ and think
                                                                                         bystanders reacting to events are
difference between winners and the            you’ve ‘got it’. Dig deeper. There’s
                                                                                         boring.
well-populated layer of the field that        much to learn on this topic. Your

                                                                                      8.
score around the 8/10 mark for their          ‘show’ needs to transcend cliché.       8. If you need an adverb/verb

                                           2.
work, is that winners have mastered                                                       combination to say what one
the technical aspects of writing,          2. E
                                               nter the story as late as you can,        strong verb can say, you’ve
and resonance.                                and leave as early as you can. This         chosen the wrong verb. One well-
                                              minimises the risk of a slow start          placed verb can often replace half
As a judge, it’s stunning to read and         that doesn’t grab your reader, and          a sentence.

                                                                                      9.
judge entry after entry, thinking,            killing the ending with too much
‘Many of these are quite good; how            description.                            9. R
                                                                                         emove redundant words. We

                                           3.
am I ever going to choose one single                                                     all litter our first drafts with
entry as the winner?’ Good art is not      3. C
                                               reate credible, three dimensional        overwritten text. For example,
just evocative; it is also collective. A      characters—flaws that align their          ‘Sawyer began to giggle’. No, just
story’s resonance ventures into the           humanity with the audience.                no. ‘Sawyer giggled’ has more

                                           4.
transcendent territory of the arts,                                                      dramatic impact. Learn all you can
but most readers know what I mean.         4. W
                                              rite authentic dialogue. Real             about the many redundant words
When a story leaves its fingerprints          people rarely talk in well-rounded,        and filters and slash them from
on us, it’s unmistakable. We feel it.         fully formed, perfect sentences.           your drafts.

12                                                           WQ
10.
10. 
    Errors are amateurish in a short
    story competition. Ensure correct
    spelling, grammar, punctuation
    and     formatting.   Read    the
                                             I appreciate the work on a wider
                                             scale. Even an urban fantasy
                                             about vampires can leave readers
                                             questioning their perceptions. That’s
                                                                                       earned space towards publication.
                                                                                       Writers leave an impression, an
                                                                                       echo—a touch of perfume or
                                                                                       scratches on the wall. What’s your
    competition guidelines and theme         the good stuff.                           echo like?
    requirements and abide by them.
                                            • Resonance – has the work left an
                                               echo within me?
Higher Level Elements That
Separate the Winner from
                                            Your Writing Community:
the Pack:

                                            Choose your support community
• Structure & Focus – the best
                                            thoughtfully. Being a member of
   stories have an escalating sense
                                            a writing or critique group offers
   of drama.
                                            tremendous opportunities to test-
• Scenes & Transitions – a good            drive stories before submitting to
   story shows its events more than         competitions. Often, we learn in equal
   tells them.                              measure by aiding another with their
                                            story’s structure, as we do by receiving
• Characterisation – authenticity
                                            critiques on our own work. Your
   beats cliché every time.
                                            loved ones’ ‘wow, that’s great’ is no
• Style – Elmore Leonard wrote, ‘If        comparison to considered analysis by
   it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.’   other writers.                             This article is based on excerpts from
   That belongs on a sticky note at our                                                the writing guide, ‘Winning Short Story
                                            While there is no doubt that a win is      Competitions’ by competition judges
   writing desks.
                                            a serious thrill, short- or long-listing   L. E. Daniels & Cate Sawyer. Re-printed
• Message – like many readers, if I        in writing competitions can be just        with permission of Hawkeye Publishing.
                                                                                       ‘Winning Short Story Competitions’ is
   am challenged and left wondering         as valuable to your writing career.
                                                                                       available at hawkeyebooks.com.au.
   about the world and my beliefs,          All competition credits support your

                                              WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                13
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 14                               WQ
Announcing
                                                               mentoring, for one lucky writer each year. The writer will
                                                               work on site at Queensland Writers Centre in our Fishbowl
                                                               writing space. We expect to open applications for The

the Flinthart                                                  Flinthart in early 2021.

Our New Writing
                                                               The Blackbelt in Writing course will be based on a series of
                                                               22 articles written by Aiki this year and published on her

Residency and Online                                           Warrior Woman Words blog. In our online course, Aiki’s
                                                               articles will inspire a series of writing activities and additional
Writing Course.                                                readings. The course is currently under development and
                                                               is expected to be launched by the end of 2020.

