BOORANGA NEWS
NEWSLETTER FOR BOORANGA WRITERS’ CENTRE OF
WAGGA WAGGA WRITERS WRITERS INC.
MARCH - APRIL 2009
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
Welcome back for 2009
I’d like to begin the year by acknowledging the continued support of the NSW Government through Arts NSW. Booranga has once
again been granted operating funds, and some money towards our writer-in-residence program. Thanks also to the continued support of the Wagga City Council and Charles Sturt University, we are extrememly pleased to be able to bring you another diverse and
enriching program this year.
Of course as many of you will know, there was an official review of NSW writers’ cemtres conducted last year, and this report has
only just been completed. As such, the report is likely to be utilised in determining funding guidelines for 2010 activities. I will be
keeping all of you up to date this year on any changes that might occur to the operating of Booranga. I am hopeful that the Government will recognise the need for what we do within the region. We had a great response from members and non-members alike
during the report-period at the end of last year - many of you demonstrated your commitment to literary activity and your belief in
the necessity of a writers’ centre existing here. On behalf of Booranga I thank everyone who gave up their own time to do this.
For 2009 we have three writers-in-residence confirmed. they are: the Young Adult Fiction writer Scott Monk (details of his
March residency can be found inside); the award-winning Queenland poet Sarah Holland-Batt (May); and the acclaimed novelist and poet Rhyll McMaster (October). We will also be supporting Wagga City Council’s winter Inidgenous Culture Festival
Mawang, and in July / August we will be hosting a special workshop and performance event ‘Celebrating the Voice’. This
event will feature the talents of a group of Indigenous writers from the NSW’s South Coast, in collaboration with Indigenous
writer from our own region.
There are a few more special events planned for 2009, but more details will follow in the next Booranga News when things can
be confirmed. Our regular monthly writers’ meetings (usually to be held on the second Saturday of the month) are underway,
and the first one took place 14th February, with the next one is scheduled for Saturday 14th March. Finally, the good news is
that fourW will once again be published in November this year, and this year’s issue will mark 20 years of production. It’s sure
to be a bumper issue so atsrt working on your pieces now! Submissions will once again close 30th June.
Booranga Writers’ Centre (McKeown Drive) 2009 Office Hours:
Staff will be in every Monday (9am - 3.30pm), Tuesday (9 - 11.30am), Thursday (9 - 11.30am).
For enquiries (with a quick response) email us: [email protected]
Or alternatively email our director directly: [email protected]
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BOORANGA NEWS
MARCH - APRIL 2009
Booranga Writer-in-Residence:
Scott Monk
Our first writer-in-residence for
2009 will be the Young Adult
author Scott Monk (pictured)
who has written and published
four novels: Boyz ‘R’ Us, Raw,
The Never Boys, and The Crush.
Scott has had hs work set on the
NSW HSC list, and has a lot
of experience speaking about
writing for a youth audience.
Booranga’s first writer-in-residence period will be from the
beginning of March, and dates
for events appear below.
2009 Calendar of
Booranga Events
1st - 15th March
Writer-in-residence: Scott Monk
* Thursday 5th March:
Reading at Wagga City Library
5 - 7pm
* Saturday 14th March:
Writers’ Workshop at Museum
of the Riverina’s Historic
Council Chambers site
2 - 4pm
Part of Booranga’s policy is
to bring writers that work in a
variety of genres to the region
each year, and accordingly Scott
will be visiting a number of high-schools and shire libraries while here, in order to
speak to the audience he has aimed his fiction at. In our belief it is just as important
to promote literacy and also encourage youg writers to keep with the craft, as it is
to support more established writers. However there still will be events on Scott’s
program aimed at an adult audience, where he will talk about his development as a
writer, and what his motives and methods are. These events should be a great interest
to anyone who has ever contemplated writing for a youth audience.
