Upcoming Events
2nd Annual Sutherland Shire Writers’ Festival
The main program will consist of four x 1 hour talks by authors Deborah Abela, James Roy, Marele Day and author/editor Sue Whiting.
This year they are also holdiing small group writing workshops with picture book author/illustrator Leigh Hobbs and romance writers Annie West & Cathleen Ross and half hour publishing consultations with Margaret Hamilton.
Cost: Main Program only - $50, Main Program + 1 workshop - $90, Publishing Consultation - $60.
For more information click here and for a copy of the flyer and registration form email Jodie at slowgrove@gmail.com.
The Lolita Riddle
A new documentary examining the reasons why Vladimir Nabokov wrote his best-selling novel Lolita will be launched at the Red Rattler Theatre in Marrickville on 29 August at 3 pm for more details click here.
MASTERCLASSES 2010
GEOFFREY ATHERDEN | BRENDAN COWELL | KHOA DO
MASTERCLASS WITH GEOFFREY ATHERDEN: ON HUMOUR
SATURDAY 19 JUNE
The workshop will present ‘Ten Rules for Writing Comedy’ and include exercises in individual and group writing. It will cover all forms of writing including prose writing and script writing for all media and it is aimed at writers at all levels of experience.
Although the workshop will be mostly about writing humour, there will be points made which can be applied to all forms of writing. A good joke contains many of the principles of good story telling: it has to be about something (the joke); a well told joke is always a pleasure, but no amount of creative language and verbal embroidery, even if it is highly inventive and imaginative, will ever make up for the lack of a punch line; all the information needed to make the joke work has to be presented in the right sequence.
Presented by the multi awarding winning writer of 'Mother and Son'
and 'Grass Roots', Geoffrey Atherden is one of Australia's best writers
of comedy.
Cost: $80 including morning and afternoon tea and a light lunch.
JOURNEYS WITH KHOA DO: EXPLORING WAYS TO TELL YOUR STORY
SATURDAY JULY 17
You may want to tell a personal or family story, a story of the perils of the refugee experience or of cultural or social difference or a story that relates to being Australian in the 21st century. There many ways to bring these stories to the stage and not all will be best served by the traditional forms of theatre. Through screening examples from his work, Khoa Do will take you through a full day of exploring ways of using theatre and film as a means of telling tales, the techniques and methods that can open up new theatrical forms and possibilities. An inspirational figure, Khoa Do is the multi award winning film maker of ‘Footy Legends’ and ‘Mother Fish’ and was named Young Australian of the Year (2005) and Young Vietnamese-Australian of the Year (2000).
This is a unique opportunity to experience a full day workshop with one of Australia's most inspirational young writer/directors.
Cost: $40 including morning and afternoon tea and a light lunch.
Where: Riverside Theatres, Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta
MASTERCLASS WITH BRENDAN COWELL
SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER
Award winning playwright Brendan Cowell will host a full day masterclass focusing on the process of writing comedy for the stage. This will be a hands on, enjoyable workshop highlighting comedic writing techniques and structure and how to use comedy to develop your characters while also supporting the story and the play that you want to write.
Well known to Australian television audiences from his roles in 'Love My Way' and ‘Life Support’ and on stage in the Bell Shakespeare production of 'Hamlet', Cowell is an accomplished playwright with the highly acclaimed production at Belvoir Street of 'Ruben Gutherie', STC of 'Bed'( Patrick White Playwrights Award), 'Morph' and 'Self Esteem'.
Cost: $80 including morning and afternoon tea and a light lunch.
Where: Riverside Theatres, Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta
Bookings: Riverside Box Office 02 8839 3399 and online at www.riversideparramatta.com.au
Visit http://www.parracity.nsw.gov.au or click here for more information
Varuna Events
Varuna, The Writers’ House presents PATHWAYS FORUM 2010
From Writer to Reader: The Journey of the Book
Monday, 11 October at The Carrington Hotel, Katoomba
A one-day forum leading participants through the development of a book,
from first draft through the editing and production process and on to
bookshop shelves.
Top professionals from Varuna, Random House, Allen&Unwin, HarperCollins
and Giramondo Publishing plus award-winning bookseller Gleebooks discuss
how to boost relationships with manuscript assessors, editors,
publicists, sales reps & booksellers to help your book find its public.
Sessions include:
Finding Voice: Varuna’s role in shaping a manuscript before submission
to a publisher
Invisible Mending: Learning to love your editor & the work she does
Spreading the Word: Working with publicists & marketers to develop your
audience
Shelf Life: How you can help booksellers get your story into the
reader’s hands
Cost: $175/ $150 Varuna Alumni/ Concession (includes morning & afternoon
tea)
Time: 10am to 5pm – 11 October, 2010
*FULL DETAILS & BOOKING FORM on Varuna website in August
VARUNA RETREAT AND FLAGSHIP FELLOWSHIPS 2010 - August
The year 2011 is Varuna’s 20th birthday. Each year since 1991 Varuna has offered at least 25 Fellowships for Writing Retreats. Over 20 years, Varuna has developed a unique environment encouraging sustained work, conversation and community among writers.
Fellowships awarded in 2010 will be awarded for the period
January–April 2011. Fellowships available:
Retreat Fellowships will be two weeks in duration.
Flagship Fellowships will be three weeks. (Note, these fellowships
are awarded to writers selected from applications for Retreat
Fellowships.)
There will be a new category of Fellowship –the Second Book Fellowship.
These are fellowships for writers working on that difficult next book –
usually the second; The four selected writers will work at Varuna April
18th to 27th, with an experienced editor-in-residence making up the
fifth place.
Varuna Fellowships for Writing Retreats offer writers a residency in
an environment wholly dedicated to writing, with accommodation and full
board provided, to develop an established writing project or
illustration project.
Applications are accepted from 1 August 2010 and must be postmarked no
later than 31 August 2010
For details:
http://varuna.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=48:what-we-offer-writers&id=67:varuna-fellowships-for-writing-retreats&Itemid=84