                                                               Aiki Flinthart is a well-known and well-loved genre
                                                               writer. She has published 13 novels including the Kalima
We are deeply indebted to Aiki Flinthart, whose generosity     Chronicles, the Ruadhan Sidhe Urban Fantasy series, and
is making it possible for Queensland Writers Centre            the 80AD series. She’s also written two non-fiction books
to establish a new writing residency and online writing        and several short stories. Her workshops and tutorials are
course in 2021.                                                firm favourites with Queensland Writers Centre members.

Aiki has donated her Blackbelt in Writing series of articles   In her Blackbelt in Writing, Aiki shares her life lessons and
to Queensland Writers Centre, for us to adapt into online
                                                               passions. She explains how things she’s learned from
training. We’ll use the income from the training to fund the
                                                               martial arts training are applicable to writing. She writes
new writing residency.
                                                               about determination, strength, respect, collaboration,
The residency – aptly called The Flinthart – will provide      adaptability, and facing the inner darkness. Her writing tips
10 weeks of dedicated writing time, plus a stipend and         and motivation will help all writers develop their craft.

                                            WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                    15
Memoir through Poetry
                                            Poetry finds you

                                            By Anna Jacobson

In 2011, I woke up in hospital, after an    drive, or something more immediate          Write a memory that is wedged
episode of psychosis and emergency          that you remember; how the sun tracks       in reality, then let it take you on
ECT treatments, with no memory. I           across the wall at 3pm in the afternoon     adventures and swerve. See where it
had to reassemble the pieces. When          and how it reminds you of another           takes you.
I was discharged from hospital, I sat       memory from years ago.
                                                                                        Memories are malleable and can also
at my computer and started writing
                                            Have you all picked a snapshot?             be evoked from dreams. Recurring
fragments and vignettes that I later
                                                                                        dreams are particularly interesting
realised was poetry.                        Can you see it and hold it like a
                                                                                        for their unusual imagery and
                                            hologram—glimpse just to the left
                                                                                        unconscious undercurrents.
Nine years later, while I still cannot      and right or beyond? What’s the
access memories from my hospital            lighting like? What’s the texture of your   In preparation for my three hour
stay prior to this ‘waking up’, my          photograph? Is it faded and old, or         workshop, I did a practice run-
memories have mostly returned. I am         glossy? Pick one, hold it in your mind.     through with my Mum. Seated down
now writing my memoir of this time          This is your poem. Write it.                the corridor from each other and
as part of my PhD project at QUT.                                                       linked together through Zoom, she
While this is a long-form creative          In July I ran a Zoom workshop through       diligently wrote and experimented
non-fiction work, poetry is how these       Avid Reader on ‘memoir through              with each exercise. When it came
ideas, thoughts and understandings          poetry’. I was excited to share my          time to sharing work, I asked which
first found their expression.               knowledge—this was one aspect of            piece she would like to read. She read
                                            poetry I felt at home in, and designed      it to me and I felt teary realising she
My first collection of poetry Amnesia       exercises to guide the participants         had written the most moving poem I
Findings (UQP, 2019), is a time capsule     through each idea. I use storytelling,      had ever heard expressed.
of poems with stories and memories          memory, and gaps in memory, as a
of family, my Jewish culture, and                                                       Simple language and vivid imagery
                                            springboard for writing poetry.
dreams, as well as poems I wrote to                                                     in poetry evokes strong emotional
understand a period of unwellness.                                                      responses. By letting the reader see
                                            I have learned that poetry is the
                                                                                        and feel for themselves, this is one
                                            perfect form to express these short
Poetry and writing is how I make                                                        of the most powerful things you can
                                            vignettes. Poetry provides a different
sense of my life. I come at poetry                                                      do as a writer. Poetry reveals hidden
                                            writing experience to long-form             truths when you let it work itself out
from a sideways angle.
                                            works. Poetry is filled with disruptions,   on the page. Images and sequences
Close your eyes and think of your life as   silences and gaps, much like                that at first seem unconnected, find
a series of photographs.                    memory(loss). Memory and poetry             new meanings juxtaposed against
                                            are deeply connected; both are              each other. I had talked about this
That time at the beach when you found       episodic, fragmented and condense           throughout the three hours, but
a rockpool, the day you first learned to    experiences in powerful ways.               hearing this poem from my Mum

