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Creativity Festival
Come along to our Festival of Creativity, open between 10am and 5pm. Join us at Mattie Furphy House and surrounds, and enjoy some quality time: watch Dearwynne Williamson craft beautiful jewels and try making your own bracelet attend a talk from our insightful guest Horst Kornberger on Storytelling join Colin Young for a short workshop on Relationships in Mythology go on a guided bush walk with Rod Griffith using pattern recognition to find ‘Order Out of Chaos’ enjoy afternoon tea on the verandah with scones fresh from our oven engage with Jennifer Kornberger at her poetic stall ‘Word Remedies’ attend P Millet’s presentation of ‘Building the Family Stones’ and much much more to spark your creativity See you there! ‘Creativity is contagious, pass it on.’ Albert Eistein...
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Read MoreFellows
Since its beginnings in 1938 FAWWA has honoured established writers in our community by making them Fellows. Indeed, until Constitutional changes in 1996, only Fellows — those members with a body of published work — had voting rights. Many well-known writers such as Elizabeth Jolly and Julie Lewis began as Associate members, only becoming Fellows after achieving major publication.In 2005 our Fellows were invited to become members of a Council of Published Authors (COPA) and the title of Fellows was no longer used.In 2008, the Executive decided to return to the earlier title. Members who have recently achieved substantial publication are invited to apply for Fellow status. To become a FAWWA Fellow you must: Have had a substantial body of work published Have been a member of the FAWWA for at least two years. Applications should be addressed to: Registrar of Writing Fellows FAWWA PO Box 6180 Swanbourne WA 6910 Email applications will be accepted. Email to admin@fawwa.org.au. Applications will be considered by a committee of the FAWWA Management Board. Your application should include a detailed list of published, performed or broadcast works with dates and details of publication, together with a list of literary prizes awarded for both published & unpublished works. Contributions to newspapers, journals, ezines, websites and self-published works (except those that have received wide circulation and acclaim) should not be included. The application should be accompanied by a cheque for $30 to cover costs of administration and the certificate. Excess funds will be used to further the work of the Fellowship. Should the application be unsuccessful the cheque will be refunded to the applicant, who may re-apply when further work has been published. Current FAWWA Fellows Prof. Brian Dibble Betty Durston Kevin Gillam John Harman Nicholas Hasluck John Kinsella (Patron) Andrew Lansdown Joyce Parkes Glen Phillips* Barbara Temperton Trevor Todd Janet Woods Barbara Yates-Rothwell Barbara York Main Norma King Roland Leach Pat Lowe Ruth Marchant James Shane Macaulay Andrew Burke Murray Jennings*Honorary Life Member Annamaria Weldon Vivienne Glance FAWWA Alumni (Former writers in residence) Chris McLeod Kevin Gillam Glyn Parry Trevor Todd Michael Farrell (Vic) Terry Whitebeach (Tasmania) Stephen Dedman Tracy Ryan Bronwyne Thomason Andrew Burke Megan McKinlay Sarah French Julia Lawrinson Rachel Robertson Sue Woolfe Peter Bishop John Mateer Liana Joy Christensen Annamaria Weldon Vivienne...
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Read MoreShow, Don’t Tell: Handling Exposition, Backstory and POV
Stories do not come out of a void. There is much the reader needs to know about the time, setting, the characters and past events to enjoy and make sense of the story. How to handle this mass of details called exposition? Some storytellers write it on the nose- setting down facts about background, characters and events like a newspapers report. Others use awkward and unnatural contrivances. This workshop shows how exposition may be woven into the fabric of the story so the reader is scarcely aware of being given essential information, and will show how any writer may master the technique of elucidating exposition. This workshop will also cover Point Of View (POV) focusing on the three most common (1st person, 3rd person/omniscient, 3rd person proximate), showing the kind of story which each POV is most appropriate. Workshop Structure What is exposition? What is backstory? How to reveal what you want to reveal:what is not obvious and cannot be inferred? what the reader absolutely needs to know Understanding the principle ‘show, don’t tell’. Evoke, rather than invoke When should the writer tell rather than show? Using exposition as ammunition Writing in scenes Knowing when to reveal- in medias res Knowing the theme of your story Exercising caution with analogy and symbolism: the subtle use of metaphor and simile What POV best suits the novel and its purposes For all the information, join John Harman at Mattie Furphy’s House, on Saturday 2nd November. Register at admin@fawwa.org.au Cost: $36 for members, $48 non-members See you there!...
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Read MoreHow to Write Dramatic Dialogue
Join John Harman on Saturday October 26, 1.30 – 4.30pm. Good dialogue shows and expresses rather than tells. It makes the story fly. Of course, straightforward narrative can move the story forward and supply exposition (back-story) but dialogue is the high-octane fuel that propels the story and supplies much of its drama. it is sometimes difficult for writers to know when to employ dialogue instead of narrative (and vice versa) but appropriate and authentic dialogue lifts the story and gives it impetus, proving the premise, revealing character, progressing the plot and carrying exposition. Course Structure The five functions of dialogue What makes good dialogue Voice Revealing character through dialogue Exposition through dialogue Colour and texture Subtext. Don’t write every line ‘on the nose.’ Bad language. Be honest. If you do not want them to use it, do not create the characters. Speech tags and alternatives to said Attribution. How to handle it A short session on writing dialogue for the screen. The difference between dialogue to be read as opposed to spoken. The through line development of the story; what the actor is looking for. Exercises in writing dialogue....
