Category Archives: Workshops

NWG Inc 2020

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February: How to please the reader was our first topic this year. Do our reactions as readers help us write better for our imagined fans? What techniques/topics/style do we admire? We agreed that personal opinion isn’t easy to corral. 

Mihaela Cristescu and Norm Fairbairn received book awards: This Little Red Thing and Bent not Broken for reading their poetry in tribute to Valentine. Titles courtesy of SWEATSHOP See photo below.

Our second gathering for 2020, was a mock editing panel where each group had to decide between three good, but rather different pieces, for the one remaining space in an earnest new journal. It proved what we all know, that given a different editing/selection team, you will get different answers!

Welcome to NWG Inc 2019

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Our first gathering will be held at our marvellous venue, UNE Sydney, 211 Church Street, Parramatta, on Saturday, 9th February, 3-5 pm.

Tutorial on CHARACTERISATION plus our annual Valentine’s Spoken Word Competition (book prizes). This year we want to smile, chuckle or roll in the aisles. So bonus points for humour. You have three minutes. Must be your original work! All welcome. $2 entry Fin Members free.

The next gathering is 23rd February same time and venue as above. There will be an Open Mic but first up the Editors’ Workshop – where you take the role of an editor working in a small team. The team has to make tough decisions about good pieces because space in your literary magazine is running out. Which pieces will you pick, and why? Discuss your findings. For more dates, see “About” – and keep up with latest news on our FB Group.

Luke Carman – Creative Writing Workshop Sat 8 April ’17

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FutureCampus Parramatta

Hear author/lecturer Dr. Luke Carman comment on creative writing pieces by new writers. If you’d like a short sample of your work to be in the draw – prose (one page) poetry (up to two pages) – please bring three copies by 2:45 pm.

Date: Saturday, April 8, 2017
Venue: UNE FutureCampus, 211 Church Street, Parramatta
Time: 3-5 pm – includes open mic if time
Entry: $5 (free for financial members of NWG Inc.)

NB Are you thinking of entering ZineWest this year? Luke is the judge, so please don’t bring a potential entry for him to hear!

First Day at FutureCampus Parramatta

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Val16SC1At our first event upstairs in the Collaborative Space at FutureCampus, Parramatta, first time gatherer Malinda Rose (on left) won a prize in our Valentine’s Open Mic. On her right is NWG President, Carol Amos, Sue Crawford (one of the judges) the other winner, J. Anne DeStaic and Peter Masonwells our treasurer and on this occasion also our second judge. The scores were close for all our poets, well read, thoughtful pieces, a mix of traditional and contemporary. We also held a workshop on a fascinating poem by Sue Chamoun, who also took this picture!  For more pics see Gallery

NWG Inc party on 23rd May – and the future

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We had a great time meeting Luke Carman (An Elegant Young Man, Giramondo) on 9th May. The value of his comments went beyond helping the writers whose work he was reviewing. We plan to re-cap insights from this workshop and our previous special guest events. What have we learned from experienced writers? What are we doing about it!

Saturday 23rd May is the last date our gatherings can be held at the soon-to-be-closed Mars Hill Cafe address of 331 Church Street Parramatta. Sad though we are – we’re going to celebrate the memories! Free entry, free cheesecake, revisiting some award-winning pieces and an open mic. We wish the Mars Hill Cafe all the best in their hunt for a new location – an unforgettable team with a proud community history of supporting artists, writers, musicians and the caffeine dependent….

June 13 and 27 gatherings will probably be held in Parramatta CBD but from July onwards our long-term address will change. As soon as we have confirmation we’ll give you the details. Many thanks to Sue Chamoun who scouted out all the venues.

Don’t forget the big due date of midnight, 25th May for your writing entries to ZineWest 2015 – competition for new Western Sydney writers.
(Art entries due 25th June)

February ’15 News

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PARRAMATTA WRITING EVENTS in Feb 2015:

Saturday 14th Feb Mars Hill Cafe (upstairs) 331 Church Street, Parramatta

First gathering of NWGinc for 2015 coincides with Valentine’s Day. We’ll pass round the calendar,line up some in-house workshops, hear your news and run two open mics:
1) Open Mic/Open theme (3 mins max) Rosesmall
2)Valentine’s Day Open Mic Competition– your POV (3 mins max.) Judges Sue Chamoun and Peter Masonwells will award a box of chocolates:)

 

 

Saturday 28th Feb TWO EVENTS 
Connected Stories
1) Felicity Castagna invites you to “a little reading party in The Prospector Store in The Connection Arcade, Parramatta on Saturday, February 28th, 1-3 pm. Come along for some readings, drinks and food after you check out the Market. Be sure to bring something to read if you want to join in.

alice-eic-260x170
2) NEW Writers Group inc invites you to meet Alice Grundy, managing editor of prestigious Giramondo Publishing and co-founder of the literary on-line sensation SEIZURE. $5 entry, Financial Members free. Time 3-5 pm upstairs at Mars Hill Cafe, 331 Church St Parramatta.

