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Are you interested in writing? Maybe you’re one of those people who have a folio of stuff, sitting quietly in a desk drawer, amassed over the years but never quite finished. Do you have a really great idea for a book, but haven’t got around to starting it? Perhaps you’re that person who tells a yarn over lunch, and everyone says ‘You really should write that down’...
Well now is the time!
On Saturday 23 August and Sunday 24 August, Motueka Library is hosting a different kind of writers festival - two days of ‘how to’ workshops and presentations from established, practising local writers, across a wide range of genres and styles.
“This isn’t the conventional kind of writers festival,” explains Jackie Cook, convenor of Motueka Library’s monthly writing group WHAM! which stands for ‘Write Here at Motueka’.
“Most festivals tend to be ‘sit quietly and listen’ sessions, as authors talk about their work. This one, though, is about the processes of writing. We’ll lead you through ways of getting a project up and running, rediscovering your love of writing, thinking about getting published, getting down those memories and family anecdotes, or creating stories for the grandchildren.”
“If you decide to join in,” says Julienne Dickey from the Motueka Arts Council, “bring along your notebook, or laptop – even your phone – because you’re going to be getting hands-on with your own writing.”
There are different sessions over the two days, from how to begin, to publishing and self-publishing, writing, designing and illustrating children’s picture story books, writing memoir, researching and writing forgotten local stories, working our own everyday experiences into the genres and popular styles that people like to read, as well as broadening cultural inclusion in content and characterisation – and even how to improve our skills in reading and presenting our writing in public, with the microphone. Check out the list on the Motueka Library website at www.tasmanlibraries.govt.nz
The focus is local: our region’s writers, telling our stories. It will also be canvassing ways to continue support for writing development, beyond these two days of workshops – to keep everyone productive, and help open up their work to audiences.
Interested? Motueka Library’s website has all the details, and you can enrol in any or all of the sessions with a single phonecall (03) 528 1047 - all for free. If you want to start your writing project, or revive it - and then get feedback and help to keep going, these sessions will show you where to find a group of fellow-writers to urge you on, and how to establish a readership.
There’s even a cash festival prize for the best piece of work produced during the workshops and read aloud to friends and whanau in the final Sunday afternoon session, as the grand finale!
