Writers Sauce - WWC - MWS May-2024

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

Contents:

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

2. Writing competitions - suspended until a new manager volunteers

3. Promote your blog

4. Lee Cole-Hayhow’s talk on producing an audio book *NEW*

5. The Story Mint: Stylefit

6. Where to Go and Write During Happy Hour

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

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

Sara, Mo, Tilly, Lauren, Emma, Alessa, Andrew, Anishma, Sara, Dayal, Nadia, Crystal, Ababil, Jo, Ilya, Liam, Nati, and Daniel are our newest subscribers. We now have over 400 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 screenwriters in 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 there is a donation cost per 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 donation of approximately $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, please let us know. 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 back. Please get involved if you have the time.

Thank you,

Mat Clarke

www.worldwriterscollective.com/mat-carke

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 2024 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 James Pletch’s review of Remarkable Recoveries.

Remarkable Recoveries: What extraordinary healings tell us about getting well and staying well

Carlyle Hirshberg and Marc Ian Barasch. Headline London 1996

By James Pletch, Wharf Hotel Writers night 19 March 2023

Carlyle Hirshberg is a biochemist. With this book, she pioneers the study of thousands of spontaneous remissions – remarkable recoveries – from ‘terminal’ cancer. She worked at the Stanford Research Institute creating a unique database of thousands of recoveries from terminal illness, and used this database to study the five percent of people who recover. She also spoke to other experts with a lot of experience of remarkable recoveries.

Traditionally the medical profession has dismissed this group as statistical outliers. Hirshberg decided their example of unusual success in recovering from fatal illness holds lessons for us all. Her findings are fascinating. We can all draw from them in our own way. Her study included looking deeply into fifty remarkable recovery cases.

Our innate ability to heal lies beneath all curatives, both conventional and unconventional. Everyone is an individual, and their key to healing is unique to them.

She found faith is the critical ingredient in cases of remarkable recovery – whether faith in a process, a person, a pill (placebo or otherwise), a doctor, saints, or God.

Many used prayer, and it seems to have stimulated their healing system, something usually ignored by medical journals. People experienced a personal relationship with God, and were tolerant and not dogmatic.

Many had an experience of the divine, something difficult to describe or quantify; something the researchers were both impressed by, and unable to explain in conventional terms.

People were congruent: they were deeply aligned within themselves, rather than being fractured and uncertain within themselves. They were ‘singing their own song.’

People had a strong fighting spirit.

60 to 70 percent attributed their survival to what might be called ‘receptive’ factors like faith, meditation and prayer.

People had a belief in their uniqueness, and not simply being a ‘disease category’. They had a strong ability to focus on the good rather than the bad, and had a rich inner life.

The researchers noted the attributes of a disease prone personality, being the opposite of an approach needed for a remarkable recovery: repression of feeling, lack of expressiveness, depressed acceptance, and a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. Clearly, people need to reverse these attributes, if they have them.

They had a strong social connection, like an enduring marriage or a strong friendship connection or network. Very importantly, they had one person with whom they had an honest nurturing confiding communication relationship. This could be anyone: for example a spouse, partner, parent, therapist, friend, or support group member.

People had a good relationship with their doctor, but made their own decisions.

75 percent of the 50 remarkable recovery people who were deeply studied had artistic activities in their life. Nearly half played a musical instrument or sang. Researchers wonder if music and art bypass the rational part of the brain and connect in some unknown way with our deeper mind-body healing capacity. In ancient Greece, Apollo was both the god of music and of medicine.

The research points to an integral approach to healing: spirit, genetics, psychoneuroimmunology, and mind-body factors. These compose an orchestral approach, not just a single instrument.

Remarkable recovery people have hope and optimism, a strong will to live, and they confront their problems directly, rather than avoiding them. They have good emotional support from family and/or a friend or friends. 80 percent had the ability to enrol positive mood states and social support situations to empower their healing.

The top activities remarkable recovery people believed contributed to their recovery were: prayer 68%; meditation 64%, exercise 64%; guided imagery 59%; walking 52%; music/singing 50%; and stress reduction 50%.

The most common psycho-spiritual factors remarkable recovery people checked off on a list of 26 items were: belief in a positive outcome 75%, fighting spirit 71%, acceptance of the disease 71%, seeing the disease as a challenge 71%, taking responsibility for the disease and outcome 68%, renewed desire to live 64%, positive emotions 64%, faith 61%, new sense of purpose 61%, changes in habits/behaviour 61%, sense of control 59%, lifestyle changes 59%, self-nurturance 57%, and social support 50%.

