OOTA Newsletter August 5, 2014
WRITING AT THE CENTRE
City of Perth Library is celebrating Poetry Week with a series of free events for wordsmiths, from novices to literati.
Helen Hagemann’s Prose class resumes at the Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday 8th August. The class will read 2 excerpts, one from Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace and the other from Amanda Curtin’s novel Elemental. Writing exercises and discussion will revolve around the placement of history (whether true or made-up) in fiction. For the short story writer the aim will be to include some historical, social or contemporary event/news within the narrative.
HAIKU COMPETITION Open until 5pm Wednesday 27 August 2014 Entries for the City of Perth Library’s annual Haiku Competition are open until 5pm Wednesday 27 August 2014 with three cash prizes on offer. Winners will be announced at Open Mic with Kevin Gillam. See full Terms and Conditions online.
POETRY 101 Workshop with Bronwyn Lovell Tuesday 2 September, 10am – 12 noon. Booking required. Wish to try your hand at writing poetry? Internationally published and awarded Melbourne poet Bronwyn Lovell will discuss the elements that make a poem, the forms poetry can take and the literary techniques employed. Be given prompts to generate writing, and shape these into a poem to share with the group. All you need to bring is your pen, paper and enthusiasm.
QUICK STARTERS Workshop with Carol Millner Wednesday 3 September, 10am – 12 noon. Booking required. Explore strategies for getting started and maintaining momentum and inspiration. This two hours of quick-start poetry exercises with published West Australian poet and creative writing teacher Carol Millner is suitable for beginners to more advanced poets.
OPEN MIC with Kevin Gillam Friday 5 September, 12 noon – 2pm. No booking required. West Australian poet and musician Kevin Gillam hosts two hours of open mic with musical interludes and poems delivered by special guest poets Anna Dunnill, Connor Weightman and Andrew Lansdown. Kevin was most recently published in the volume ‘Two Poets’ by Fremantle Press and is the Director of Music at Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont. More info and bookings: Telephone: 9461 3500 community.perth.wa.gov.au/library City Library, Level 1, 140 William St, Perth. Creatrix 26 Poetry and Haiku submissions from financial members of WA Poets Inc. close on 10th August. Details at http://creatrix.wapoets.net.au/poetry -submissionguidelines/
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Love Poems Enter a world of romance and storytelling with a collection of love poems recited by the talented, Well Versed, on Sunday August 24, 2pm-4pm. Further details here. KSP & The Australian Writers Centre’s Combo Weekend session: Creative Writing Stage 1 - ONLY FOUR SEATS LEFT http://www.writerscentre.com.au/allcourses/creative-writing-stage-1/#Perth Dates: 16 August and 17 August 2014 (two consecutive days) Times: 10am-4pm Location: Wembley Hotel (upstairs conference room), 344 Cambridge St Wembley
WA Slam final - Will be held at The BAKERY, 233 James Street Northbridge – 6.30–8pm, Saturday 16th August – WAPI members $10, non-members $15. The WA FINAL for the Australian Poetry Slam: come down and witness the West Australian final where the audience—you—could be the judge! Who will win a trip to Sydney to compete in the national final? : HEAT TWO: SUNDAY 10th AUGUST – 7-9pm – 181 William St, Northbridge. Find out more here and here. Bookings here.
Poetry Kitchen is on again! Tactful feedback, writing experiments, yummy snacks. In Fremantle, with experienced poet & editor Jackson. Thursdays 10-12 from 14 August 2014. Only 6 places. Book online now: proximitypoetry.com/kitchen. $20/$10. Enquiries: lostpoetjj@gmail.com, 0406 624 578.
CALENDAR AUGUST 09 - Perth Poetry Club: Guest: Shane McCauley 14-17 – Perth Poetry Festival 22 – Poetry d'Amour 2015. Details at WA Poets Inc 24 - Sci-ku competition - http://riaus.org.au/sci-ku/ 31 - Carmel Bird Award 2014 - Long Story Comp: details 31 - Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition 2014 Details. 31 – Westerly Magazine: Special Edition West Aust/Asia Issue 31 - FAW Tasmania Poetry Prize: Details SEPTEMBER 01 – Anthology of Loss: Details 30 – Gold Coast Writers Festival Adult Writing Competition OCTOBER 10 - The City of Rockingham Short Fiction Awards: Details NOVEMBER 30 - Five Islands Press Ron Pretty Poetry Prize: Details
The History Queensland Magazine is published quarterly. In March 2014 we published Issue 10. Articles mainly concern Queensland history which can include people and places. Feel free to suggest a subject for publication or better still be an amateur author and contribute an article.
COMPETITIONS The Lane Cove Literary Award Closing date is 27 August, 2014. Further details here Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition Closing date is 31 August, 2014. Further details here Gold Coast Writers Festival Adult Writing Competition Closing date is 30 September, 2014. Further details here Prolitzer Prize. Closing date is 1 October, 2014. Further details here Odyssey House Victoria 4th Annual Short Story Competition Closing date is 31 October, 2014. Further details here The Best of Times short story competition #18. For humorous short stories (any theme) up to 2500 words. First prize: $500, second prize: $100. Closes 31 Oct 2014. Details @ http://spiky_one.tripod.com/comp18.html
POEM OF THE WEEK Magpie Larks by John Kinsella Magpie larks are almost skittish: unsettled, withdrawing into themselves, you could diagnose split personalities. Tilting, swallowing their voice, you'd expect them to turn full circle, flip the world back on its shoulders and lift it pertly up again. Mildly aggressive, they suggest threat, and are often seen on the tails of larger birds, though make light of a pursuit which may finish as abruptly as it began, almost convincing us ornithologists that such acts are games, that life is really as light-hearted as we'd like to think… Though sewn into the black and white of their patches is the solitary codex, their gatherings small scale, and even these tentative. John Kinsella is the Keynote Speaker this year at the Perth Spring Poetry Festival.
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