The Queensland Writers Centre supports the development and promotion of young Queensland writers and their work.
Writing Activities for ages up to 5 years
The Little Big Book Club
Sharing books, rhymes, songs and conversation regularly with young children are some of the most important activities that you can undertake to develop a child’s ability to read, write and acquire strong language skills.
The human brain is most open to environmental influences in the first few years of life with 75% of brain development occurring between birth and the age of three.
Parents often don’t know at what age they should start reading to their children. What should they read to them? How often? How long?
To answer these questions and to support and encourage parents to read to their young children, The Courier Mail’s The Little Big Book Club offers a range of support materials and guidance.
Writing Activities for ages 5-13
Book Links Qld
Our aim is to bring as many young people as possible throughout Queensland into contact with an author, illustrator or storyteller to engender in them a love of literature. Visit this link to find out more.
Children's Book Council of Australia
The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) is a volunteer run, not for profit, organisation that was established in 1945 and is comprised of branches of individual members who are passionate about children's and young adult literature. Visit this link to find out more.
Children's authors and illustrators online
A useful, alphabetical list of where to find australian children’s authors and illustrators online.
Writing Activities for ages 13-17
e:lit
In a word, literacies. e:lit is the new face of the Primary English Teaching Association, and reflects everything they stand for: accredited professional development, innovative books, useful hints, proven teaching tips and much more. The "e" in their new e:lit name stands for expertise in primary literacies, but it’s also a strong hint that you’ll find more and more of our great resources being offered electronically, right here on their site.
The John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers 2010 is now open for entries
Closing date: 21 August 2010
$5500 total prize money and publication in Voiceworks and on the Express Media website. The two age categories are: under 18 and 18-25. The two submission categories are: poetry and short story or first chapter of a novel. Entries close 5pm Friday 21st August 2010. Download the entry form from www.expressmedia.org.au. Proudly presented by Express Media and John Marsden.
Writing Activities for Ages 18-30
The John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers 2010 is now open for entries
Closing date: 21 August 2010
$5500 total prize money and publication in Voiceworks and on the Express Media website. The two age categories are: under 18 and 18-25. The two submission categories are: poetry and short story or first chapter of a novel. Entries close 5pm Friday 21st August 2010. Download the entry form from www.expressmedia.org.au. Proudly presented by Express Media and John Marsden.
The Young & The Restless Bookclub
It meets on the last Wednesday of every month from 6.30pm at Brisbane's Avid Reader Bookshop in West End. Set up for readers aged between 18 and 35, we basically gather around the store drinking cheap wine. Discussion about titles usually start off intelligently enough, but soon devolves into drunken ramblings. Visit this link to find out more and subscribe to their emailing list.
BURN Writers' Collective
BURN is a gathering of young writers, media makers, performers and cultural raconteurs dedicated to generating opportunity for their peers in the writing and publishing industry. BURN represents the new wave of literary talent and direction arising out of Queensland and is a group already making their mark on the national arena. In 2008 BURN headed up Writing The Fringe Festival, the largest event of its kind ever - undertaken in conjunction with the Brisbane Writers Festival. It demonstrated the groundswell of passion and talent present in the emerging writing scene in Queensland. If you're interested in joining, contact QWC and we'll put you touch with the BURN Writer's Collective.
Wordbox
Wordbox is a huge national resource listing Australian writing competitions, opportunities, literary events, workshops and reading activities for school-aged Australians. Click here
- http://wordbox4writers.wordpress.com/ to find out more.
Festivals
The Emerging Writers' Festival
The Emerging Writers' Festival (EWF) exists to promote the interests of emerging writers - to improve their opportunities for professional development and their engagement with the broader public.
The Festival mixes emerging literary professionals with more established writers to forge a better understanding between the past and future of Australian writing, and to bring a high level of intellectual endeavour to all the Festival's activities. Visit this link to find out more.
The National Young Writers' Festival
The National Young Writers' Festival is Australia's premier event for emerging writers, publishers, performers and trouble-makers. Several thousand of the country's most challenging and original young minds will descend upon Newcastle for a five day creative bender. Far from the seas of white hair, book signings and celebrity author worship you might expect, the NYWF is a DIY, hands-on conversation between equals.
