Stories & Tips: September 2022

Writers Sauce - WWC - MWS 26-September-2022

Welcome to Writers Sauce. We have two new topics for you to check out and it’s all about writing. See CONTENTS below.

Here’s what Christopher Kong said about World Writers Collective:

“Hi Mat - I came across your World Writers Collective site, including your post covering ‘editing tips’.

I’m writing this note to say a big THANKS. I think your site is a wonderful resource, and I really resonated with your comment on the benefit of giving/receiving feedback via writers groups. Despite your evident experience, I appreciate how your sharing comes across as very humble and accessible.

I’ve been working on a piece of creative non-fiction. Look forward to connecting and exchanging more ideas (and writing?) with each other!”

And Sergio about Melbourne Writers Social Group:

Hi Mat, I feel like I should grab you at least a couple of beers and a nice pub meal. It’s the least I can do to say thanks. I have no clue about being a writer and your help has been invaluable.

Kind regards

Sergio

Rebecca is our newest subscriber. We now have 367 subscribers. You’ve joined a great group of writers :)

If anyone would like to invite friends to join us, forward this email to anyone anywhere in the world.

World Writers Collective collaborates together with writers, editors and many other kinds of artists / creatives in all industries. We have actors, directors, illustrators, musicians and screen writers in the one place all eager for you to enjoy their work

Join us as a subscriber or as a writer if you would like your own promotional page on our website. To have a page on our website it costs $20 a year. Included are some minor discounts and the ability to advertise yourself for free to our subscribers.

Everyone who works on this website does so for free.

We would also like to stress that if you can not afford the $20, we would like you as a member anyway. You can pay WWC when you have the money available.

www.worldwriterscollective.com/wwc

If you want to add to this email with your own words of wisdom, let us know. Get in touch with us to let us know anything you think writers would like to learn about. We can also/otherwise add info to our NEWS section on the WWC website.

It’s all done for free and it’s off our own backs’. Please get involved if you have the time.

Thank you,

Mat Clarke

www.worldwriterscollective.com/mat-carke

Contents:

(Look for the *NEW* stamp below for content you haven’t read yet)

1. Book Review (more reviews on books wanted) *NEW*

2. Writing competitions - suspended until a new manager volunteers

3. Promote your blog

4. Audio Book Info and workshop

5. The Story Mint: Stylefit

6. Writers are the same but different: Planning VS Just Write. *NEW*

7. Writer volunteer Jobs

8. Melbourne Writers Social Group events

9. All Write! upcoming events

10. We want to hear from you

11. Join us and we’ll promote you

12. Essential Information for Writers

13. Important links

1. Review a book title - It will be posted on the WWC website

Are you someone who likes to review books (poems, short stories, movie scripts, blogs, non-fiction, etc.) and give honest feedback on content, interest, characters, structure, or if you think it was just really good reading? Submit your review via this email.

For 2022 please review any book or script or poetry you like (yes, you can submit a review done on your story if you like).

Here’s a review of ‘The Man Behind the Mask’ by Rachel Martigan – A Regency Romance.

I struggled today and yesterday, having to work, when I just wanted to keep reading.

There was unexpected events, times where I was nervous about what the outcome might be, and happy bits.

Such a great read, you’ve done such a great job with both books.

So, when is the next book out?

I’m such a romance junkie, I can’t get enough.

Well done

All three reviews: https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AERDMS7R4XWAMTDMWAS7A5C3PAGQ/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_gw_tr?ie=UTF8

The book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Man-Behind-Mask-Rachel-Martigan/dp/B09RJYT9N4/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Here’s a review by John Christmas and Susan Thorn of Ray C Doyle’s mystery novel, Lara’s Secret:
JC: I greatly enjoyed this tale which incorporated modern history of Cyprus into a thriller complete with action and romance. Pete West is a new investigative-journalism hero not afraid to tangle with the corrupts to uncover the truth!
ST: Fantastic story, halfway through this novel, it had me from the first chapter, mystery and intrigue, it's gripping, I can't wait for the next book in the trilogy.
raycdoyle.com
www.fishpond.com/Books/Laras-Secret-Ray-C-Doyle/9781915212047

Here’s a review by Denise Kuchmar of Cecile Ravell’s creative memoir: ravellc.wixsite.com/ravell-the-writer

Review of Dilemmas of a Middle-aged Madonna:
“Traversing the world, from Far North Queensland to Nova Scotia, Canada, and New York City, Jessica tries to work out the cards life has dealt her. A uniquely visual story that sees the main character experience many journeys: physically, emotionally, and metaphorically. Will she overcome the dilemmas in her life?

