At our meeting on Monday October 28 we will be sharing stories using the theme set for the Benalla Festival Writing Competition - 'Fiesta of Festivities'.   Our stories can be about fiestas and festivals from other places and times, however if we want to enter our story in the Benalla Festival Writing Competition it needs to relate to a festival/festivals in the Rural City of Benalla and its villages such as Molyullah, Goorambat and so on.  

The details of the Festival's Writing Competition were released at the beginning of this week.  The time line is very short - entries are due on the third Monday 21st October, not the fourth Monday as usual.  Only 10 days to go as I write.

Here is the brief: 

"The 2019 Benalla Festival Writing Competition is now open. The theme for your piece is 'Fiesta of Festivities' - a celebration of events and festivals in Benalla Rural City. Writers from Benalla Rural City are invited to enter a poem or short story. Your piece should reflect on the theme.  
(Check the flier below for some examples of topics)

​1. Entry is free and participants can have a maximum of two entries. The pieces of prose can vary in style (biographical, expository, discursive or narrative).
2. Entries close on Monday 21 October 2019 at 5pm and can be submitted: n in person at the Benalla Rural City Council’s Customer Service Centre; or at the Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop Learning Centre (Benalla Library), Fawckner Drive, Benalla; or posted to Benalla Rural City Council, PO Box 227 Benalla 3671 with ‘Writing Competition’ clearly marked on the outside of the envelope.
3. The category you will be entering is Open (word limit of 800 words)
4. The piece of writing must be the entrant’s own work and not have been previously published. 5. Entries must be typed and on A4 paper. The information below must be attached to the entry. 6. The judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence entered into.
7. Staff members of Benalla Rural City Council and members of the Benalla Festival Advisory Committee are not permitted to enter the competition.
8. Winners, runners up and encouragement award recipients of the six categories will be notified by telephone on Monday 28 October and asked to attend a presentation on the evening of Thursday 7 November 2019.
9. For further information contact the Benalla Rural City Council on 5760 2600."

So - there's no time for writers' block!   I'm looking forward to hearing all stories, whether entered into the Festival or not, on Monday 28th October at 2 pm.  

Beverley Lee

Our topic for September was 'If Only?' We found that 'If only?' stories didn't have to have sad endings; could be part of a journey which eventually became positive; could be lighthearted; could range across the spectrum from personal to the political.  A link to some of our 'If Only?' stories will be added to the website shortly. 

We are still awaiting for the fine detail of Benalla Festival's Writing Competition to be released before beginning stories for our October session.  We know it will relate in some way to Benalla Festival's theme for 2019 ‘Fiesta of Festivities - a celebration of events and festivals that bring the community together'. 

Our task for November is to keep a note book close by in which we note any ‘triggers’ which lead us to reminisce about a time in  our lives.   We may be talking to someone, watching television or a film, driving somewhere, reading a book.   We are to choose one to three of these and write about the memories evoked – keeping the total words to 500 – 750 words. 

As it's taster time - please feel free to join or rejoin us on 28 October and/or 25 November from 2 to 4 pm.  You might like even to bring a story to share!
​
Bev Lee