Authors appeal for creative talent
Prominent literary authors have encouraged young writers to continue exploring their storytelling craft and enter writing competitions in the Wimmera.
Former Wimmera creative Maryanne Plazzer and fellow contributor to new Australian literary anthology ‘Growing Up In Country Australia’, Gay Lynch, have added their professional weight to Horsham’s Art... is festival short-story competition.
Ms Plazzer and Ms Lynch were at Horsham bookstore Redrock Books and Gallery last week for an evening of conversation with Wimmera book lovers to celebrate the release of the new Black Inc anthology.
The authors presented a signed copy of the new book to The Weekly Advertiser and Art... is, to be given to the winner of the art festival’s My Earth creative writing competition.
The competition requires people to submit a piece of writing between 500 and 750 words, with seven winning entries selected to be published and developed into short podcasts by The Weekly Advertiser and ACE Radio team.
Art... is festival organiser Alistair Shaw said he was happy the community also valued a need to encourage creative writing.
“We are delighted more people have come on board with prizes and of course ‘Growing Up In Country Australia’ is a very relevant and appropriate prize that writers will be sure to love,” he said.
Mr Shaw said entries to the competition so far had been better than organisers had hoped.
“I encourage everyone to get thinking and get writing,” he said.
Entries to the Art... is writing competition close on May 20, with submission via the festival’s website, www.artiswimmera.com.
As a precursor to the June 20 to July 3 Art... is festival, and in association with Writers Victoria, people also have an invition to an evening of conversation with a panel of prominent Australian authors at Horsham’s Jubilee Hall tonight at 7pm.
The panel will welcome authors Claire G. Coleman, Terra Nullius; Briohny Doyle, Echolalia and This Island Will Sink; and Matthew Evens, Soil; as well as science communicator Rachel Rayner.
Writers Victoria’s Writeability program manager Jessica Obersby will moderate the discussion, which will also be available for people online via Zoom.
While in the Wimmera, Ms Plazzer also toured Hindmarsh libraries for the council’s Author Talks series, engaging in conversations with community about the importance of storytelling.
In conjunction, Hindmarsh Shire Council, with inspiration from the ‘Growing Up In Country Australia’ title, has launched its own inaugural story-writing competition – Growing Up in Hindmarsh.
The community is encouraged to submit stories, through a variety of mediums including written, oral tradition, film, arts or craft, to share their own stories about growing up in Hindmarsh municipality.
Ms Plazzer will assist with competition judging, with a copy of ‘Growing Up In Country Australia’ also included in winners’ prize packs.
Hindmarsh libraries will collate all entries into its own anthology for the community to share.
Growing Up in Hindmarsh story competition closes on June 17, with submission and further competition information available on the council’s website, www.hindmarsh.vic.gov.au.