1st - 12th May
Writer-in-Residence: Sarah Holland-Batt
9th - 23rd October
Writer-in-Residence: Rhyll McMaster
Public Program
Thursday 5th March - Reading / Talk at the Wagga City Library, 5-7pm.
Saturday 14th March - Creative writing workshop at Museum of the Riverina’s
Historic Council Chambers site.
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November
Launches for fourW twenty
JULY - AUGUST 2007
BOORANGA
NEWS
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
MARCH - APRIL 2009
2008 fourW launch
The only event from 2008 that hasn’t been reported upon is the launch of fourW nineteen. As I wrote in the last issue of Booranga
News, this publication is a time for celebrating the talents of our local writers as well as writers from all across the country. Our
regular launches in Wagga and Sydney are usually well-attended, but the attendance in both venues in 2008 was amazing. I counted
50 people in Wagga and over 70 in Sydney. These numbers are a testament to the favourable light our journal is seen in, noth locally
and nationally. Below are pictured some of the attendees: (clockwise from top-left) John Muk Muk Burke giving his launch address;
Alicia Sometimes being presented with her prizes for best poetry and prose submissions by Professor Carmen Moran; Booranga
President David Gilbey reading his poetry; audience member Tiggy Johnson perusing the contents of the new book.
There are still some copies of fourW nineteen available for purchase at Booranga for the low price of $22.
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BOORANGA NEWS
MARCH - APRIL 2009
DAVID HOPE – A Tribute by Graham Wood.
David Alan Hope passed away in Sydney on 30 January at the age of 87 years. He was a visual artist and a late-blooming poet who
had poems published in fourW eighteen and fourW nineteen.
David was born in Wales, served as a radio operator in the British merchant navy during
WW2 and attended the Cardiff Art School after the war. He later migrated to Australia
and spent the rest of his life here and in New Zealand. David had seven children, who
live in NZ, the UK, Australia and the Czech Republic.
After suffering a stroke in 2003, David demonstrated great tenacity and sense of purpose in struggling to walk and talk again, and ultimately succeeded in living a largely
independent life. He was a vegetarian, had a very wide range of interests and could turn
his hand to almost anything.
At his funeral, his daughter Finda recounted an anecdote involving David and the New
Zealand poet James K Baxter, an acquaintance of his. David had visited Baxter’s Jerusalem commune on the Wanganui River and found the residents close to starvation. David rolled his sleeves up, and using some flour, apples and wild blackberries, whipped
them all up a batch of apple and blackberry pies.
David’s poetry was often whimsical with absurdist touches, but his themes were always personal. His poems were based on close
observation of his own and others’ habits and foibles. The following – Conversation Piece – is one of my favourites:
Conversation Piece
By David Hope
I have a mathematical friend
I meet now and then
for tea and conversation;
an uneasy, unlikely liaison,
as my knowledge of mathematics
is only minimally more
than his of art and letters.
Silence ensues for a while,
then we find
we’re both losers today.
I’d just lost a poem
that hovered over my eyes for weeks
and then was gone;
so I told my friend
After debating the weather in depth
we stumble through a discussion
on the nature of number,
the welfare of Schroedinger’s cat,
Jeff Koons’ Puppy,
and whether there’s a pattern to pi?
Does the sequence of nines
in the second billion digits
have some meaning perhaps?
I’d lost the poem,
and he told me
he’d spent all day
looking for a function
that didn’t even exist.
So we sit there in the sunshine
sipping tea and smiling,
each one not knowing
what the hell the other means.
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JULY - AUGUST 2007
BOORANGA
NEWS
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
MARCH - APRIL 2009
Poets Union Sunday Poetry Readings
Booranga President David Gilbey will be reading his work as Part of the Poets Union Sunday Readings next
month. David is of course the editor of fourW, and his latest collection of poetry is Death and the Motorway. If
you can make it to Sydney this is sure to be a great afternoon of poetry.
Location: The Brett Whitely Studio, 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills, Sydney.