16                                                             WQ
Chasing the
                                       Wild Pineapple
                                       Herb Wharton, Wharton’s
                                       significant service.
                                       Chasing the Wild Pineapple pays tribute to Thea Astley,
                                       author of Hunting the Wild Pineapple and founding
                                       member of the Queensland Writers Centre.

made me realise that my workshop                                                    guest in QWC’s early years, I’m
could help empower others, just                                                     one of many who rang him with
as much as poetry had found and                                                     congratulations.
empowered me.
                                                                                    We talked about the weather – ‘bloody
Sometimes the best poems are                                                        cold at nights but not a cloud in the
written to work through ideas. I                                                    sky in the days’ – and how he’d been
often feel I am reclaiming a sense                                                  on a trip to take photos of some of the
of agency for my story and self                                                     old droving tracks out past Windora
through poetry. But writing can also                                                way where ‘the waterholes were full
bring up strong emotions so if it’s                                                 but we hardly saw a kangaroo or an
not the right time to be exploring     Photo of Herb Wharton by Lesley Synge.       emu, and there were no birds in the
it, it’s important to take care of                                                  trees, only feral cats.’
yourself and have a break.
                                       Herb Wharton from Cunnamulla,
                                                                                    I had to press him about what sort of
                                       elder of Kooma people, is a recipient
These are the things I have learned                                                 celebrating he did when informed of
over the decade: cooking a meal is     of 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
                                                                                    the award, but all he said was that he
poetry, walking is poetry, brewing a                                                sat on his front veranda and watched
                                       Uncle Herb, born in 1936, was a
pot of tea is poetry. Writing poetry                                                everything go by, just as he always did.
                                       stockman and drover in his early life,
doesn’t just begin— you have been
                                       and a much-loved and respected
gathering observations all along.
Your life is a poem, with so much
                                       member of the Queensland writing              ...bloody cold at nights
material and specific experiences
                                       community. He is recognised for                but not a cloud in the
that it is bursting to be written.     ‘significant service to the literary arts,
                                                                                         sky in the days’...
Weave these observations and           to poetry, and to the Indigenous
your unique way of looking at the      community.’ The award of Member              Three other writing elders from
world into your poems, and you’ll      of the Order of Australia (AM) is the        Queensland were also honoured:
connect with readers in meaningful     latest in a string of honours, including     historian Dr Denver Beanland,
ways. Poetry is not just a piece of    an Australia Council Award for               journalist Sean Dorney and Professor
writing on the page. It’s a way of     Lifetime Achievement in Literature           Marcia Langton a descendant of
living and observing. This is what     and his naming as a ‘Queensland              Yiman nation in Central Queensland.
poetry is to me.                       Great.’ Naturally, his portrait hangs in
                                       the National Portrait Gallery.               The official presentation of the
                                                                                    awards is planned for September.
                                       Having had the privilege of calling          I’ll be on my veranda, revisiting their
                                       Herb a ‘good mate’ for around 30             works and contemplating their
                                       years, ever since he was a regular           diverse contributions to the nation.

                                         WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                                 17
The Geography
                                           of Love
                                           (life, grief, loss)
                                           The Professor Bruce Dawe, AO, Patronal Prize.
                                           #Prism43 © Patty Beecham

