Writers Activation: The Gold Coastian Word Lovers Are Here!

 

Despite being buried beneath manuscripts and beautiful shiny Pitch Wars submissions – and beautiful and shiny they truly are – I've also been busy with an exciting, and much closer to home project lately.

 

 

Over the past few weeks, I've been assisting a wonderful, and extraordinarily talented new author friend, Helen Stubbs, in setting up a brand new writing space close to where I live on the Gold Coast. I won't go on too much about what the space is and why it's been set up, because you can go to the website and see all of that for yourself, but the point of blogging about it today is to simply reinforce my love for the writing community.

The first thing on the agenda, after cleaning, furnishing the space and making it all homely and comfortable, was to have a meet and greet. Inviting people along is one thing, but whether they turn up or not is another headache entirely. Writers being infamously introverted, working alone, hidden from the world (exactly one of the reasons Writers Activation has been set up in the first place), the concern was whether any would break free from their chains, their self doubts, their imaginary worlds, and come and mingle. And boy did they. From new, aspiring artists, to creative writing tutors and writing association members, the turn out was fantastic, the conversation inspiring and the future plans for the growth of writing on the Gold Coast downright exciting.

 

So next, with passion and inspiration screeching for release, we set about organising the opening night. With the help of the city council, local business owners, and again the kindness of writers, we prepared for the night. But despite the meet and greet numbers, the doubts still niggled. Would anyone come? Does anyone really care about writers on the coast? Heck, Brisbane and Byron Bay aren't far away, people can go there and feed their literary appetites. Who would care about us quiet bunch on the GC?

 

Turns out, quite a few! And quiet we most definitely aren't! With wine, nibbles and conversation circling wildly, the night was a roaring success. With readings from authors Sally Breen, Trent Jamieson and AngelaSunde, to talented poets, Josh, Marie and Sahib,  and many more, the atmosphere was incredible, the passion extraordinary, and the clearing up frightening!  

I, for one, am buzzing at being a part of the writing community here on the coast, and I know there are many many more authors, both of the crease-free and crinkly varieties, in secret pockets, who will come and join as the word spreads. With authors in residence, workshops, seminars and simple write-ins, there is so much coming up over the next month or so and we can't wait to get cracking.

 

Writing is definitely a 'thing' on the Gold Coast, and I am so taken aback once again with the strength and togetherness of the word-loving people. I'm proud to be a part of it, and I do hope we can, not only hook up with all those on the coast itself, but spread our wings and connect with writing groups in all corners of the globe. We have plenty to say.

 

 

www.writersactivation.com

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