News: VWC Genre & Popular Fiction Program for June

The Victorian Writers' Centre has a particularly excellent genre and popular fiction program on offer this month - ranging from panel discussions to intensive all-day workshops. Some of the highlights are as follows:

Facts about Speculative Fiction
Wednesday 17 June 2009, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Presented by: Justin Ackroyd, Alison Croggon & Paul Haines
Type: Panel

From Fantasy to SciFi, enter the realm of SF writing and tap into the mind of these distinctively diverse guest speakers who have a passion for the imaginary. Justin is the owner/manager of Slow Glass Books and has been a specialist bookseller for over thirty years. Married to Jenny, a librarian, when not working or playing hockey, Justin spends most of his time corrupting his daughter, Lucy, with the joys of science fiction, fantasy & graphic novels. Alison Croggon writes in many genres, including poetry, criticism, theatre and prose. She is the author of the young adult fantasy quartet, The Books of Pellinor. The series has been published to critical and popular acclaim in the US, the UK and Germany. Paul Haines is an award-winning speculative fiction short story writer. His first collection Doorways For The Dispossessed (Prime Books, 2006) won the New Zealand Science Fiction Award (Sir Julius Vogel) for Best Collection and was nominated for the Australian Science Fiction Award (Ditmar). He has two more collections slated for release in late 2008/early 2009.

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $12.00
Concession Members $10.00
Non-members $15.00


Let's Network! Genre / Popular Fiction Writers
Thursday 18 June 2009, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Presented by: Lindy Cameron and Murray MacLachlan
Rating: All levels
Type: Event

An opportunity for like-minded VWC writers to get together, form new networks, exchange ideas, and strengthen literary community ties. From new and emerging writers, freelancers, non-fiction, genre fiction to editors, each month will give focus to different literary groups, along with special guest speakers attending over the year. This month will feature guest speakers, Lindy Cameron, convenor of Sisters in Crime Australia and Murray MacLachlan, President of the Melbourne Science Fiction Club.

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $0.00


Creating the Fabulous
Saturday 20 June 2009, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Presented by: Jack Dann
Rating: All levels
Type: Workshop

This day course will combine lectures and group workshopping exercises with a focus on technical and thematic aspects of historical and fantastic fiction, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and magical realism. An overview of how to submit a manuscript and determine the best market for a particular novel or story will be covered. To be eligible, sample chapters and story outlines are to be submitted prior to the course (max 1000 words). Successful participants will be provided a recommended reading list prior to the workshop date. Jack Dann is a multiple award-winning author who has written or edited over seventy books, including the groundbreaking novels Junction, Starhiker, The Man Who Melted, and The Memory Cathedral. Enrolment is by application only. Please submit your work sample by Monday, 1 June.

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $100.00
Concession Members $90.00
Non-members $140.00

Cops and Robbers; writing the perfect crime scene!
Saturday 27 June 2009, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Presented by: Jarad Henry
Rating: Introductory and Intermediate
Type: Workshop

Ever wanted to write a crime novel or short story? Chances are you'll have at least one detective wandering your pages. But how do you get the procedure right? What about dialogue? You don't want an Aussie detective to sound like a character off the set of CSI, do you? And what about the crime scene? Who strings up the plastic tape, who calls in homicide and the coroner? In this 6 hour interactive seminar you'll learn the ins and outs of real life police drama and how to apply this to your characters and plot, giving your stories the essential ingredient of every great crime writer; verisimilitude. Jarad Henry has worked in the criminal justice system for more than ten years, is currently a strategic advisor for Victoria Police and has two novels published, Head Shot and Blood Sunset.

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $100.00
Concession Members $90.00
Non-members $140.00

The Hero's Journey
Sunday 28 June 2009, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Presented by: Paul Collins
Rating: Introductory and Intermediate
Type: Workshop

Join Paul Collins and create both a world and a plot in a single day! Working in groups, participants will learn the 12 point structure of fantasy, drawing on examples from the best known fantasy novels such as Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter books. At the end of the workshop everyone will have a map, plot and scenes from their fantasy novel. Paul is best known for his young adult fantasy and science fiction series: The Quentaris Chronicles, which he co-edits with Michael Pryor, The Jelindel Chronicles and The Earthborn Wars. Along with a dozen SF&F anthologies, he edited The MUP Encyclopaedia of Australian Science Fiction and Fantasy. His current project is The World of Grrym trilogy in collaboration with Danny Willis. He is also the publisher at Ford Street Publishing. Paul has been short-listed for many awards for his fiction, and has won the inaugural Peter McNamara, Aurealis and William Atheling awards.

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $140.00
Concession Members $100.00
Non-members $90.00

Genre Publishers Tell All
Tuesday 30 June 2009, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Presented by: black dog books, Aurealis & Five Mile Press
Rating: All levels
Type: Panel

Join a guest editor from black dog books, Stuart Mayne (Aurealis Magazine) and Janet Rowe (Five Mile Press) as they discuss their genre areas of writing and publications. This diverse panel of guest speakers will provide insight of the manuscript submission process, market trends and readership. There’s something for everyone who has an interest in SF, children’s or crime fiction and non-fiction writing and are looking to get published. Who knows, you may even be writing a SF, Kid’s crime novel!

Pricing
Eligibility Cost
Members $5.00
Non-members $7.00

All courses are held at the The Salon, 2nd Floor Nicholas building, 37 Swanston St. Melbourne.

For the rest of the diverse VWC program, or to register interest, visit www.vwc.org.au.

Source: Victorian Writers' Centre