Michael Mohammed Ahmad at Mars Hill Cafe

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Mohammed5smallerSATURDAY 14TH JUNE, 2014
Mars Hill Cafe, upstairs, 3-5 pm
331 Church St Parramatta
Meet Western Sydney author and editor Michael Mohammed Ahmad during our regular gathering 3-5 pm.
He’ll talk about writing in Western Sydney, Sweatshop Literacy Movement, and his first fiction publication The Tribe (Giramondo)

Michael Mohammed will also give a quick commentary on super short pieces/extracts of original writing brought by the audience. If you want to toss your latest writing into the pile we’ll draw lots for ten pieces, and see how we go for time. Please bring three copies of your piece and hand in at the door by 2:45 pm. Poetry no more than a page, prose under 500 words.Best to bring something you’re working with now – a piece you’d appreciate some feedback on. You’re also very welcome to come and just listen. There might be time for a short Open Mic (3 mins absolute max). Oh, nearly forgot to mention, Michael Mohammed is our judge for ZineWest 2014!

Entry Fee=$5 (free to NWG financial members)
We usually have no entry charge at our gatherings but we like to show special guests our appreciation by collecting a door fee to help with travel costs etc.

Creative Writing Workshop – YA Literature with Felicity Castagna

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F.Castagna“Writing for Young Adults”
Saturday 9th November, 3-5pm @ MHC see below
Guest Tutor: Felicity Castagna
Bring your own writing on the theme:
Walking through Westfield from the point of view of a fifteen year old in less than 300 words.
Session includes short open mic and usual coffee/chat.
Entry $5, free for financial members

MHC ie Mars Hill Cafe, 331 Church Street Parramatta, upstairs.
Felicity Castagna is a Parramatta author. Her latest book The Incredible Here and Now is set in Parramatta and opens the reader to a traumatic yet wonderful period in a teenager’s life.

LAST GATHERING FOR THE YEAR:
Saturday 23rd November 3- 5 pm @ MHC
Free Entry
AGM and Members Anthology
plus self paid early dinner somewhere handy!

Our blog: nwg-inc.com/word
Face Book Group: New Writers Group incorporated
Email NWG Inc

Pamela Freeman creative writing workshop

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Pamela FreemanPamela Freeman is visiting NEW Writers’ Group inc and bringing her wealth of experience in writing and being published. Pamela is the successful author of books for children, YA and adults, plus she’s a sought after creative writing tutor. The theme for her workshop will be Characterisation. Find out more about Pamela at her websites

Saturday, 25th May 3-5 pm
Mars Hill Cafe (upstairs) 331 Church Street Parramatta
The workshop will run from 3-4:10 including some time for questions. We’ll follow with a short coffee/chat break and wind up with open mic (since this will be a short open mic, please bring original work of no more than 3 mins reading length)
ENTRY FEE is $5.
Current financial members please note this event is covered by your annual subscription.

 

The writer/editor relationship

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Saturday, 26th May, 2012
Join in our Workshop plus read your original work!
3-5 pm Mars Hill Cafe, upstairs, 331 Church St Parramatta
Gold coin donation appreciated. All welcome (participants need to be 16 years or over)

As a creative writer, do you pour over every precious word, perhaps many times? Are you living and breathing your story? Do you know where to get resources to support your writing? Do you know how to “edit” your writing? How would you find an editor and how would you communicate? Would the writing still be yours, or would it change if an editor got their hands on it? How much would an editor charge? How would my writing get to the editor? Do I just send the finished manuscript in the post?
Come along and consider the writer/editor relationship at the New Writer’s Group Inc

A NWG Inc Workshopp led by Susan Burgis
(An avid reader with an eye for slip ups)
M Ed (TESOL)
Currently ESOL TAFE teacher and studying Master of Publishing at Sydney University