It’s a hard story to put down.”

Denise Kuchmar, Journalist.

Pre-order autographed copy: ravellc@yahoo.com.au

Here’s an industry review via Books + Publishing of S.D. Hinton’s mystery novel:
THE BROTHERS
'The Brothers is a masterclass in menacing tension ... Atmospheric and moody, the novel chills with its subtle allusions to an unknown enemy that is too close for comfort. Perfect for readers of Garry Disher, Chris Hammer and Jane Harper, The Brothers combines the idyllic Australian surf town setting with unseen dangers - both physical and mental - that lurk in the shadows.'
www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460762578/the-brothers

2. Competitions

Current and upcoming competitions have been suspended for now until we find a manager.

WANTED: competition manager

Short story competitions - World Writers Collective

A. The big one - WWC Golden Pen Award - Win $250 First Prize

Second prize is $100 to spend in a Red Bubble store and one-year membership of Creative Writers Collective. The third prize will be a FREE entry to any one of the competitions for a year and one-year membership of Creative Writers Collective.

All winners will be published in the anthology.

We may need to halt competitions after this latest big prize due to not having a competitions manager. If you would like to become the manager, please let Mat Clarke know.

Coming up (TBA):
The Quick Creative - limited words and limited time. Join us and win cash!

Need help with writing short stories? Go to our competitions tab page 1. We have added hints and tips to help you write the best short story ever. There is a video by Ray Stone, which is a great resource. Our writing competition winners have given their tips and Mat Clarke has added his thoughts. You can also check out our editing tips page.

www.worldwriterscollective.com/writing-competitions

www.worldwriterscollective.com/editing-tips

www.worldwriterscollective.com

Become a World Writers Collective member, which helps support everyone in the group as indie writers and allows you to collect prizes if you win.

Want to get published or publish your own works and have our members spread the word about your works, book launch, or other? It’s only $20 a year to join which helps pay the few hundred dollars it costs for the domain and host the website each year.

www.worldwriterscollective.com/join

If you are one of the top winners of the competition, you will be included in the next anthology. That's just one of the great reasons to get involved!

We also want to promote you and your writing. All you have to do is say the word. When you are a member, it’s free!

3. Promote your blog

We want to promote your blog. Email us a link of one of your blogs and an explanation of why WWC people would enjoy reading it.

We want to promote your blog. Email us a link of one of your blogs and an explanation of why WWC people would enjoy reading it.

Here’s a few from Magz Morgan and the positive comment she received:

www.magzmorgan.com/blog

THANK you both, and the writers’ collective for all the moral support. When I get a message like this, I feel like crying. Maggie

“I just read both of these pieces and found them to be exceptional. You really have developed your talent. When I read the article on writing, I felt that I had a tutor sitting next to me sharing her secrets, while the short story was a delicious gossipy tale that I friend might share. I think that the first article gave me an insight into how hard you have worked to hone your skills. I am impressed with the quality of your writing. Don't stop.”

Linda Douglas

Here’s another by Cecile Ravell

https://ravellc.wixsite.com/ravell-the-writer/blog

4. Audio Book info and workshop

By Mat Clarke for Les Green

Audiobook Production

Helpful dot points to help you transition from pages to narration and bring your story to life:

Why record an audio book?

- The manuscript is complete. After months or years of hard work the story is finished. An illustrator is prepping the artwork and you are looking to publish.

- Traditional print is still popular but you are leaning more towards digital. Why not, tons of people have a Kindle and everybody has a smart phone. However, most people don’t find the time to sit and read these days.

- People do spend hours in their cars and do look for distractions whilst exercising, cooking etc. So why is it important for you to start thinking about creating an audiobook for your story?

Audiobooks are now popular!

- The audiobook industry is evaluated at $3.5 billion dollars (US) worldwide and along with Podcasts continues to grow.

- Longform audio is big business while in comparison printed books and e-book sectors continue to decline.

- Basically, people are buying and consuming audio books rather than reading.

- The stories are still needed, people clearly just want quicker access to them.

- Given that independent and unknown authors have always had to struggle to make sales and to build a fanbase, having your stories in popular format makes perfect sense. Audiobooks make good financial sense, providing you understand how they work.

- Give an additional product to sell and market to sell in.

Make it easy for readers to sample your novel:

- Every writer knows just how difficult it is to get people to read your book. Even friends and family, despite making promises to read it, will struggle to find the time.

