Author: Lady Rosalie Skinner

Notice of Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group Inc Annual Genral Meeting Thursday 1 April 2021 10.30 am  

Attention: Members This to formally announce the holding of the Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group Inc Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 1 April at 10.30 am at Red C Club (the former Deep Sea Fishing Club) in Coffs Harbour.

Please note that only financial members are eligible to vote or stand for Committee positions. Please see treasurer at March meeting to get a form for nominations for all positions on the Committee and a membership application form if you aren’t financial yet.

The annual fee is $20. Bank details are on the form. The membership fee is a very small amount to pay ($20) to enjoy the opportunities of mixing with fellow writers, and learning and networking workshops, support and information in your writing journey.

Just fill in the Nomination or Membership form with your own nomination/name and hand to Leonie or our President, Rosalie Skinner (mobile 0437 221 619) or email scanned copy to roseiswriting@gmail.com or bring to the March social meeting.

The nominator details can be filled in after consultation at a meeting or after a phone discussion with you by a member of the current committee. If you depositing the payment in the bank account please ensure you notate it with your full name. Happy writing and reading and we look forward to a packed AGM and meetings for 2021!  After the lock downs of 2020 we all value the need for face-to-face interactions!!

Note new bank details available in previous post.

We look forward to seeing our members and guests at 10.30 Thursday 4th March at Red C.

Bring along something you have written recently. Last month’s writing homework/prompt was a piece inspired by our location above Gallows Beach.

Coffee available after 11am. We should have a quiet place to read before the club opens to the public. Thanks to the management there!

Please note: 1st April is our AGM. Please think about how you can support our club. Are you able to take on an active role? Guidance and support is available for anyone interested.

We welcome nominations for Treasurer, President.

We NEED President, Secretary, Treasurer, Public Officer to be on the committee as we are Incorporated. There is room for you to help, in many other ways! Consider a role in Membership, Welcoming, Social secretary, Newsletter editor, Website maintenance… have I missed anyone?

Remember: Many hands make light work!

See you there!

Rosalie

Please note: There is a new account number for Coffs Harbour Writer’s Group Inc. Same BSB but Account number is now 32816136. Sincere apologies for any confusion you may have encountered.

Local Author Event.

February 16th 10.30am.

LOCAL AUTHOR EVENT

Our first meeting at Red C was a success. A problem with noise should be solved in future by the management allowing us to start at our previous time 10.30. So for most of our meeting there should be very few patrons arriving.

Coffee won’t be available till 11.

We welcomed Leonie Harrison to our group and four new potential members.

Our AGM will be held on 1st April, with our general meeting at Red C. Nominations for all positions welcome. President position will be available. We have volunteers for secretary and treasurer.

Note: treasurer’s position open, too.

Our next meeting is the social on 3rd Thursday at Shearwater on Promenade. 18th Feb at 10.30.

Your mission (for our next general meeting 4th March) …if you choose to accept it… is to write about “Gallows”. Either the beach we overlook, or whatever image, drama, escape that comes to mind. Strange name for a lovely looking beach.

See you soon. Stay safe and well.

“Writers Read at the Stables” is a free event of an entertaining afternoon of local authors reading excerpts from their books or manuscripts.

They will be interviewed and then answer your questions.

There will be nibbles and drinks as well as a chance to chat informally with the writers and others from 12 noon to 3pm on Friday 15 Jan at The Stables in Bellingen.

By donation. No need to book.

For more details contact Kim Hodges-0435 211522.

New year is well under way and our first meeting scheduled for February. To this end I have organised for a COVID friendly venue to keep our members as protected as possible.

Our first meeting of the year will be

February 4th Thursday 11am

Red C restaurant (Old Deep Sea Fishing Club)

Coffee will be available. Lunch available after 12.

Our first Social meeting

February 18th Thursday 10.30

Shearwater @ The Promenade

Anyone who needs transport, please contact me. We can arrange pick ups.

Let’s get writing!

Spread the word… See you there!!

The new year has started with a resurgence of the wretched virus, but we hope to begin our meetings in February, and inspire, enrich and renew enthusiasm and writing creativity.

Venue and times are being settled as I write this. Will post information as soon as it is set in concrete.

Surprise, surprise; the blog/website has been revamped. Just to get rid of the dust. Give us a new fresh image. Ideas and suggestions are probably welcome, but the limits of creativity available are limited. Or is it just my WordPress skills? Advice is welcome, as long as advisors are prepared to show their creative genius.

I hope you each have had a safe, happy and restorative holiday season. I wish for us all to have Good Health, Happiness and Covid free 2021.

Watch this space for new meeting times and venue.

Meanwhile, keep writing.

Rosalie

Due to social distancing our meetings are postponed.

Meanwhile, members can keep in touch via email and Facebook.

Also, Membership fees will not be due till we resume regular meetings.

Our annual AGM will be held once normal meetings resume.

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The 2019 Grassroots Writers’ Weekend hosted by the Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group was held from the 17 to 19 May 2019 and attracted more than 90 participants from far and wide. All were inspired, excited and enhanced their writing skills with more than 20 workshops to choose from over two and a half days. Numbers were limited to ensure that class sizes provided a practical,  hands-on experience.

Held at the centrally-located Coffs Harbour Community Village where workshop rooms surround a peaceful, grassed courtyard (complete with two Tawny Frogmouths perched in the shady Poinciana tree), it provided a comfortable environment for mingling, networking and just contemplation over a cup of tea and the morning and afternoon teas cooked by the Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group helpers (and creative cooks from the Nambucca Valley Writers’ Group). An opening barbecue was held on the Friday night generously provided by the Bonville Sawtell Lions Club. The candle-lit formal dinner on Saturday night (complete with numerous raffle prizes) was held at the Park Beach Surf Club with a full moon dramatically illuminating the sea.

There were sessions on memoir and life writing; writing for children and young adults; murder mystery and historical fiction; flash fiction, short stories, blogs and competitions; writing craft such as perfecting your dialogue, structure and setting; using humour and imagery; making your characters and their relationships real; and techniques for effectively starting and finishing your manuscript (plans of actions and review).

Presenters included Roby Aiken, Wendy Haynes, Desley Polmear, Greg Barron, Graeme Gibson, Penelope Pratley, Gill Goater, Rosalie Skinner, Carrolline Rhodes, Laurel Cohn, Michael Burlace, Leonie Harrison, Wendy Laharnar, Elizabeth Bond, Yvonne Kachel, Leonie Henschke, Lisa Milner, and Fiona McDonald. Links to the bios.

Interesting conversation groups on everything from writing about sex to defamation and travel writing were moderated by Kim Hodges, Lorraine Penn, Yvonne Kachel and Rosalie Skinner.

We will be passing on information gathered from our appraisal sheets. Thank you to all for the positive feedback. We look forward to seeing you all next year. With suggestions for workshops and ideas shared with 2020 host, Port Macquarie.

Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group would like to acknowledge the fantastic work of our organising committee project managed by Lorraine Penn with Juliana Garaty, Roger Harris, Rosalie Skinner, Leonie Henschke, Yvonne Kachel, Julie Trachtenberg, Suzanne Tainsh, Rhonda Rand and Danielle Babb. Help was also greatly appreciated at the venue given by John Skinner, Michael Trachtenberg, Darrell Garaty and Michael Burlace.

We also thank our generous sponsors:

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Port Macquarie Writers Inc. have very generously taken on the mantle to host the 2020 Grassroots Writers’ Weekend so follow us on Facebook sites…..

And check  this website for details.

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A few shots from the weekend.