Here’s a review of ‘Dilemmas of a Middle-Aged Madonna’ by Meredith Fuller

DILEMMAS of a MIDDLE-AGED MADONNA

By Cecile Ravell (2022) Warrior Woman Press

Book review Meredith Fuller OAM

Cecile Ravell, a creative memoir author and poet, writes non-fiction and fiction and has a talent for infusing travel writing within her books. Passionate about travel, she brings countries and venues alive. She also scatters some Italian throughout the story. Novellas include ‘Love on a Faultline’ and ‘Child Magical’. Her characters are an amalgam of people throughout her life.

Outline

‘Spurned by the love of her life, Jessica contemplates walking into the ocean and drowning. A chance meeting leads to a sequence of events which turn her life around. This story lurches from pathos to comedy to romance, as our female protagonist navigates the challenges that life hurls at her’

The book takes us from Far North Queensland to Nova Scotia, Canada, and New York City.

Having also visited the Frick Museum, I found her information and history about Henry Clay Frick fascinating, similarly for the Met and Times Square.

This isn’t a genre I would normally read (fiction & romance) as I tend to read non fiction and biographies. Jessica is disengaging from a ‘bad boy’ partner and meets several new men who treat her well. Will she jump out of a disappointing 20-year relationship into something that may promise fulfillment? I found this a raunchy read – maybe too raunchy for me!

Some of her metaphors were appealing in their visceral imagery. For example, she talks about how her new lover’s fervour lifted the cold shroud of her former partner’s enveloping.

Purchase an autographed copy: ravellc@yahoo.com.au

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

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

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. Lee Cole-Hayhow’s talk on producing an audio book

Producing an Audio Book

The format of audio across the population has been steadily gaining momentum in recent years. Within the writing community that has created a huge increase in the demand and interest in audiobooks. Audiobooks are professionally narrated audio versions of a book. They are different to an audio play in that they are, most often, narrated by a single voice reading the book. This format has been steadily gaining momentum in recent years, and its future looks even brighter.

The Appeal of Audiobooks

Audiobooks have been around for decades, right back to the books on tape. For quite a while the format has been looked down upon by some as a less legitimate format in which to publish. But as the demand for audio increases this is less and less likely. For a number of reasons this format is appealing to readers. Not only are they convenient for people but they also increase accessibility. Books on tape took off for the visually impaired community and that is certainly a huge advantage to audio in this day and age, as well as making books accessible for people with literacy issues or other limitations which may hinder their use of print or ebooks.

The Rise of Audio Routines

You may not have heard the term but ‘audio routines’ have become the norm. With the increase of smart home devices like Google Home and Alexa, people seamlessly integrate audio into their daily activities. We have long had radio as part of our driving experience, we’re used to audio in that space but more and more people are making audio a part of their everyday activities. I know I like to have some form of audio on most of the time, whether washing the dishes, doing the gardening or going for a while. This is a time and place where it’s almost impossible to read a physical book and this is where audiobooks shine.

The Stats: Past Growth and Future Projections

Audiobooks have secured a firm foothold in the market, representing 4.3% of book sales in 2024, amounting to a staggering $6.5 billion in revenue. This doesn’t seem like a huge percentage but it is still an underserved market, as shown by the fact that it has had double digit growth every year for the past decade. And that looks to continue, with a consistent 25% annual increase projected for the next decade, reaching an estimated value of over $35 billion by 2030. Surveys reveal that audiobook consumption has led to a surge in reading habits, with 67% of listeners reporting increased reading quantity thanks to audiobooks. They read more audiobooks and as a result of the increased time available for audio, most people reported that they read more books, with a large amount saying they read a book a week. A considerably higher portion of people listen to a book a week than physically read one.

Audiobook Production: Narration and Setup

There’s a lot that goes into producing an audiobook. I did it myself, from start to finish for a couple of reasons. The first is that I’m a self-published author. I like having control of things. The second is that I have my podcast. My podcast features short stories I’ve written that are read by me. With the majority of my audience discovering my through that podcast it made sense for me to narrate the audiobook.

For a long time almost all audiobooks have been narrated by a professional narrator, however this is changing. More and more authors are choosing to narrate their own audiobooks. This is most often recommended for non-fiction. You’re the person with the expertise so it makes sense that you present the information. It also allows you to make a better connection with the reader. Non-fiction also requires less ‘acting’ and less vocal range.

For fiction, most of the time it’s still the best idea to hire a professional. They’ll have the equipment, the time and the skills to make your book sound amazing. However there are a few cases where you can DIY. If you’re an amazing actor yourself, if your story is super-personal or has a strong personal connection or, like me, you started a podcast and it grew quicker than you imagined and you’ve essentially backed yourself into a corner.

There is also an increasing amount of options to do with AI narration but I’m yet to find one at the level to replace a real human and usually a lot of extra work has to go into rewriting the book so the bot gets the right inflection.

