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Welcome to the Literary Bulletin
We are fast approaching election time here at the NZSA. Election for a new President, and election for delegates from two regions Central and Northern South Island region (Top of the South and Canterbury) and Northern Districts of the North Island (Northland, Auckland and Waikato). We'll make a call for nominations in the next couple of weeks, so now is the time to start talking at branch level about who you think would be great on your National Council.
Enjoy this weeks edition of the Bulletin and have a lovely autumn weekend.
Jackie Dennis and Claire Hill at your National Office
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CompleteMS open for applications 3 March
Do you have a completed draft of your manuscript ready to take to that next level?
Apply now for the NZSA CompleteMS Manuscript Assessment Programme - a programme that provides writers with essential critical feedback on an advanced work, moving it closer to publication.
CompleteMS suits writers who have completed a manuscript through a number of drafts and require the objective view of an experienced assessor to provide a constructive critique. More
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Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement - nominations open
Each year the Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement recognise notable literary achievement by New Zealand writers who have made a significant contribution to New Zealand literature in the genres of fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The Award is $60,000 in each category. Deadline for nominations: 7 Apr 2017
New Zealanders are invited to submit a nomination. More
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Australian Book Review is currently offering two international prizes – worth a total of AU$20,000
The ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize is worth a total of AU$12,500 with a first prize of $7,000! Penguin Random House’s Writers’ Academy rated it in the 15 Best Writing Competitions (http://bit.ly/2j8BsDf). All six shortlisted and commended stories are published in the magazine and receive a cash prize.
Past winners include Rob Magnuson Smith (2015 winner) and New Zealander Faith Oxenbridge (2014 runner-up). High-school and university students can enter at the concessional rate of $15 per story. Enter your first story free of charge when you subscribe to ABR Online for the special bundle rate of $50. You have until 10 April 2017 to enter. More
The Calibre Essay Prize is worth a total AU$7,500. Now in its twelfth year, Calibre is one of the world’s major essay prizes. We look for original and unpublished non-fiction essays. Essayists have until 15 March 2017 to enter. Students at high schools and universities can now enter at the concessional rate ($15), as with ABR subscribers. More
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Asheligh Young wins US$165,000 to support her writing
We were very excited to hear about Ashleigh Young winning the Windham-Campbell Prize in nonfiction and US$165,000 to support her writing.
Link to the Windham Campbell Prize media release.
Link to Spinoff Review of Books editor Steve Braunias comments and interview.
Congratulations to Ashleigh Young!
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Alluvia - new literary journal
Alluvia is a new literary journal, New Zealand based but not bound. We look to publish vibrant and lyric short fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, from both established and new writers. Partly emerging from Massey University’s The Publishing Project, Alluvia is saltwater fresh. There are no submission, reading or contest fees.
Publication will first be online and then via print-on-demand hardcopy. In 2017, full online access will be free, with costs associated only with the print option. Submissions for our June issue are due by Monday, March 27, 2017. Please see further information at http://alluvia.nz.
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Ruby Porter wins the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Prize for Best Short Story and Best Emerging Writer Under 25
Auckland University student Ruby Porter has swept the board, winning the Wallace Foundation Short Fiction Prize for Best Short Story and Best Emerging Writer Under 25.
Talented 23-year-old Ruby claimed total prize money of $900 for her tale,‘’A Word for Blue,” thanks to the generous support of Sir James Wallace and the Wallace Foundation. More
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New writing groups
Two new writing groups seeking other writers!
- Napier Novelists - An editing group for Napier (and wider Hawke’s Bay) novelists. You could be just starting out writing your first novel, or, having completed a manuscript or manuscripts and needing help, or, have novels published already but want that extra help and eye that fellow novelists provide. More
- Whanganui Writers - a writers group for people starting out or already published. Most of us need help and advice with our work. It would be great to sit down once a month and discuss our work. More
(You need to log in to our website to view these listings as they are initially listed to members only.)
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PEN International
A call for a 5 minute reading in Te Reo to represent Māori language in a 24 hours, multi-language „Symphonie“.
As PEN Austria is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and have planned an important cross-media event from the 30th May to the 3rd June in Fresach, Austria called Europäische Toleranzgespräche - Die Zukunft der Freiheit (http://www.fresach.org/en/). The Austrian PEN office decided to create a 24-hours long video including short poetry or prose readings of ideally 5 minutes each, including as many foreign languages and dialects as possible in order to represent the wonderful global linguistic diversity.
Not even scientists know the exact number of languages spoken worldwide. It is said something between 6.000 and 8.000. People from Europe are used to speaking in their national language and english, and within international PEN congresses the working languages are always English, Spanish, French and the language of the country where the congresses are held. The limitation to these few languages could represent a sign of aesthetic poverty and lack of mutual understanding: to try and overcome this limitations, during the Fresach Tolerance Talks PEN Austria will present a 24 hours, multi-language „Symphonie“.