                                           By Patty Beecham

…And I hug my son so deeply that I press him into my chest        When you lose a child, you lose everything.
Until his bones are squeezed between my ribs                      You lose the future. You lose the life you would have had
Until his skin and his pores become my flesh, and our             together.
bones calcify.                                                    You lose hope. You lose love.
I wrap both of my arms around him, and hold him. Breathe          There is only blackness and stillness and deep, dark waters
him in.                                                           that make you dog-paddle in oceans of grief;
                                                                  until your arms flail with tiredness and your legs have no kick.
When your son leaves you, it’s like a part of your heart
breaks off,                                                       There is no other option but to sink to the bottom of the
And carves into the ocean, and you know you can never             world without a sound.
stick it back.                                                    ***
He becomes an island, and your heart becomes a broken
jigsaw of isthmuses                                               When you lose a friend, you leave the door open for
                                                                  loneliness to come in and make itself at home. You lose your
And estuaries, and jaggedness
                                                                  laugh, and it’s replaced by the sound of a wine bottle being
Where once was smooth.                                            twisted open and poured; and it’s a desert.
***                                                               It’s the Nullarbor of our lives; flat and featureless, without
                                                                  rhythm, or bumps.
When your parent dies, gravity ceases to exist, and you float,
                                                                  Every day is an effort to step one foot in front of the other,
Weightlessly without direction,                                   and walk that dryness and not fall over the cliffs, to find
Like that party balloon drifting across the roofs and houses      what’s around the corner, when there are no corners, just
of strangers;                                                     straight lines, leading to the dusty horizon.
No one to hold you: the weight of all those memories
binding you together                                              That damn horizon, and the setting sun.
And ungrounded, your heart becomes a sinkhole, with

No one to pull you back to earth.
***

When you find that person who loves you, it crushes
                                                                      Vale QWC
everything, like the weight of a thousand volcanoes erupting,         Founding Patron
to the point where you can’t breathe: to the point where
you can’t think.                                                      and Quills Member
You explore the broad brown paddocks and wild plains of               Bruce Dawe
his shoulders,
His granite arms.                                                     15 Feb 1930 – 1 Apr 2020
His breath becomes your breath, his thoughts become your
                                                                      Bruce had hoped to attend last year’s Christmas
thoughts, and you both move like glaciers, as time stands
still. The weight of mountainous love is too much to bear.            party but was kept away by ill health. Described
                                                                      as outspoken and a voice of the people, QWC will
Such alps and valleys of life.                                        remember him always.
***

18                                                               WQ
CALL FOR MANUSCRIPTS

Looking for a Publisher?
                         T       he Melbourne-based Sid Harta Team appreciates that
                                 it is a brave step to hand over one’s work to a stranger.
                              Our editors bear this in mind with an assessment that is
                              sensitive while critical, encouraging, and realistic.
                              Sid Harta Publishers is offering writers the opportunity to
                              receive specialised editorial advice on their manuscripts
                              with a view to having their stories published.

                                                             Contact SHP at:
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                                                         author@sidharta.com.au
in new and emerging authors,
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and offers a full range of
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We publish:
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                                        Walking, Whistler Street, Friend and Philosopher

          RECENT TITLES…
Writing Competitions
Buzz Words Short Story Prize                                       The QueryLetter.com Writing Contest (USA)
     Price:       $10                                                  Price:       FREE
     Prize:       first prize $1,000; second prize $500                Prize:       $500
     Length:      up to 1,500 words                                    Length:      up to 100 words
     Deadline: 2nd September                                           Deadline: 15th September
Buzz Words is a fortnightly e-zine for writers and illustrators   This writing contest is all about book blurbs. The twist?
of children's and YA books, as well as librarians, teachers,      We want blurbs about completely made-up, non-existent
editors and publicists. The Buzz Words Short Story Prize is       books. Get creative!
an annual prize awarded to recognise excellence in short
story writing for children. The story must be suitable for         The Horne Prize
readers 8 to 11 years.                                                 Price:       N/A
                                                                                                                   $15,
                                                                                                                  PRIZ000
Most Underrated Book Award (MUBA)                                      Prize:       $15,000
     Price:       N/A                                                  Length:      up to 3,000 words                  E
     Length:      N/A                                                  Deadline: 16th September
     Deadline: N/A                                                Here’s one for the essayists! Aesop and The Saturday
                                                                  Paper have been cultural partners since 2014, promoting
Watch this space. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the MUBA
                                                                  the written word through an annual calendar of events.
award is not yet accepting entries for 2020. Every year,
however, the Small Press Network runs the most underrated         Together, they nurture writers of longform non-fiction
book award. Sponsored by the Australian Booksellers               through The Horne Prize. Taking cues from Donald
Association, MUBA aims to uncover and celebrate the               Horne’s rigorous exploration of Australian culture, essays
hidden gems of Australian publishing. Any book published          should be founded on reportage, and bring light to a
by a member of the Small Press Network is eligible.               person or issue that helps us to understand who we are.