If you are going to DIY, you can do it fairly cheaply. You just need a quiet room with soft surfaces - at one point I considered using my walk-in wardrobe - as a recording studio. A good USB microphone costs about $200 and there is free editing software like Audacity (PC and Mac) or Garageband (Mac only) that you can use.

Draft2Digital and BookFunnel, the big self-publishing distribution aggregators include audiobook distribution as well.

Sales and Marketing

Most of my audiobook sales have come from my podcast listeners, as you would expect. I have done very little deliberate marketing. My first novel, released early 2024, was my ‘test subject’ really. A book that allowed me to go through the process of getting a book out there in multiple places in multiple formats.

The more books I write and release the more I will step up my marketing efforts.

My focus is on direct sales. I’ve sold most of the books on my own website. Stripe takes about 3% as a payment gateway, compared to Amazon and Audible taking up to 70%.

Embracing the Audiobook

In conclusion, the rise of audiobooks is a huge and increasing shift in book buying and consumer behaviour. Now is a great time to consider producing audiobooks or getting them produced. The slice of the book industry that is audio is growing and will continue to grow. There has never been a better time for authors to dive into it.

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. Where to Write During Happy Hour

by Mat Clarke

You've been writing at home, on the train, while waiting for friends or at one of our writing meetups. Now you need somewhere to go that will aid you in finding inspiration and allow you to buy food and drinks without breaking the bank. You'll need a nice venue now that Melbourne is getting back on the horse again, albeit slowly. It's time to get back out there!

One of my favourite places is The Wharf Hotel in Melborne CBD opposite Jeff's Shed. You'll enter the venue via the waterfront, as it has no street entrance. While sitting outside under the sun or resting comfortably inside, you can look out over the Yarra River and the many people entering Crown Casino or walking past Polly Woodisde to DFO. As you turn your mind to the bar you'll notice that happy starts at 4pm and ends at 7pm Monday to Friday. So grab yourself a schooner, spirit or wine for $7, sit back and relax.

What you can do:

A game will usually be on so you can cheer and enjoy the excitement.

One of the friendly staff will be happy to chat and talk about what you can see and do nearby.

No food discounts anymore, unfortunately. They used to be great with the Monday to Thursday cheap eats, but maybe that will return in Summer. Otherwise, download The Pass app and get $10 off your first purchase.

TGI Fridays is a good favourite in any part of Melbourne. Inside Melbourne Central you'll find that TGI Fridays is up two sets of escalators from Swanston Street. They run a happy hour from 4pm to 6pm. It includes $6 schooners, wines and spirits. They also do cheap cocktails which I love. If you stay on, they generally run a late night happy hour as well which is from 8pm to 10pm. Not bad if you want to chat your friend's ear off all night. Sit at the bar and talk to the bartenders if you like. They're happy to make you feel welcome when they're not run off their feet. You can also download their app and get some small discounted snacks.

Melbourne Central Lion starts happy hour at 4pm and ends at 7pm, but only Monday to Thursday. You'll be able to buy pints for $9 and pay $7 for wine and spirits. If you like the idea of food specials Sunday to Thursday, then check them out upon arrival. They usually do great cheap pizza too.

Just a little north of the CBD is the Queensberry Hotel. If they aren't busy they'll sometimes close early, so get in before they do. Happy Hour is a standard 25% off from 5pm to 7pm except Mondays when it is $6 beer and $6 spirits. They also do great meal options at budget prices, such as a parma on Wednesday for $20.

I've always enjoyed happy hour at Father's Office, especially considering they love to double dip. Your first happy hour is 5pm to 7pm and your second is from 8pm to 10pm. It just may force you to stay all night! Oh no, what a pity :) It runs every day with selected cocktails at $12, pints from $8 and $9 spirits. They also do some cheap meals during some of their weekdays. The part I like is the balcony that looks out over Swanston Street. A lovely view I have enjoyed many times over. Oh, and they also have a venue in Flinders Lane as well as their original spot on Little Lonsdale.

One of the things I found hard to find in the city was good pizza. Domino's on the thin crust will sometimes do, but if you need good American pizza or chicken wings, try Sal's Pizza on Flinders Lane. It's a tiny place, but the food is great (greasy and tasty). Otherwise, the Universal Hotel a little north of the CBD is your best option for traditional pizza.

The sponsored part:

If you want to spend these great moments with writers or other people who share your many interests, but you're yet to find friends in Melbourne, or all your friends are busy, then sign up to www.friendlyfamiliars.com and find someone who gets you. There's so much to do now, so it would be even better if you were not doing it alone.

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 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.

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

Saturday, 1 June 2024

Writers Sauce - WWC - MWS May-2024