Word fest for writers and readers

BANNOCKBURN Library will host a workshop for readers and writers as part of Geelong Regional Libraries’ two-day Local Word – Regional Showcase.

From 10.30am to 1.30pm on Friday, 18 November, Liz Monument and Victoria Spicer will lead an Art of Revision – Redrafting and Editing session.

This Bannockburn workshop has been designed for beginner and emerging writers over the age of 18 and will aim to teach them about re-writing and deconstructing a draft, and building a story, through practical activities.

GRL board chair Ron Nelson said the broader showcase is a “reincarnation” of GRL’s former Word for Word National Non-Fiction Festival and is set to be a hyper-local celebration of literacy.

“Local Word is a wonderful chance to bring our diverse local writing communities together to celebrate the creative talent that exists in south-western Victoria,” he said.

“People in our communities have missed the chance to collaborate with other writers, readers, and creatives in-person over the last few years.

“Local Word will provide the perfect opportunity for people to reconnect and explore their craft.”

GRL will host Local Word events throughout Friday, 18 and Saturday, 19 November at their various sites including the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre.

The diverse program will champion local creatives from the Geelong region, with an aim to cater to aspiring, emerging, and established writers, and a wide range of readers

Other workshops on the Friday across the Geelong region will look at social media for authors, song writing, discovering a global Indigenous voice, and more.

On Saturday, there will be talks at the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre discussing First Nations representation, writing for resilience, the path to publishing, and writing about place, and presentations on the creation of comics and graphic novels, and writing for young adults.

An evening anthology will feature performances and invite the weekend’s attendees to connect and reflect.

The festival has been supported by a City of Greater Geelong Creative Communities Grant. Visit grlc.vic.gov.au/localword for tickets.