The NYWF takes place as part of the This Is Not Art (TiNA) festival, which adds independent musicians, journalists, artists, performers, activists, nerds and lovers-of-ginger-beer to the mix. It's a combination of cutting-edge performances, panels, collaborations, experiments, workshops and parties. It's unique. It's free. You should come and be part of it. Visit this link to find out more.
Get Ready to Shout Out Loud
This year's Shout Out Loud youth festival, will take place on Saturday 4 July at The J, Noosa Junction and will support more than 260 young aspiring performers, musicians, artists and events workers to showcase their creativity to other young people, their families, friends and the broader community.
The Day Program runs from 11am-4pm
Main Stage features; Get Connected Theatre Project, Adrenalin Performing Arts, Australian Acting Academy, Sunshine Coast Youth Orchestra, Kirsty and Kester's B-Crew, E Tang, High Knights, Kleenbeats and .
Acoustic Stage features; Taylor Moss, Anie Drake, Alys Longmate, Andres Redford, Holly Lovell, Andrew Hearle, George Newman, The Nightmares, Lauren Hutton, Lucy Hannah, George Newman & Alex Pink.
Visual Art Exhibitions; Kirren Fullagar, Jessica Mobbs, Anika Annels, Michael Oosthuizan, Joshua Jeuremov and Liam Scanlan.
Creative Workshops and Activities; Felting, Street Art, Circus and Giant Inflatable Twister
The Night Program runs from 6.30pm-11pm
Features eight local bands; Countdown to Armagedon, Parlour Scene, Pure Hybrids, Take Anthia, The Marsdenless, The One Two, Adonis and Vagrant City Scandal.
For information about the Shout Out Loud Festival please contact Sunschine Coast Regional Council on 5449 5116 or visit myspace or facebook.
Awards
State Library of Queensland Young Writers Award
If you're aged 18 to 25 and live in Queensland, write a short story of 2,500 words or less and you could win $2,000 and launch your writing career.
Submit your short story in the State Library's Young Writers Award 2009 (SLQ) by Monday 20 July for your chance to win.
Previous recipients of this prestigious award include Tara-June Winch, Alasdair Duncan and James Halford who have gone on to successfully publish their work. Visit this link to find out more.
Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
The Queensland Premier's Literary Awards is a national awards program, with a section for emerging writers. It encourages and supports the development of up and coming authors whilst recognising established authors across a variety of genres. As one of Australia’s richest and most diverse literary programs, the Awards offer established and aspiring authors the opportunity to gain recognition in the literary community, as well as providing them with financial assistance. Visit this link to find out more.
Resources
Juicy Writing
Juicy Writing is a treasure-trove book of inspiration and practical advice on creative writing - and on living a confident, creative life - especially for teenagers. It's a book to relish, to dip into, to read on the train, to lend to a friend. It will bring out the best in you. Available from QWC's online shop.
Children's Book Council of Australia
The Children's Book Council of Australia continues to celebrate Australian children’s literature and its creators, and seeks to engage the community with literature for young Australians. Visit this link to find out more.
Express Media
Express Media is the peak organisation for the creation, development and promotion of young Australian writers and text-based artists. We are a key point of contact for young people wishing to enter the world of literature and text from either a professional viewpoint, or just to test the waters. Visit this link to find out more.
Voiceworks
Voiceworks is a national, quarterly magazine that features exciting new writing by Australian young writers, published by Express Media. It is a unique opportunity for young writers and artists (under 25) to publish their poetry, short stories, articles and comics, illustrations, drawings and photos. It is produced entirely by young people and relies totally on contributions from the readers to make up the content. Visit this link to find out more.
Sticky Institute
Sticky Institute is an Artist Run Initiative fusing an exhibiting and open resource working space with a non profit retail environment housed in Degraves Street Subway under Flinders Street, Melbourne. It specialises in zines, which are usually a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images which is handmade or reproduced via photocopier.
By bypassing the conventional gallery system, Sticky redefines the notion of a retail environment as a non profit arts space dedicated to Australian and international zine culture. Zines are provided additional exposure through Sticky's presence at various art and literature festivals nationally. Visit this link to find out more.