I’ve been asked to facilitate an ekphrastic poetry writing workshop, that just happens to be on the Winter Solstice.
It will be warm and cosy and lots of fun. No experience necessary.
Then, for those who would like to, there is an opportunity to read your work the following day during the Nightscape concert.
Term One was such a success that we are back for more. But this time we are not limited to Memoir.
Have you always wanted to write creatively but not known where to start? Do you have a creative writing project that you’ve been working on and would like to improve? Writing is often a solitary pursuit but it doesn’t need to be. Join local writer Melissa Watts and other creatives and develop your creative skills and new ideas in a supporting environment.
Participants will engage in a range of activities designed to maximise creative flow and break down the fear of the blank page.
Melissa will share tried and tested writing techniques and participants will have a chance to workshop their work and receive feedback.
The class is inclusive and welcomes writers at any stage of their journey and any writing genre (memoir, fiction, poetry, scripts, non-fiction).
12.45 pm – 2.45 pm, Thursdays
9-week course, starting on Thursday 27 April 2023 and finishing on Thursday 22 June, 2023.
Where
Ballarat East Neighbourhood House Community Room, Barkly Square, Ballarat East
Cost
$160 for the 9-week course
Registration via Ballarat East Neighbourhood House
I have some exciting news, my friends.
Deep in the heart of another Victorian lockdown (can’t remember which one, all a blur) I was contacted online by Margin Alexander who is an international composer, currently based in New York. He had come across one of my old poems via Instagram and it had inspired him to write a song, and he was wondering if he could use it for a concert in Manhattan. Now, I have to be honest, I was in the midst of homeschooling a 9 & 7 year old, caring for a 4 year old who couldn’t go to kinder, trying to do a PhD, finish my poetry manuscript, plan my post PhD career, run my holiday business through covid, renovate an early Victorian home and just generally survive, so I thought this must, surely, be a scam.
But it wasn’t, and I’m thrilled to announce that my poem has been turned into a beautiful piece of music which will debut this week in New York. My words will be read by an actor, and I’ll get the chance to watch online. Tickets are available here
Ballarat Writers has once again teamed up with Federation Uni to create a wonderful ekphrastic poetry event. This time the Ballarat Council and Writers Victoria have also joined the group and have invited a group of poets to write and perform poetry this long weekend (March 7 – 9) at the Ballarat Bergonia Festival.
Writers have been asked to select an item in the Ballarat Botanic Gardens to write an ekphrastic poem about. I’ve selected the beautiful Eucalypt in the sensory garden.
I love these projects for a few reasons. Ekphrasis is such a rewarding style of writing. I enjoy focusing on the work of others and trying to capture that in a new light, then articulating it clear enough for an audience to understand my interpretation as well as the original work of art. In my case this year I am interested in the design of the gardens, in particular the sensory garden.
The poetry will be compiled into a book available for sale over the weekend, or at the visitor information centre after the weekend.
The readings will take place on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 11am and 3pm. I’ll be reading my work on the Monday.
You can read more about the other ekphrastic projects here and here.
I’m pleased to announce that while I have resigned from my duties at Ballarat Writers this year, I’ve agreed to help out with publicity for the fantastic upcoming Death in July Festival.
Ballarat Writers have a strong reputation for informative and industry specific writers festivals. This year is a break from the CYA and is focused on Australian Women’s Crime Writing. The event is partnered with Sisters in Crime and M.A.D.E. Continue reading →
In October I had the good luck of meeting and Interviewing Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project.
He was a guest of the Ballarat Writers for one of our ‘Reading Nights’ where we host a guest author to discuss all things writing with our members. There was much excitement about Graeme’s visit due to the success that The Rosie Project has had this year. I held off buying the book so that I could get a signed copy on the night (I’m always secretly worried that our guests will travel from Melbourne and get zero book sales, a small turn out, then a long and lonely drive home.) I’ve had a chance to read the book now and I can see why it’s been a hit. However what I learned from my interview and Graeme’s presentation was more about what makes some people succeed. Continue reading →
I’ve been working hard over the last few months to promote the Southern Cross Literary Comp. Please see the details below and share with anyone you think may be interested. It’s a fantastic competition that Ballarat Writers Inc is administering (I am Chair and Publicity Officer) Continue reading →
If you stare at a religious artefact long enough can it convert you?
Yes, I am seriously asking that question. It’s not the type of question I’d usually ponder, being neither religious nor prone to staring at artefacts. However, last month I completed another ekphrastic poetry project with the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat University and Ballarat Writers. This year’s project was based on the exhibition, Living Traditions which exhibits a range of religious and spiritual artefacts and artworks.
A group of poets from Ballarat Writers and Ballarat University were assigned the daunting task of creating a collection of ekphrastic writings inspired by the collection. Ekphrasis is the term used when creating one artwork inspired by another. Continue reading →
Ballarat Writers have launched their 2013 Workshops
Based on the success of previous years the writing workshops are back with a range of topics to inspire writers of all levels and genres.
This year’s workshop facilitator is local author and poet Karen Sparnon.
Karen has twenty-five years teaching experience and a PhD in Professional Writing and Editing. Her first novel, Madonna of the Eucalypts, was published by Text Publishing in 2006. It was translated and published overseas, and in 2007 won the Grollo Ruzzene Foundation Prize for Writing about ltalians in Australia. She has recently completed her second novel, which is again set between Italy and Australia, and is at work on her third novel.
Workshop topics include:
February 23rd Continuing the Mythic Journey, exploring the emotional arc.
March 23rd, Struck by Lightning, exploring how creativity works, and how to make it work for you.
April 20th, How to deal with your characters emotional lives, outlining how to add depth and create compelling characters.
June 15th, To plot or not to plot – that is the question, determining key structural conventions within fiction.
July 13th, Shaping life into life writing, for writers working on biography, autobiography and life writing.
August 10th Just when you thought it was finished, looking at what writers should focus on when drafting and re-drafting.
For the complete detail of each of these workshops, session times and locations visit www.ballaratwriters.com
Melissa Watts 