Tag: Inspiration

Not So Secret Society of Women Writers

I’ve been asked if I belong to a writers group.  After reaching saturation point with courses and workshops, I decided to get serious and join a writers group.  Currently I am a member of two organisations, Girl and Duck.com and The Society of Women Writers Qld Inc.  One real and one virtual, both offering the interaction and motivation I crave.

I also belong to two book clubs, one leaning towards the literary and the other crime, but that’s a whole new blog post.  Today my information flow is about—

Society of Women Writers Qld IncThe Society of Women Writers Qld Inc (SWWQ) which provides an invaluable support network for women writers.  Members share comments, feedback, achievements and encouragement, or listen to guest speakers at monthly meetings.

The Beginning

In 1925 the Imperial Press Conference Sydney hosted a conference for Visiting Writers and Journalists from the United Kingdom.  At that time women were excluded from the all-male journalists’ club.  This led to the wives of the delegates and the invited female delegates forming their own group which became The Society of Women Writers.  Thus (Dame) Mary Gilmore, Pattie Fotheringham, Mary Liddell and Isobel Gullett became the four Vice Presidents.  Zara Aronson was Honorary Secretary; Agnes Mowie and Blanche d’Alpuget were Honorary Treasurers.  Abigail Clancy was one of the founding committee’s fifteen members.  In 1982 The Society of Women Writers Queensland was incorporated and Mocco Wollert became their first State President.  Di Hill is the current State President.

Postal Magazines

In 1975 Bridget Godbold felt inspired to start her own group of writers in Queensland.  While in Sydney for the Society of Women Writer’s Fiftieth Commemoration, she was asked by their Federal Executive to produce a Queensland postal magazine, based on the success of a Victorian experiment called MURU.

Bridget, with four women from Townsville, Boonah, Kingaroy and Burleigh Heads, created MORIALTA.  This Aboriginal word means ‘everflowing’ and epitomised their motto to Keep Thoughts Everflowing into Creative Writing.  The first edition of MORIALTA was produced in 1976.

Postal magazines are ideal for isolated writers or those who find it difficult to attend meetings.  An electronic newsletter is also available.

The Alice Award

Every two years, since 1978, the Society shares the privilege with other States and awards a non-acquisitive bronze statuette, The Alice, to an Australian woman writer who has made a significant contribution to Australian Literature.  Well-known past recipients include, among many others, Nancy Cato, Ruth Park, Kate Grenville, Margaret Scott, Dame Judith Wright, Dame Mary Durack, Jill Shearer, Christobel Mattingley, Susanna des Vries, Dr Claire Wright and Sally Odgers.

Ring of Bright Water

Bribie Island Jetty at Bongaree
Bribie Island

SWWQ’s newsletter Ring of Bright Water is compiled monthly and sent to members either electronically (preferred) or via Australia Post, keeping members updated on upcoming events, competitions, publishing opportunities, members achievements, writing and more.

Writers Retreat

The Society organises an annual retreat, held in October on Bribie Island, north of Brisbane.  Here writers can dedicate quality time to their works-in-progress; join structured workshops; begin new work; discuss writers, writing and books and generally share good times with like-minded people.

Competitions

Competitions for Short Story, Article and Poetry categories are held each year for members and the Estelle Pinney Short Story Competition is held annually and is open to Australian women writers over the age of 18.

The Society publishes anthologies of members work occasionally and supports many other literary events in Queensland.  SWWQ is affiliated with Society of Women Writers in WA, VIC, NSW, TAS.

For further information please contact the Secretary
secretary@womenwritersqld.org.au
or visit their website http://womenwritersqld.org.au

My Journey

I have entered two short stories in the Estelle Pinney Short Story Competition which closes Wednesday 31 July 2019.  At the moment, I am reading The Rose and The Thorn written by member Indrani Ganguly.  After attending a meeting with guest speaker Virginia Miranda, author of Flash Fiction Volume One, I enjoyed the writing exercise she set with picture prompts and I’m all fired up on the joys of flash fiction.

♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward 

The Rose and The Thorn by Indrani Ganguly 2019 01Flash Fiction Virginia Miranda Volume One

Author or Businesswoman? The Story Behind Girl and Duck

Real world experience and advice from a published author with dedication, sincerity and passion for sharing her craft.
♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

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Who is this wonder woman? Read on…

girlandduck's avatarGirl and Duck

This week at girl and duck, we opened The Scribbles Academy. It’s been super exciting and lots of people have jumped on board.

Thank you!!!! I know you’re going to love your Scribbly experience!