Date & time: Sunday 22nd March, 2-4pm
Booranga AGM
The annual general meeting for Booranga (incorporated as Wagga Wagga writers Writers) has been tentatively scheduled for
Wednesday 8th April, 5-7pm, downstairs at the Wagga City Library. Our special guest speaker for the evening will be Prifessor
Anthony Cahalan, an expert in contemporary typography.
As per legal requirements, an invitation with definite date and time will be sent out to all member in the coming weeks.
The Booranga Blog
The Booranga Writers’ Centre Blog is now live at the following address: http://booranga.truthbeauty.info/
Have you logged in and posted something yet? Details of your username and password may have already been sent to you, but if not,
please email me personally [email protected]
Booranga Membership Rates for 2009
(There’s still time to renew under the old rates...)
As reported in the last newsletter, at a recent meeting of the Booranga Executive Commitee it was motioned (and moved by the
committee) that membership rates be raised for 2009. The rates have been static for the past few years, and this raise was deemed
necessary to simply keep up with the cost of inflation. The propsed rates are listed below, and will be voted on by all members at the
AGM for 2009.
Group membership (including one copy of fourW): $55.00; Single membership (one copy of book): $36.00; Single membership
without book: $25.00; Concessional membership (one copy of book): $26.00); Concessional membership (without book): $15.00;
Student membership (without book): $11.00
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BOORANGA NEWS
MARCH - APRIL 2009
On the Craft… A Book Review by Kelly A. Shaw
The Novel Writer’s Toolkit by Bob Mayer
A lot of books on the craft of writing seem to be written by ‘text book experts’ or people closely associated with some aspect the
industry but who haven’t necessarily been successful writers. This book is an exception to that: Mayer has a long and successful
publishing history, publishing over 30 books to date. Through a combination of teaching and writing, he’s achieved the commercial
success most novelists’ dream of. In The Novel Writer’s Toolkit, Mayer lets us in on some of his strategies for success combined with
some useful advice about the business in general.
In the early chapters of TNWT, Mayer examines a lot of the difficulties new writers encounter. Many people fall in love with a
romantic notion of becoming a writer (particularly a novelist) but the first reason many fail is usually the most important: lack of
personal commitment. Most simply underestimate the amount of work involved. There is no secret, short cut or magic tip he (or
anyone else) can give. Instead, he advises, ‘Simple perseverance counts for a lot. Many people with talent lack the drive and fall out
of the picture, leaving people with maybe not as much talent but more drive to take their place.’
While his tone isn’t discouraging, he certainly drives home the point that any success will only come as the result of a combination of
skill, dedication and knowledge; ‘If you wanted to become a symphony musician, you wouldn’t expect to get there the first year you
picked up an instrument.’ Mayer says that he started a second manuscript soon after completing his first and advises beginning novelists to do the same. He believes having three manuscripts available helped clinch his first book deal because they were evidence of
his talent and, more importantly, his commitment. Many agents and publishers are wary of offering a contract to a potential ‘one off’
writer.
Another task he encourages beginning writers to undertake is book dissection. While most writers like to read, the approach a reader
takes to a book is different from that of a writer; while the former will read for plot, the latter will read for technique. Dissecting
from a writer’s perspective will help unravel how that good idea is turned into a story, and as Mayer admits, ‘There is a very big difference between the idea and the story.’
The bulk of the book covers the basics of story-telling: developing ideas and characters, point of view, dialogue, narrative structure,
subplots, and so on. For all stages of the process Mayer offers plenty of points to consider and many valuable questions writers
needs to ask themselves. And he supports his points with plenty of relevant examples from successful contemporary writers, from
Stephen King to John Grisham.
The latter portion of the book deals with the industry side and contains valuable information about agents, submitting a finished
manuscript, pitching your idea and so on. The useful Appendix is also full of resources, including a sample cover letter, a one page
novel ‘pitch’ and a further reading list.