PEN NZ would love to have New Zealand represented. What's needed is a (preferably HD) video showing one or more members of PEN NZ reading a piece of literature in Māori language. Alternative pieces of literature such as local dances or songs are also welcome.
Get in touch with Jackie at National Office if you can be our representative in this event - or know someone who can.
Joint Letter to the EITI Board Members
Please find below a joint letter signed by 22 human rights organisations calling on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a prominent international coalition, to suspend Azerbaijan’s membership for failing to carry out key reforms.
The letter was sent to the EITI board members on 10 February 2017 and is available at the following link: http://www.pen-international.org/newsitems/azerbaijan-joint-letter-to-the-eiti-board-members/.
Email PEN spokesperson Dana Wensley at PEN@nzauthors.org.nz for any issues to do with Freedom of Expression and Writers In Prison co-ordinator Lesley Marshall if you would like to be part of the Writers in Prison letter writing team.
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2017 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literary Awards
Writers working in the Mind Body Spirit genre have until 31 March to enter the 2017 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Literary Awards.
There are two award’s categories, one for Books and another for Unpublished Manuscripts. The winner in each category receives a $10,000 prize.
Spokesperson for the Trust, Adonia Wylie, says the judging panel is looking for fiction or non-fiction works that have the potential to uplift and enhance people, relationships and society.
“It is extremely pleasing to reward talented established and emerging writers. We very much look forward to reading this year’s entries.”
The awards are unique in the country for their encouragement of writing in the Mind, Body, Spirit genre.
For the Book category, works must be published between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017. Shortlisted writers will be announced mid-July and the award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Auckland in August, 2017.
Submission forms and entry details are available from www.bookawards.awct.org.nz
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Clippings from the internet
The Power of Pictures
The Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (UK) has published early findings from the Power of Pictures project, an Arts Council-funded research effort into the effects of illustration on children's literacy.
Findings from the research indicate that giving children time to draw aids in the development of reading and writing skills. They also support the use of picture books not only for young or less confident readers. Read full findings
Australian Government leads the way on GST - Time for NZ to follow suit?
The Australian Government has today introduced legislation to the House of Representatives that will require foreign retailers and online marketplaces to register for Australian GST, and Retail NZ says it’s time NZ’s National-led
Government followed suit. More
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Digital Files
eBook self publishing tips from BookBaby
To help you create a digital book, here are some of the best articles from the BookBaby blog on the subject:
What page size should you use when preparing for ePub conversion?
When it comes to eBook fonts, your best bet is to stick to standard fonts.
eBook format 101: Create an eBook that looks great.
Want to sell a bad book? Tap into Twitter's network of "influencers"
Ashton is undeniably handsome. His striking blue eyes stare at you from under bushy, dark eyebrows in his Twitter profile picture, and he has finished off the whole look by cheekily biting his bottom lip. He is a teenage heartthrob, followed mostly by young girls on the social network, but like most teenage boys he only has one thing on his mind.
All Ashton cares about is promoting the digital sales of the young adult romance novel Just Friends by Billy Taylor.
Extract from article by Amelia Tait in the New Statesman. More
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Death by Deadline
March
06 Submission for May 2017 radio book reviews RNZ Nine to Noon More
10 Creative NZ Arts Grant. More
10 Berlin Writer's Residency. More
10 Michael King Writer’s Fellowship. More
10 Louis Johnson New Writer's Bursary. More
15 Calibre Essay Prize 2017. More
20 Invitation to Oxford Education Research Symposium. More
20 Women's Short Story competition 2017. More
31 Writer of the City of Gaz. More
31 Flash Frontier April issue More
31 Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Mind Body Spirit Literature Awards. More
April
1 Page & Blackmore Short Story competition. More
10 ABR Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize Entry. More
30 NFFD 2017 Competition. More
30 PANZ Play competition. More
May
19 Kindle UK Storyteller Award. More
July
31 The Airey Neave Memorial Book Prize. More
August
31 Aesthetica Creative Writing Award. More
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Opportunities
The Calendar of Opportunities is found on our website.
- Opportunities are displayed in calendar or list form (together with events).
- Opportunities are only visible to members! To see opportunities on the website you need to log in using your email address and website password.
- To find opportunities in your area, visit your branch page.
- Beware! The listing appears on the deadline date.
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Events / Book Launches / Workshops
Events are found on our website
- You can see Events in calendar or list form (together with opportunities).
- To find all events and book launches go here.
- To find events in your area, visit your branch page.
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Bestsellers from Nielsen BookScan
Bestsellers from Nielsen BookScan
Latest Nielsen Bestseller reports: Bestsellers Chart - fiction, non fiction, adults, children & Independent Booksellers Top 20
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Writers on Radio and TV
To hear podcast of Tania Roxborogh talking about her new book 'My New Zealand Story - Bation Point: 507 Days on Takaparawhā on Standing Room Only click here
Click here for the lineup for upcoming Books on Radio New Zealand National.
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