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Read MoreHow to Create Vivid, Believable Characters
Join John Harman at Mattie Furphy House on Saturday 21st September for second workshop in the series, How to Writer and Publish a Novel. A story is a completed process of change which has the ability to move readers feelings powerfully and pleasurably (or painfully) in a definite way. But though the story may arise and progress out of causality (plot) it is our interest in… affinity with…horror at…the protagonist or antagonist that keeps us hooked. Frequently we remember characters long after we have forgotten the plot. A story may be structured like a journey with a compass – the premise… them…threads. A map – the plot. An engine – the motivation of the protagonist (and other central characters). Dialogue – the fuel of the story. Exposition – the territory through which the story travels. This means the depth, dimensionality and authenticity of the story characters are vital. Many new writers are too soft on their characters and as the story may be a quest – a hard, dangerous journey (either physical or emotional) from point a to point b in which the protagonist has an extremely strenuous time, the writer needs to create characters who can take all the physical, emotional and mental punishment the story is about to hand out. Fictional characters must possess sufficient strength of character to handle difficult dilemmas. In other words – characters must be up to the...
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Read MoreFriday@Furphy’s
Join us for a mulled (or unmulled if you prefer) wine, a few tidbits and a little literary chat on Friday the 11th of October at 5pm.
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Read MoreSome Dates for Your Calendar
The Tom Collins Poetry Prize is now open and will close on December 15th. The Mattie Furphy Creativity Festival will be Sunday October 20th. The Annual General Meeting will be Sunday October 27th; please consider who you would like to nominate for positions on the committee.
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Writers in Residence: Alumni
1998 – Trevor Todd, Julia Lawrinson 1999 – Cecily Scutt, Georgia Richter 2000 – Kevin Gillam, Tracey Ryan 2001 – Steven Dedman, Jaya Mullamby 2002 – Glynn Parry, Kate Ramage 2003 – Megan McKinley, Alan Hancock 2004 – Allan Boyd 2005 – Natasha Lester, Chris McLeod, Nola Hosking, Shevaun Cooley 2006 – Terry Whitebeach, Sarah French, Michael Farrell, Lily Chan 2007 – Bronwyne Thomason, Andrew Burke, Alli Barnard 2008 – Lucas North 2009 – Adriana Ellis, Helen Venn, Les Wicks 2010 – NO FUNDING 2011 – John Mateer, Liana Joy Christensen, Rachel Robertson, Sue Woolfe, Peter Bishop 2012 – Horst Kornberger, Janet Blagg (editor), Janet Jackson, Scott-Patrick Mitchell, Christina Neubauer, Amanda Curtin (editor), Laurie Steed, Campbell Jeffreys 2013 – Robert Drewe, Iris Lavell, Jeremy Balius, Annabelle Smith...
Read MoreRamadan Sky
Ramadan Sky, which was chosen from thousands of manuscripts posted on the HarperCollins website, Authonomy, tells the story of a Western woman and an Indonesian man set against the conflicting landscapes of crippling poverty, lush tropical countryside, urban pollution, Muslim culture and Indonesian black magic. Ramadan Sky is also available as an e-book on Amazon. Nichola Hunter has lived in Fremantle since 1996, coming to Perth from Melbourne to study Creative Writing and Literature at Curtin University. She works as a freelance writer and also teaches English to Adult migrants in Perth....
Read MoreFAWWA Christmas Party
Join us this Friday for the annual FAWWA Christmas party. This year students of the Imaginal Literacy Programme 2013, facilitated by Horst Kornberger, will share some of their work. Entry is free, with tea and coffee provided. Please bring something to eat or drink to put in the communal pot. 5pm Friday 13 December, Mattie Furphy House, Cpse Lane, Allen Park, Swanbourne All...
Read MoreWHO’S AVERSE TO CHRISTMAS?
Join Well Versed at ‘The Hollow’ Amphitheatre Allen park, Swanbourne, near Tom Collins’ House Turn left into Clare Copse, off Kirkwood Street, for free parking. Sunday 15th December from 4.30 – 5.30pm admission $10 – door sales available To be sure of a seat, book with Jim and Alison on 9336 5945 or email:...
Read MoreSad Loss of Perth Writer Lucas North
It is with great sadness the Australian writing community mourns the sudden and tragic death of novelist and poet, Lucas North. Lucas touched many writers’ lives through his prolific workshops and readings. I first met Lucas in 2008 at the Fellowship of Australian Writers, WA when I was a volunteer and he was our live-in writer in residence. Despite the winter cold of Tom Collins House, the possums and rickety old bed, Lucas met each day with a warm...
Read MoreOpportunities for Writers at FAWWA
1. Writers in Residence Programs Applications are no being received for Writers in Residence Program for 2014. Writers will have the opportunity to live and write at the beautifully restored turn of the century cottage, Mattie Furphy House, located in the Bush Heritage precinct next to Allen Park, Kirkwood Street in Swanbourne WA. Three residencies are available, on for an Established Writer and two for Emerging Writers. Guidelines and forms can be obtained by contacting the office. Applications must...
Read MorePerth Writers Festival
The Fellowship, Katharine Sussanah Prichard WC, OOTA and Peter Cowan WR will be sharing a stall at the Perth Writers Festival in February 2014. Please contact the office if you would like to...
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