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But how did this all begin?

What’s the real story behind girl and duck?

I wrote about this a couple of years back. But, in those early days, I was more interested in talking about the community. How passionate it was and how it seemed to sprout from nowhere.

More time has passed and now I want to go deeper. I want you, dear reader, to know exactly how I began my online business.

How and why I started it. And who was there to help me.

Ding Ding Ding! Multiple Income Streams!

Back in 2011, it occurred to me that I might NEVER make a liveable income from writing. No matter how many books…

View original post 1,599 more words

‘Change…’ said Richard Hooker

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Richard Hooker (March 1554 – November 1600) was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Hooker’s emphases on reason, tolerance and inclusiveness considerably influenced the development of Anglicanism. He was the co-founder (with Thomas Cranmer and Matthew Parker) of Anglican theological thought.

♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Leonardo da Vinci said…

Gears and Cogs 15 Quotation
Renaissance genius Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was a painter, sculptor, architect, inventor and student of all things scientific but he had difficulty waking up in the morning. He wrote “Lying on a feather mattress or quilt will not bring you renown”. One of his earlier inventions was a personal alarm clock powered by water. Based on his elementary diagrams, Leonardo’s device would trigger an alarm by the collection of water dropping into a reservoir at brief intervals. I would have thought the drip, dripping of water all night would have kept him awake. Website https://www.leonardodavinci.net/ ♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Young When You’re Old

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Seniors Week 2018
Celebrating a Queensland for All Ages
Seniors Week provides the opportunity for older Queenslanders to explore programs and services, events and activities, connect with people of all ages and backgrounds from 18-26 August.  Celebrate the many contributions older people make in our communities.  Visit https://www.qldseniorsweek.org.au/

♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Exquisite Corpse Parlour Game

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Test your memory and see if you can name any poets from the lines I picked randomly during a timed exercise (see below) “Like gold to airy thinness beat” is from Valediction, Forbidding Mourning by John Donne (1573–1631)

This game can be adapted for writers, artists, poets and movie fans!

 

  • There are two versions.  The version attributed to the Surrealist Movement is when the weirdest possible head, torso, legs of the Exquisite Corpse are drawn by three different players, each folding over the paper so the next person can’t see the results until it is unfolded at the end of the game.

 

  • “Consequences” is the original name of this literary pen and paper parlour game which has been played since the 1800s Victorian Era.  A random sentence is written near the top of the page.  The paper is folded over then passed to several other participants who add to it and fold until it reaches the last person, or the bottom of the page.  The paper is unfolded and the whole “story” is revealed––often with hilarious results.

 

  • Alternatively, photocopied lines from classic poems (see above) can be cut into strips and jumbled into a bowl.  Each player blindly chooses nine strips but uses only seven to form a poem.  The mind takes over, sorting and assembling into a reasonably cohesive format.  The verse pictured above is what I put together in a recent Masterclass during a timed exercise.  My Exquisite Corpse earned the comment “feels Gothic and dark”.

 

  • To quote Academy of American Poets: “The only hard and fast rule of Exquisite Corpse is that each participant is unaware of what the others have written, thus producing a surprising—sometimes absurd—yet often beautiful poem. Exquisite Corpse is a great way to collaborate with other poets, and to free oneself from imaginative constraints or habits.”

 

  • Minor changes have been added to Exquisite Corpse over time, from using a single word to including famous lines from books and movies.  For example, you can jot down your favourite movie quote, fold over the paper then pass it on.  See what you can pitch with Arnold Schwarzenegger or Hugh Jackman.  In book mode, an amalgamation of Germaine Greer and Nora Roberts could prove interesting.

 

  • The following formula for fun was kindly supplied by WordPress blogger Life After Sixty-Five who wrote––“Here is my favourite version of Exquisite Corpse, though I have played the version where a human body is drawn”–– 

    He (male name, fold) – someone we all knew, or someone famous
    met She (female name, fold) – could be someone famous, or someone playing the game etc.
    at (place, fold)
    He wore (description of clothes, fold)
    She wore (description of clothes, fold)
    He asked, (question, fold)
    She replied, (answers question, fold)
    And along came (person, fold)
    And so they decided to (decision, fold)
    And in the end…(finish, fold)
    “…the gales of laughter at the silly stories…”


Language Is A Virus website has the history of Exquisite Corpse and suggested books on the subject.  They started a poem which has been running since 2000 and you can add to the silliness.

♥ Gretchen Bernet-Ward

Exquisite Corpse Quill and Inkpot