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:

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.

A few shots from the weekend.

We would like to invite you to the 2019 Grassroots Writers’ Weekend hosted by Coffs Harbour Writers’ Group at the Coffs Harbour Community Village from the 17 to 19 May 2019. It is a fabulous weekend of hands-on, practical workshops held each year in our region. Starting on Friday afternoon and finishing on Sunday afternoon, the ‘doing’ sessions and conversations are available to everyone from school students to seniors, everyone who loves storytelling. Places are limited so please make your bookings early.

The aim of this weekend is to provide affordable, practical workshops for the beginning, the aspiring, and the published writer. It’s only $25 for the whole weekend with a barbecue and dinner optional paid extras.

Coffs Harbour Writer’s Group (CHWG) has a proud 32-year history of nurturing the writing skills of its members. On​ Monday 5th November 2018, we had the pleasure of presenting a tribute to those who laid the foundation stones of this valued community service.

Members and guests had the pleasure of meeting some of our honored members from yesteryear; like our Life Members: Rosemary Nisted, Carrolline Rhodes, and Lorraine Penn.

Both Rosemary and Carrolline took us on a journey of early days of CHWG and the benefits of belonging to an ​aspiring writers​ ​group.

Lorraine​ spoke about the group’s achievements over the past several years, including the highly successful Grassroots Writers Weekend Event held in 2015 and to be hosted again by Coffs Harbour Writers Group 17 to 19 May 2019.

Tom Strickland
President

Coffs Harbour Writers Group will be holding a ‘hands-on’ practical workshop using Microsoft Word and your own laptop or tablet as a tool for preparing your written works.

In this workshop you will learn the basics of formatting, working with ‘track changes’ and finding answers to the most common problems associated with Word documents.

Facilitator: Rosalie Skinner

When: Monday 3rd September

Time: 1.30 to 3.30pm

Where: CeX Club, Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour.

Cost: Members free, non-members $7.50.

Two of our long-standing members Les Farey and James Hall were awarded a 20-year Acknowledgement Certificate during the 7th August​ 2018 general meeting by the outgoing President Roger Harris.

These two gentlemen have been wonderful supporters of our writers’ group for the past twenty years, which was formed in 1986.

Congratulations Les and James, you are both legends.

The Coffs Harbour Writers Group has changed its meeting day from first Wednesday of the month to first Monday of the month commencing 4th June 2018.  

These meetings will be held at a new location CeX Club, Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour 10.15am to 12.30pm

Lorraine Penn, a tireless supporter and former long-term President of Coffs Harbour Writers Group received a Life Membership award from current President Roger Harris in recognition of her enormous contributions to the growth and success of the group.

The 2018 Grassroots Writers Weekend 20-22nd April hosted by Dorrigo Writers Group, for more information go to https://www.facebook.com/DorrigoWriters/

You are invited to attend one of Kim’s book launches for her 2nd publication ‘Girl over the Edge’

Locations:

Bellingen Library, Tuesday 3rd April at 4pm

Sawtell Surf Club, Saturday 28th April 4 – 7pm

RSVP for bookings and catering purposes: 0435211522 or email: kim.m.hodges@bigpond.com

Members and guests were given an overview by Debbie Campbell into Coffs Harbour Library’s research facility of the interactive Trove, a revolutionary new free search engine resource for researching historical archives for books, images, maps and music, especially historic newspapers from 1803 to 1954. It includes voice recordings made in 1988 of individuals telling their stories.