- When people are offered the opportunity to either read the opening chapters or to listen to the audiobook, most people with a preference of the audiobook will manage to find time to listen and give feedback. Engaging with the audiobook and wanting to hear more and even eager to find out what happens next.

- What’s obvious is that audiobook samples are one of the most effective ways of getting people past the initial hurdle.

Market Research:

- Traditionally the approach to recording an audiobook happens when the writing is complete with more and more emphasis being placed on social media and promotion. More people are turning to creating samples prior to completion. This allows you to effectively build potential reading groups eagerly awaiting the final manuscript. Getting people hooked on characters, especially ones who continue into a series.

- This provides a huge head start in the process of marketing and selling your book.

So, although it may seem like it’s another daunting project to tackle. Creating an audiobook will expand your readership, make your story more accessible and give you great feedback even if you haven’t released yet.

Over the next few months we’ll be breaking down how to go about giving your story the best possible voice. This will be done in person in the city of Melbourne. Notes will be added to Writers Sauce following each workshop.

*Melbourne Audio Book Production is currently offering a taster session for all WWC members which will include - 30 mins recording, 1 hour editing, 1 x finished audio clip and 1 x instagram sample. Contact us now to have a chat to see what we can do for you.

Contact: https://www.melbourneaudiobookproduction.com/contact.html

Join us! Everyone is welcome even if you’re not close to recording just yet. Next event will be announced here: https://www.meetup.com/Melbourne-Writers

Les: Audio engineer, writer and musician - education and working experience - first vocal / dialogue for music and now just vocals.

Engineer for 15 years - commercial music - Artists / Producers in UK and Europe

Creative writer for 4 years .

Studying at SAE institute London

Logic Pro and Pro tools.

Began my creative writing journey 2016 whilst travelling - finding the time to complete in 2020 during pandemic / recording myself.

Started with Brisbane audiobooks - 2021

5. The Story Mint: Stylefit

Student Writing Competition

Open for participation enquiries and entry submissions

We loved holding last year's lockdown writing competition, and collaborating with our incredible judges and prize sponsors to deliver students a fun opportunity amidst our national lockdowns. It was wonderful to see the enjoyment shared by both students and teachers throughout last year's competition!

We hope we can achieve that once more with out 2022 NZ student writing competition! It's now up and running, so we invite class groups or individual students to participate!

Our two biggest goals are:

- show students that writing (and learning writing skills) can be fun

- improve students' writing skills by increasing confidence, self-direction and agency

Those participating (as a school, class or you even just a few keen individual students) will have the opportunity to craft their entries with the help of our writing skills tool, Stylefit. We loved hearing about our participating schools' experiences with the software during the 2021 writing competition - here's a video snippet on student motivation!

If you'd like to participate, get in touch with anna@stylefit.org. We'll either extend your current Stylefit licence or open up a trial version for the duration of the competition. You can also find out more about how it works by booking a demo or having a look at the feedback features here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7EN53ldRI

6. Writers are the same but different: Planning VS Just Write

by Mat Clarke

Writers have so many quirky ways of writing that there could be no single way of coming up with a great story, right? Sure, many of us often think in a similar way, enjoy books the same, talk about writing all the time and love being creative, but we also use our own sources, have our own influences, research in our own way and have our own voice.

So what about the initial preparation for writing or when you first put pen to paper? What if there are only two ways to do this when beginning a creative / spiritual / memoir / journal writing piece? Most writers would say no way and explain that they are not like everyone else, and so will write the way they want to.

The problem is that there are only two ways. So like it or not, you’ll need to choose the best version that works for you.

As my writer groups have discussed many times, we as an anthology of writers appear to be split approximately down the middle when it comes to planning or not planning our story. Which do you prefer? Do you know why you prefer it? How did you discover which version suited you? Comment below on our blog: https://melbournewriters.wordpress.com

1) Version one is where the writer will plan and outline. The writer maps out their story / plot, deciding on the characters they need while also working out who that character is internally, why they are there within the story and what their favourite food and past time might be. This character moulding down to the finest detail, even their date of birth and whether their grandma came from a different country, is the extremes a writer will go to in order to create a well-rounded believable person. The planning doesn’t stop there, though. The writer will create the start middle and end of their story. They will work out subplots, subcharacters, whether the sky is generally blue or grey in their world at that time of year and create the main points they want and need within the story.