The Novel Writer’s Toolkit is full of very readable, applicable advice covering the process from beginning to end. Although many
writers are great at writing, not all are as comfortable as Mayer is talking about the process – or opening their bag of tricks. His tone
is straightforward and practical. His frank advice is what people pay money to hear at writer’s conferences: ‘You will have plenty of
opportunities to quit writing and not many to continue. The choice is always yours.’ Sound words to end on.
* This book is available at Wagga City Library and worth a look for anyone with an unfinished manuscript in the desk drawer.
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JULY - AUGUST 2007
BOORANGA
NEWS
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
MARCH - APRIL 2009
Olivia’s Choice
Sub-editor, Olivia Markham, handles all contributions to our members’ work section, now named: Olivia’s
Choice. (Send contributions of creative writing for Booranga News to [email protected] and place ‘Olivias Choice’ in the subject line). In every Booranga News Olivia will be giving you prompts for new writing,
as well as her feedback on your own submissions.
Ghostwriting: Controversy V Glory - by Olivia Markham
Just as the beautician doesn’t tell her client that she has a face like a sack of toads, so the ghost doesn’t confront the autobiographer
with the fact that half their treasured reminiscences are false. Don’t dictate, facilitate: that is our motto (1) according to the nameless
narrator in Robert Harris’ novel, The Ghost.
Falsifying the truth is not an uncommon dilemma in the ghosting business, Harris’ narrator tells his audience. You draw the discrepancy to the author’s attention, and leave it up to them to decide how to resolve it. According to Harris’ narrator the ghostwriter’s
responsibility is not to insist on the absolute truth: if it were, ‘our end of the publishing industry would collapse on the dead weight of
reality’. (2)
But what if the content is explosive or even criminal, Harris’ narrator in The Ghost asks? Should the ghostwriter conceal the facts if
he knows that something illegal has occurred? Or should the content remain intact? Would it liberate or jeopardise the author’s reputation or endanger both their lives? (3)
Robert Harris, formerly a BBC journalist and political editor of The Observer and named the 2003 columnist of the year in the British Press Awards, has had a long-term fascination with ghostwriting. ‘The first thought I had of this book (The Ghost) was about 15
years ago’ (Koval 2007).
‘I just love the idea of this figure who is an outsider who is licensed to ask questions of someone famous in order to assemble a version of their life. And I thought, wouldn’t it be funny to have a ghost writer who actually told the truth or put the truth into the mouth
of a politician after he’d left office.’ (4)
Harris acknowledges that many hardback non-fiction or even fiction bestsellers are not actually written by the person whose name is
on the cover: Virginia Andrews, Robert Ludlum and Alistair MacLean. Harris is reminded of Naomi Campbell the supermodel who
supposedly wrote a novel called Swan and went to the launch party and happily told journalists she’d never even read it, let alone
written it. ‘It’s important for the putative author to kind of keep up some semblance of the fiction that they did it.’ (5)
The lure of the money is what has many good writers turning to ghostwriting Harris points out. ‘A friend of mine recently ghosted
a famous autobiography and he got 150,000 pounds for the job, for maybe four or five month’s work. That is not the sort of money
most writers can earn.’ (6)
One of Britain’s most successful ghostwriters Andrew Crofts has written for gangsters and princesses, oriental tycoons and African
chieftans, courtesans and celebrities as well as for ordinary people who have had extraordinary experiences. In his book Ghostwriting
Croft offers practical advice to the ghostwriter on authors who contradict themselves, falsify details and expose controversy. (7)
Crofts recommends a clause in the contract absolving him of culpability for anything his clients say that turns out not to be true. Usually, when Crofts is writing someone’s story, he’ll take their word for what they tell him. If it seems suspicious, he might ask, “are
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BOORANGA NEWS
MARCH - APRIL 2009
you sure?” But if they say yes, absolutely, he’ll put it in (Bott 2004). (8)
Ghostwriting is not without its problems Croft concludes. Publishers want controversy and authors want to appear glorious. The
aim of the ghostwriter is to get the balance right (Spelman 2001). (9)
1 Harris, Robert 2007, The Ghost, Hutchinson, London, p. 146.
2 ibid., p. 146.
