I did something last month I said I would never do — I didn’t enter the Ballarat Writers Flash Fiction competition. I let life get in the way.
After winning so many of the monthly challenges last year, you might have thought a lack of wins this year might have made me give up. However, it was the month after I finally had a win that I failed to write an entry in time. Continue reading
It’s 2018, which means it’s time for our biennial Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize. You can find all of the relevant details and links at https://ballaratwriters.com/competitions/martha-richardson-memorial-poetry-prize-2018/.
We’re turning up the heat for August’s edition with the theme of ‘winter warmers’.
The August 16 even
t will be held at the Printers Room, in the basement of Sebastiaans at the corner of Mair and Lydiard streets. The full menu will be available, as well as a $20 two-course meal deal (dessert: golden syrup dumplings). Doors open about 6pm if you’d like to dine early. Continue reading
On 19 July, we’re getting festive with the theme of “Christmas comes early”!
The event will be held at the Printers Room, in the basement of Sebastiaans at the corner of Mair a
nd Lydiard streets. The full menu will be available, as well as a $20 two-course Christmas meal deal. Chef Nigel is planning an extra treat — a limited number of plum puddings with a coin inside, and a prize for the diner who snares the highest denomination (don’t swallow it now, and mind the teeth!). Doors open about 6pm if you’d like to dine early. Continue reading
I recently attempted the National Poetry Writing Month challenge. NaPoWriMo is an annual project in which participating poets attempt to write a poem a day for the month of April. The http://napowrimo.net/ website is owned and operated by Maureen Thorson, a poet living in Washington DC, but the challenge is now undertaken by poets from across the globe. Continue reading
When I expressed an interest in writing a blog post for Ballarat Writers, I was asked if I would consider writing about tertiary education for writers, and whether it was worth it. As a current student, I focused on my present situation in my initial drafts: the thought of structured study triggers nausea. Continue reading
Ways of Thinking about the Line in Free Verse Poetry
Nathan Curnow, an acclaimed Victorian poet, is conducting this workshop to help with the Martha Richardson Memorial Poetry Prize competition 2018, and to help poets generally. It will encompass “Ways of Thinking about the Line in Free Verse Poetry”. Continue reading
Words Out Loud looks up for inspiration in May, whether to the heavens or simply the fairy light-festooned ceiling of the Printers Room. It might be that the dinner special of hearty stews and damper, and perhaps a few other bush treats, had an influence too, in setting the theme to “under the Milky Way”.
No need to pitch a tent or stoke the camp fire, though: pitch a piece of prose, poetry or yarn of up to five minutes, and stoke the creative juices instead! Theme’s not your thing? No worries — it isn’t compulsory. And non-performers are very welcome to join us to simply enjoy the night’s offering of spoken word.
The May edition runs 7-9pm on Thursday May 17 at the Printers Room, in the basement of Sebaastians at the corner of Mair and Lydiard streets. The dinner special is $20, and the full menu is also available, along with a well-stocked bar.
The spoken word event encourages poets, writers and raconteurs to share their work, or favourite pieces by others, for five-minute open mic sessions on the third Thursday of each month (unless otherwise advertised).
Enter via Mair St. Drink and food available before and during. Take in the air in the beer garden. Enjoy the show from couches, the tables or a seat by the bar. Gold coin donation appreciated.
This is a great opportunity to road test new material, celebrate a success or share some inspiration, or simply enjoy a diverse range of spoken word.
Keep in touch at facebook.com/wordsoutloud or join our mailing list.
Ballarat Writers Inc. History
When members move on and committee members change roles, we sometimes lose valuable information about our organisation’s history. So, to keep the story of Ballarat Writers Inc. alive and relevant, we are currently collecting material with the aim to compile a small document about the history of Ballarat Writers Inc.
If anyone has any documents sitting around in shelves or garages we would love to hear from you. Photos, flyers or leaflets from past events would be very welcome. Oral history is also sought.
At this stage we are in the data collection phase. The project will most likely stretch over 2018 and 2019.
Any queries or information, please contact us via the web form.