2) The other version is much more simple, but hard for many writers to accomplish successfully without creating an absolute mess. The writer sits and writes while deciding not to plan anything and instead will see what happens as they start tapping away at their keyboard or putting pen to paper. As the first sentence appears or as an idea begins to form in the writer’s mind, even before the first word goes to paper, the formulation of the plan is progressing, but only as far along as the words appear on the screen. As the writer writes, they are creating characters, writing the beginning of the story and maybe even starting to see forwards in time as they realise what their characters might do next as they stumble or fly through their 80,000 word life. The writer continues to write their characters who are beginning to take shape, kind of like you had hired a casting agent and asked them to send you people who can act, but can also be moulded by the writer so that they fit the story before they even know what character it is they need to play. Phew! It’s hard for some, but it’s fun when you get the hang of it.

There are of course variations of both, but the general idea is fairly obvious. Now, what are the pros and cons? Should you try both before writing your full novel? Will a god tap you on the head as you sit down to write and make you understand which kind of writer you are?

Likely it’s the latter (minus the god). You’ll sit and realise you have no idea what to write, which means you need to start planning something. Or maybe you’ll just tap at some keys on your laptop and before you know it a few thousands words will be staring back at you. Go on, try it now and see what happens. Or, before you do, I can give you some tips and hints on what to try so you can successfully try both rather than ambling through and possibly hating writing altogether. There’s no right or wrong, though, so in case you want to try both and learn more about both ways. Here we go.

Pros and cons

Planning: as the planning method suggests, this is a great way to map out what is going on in your mind before you start typing or writing and creating something that resembles a bucket of vomit after a big night with a post souvalaki.

Planning can create a smooth plot that is not only easy for you to write, but for a reader to follow. Planned plots and stories are logical and will make sense. Each character you pick will be hand chosen by you and suit the scene you already planned in your dot point string of ideas. Your ending will not be a surprise that has crept up on you and startled you or your readers and seemed too early or takes much too long to get to the end.

Sounds like a great way to write, so there could not be any cons, right? Unfortunately, there are just as many as the pros. Pretend you just finished six months of planing and mapping plots, characters and everything else. You now have everything in front of you to make a great story, but it all seems so monstrous of a plan you don’t know how to begin. Why or how could a writer possibly feel this way though, considering they nursed their plan for so long and made it almost a living thing. It is likely because they were using the logical side of their brain when they wrote their plan, but then had to switch over to the creative side. Not an easy thing to do when what you created feels so structured, bland and without feeling. You may not be able to write if everything you have in front of you lacks passion and instead is only a source of information.

If you do end up writing, good for you, but it can sometimes feel too planned and go in exactly the direction the reader would have expected, which could become boring for the writer and the reader.

Then, if you get too used to only using the characters you meticulously assembled, you may not be able to add other characters you did not realise would be necessary once you began writing.

As they say, the best laid plans go astray.

What can you do to mitigate these cons, but still keep all those wonderful pros, you ask? Well, in the end you may need to not plan so much. Sounds ridiculous, right? I mean, the whole idea was to plan the story down to the last detail so you wouldn’t go off the rails as you wrote. However, this is writing, not a structured assignment, so you need to be flexible and assume your story will change as you write.

Yes, write your dot points about how the story will go, but also add some dot points mentioning how the story could go in a different direction if while you are writing you change your mind because it may create a better story. If you do take a different tangent, then you may need to stop and replan so you are working toward the correct ending. You should be able to keep some of your old plans and mingle them with your new ones. Keep your dot point number to no more than twenty. Don’t write more than three sentences per dot point. Write up a few extra characters and some replacement characters. Add some sub plots even if you aren’t going to use them. Start writing immediately after you have made your plan (that is the most important thing - write straight away).

No plan:

First ask yourself: can you as a writer start writing without any plan or idea? If the answer is yes, there may be no more I can teach you.

If you are unsure, or you know you can’t write without a plan, then I suggest you begin with a few writing exercises. Try writing a story and typing anything and everything that comes into your mind. Often this method will result in you writing like a dream was playing out, meaning there will be so many random things going on in the story that it will often not make a lot of sense. It’s still important you try this technique to free up your mind and train it to become almost completely creative without any editing thoughts or planning crap clouding your mind. Without this, you will write the first few words and stop. You must keep writing and not stop no matter what you write. After 300-500 words you can reassess and go in a different direction if you like, but most of the time it will seem like your characters are leading the way, while you nudge them in the right direction slightly so they don’t go off the rails. This technique is often called random writing or stream of consciousness.

Next I suggest you do a particular writing exercise which I like to call, WRITING GAMES. I used to run these events in the past for fun and to trigger the writers’ mind into creativity and spontaneous writing. Once you have tried these exercises and freed your mind, the writing with no plan will come much easier.