3 ibid.
4 Koval, Ramona 2007, The Book Show, ABC Radio National Transcript on Robert Harris, viewed 2 February 2009,
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/bookshow/stories/2007/2086424.htm
5 ibid.
6 ibid.
7 Viewed 2 February 2009, http://www.andrewcrofts.com/About.html
8 Bott, Claire 2004, The Kindly Ghost, reproduced from Publishing News, 24 September, viewed 2 February 2009,
http://www.andrewcrofts.com/About.html
9 Spelman, Judith 2001, The Judith Spelman Interview, reproduced from Writer’s News ‘Writing’ magazine, June-July,
viewed 2 February 2009, http://www.andrewcrofts.com/About.html
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
contributed by John Muk Muk Burke
A wedding poem for Simon and Bree
February 7th 2009
708 years ago today the first Prince of Wales
was created
and God only knows where the Lamprells
and the Burkes were in the world.
Not important enough I s’pose
to let the planet know
you were there somewhere.
And only 341 winters back
another prince
danced across the stage in Amsterdam
in a Ballet of Peace.
And in an hour or so
so too will you
Dance.
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JULY - AUGUST 2007
BOORANGA
NEWS
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
MARCH - APRIL 2009
Yet another three centuries
you and all of us
will be somewhere
or else our lives
are just and merely dust.
Byron, that other poet spoke his maiden speech
as a Lord a tiny
194 years ago – today,
this day the first day in what
remains of forever.
And never forget,
despite your mobile phones
ipods and God knows what else
only 94 winters are between
us here in Melbourne
and the first radio message from a moving train.
Perhaps some
were going, chuffing to a wedding:
on this day way back then.
Others maybe called
home to Aotearoa from somewhere
high above the Tasman
just this week.
So speak of Russians and the hugest telescope
In the universe Simon,
on the day you were born
I bet they didn’t see today
through it!
A cynic may even say
‘what is life
but the dead on holiday?’
Indeed.
But we are here
always
and forever.
Don’t worry:
Be happy.
John Muk Muk Burke
(Simon’s Dad, Wagga Wagga NSW)
With untold love.
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BOORANGA NEWS
MARCH - APRIL 2009
PUBLISHING, COMPETITIONS and OPPORTUNITIES
Prose
The Best of Times short story competition #7
been privy to the world of publishing, or at least getting pub
lished, but who definitely have something to say and a talent for
expressing it in words.
For humorous short stories (any theme) up to 2500 words.
Cash prizes for first, second and third place. (Amounts depend
on number of entries received.) Highly commended and commended certificates will be awarded too. You can enter as many
times as you like. Each story must be written in English and be
your own original work.
An important part of AMA’s charter is to facilitate the development of Australian art critical writing. In this regard we are
proud to present our inaugural Emerging Arts Writer’s Award/
Mentorships. This initiative is open to Australian residents.
2 Categories are for open and senior school age entires.
Stories that have won a prize or certificate in previous Best of
Times or Winter Surprise competitions are ineligible for entry.
No entry form is required. Include a cover sheet with your
The submission is to be an article on some aspect of visual arts.
Further details: http://artmonthly.org.au/documents/greenAMA.pdf
name and address, story title and word count.
Entry fee is $5 per story.
Entries due: 31st March 2009
Competition Website: www.geocities.com/spiky_one/comp7.
html
HOW GREEN IS YOUR PEN?