Green Stories’ Stories for Children Competition (UK)               Stringybark Times Past Award
     Price:       FREE                                                 Price:       from $14
     Prize:       £200                                                 Prize:       up to $500
     Length:      up to 2,500 words                                    Length:      up to 1,500 words
     Deadline: 14th September                                          Deadline: 20th September

                                                                  Owing to popular demand, the Stringybark Stories’ Times
We are looking for stories for children that in some way
touch upon ideas around building a sustainable society.           Past Award will be back in 2020! Our Times Past Awards
We will consider all genres, and the story doesn’t have to        ask our writers to take a particular historical incident and
be about sustainability or climate change directly – but          weave a story around it.
stories must include green solutions.

20                                                            WQ
KSP Short Fiction Competition                                   Australian Book Review is delighted to announce the
                                                                upcoming Peter Porter Poetry Prize. The prize is one of
                   FREE
     Price:                                                     Australia’s most lucrative and respected poetry awards.
                   for youth up to 17yo; from $10 for adults
     Prize         major prize residency at KSP Writers’        It honours the life and work of the great Australian poet
     Pool:         Centre worth $300                            Peter Porter (1929–2010), an honoured contributor to
                   1,000 words for youth; 2,500 words           ABR for many years. All poets writing in English are eligible
     Length:
                   for adults                                   to enter.
     Deadline: 25th September
                                                                Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest (USA)
The KSP Writers' Centre is proud to present this annual
                                                                     Price:       US$15
short fiction competition for Australian writers, which is
FREE for youth to enter thanks to sponsorship from the               Prize:       US$3,000
Shire of Mundaring. Judges will be looking for good quality          Length:      up to 250 lines
original, unpublished writing with engaging characters
                                                                     Deadline: 1st October
and a compelling narrative. All fiction styles and themes
are acceptable.
                                                                Open worldwide, except to countries under US
Noosa Arts Theatre Playwriting Competition                      government restrictions (Syria, Iran, North Korea and
                                                                Crimea). Accepts poems written on any theme. Will award
     Price:         $40
                                                                the Tom Howard Prize of $3,000 for a poem in any style or
     Prize Pool:    $8,000                        $8,0
                                                PRIZ00          genre, and the Margaret Reid Prize of $3,000 for a poem
                                                POO E
                    One act between 30                          that rhymes or has a traditional style.
     Length:
                    and 45 minutes long                L
     Deadline:      1st October                                 Zoetrope: All-story Short Fiction Competition (USA)
Noosa Arts Theatre holds this annual competition to                  Price:       US$30
foster and encourage playwrights, whether amateur or                 Prize:       major prize US$1,000
professional. An adjudication panel will assess the scripts          Length:      up to 5,000
anonymously and equally based on the quality of the
writing, and on its suitability for staging in an intimate           Deadline: 1st October
theatre setting.
                                                                Accepts all genres of literary fiction. This prize boasts
Perito Prize (UK)                                               the three winners and several honourable mentions will
     Price:        FREE                                         be considered for representation by a troupe of literary
                                                                agencies. Check the prize out online to see who could end
     Prize:        £500
                                                                up representing you.
     Length:       1,000 – 2,000 words
     Deadline: 1st October                                      KSP Poetry Awards
                                                                                  FREE
At Perito, we think accessibility and inclusive design are           Price:
                                                                                  for youth up to 17yo; from $10 for adults
meant to be holistic, and that these themes are something            Prize        major prize residency at KSP Writers’
that can fundamentally benefit everyone. You just have               Pool:        Centre worth $300
to make sure the story is centred around the theme of                Length:      up to 50 lines
accessibility. Also make sure it is able to be printed on the
                                                                     Deadline: 9th October
website, so any derogatory language or offensive content
will not be considered.
                                                                The KSP Writers' Centre is proud to present this annual
                                                                poetry competition for Australian writers, which is FREE
Peter Porter Poetry Prize
                                                                for youth to enter thanks to sponsorship from the Shire
                     $15 for full-time student or ABR
     Price:                                                     of Mundaring. Entries must be original and unpublished.
                     subscribers; $25 for non-subscribers
     Prize Pool:     $10,000                                    All poetry styles and themes are acceptable.

     Length:         not more than 70 lines
     Deadline:       1st October

                                             WWW.QLDWRITERS.ORG.AU.MAGAZINE                                              21
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