The winners of the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards have been announced:  http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/awards-and-recognition/literary-awards/2011-winners.aspx

Shortlisted writers are selected by a panel of judges, with final selection being made by Queensland Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Wesley Enoch. The program consists of a three-month series of dramaturgy workshops with staff from Queensland Theatre Company and appointed artists. 

Through the Young Playwrights Program, and its predecessors, the Company has promoted opportunities for young people to submit unsolicited scripts through these various writing programs. 

 In 2011, we are continuing the Young Playwrights Program: selecting three writers between 15-30 years of age to undertake dramaturgical development on their scripts, a panel presentation involving the writers as part of the 2011 Brisbane Writers Festival, and a staged reading of their work by Company actors at Queensland Theatre Company the following week.

For conditions of entry and a downloadable entry form, please go to: http://www.queenslandtheatre.com.au/for-schools/young-playwrights-program/

Entries close on Friday 24 June 2011.

We are delighted to announce a fantastic BWF bookend event for March!

Meet Andrew O’Hagan
Friday 11 March, 6:30PM
State Library of Queensland, slq Auditorium 1 |$25 / $20 BWF members

Join Andrew O’Hagan in conversation with Chair Stuart Glover at a Brisbane Writers Festival bookend event, as they discuss Andrew’s latest book The Life And Opinions Of Maf The Dog And Of His Friend Marilyn Monroe and much more besides.

Purchase tickets online or call qtix 136 246.

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Unfortunately,  the BWF bookend event – Meet Hazel Rowley – scheduled for Thursday, 10 March 2011 at Brisbane Powerhouse will no longer take place. Hazel has had to cancel her Australian tour.

http://www.uq.edu.au//emsah/eoy2010/index.html

Firstly, there is the craft of writing. Things like: verbs are the engine room of every sentence, and “writers’ block” is unfortunately not made of chocolate.

But then, there is also the business of writing. And with the Australian publishing industry in a state of flux, the challenges of planning your pathways to publication are growing. Fortunately, so are the opportunities.

Stay on top of emerging trends in the craft and business of writing: get your information straight from the horse’s mouth. Or in this case, the blogosphere.

AWM’s Intern of Awesome has compiled a list of industry blogs for Australian writers – including blogs and news services from publishers, agents, key organisations, and other industry leaders.

Check out AWMonline’s Industry blogs for Australian Writers on the Speakeasy blog. For updates, jump over to AWMonline and join the email list.

The event celebrates the influence of Virginia Woolf and her circle on the past 100 years of literary and visual culture, asks questions about the relationship between human character and modernity, and explores the role of the Humanities at UQ in the 21st century.  Events include an exhibition of self-portraits, a series of public lectures on Woolf and her legacy, and a dramatic performance of her experimental novel, The Waves. 

More information can be found here:

 http://www.uq.edu.au/centenary/emsah-virginia-woolf

The winning play won’t be stage until the end of 2011 so there is still plenty of time to develop it after the announcement in late November. The public playreadings as part of The Works are therefore not intended to be finished products but show the potential for the plays and what direction they are heading in.

First up will be Belongings by Rebecca Clarke on Friday evening Nov 26, Second up will be Unreliable Bodies by Phillip Dean on Saturday afternoon, and lastly Fractions by Marcel Dorney will be up on Saturday evening. All readings will take place at the Bille Brown Studio and feature some of Brisbane’s finest actors including Caroline Kennison, Jason Klarwein, Christopher Sommers, Damien Cassidy, Kathryn Marquet, Norman Doyle, and Anna McGahan. Tickets can booked through QTIX.

Come along and see some great works in development before you see one in a production as part of QTC’s mainstage season next year. Who do you think will win?

News

A team of 74 writers and volunteers with a united passion to make it all happen  worked with Event Coordinator Diane Finlay to present 23 events in one of the most extensive free event programs offered at a writers festival.

There were many highlights from the informative to the entertaining.

A sleek python was paraded by the Snake Whisperer, the poetry of Helen Roumatsaki was put to music and dance with a swirl of veils and the skip of water nymphs, The Tropical Writers put a focus on their latest anthology Cracks in the Canopy, Science Rhymes brought in a group of children from a local school – who were then entertained by a surprise visit by Michael Salmon, complete with butchers paper, white board, markers and an irrepressible grin! The Biggest Book Club was standing room only with a panel comprising of the mayor and two local media celebrities with more than a dash of sparkle from Gretel Killeen.

The Young Writers Program on 15 October saw the start of the Tropical Writers Festival deliver 20 fresh-faced and enthusiastic young writers into the masterful hands of Dr Sylvia Kelso who took them journeying to iconic worlds peopled by characters ripe from their own fecund imaginations.

On the 16th, workshops by James Phelan, Barbara Hannay, Angela Murphy and Dr Sylvia Kelso ran hot. Those attending the workshops found it hard to make choices and many managed to squeeze in two workshops and the Literary Dinner later that night.

Gretel Killeen was not only a joy to work with but kept diners at the Literary Dinner enthralled with her intimate style of addressing her public and drawing them to her. Her honesty, wit and wide experience in journalism, and her prolific list of books geared to entertain adults and children, made her the ideal speaker for a good mix of writers and readers.

The weekend of the public Free Events Arena on the 16th and 17th was privileged to have Queensland Premier Anna Bligh a part of the opening event. Looking magnificent in red, the premier gave encouragement that was balm to the soul of the arts community of the Far North.

‘The festival was very well attended with some 450 – 500 people flowing through over the period,’ said project manager Oonagh Prettejohn. ‘ For a festival that is still cutting its teeth and only on its second biennual  event – that’s pretty good!’

Publishers, Dan Kelly from Boolarong and David Reiter of Interactive Publications Had authors fired up to send in their manuscripts and take on arts bodies for funding. Susan Hayes and Vera Ding were on hand to give some much needed direction to those wanting to approach the Australia Council and Arts Queensland. QWC was well represented by Julie Beverage and we are very appreciative of the sponsorship and partnership of the QWC and Arts Nexus.

From the Cassowary Coast, the tableland rainforests and the Douglas Shire, writers pooled their considerable creative talents, and their stories, with those of the Tropical Writers to deliver a truly memorable experience.

We’ll be ready to ignite again in 2012!

Supporting us with funding and sponsorship was the Regional Arts Fund, the Regional Arts and Development Fund, Cairns Regional Council, and Queensland Writers Centre who sponsored and partnered this festival along with Arts Nexus.

Oonagh Prettejohn

Project Manager – Tropical Writers Festival 2010

Queensland Writers Week was held from 11-17 October. It aims to highlight the  amazing writers, creative thinkers, readers and audiences that Queensland has to offer. Visit www.queenslandwritersweek.com to register your event for 2011.