The inaugural Art Monthly Australia Emerging Arts Writer’s
Award & Mentorship
In its 21 years of production, Art Monthly Australia (AMA) has
published the work of thousands of writers, mostly Australian,
mostly established – if not in writing, then in some art professional capacity. Among these thousands, there have also been
emerging writers, those who for numerous reasons have not
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Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival writing competitions
Entries are currently being sought in a number of categories
for the Henry Lawson festival competition. Be sure to check
out the website for entry forms and details of the numerous
categories:
http://www.grenfell.org.au/henrylawsonfestival/downloads/
short_story/2009/2009vandssentryform.pdf
Entries close: 27th March
JULY - AUGUST 2007
BOORANGA
NEWS
EDITOR: DEREK MOTION
MARCH - APRIL 2009
PUBLISHING, COMPETITIONS and OPPORTUNITIES
Poetry
Longlines / Litlink
Queensland Poetry Festival
Please take a moment to look through the document ‘Longlines Litlink Information’ that has been sent with your
Expressions of interest for participation in the Queensland
Poetry festival 2009. All types of activities are sought - performances, speeches, panels etc.
newsletter.
There are some fantastic opportunities detailed in this docu-
Closing Date: 27th February, with festival scheduled for
August.
ment about various opportunities for Varuna fellowships, for
Download expressions of interest forms at:
And do take advantage of the Litlink partnership! Under this
all forms of writing.
http://www.queenslandpoetryfestival.com/
agreement, many places are provided at Varuna workshops
for specifically regional writers. But you have to apply!
Many, many succesful and published writers have learnt from
Bridport Prize
their experiences at Varuna - further details can be found on
their website:
One of the richest international ‘open’ prizes for a
poem or short-story.
http://varuna.com.au
SHORT STORIES: 1st prize = £5000
(If you did not receive the document full of Longlines / Litlink
information, please contact me directly at Booranga)
POEMS: 1st Prize = £5000
You can enter or buy an anthology online now at:
http://bridportprize.org.uk/
Closing date: 30th June 2009.
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BOORANGA WRITERS’ CENTRE
APPLICATION FOR 2009 MEMBERSHIP
Booranga (trading as Wagga Wagga Writers Writers Inc.) was formed in 1987 to assist and promote local authors and their
work. The group holds regular readings at local venues, conducts writing workshops, offers fellowships at Booranga, the Riverina Writers’ Centre at Charles Sturt University, and published an annual anthology, fourW, under the imprint of fourW press,
and is active in promoting writing and writers throughout the Riverina.
MEMBERSHIP PERIOD 1ST JANUARY
- 31ST DECEMBER 2009
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP ($33) or CONCESSION ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP ($22)
6-MONTH MEMBERSHIP ($17)
GROUP MEMBERSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE
MEMBERSHIP ENTITLES YOU TO...
- Copy of fourW nineteen Anthology
- Regular newsletter (bi-monthly) & e-list mailouts
- 10% discount at Book City, Wagga
- 10% Discount at Angus & Robertson Bookworld,
Wagga
- 10% discount to RTC performances
- Member discounts to readings, performances & workshops
- Invitations to writing events & get-togethers
- Access to a network of writers, book enthusiaists &
other writers’ centres for information & friendship
- Use of Booranga Writers’ Centre resources, such as
library and computer
Note: Student Membership ($11) is now also available
for students under 21 years of age. Student members
will receive newsletters & discounted admission to
reading etc. but will not receive a complimentary copy
of fourW nineteen.
Please fill out and send application form to:
Wagga Wagga Writers Writers Inc. Booranga Writers’ Centre,
Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga NSW 2678, Phone/Fax (02) 69332688
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email:
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.............................. (home) .............................. (work) .............................. (mobile)
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Enclosed is: $............. cheque/money order FOR: single / concession / student / 6-month membership (please circle)
undeliverable return to:
POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA
Booranga Writers’ Centre
Locked Bag 588
Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2678
POSTAGE PAID
AUSTRALIA
WWWW & the Booranga Writers’ Centre are supported by: