WORKSHOP 1 OUTLINE

2 Keynote Speakers

     1. *Maureen McCarthy*

     2. *Anna Barnes*

2 Community Speakers

      1. Ben Goldsworthy

      2. Ann Jiang

2 Workshops

       - Alicia's Workshop >Title<

       - Tessa's workshop >Title<

1 Written Story Competition

         - Primary School

1 Poetry Competition

            - Secondary

1 Story Telling Competition 

          - ESL category 

DAY 2

1 Function

         - Winners of competitions

WORKSHOP 2 OUTLINE

1 Ben Goldsworthy

2 Ann Jiang

  - Written Story Competition

  - Poetry Competition

  - Story Telling Competition

"Voices of the North"

Discipline: Professional Writing and Publishing

Number of participants - up to 10: I decided on this number as it is enough to allow for a variety of personalities and input, but no so many as to take away from the intimacy of the group. We also need to keep the group small so there is enough time for everyone to contribute to group discussions.

SCHEDULE:

- Introduction: 10 mins

- Group members introduce themselves: 10 mins

- Instructional talk on free writing : 15 mins

- Free writing exercise: 20 mins

- Discussion: 15 mins

- Instructional talk on dreams and the unconscious mind: 30 mins

- Break: 15 mins

- Discussion: 15 mins

- Instructional talk on daily life and events as sources of inspiration: 20 mins

- Participants each share something from their previous week which could be turned into a story: 30 mins

- Instructional talk on forming a regular informal writing group: 20 mins

- Closing remarks: 10 mins

- Author Neil Gaiman, who when asked where he gets his idea, likes to respond with ''I make them up. Out of my head', nevertheless has some helpful advice on his website:

http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_By_Neil/Where_do_you_get_your_ideas%3F

- A list of 25 ways to come up with ideas:

http://www.aliventures.com/25-ways-to-great-ideas/

- Some really helpful advice on how to produce ideas and plots:

http://www.writerstreasure.com/plot-hunting-worthless/

http://juliacameronlive.com/2012/10/04/morning-pages-why-by-hand/

DREAMS AND THE UNCONSCIOUS: Relates to the free writing exercise. Dream analysis can give a writer access to their own complex emotional and psychological processes which can be used as fuel for ideas. The below blog explains more about this.

http://writersrelief.com/blog/2012/01/creative-writing-dreams/

DAILY LIFE AS INSPIRATION:

Everyone has a daily life and this talk will attempt to advise participants on how to derive ideas and inspiration from daily events. Below blog relates to what I would like to discuss in this talk.

http://betterwritinghabits.com/garnering-writing-ideas/

REGULAR WRITING GROUPS:

To encourage participants to continue to connect with each other beyond the workshop. Below website has some helpful information on how to create a writing group which I will share with the group.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/writing-groups/writing-group-starter-kit/

Discipline: Professional Writing and Publishing

"The Northbound Writer’s Festival is a not-for -profit literary event that promotes and encourages members of the local community, and beyond, to share their writing with the rest of the world. There will also be inspiring talks from guest speakers, performances by members of the local community, and writing workshops in which all members of the public are welcome. Proceeds from the event will go towards future community writing events."

When coming up with a marketing strategy I thought I would use the resources provided by Our Community.com.au. Attached is an example of the help available to the public when organising an event. The website is dedicated to helping and promoting not-for-profit community groups. It contains expert industry advice about connecting the public to community events. It also has resources that are essential to reaching the target audience, this includes help with creating a marketing strategy.

There are many aspects to an effective marketing strategy. However, for the purpose of the CAP I have chosen to solely focus on promoting the event.

Our Community.Org has raised two important points about promoting our event, which will be the basis and rationale behind the Northbound Writer's Festival marketing strategy.

• Choose the appropriate message for your audience and then choose the appropriate medium, or means of communication to reach them.
• What you say, how you say it and through what means you say it are vital in reaching the people you want as your customers – and you need to get these elements right.

The Melbourne Writer's Festival (Website attached) is an established event that has been running for 30 years. It attracts many people that have an interest in reading and writing. It is also effective at attracting other member's of the public interested in learning about guest speaker's knowledge and experience.