Writing games is great fun and even more so within a group. If you want a free copy of my book, contact me and I’ll send you a link which will have many examples of Writing Games. The basic idea though is that I set you up with writing prompts and then you have 30 minutes or so to write a shorty story.

So now the pros and cons:

The pros are that it is not only enjoyable for you to write without a plan because you are unsure on what will happen next, but it will also be enjoyable for the reader because the story can go in directions that are completely unexpected. Although you need to be careful it is not too far-fetched, so sometimes you will have to nudge your characters in the right direction and not let them be too random. The stories should be very unique, which is a great thing too. You’ll also look forward to writing because you’ll be so interested in what might what happen next.

The cons are as few as the pros, because writing this way is often more enjoyable and very freeing. However, it can also make you create a haphazard story. There are two reasons to try it anyway. 1) You can edit it later, so who cares. 2) Often to make your story interesting it’s a great idea to go large and loud. Then you can always edit your story and bring it back to normality if you want later.

Hopefully this has not bamboozled you and instead made you want to try each method equally. I tried both and I’m still very much a person who loves to write without a plan. Maybe it’s because I would prefer to enjoy my writing and see where the story takes me, than anything else. So if there is any one thing I could say to you when you go and sit to write again, it’s; have fun!

7. Writer volunteer jobs

We would love you to join our network of writers as a creative leader and help you further everyone's knowledge of writing. No doubt, you'll learn more about yourself and your writing as well. Have a read below and see what fits your personal skills and lifestyle. Commit to what you can and we'll see you in the trenches. Most of all, have fun!

Opportunities:

Manager of writing competitions

Website manager

Information officer

Assistant to managers and officers

Writing Competition Judges

Event host - multiple required (Melbourne only)

Further details: www.worldwriterscollective.com/job-vacancies

These are all volunteer positions.

Your position includes free membership, a discount for any events you attend, free access to catering (if supplied) and an allowance for the manager positions (see position details).

Commit for 12 months or longer.

8. Melbourne Writers Social events

Recently we discussed how to win writing competitions and what judges look for. If you would like to learn more, check out our website: www.worldwriterscollective.com/writing-competitions

The previous month we talked about our favourite books to read and linking to each other via Goodreads. We would like to start linking to each other so we can recommend books to each other and promote the few authors in our group. Post up your Goodreads link via comments below, if you are reading this on our blog, or post it via our Facebook groups:

www.facebook.com/groups/570847673015529

www.facebook.com/groups/169777419779168

Mat Clarke - link to me and find others: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6898385.Mat_Clarke

Our main flagship event runs at the Wharf Hotel on the third Tuesday of the month. Please join us - all are welcome, even if you are only thinking of starting out in a creative field.

Click here to RSVP, check time and place of events: www.meetup.com/Melbourne-Writers

We meet online every Monday from 6.30pm and show each other our work and chat about everything creative.

South Bank Write Now: Second Saturday of the month. The venue is generally quiet, opens early, free wifi, good coffee, food as well as drinks if you need them for later ;) There is music, and it is a cafe-bar, so bear this in mind and wear head phones if you need them while you write.

Melbourne Central: One Sunday a month. We are nestled in the back corner of the upstairs food court near the windows, past the colourful piano, behind the big clock. We meet to write mostly, but you are free to chat with others who would like to do so.

In South Bank each month for the next six or so months we are running a workshop on audio book creation. Please join us for an enjoyable information session. See Meetup for details.

Not currently running: Eastern suburbs meet. Laura, Stephanie and Mat are exploring a cafe in Croydon to meet at, which will be run on certain Sundays. We will get back to you soon on how it will be run and what the format will be. Likely it will involve the return of our writing games event with prompts to get you writing and enjoy yourself.

Not currently running: Writers of the South, let’s write: This is for southern Melbourne, down as far as the Clayton and Mentone area. Anyone can attend and join in and write your heart out (and have ice cream).

Not currently running: Writers Workshop: If you want to work through a piece, then come along to the Eltham Library and let us help you create your best work.

Not currently running: Treehouse Writing: Join us in Olinda for a sanctuary in the hills where we write and relax.

As with all our events, please get in touch if you would like to help with running events. The best way to do this is to come to one of our events and chat to the current event hosts about what you would like to do. We prefer to have two event hosts at each event, so where there is an opening we are happy for you to get involved.

There are many other Writing groups in Melbourne that you may be interested in as well. Go to them all and see what you like . . . but then come back to MWS and bring more great people with you. Haha ;)

www.meetup.com/Melbourne-Writers

Stories & Tips

Monday, 26 September 2022

Writers Sauce - WWC - MWS 26-September-2022