Another event that has helped with the marketing strategy is the Darebin Music Feast which is held at the Northcote Town Hall. This has a large community following and is held in the same location we wish to hold our event.

Both of these events are relevant to our writer's festival because of the similar target audience and demographic and be used as a blue-print for our own online marketing strategy.

Both events have strong websites, which cover every detail of the event. They also share profiles of writer's and guest speakers as well as a way for community member's to interact and volunteer for the event.

Both also have a strong online social media presence. With each website linking to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. These are used effectively to regularly give updates to the public about the event, as well as a way for the public to find out more about the writer's/ musicians involved.

The Northbound Writer's Festival will also have a similar online presence.

Our website will have all the information about the event, such as profiles of community members and guest speakers, details about the workshops, and competitions.

We will also have a strong online presence, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. Ideally, our website would look similar to the Melbourne Writers Festival but on a smaller scale.

This has been very useful to think about in regards to the Northbound Writer's Festival. The attached list has all the media contacts we require for our event. Also, this is an opportunity for free publicity, which is important for a not-for-profit event.

Example of contacts we would use:

Beat Magazine: For our younger audience

That's Melbourne website: For visitors to Melbourne and the general public

The Age: To reach the broader community of Melbourne

Northcote Leader: To reach the local community

Triple R and PBS Radio: Both have a big community following and are known to promote local art events

It is important to make sure the Media Release covers everything about our event and the information in the release is relevant to our target audience. 

This Media Release will be sent out to online, radio and print media. Attached is the Media Release for the Northbound Writer's Festival

"Marketing and your Community Group: Developing a Marketing Plan Starting Out on Your Group's Marketing Plan." OurCommunity.com.au. Accessed 25 August, http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/marketing/marketing_article.jsp?articleId=1511

"Melbourne Fringe Publicity Pack 2015." 2015. Zilla & Brook Publicity and Production.

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/assets/2015/artist-resources/melbourne-fringe-publicity-contacts.pdf. (Accessed 19 August, 2015)

Melbourne Writers Festival. 2015. Melbourne Writers Festival. http://mwf.com.au/ (Accessed 27 August, 2015)

Discipline: Professional Writing and Publishing

Title: Connecting With Others Through Text

Audience: 15-25 yr olds

Location: Shaded grassy area with comfortable seating and raised tables

Materials: Pens and Paper are provided

Duration and Frequency: Three 2 hour sessions throughout day 1

Group Size: 14 participants at a time 

This workshop is about connecting participants though writing on an emotional level.

Part 1: A written task will start off the workshop, with a group discussion following about how each piece affected each participant. The task will be getting people to write about 300-500 words on a topic close to their heart and how it has affected them. This will then be shared with others participants. Everyone will then discuss how reading these texts has given them insight into the writers life, and a deeper understanding of them as an emotional being.

Part 2: Each participant will then rewrite another participants text as if from their own perspective. Being mindful of the sensitivities of the other particpant will be an intended challenge. Each person will then discuss how rewriting the text felt, and how reading their text rewritten felt.

Objectives: 

• To develop a fluid emotional piece of writing with each individual
• To share with others a personal snapshot of a persons life
• To explore the way writing can share emotion 
• To understand the unique way text can connect people

This will introduce participants to the idea of emotive writing. The length of the writing allows for adequate time to properly gather ones thoughts and better articulate their experience. I believe this to help participants to feel comfortable and confident of their written expression, which is very important in a 'sharing' activity. The reading of another's text is also a way of binding participants. This is an important part of the workshop as it signifies the bonding of the group.

Part 2:

This section of the workshop will demonstrate the perceptiveness of certain participants, and their ability to reflect this in writing. The challenge of demonstrating sensitivity to each other would be particularly interesting. This part also signifies the combination of fluid emotive writing and communal connections with each other.

http://reader.eblib.com.au.dbgw.lis.curtin.edu.au/(S(mqlsql4hbeiuwq0dkododeqq))/Reader.aspx?p=1752877&o=94&u=sNjdibIQ2STDwhCF%2fFHFug%3d%3d&t=1440921070&h=BEAAC44866235C03C62BA7458C3E50B0D057FEBA&s=20927070&ut=240&pg=1&r=img&c=-1&pat=n&cms=-1&sd=1#