Introductory note
The Writers Club has officially come to the end of its first year on a national level. Looking back, we still cannot believe that we have done so much in a year, and made it so far. We can still remember the excitement of filling in and submitting the application for the 2011 President’s Award for Creativity and our disbelief on being notified that the project had been chosen.
The awesome thing about running such a fresh organisation is that, the better it gets the more the skills, ambition, and enthusiasm with which to push it forward! So, heads up! There’s so much more to be done… we barely started!
So as you enjoy a brief run through of what we’ve been up to, dream of what the freshly elected Executive Team may be doing in the coming year and meet them at the end of this newsletter. We wish them the best success in running The Writers Club for its second consecutive year on a national level.
May
Your “Passaport” Please! – Wednesday, 2nd May
Antoine Cassar engaged us in a poetic evening with “Passaport”, a poem which embarks the reader into the ideal world where the traveller does not need any documents to leave their country, to cross a border, or to return home.
Read in tandem in Maltese and in English by Antoine Cassar himself and Erin Stuart respectively, and critiqued by Keith Azzopardi who based his B.A. in Maltese (Hons.) on the poem itself, it was a dynamic and enlightening evening for all.
Thank you once again Antoine, and we hope that “Passaport” makes it to all people!
The Human Comedy Science and Literature Workshop – Tuesday, 8th May
Justin Fenech carried out a joint discussion and workshop with a focus on how science in modern literature could serve as an inspiration. Justin Fenech calls it
“The Evolution of Poetry”
Some writers who attended the workshop later posted the works they had come up with during the workshop and received the public’s feedback.
Thank you Justin for sharing this creative and innovative approach with us! We found it to be very useful!
Ink on Paper – Writing Workshops – Monday 14th May and Tuesday, 22nd May
Two writing workshops also took place in May where writers were asked to bring over their writings and obtain and give feedback to each other on each work presented.
Such exercises help to obtain more objective feedback on literary works and to practice giving and receiving feedback in terms of communicating as critic and writer respectively. This ensures the development of different dimensions of what it is to be a writer.
June
All meetings planned for the month of June were cancelled in support of members who were undertaking examinations at the time.
July
100 Years of P – Tuesday, 3rd July
A small group of writers came together and criticised a small set of poems from the book 100 years of Poetry by the Poetry Foundation
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/
Different views, different interpretations… Literary work is all subjective in the end!
Pen:Paper – Monday, 9th July
What was planned as a writing workshop on the beach turned into a relaxed evening varied with improvised storytelling through a variety of writing games! Perfect after examinations period!
Tick Tock – Friday, 13th July
“It could be anyone…anywhere!”
Those words took us to Mosta to solve an imaginary mystery developed by two writers for those who attended to crack!
Congratulations to Greta Ellul for her inquisitive skills and perseverance in solving it!
L-Gharaq u l-Ghaqal / Perspiration and Good Behaviour – Tuesday, 17th July
Erin Stewart delighted us with poetry from his collection entitled “Perspiration and Good Behaviour”. Linking each poem to its source and inspiration proved to be a very colourful and interesting account and got us to reflect on daily life and our experience of it.
Erin thank you for your interest and for sharing your poetry! We hope to see it on the bookshelves in the near future!
TWC Chillax -Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd July
Active members for TWC met up in a relaxing yet energetic live in right in the middle of Buskett. What with the scenery, fresh air, and plenty of snacks to nibble on, inspiration ran high!
A feast of water games on Sunday also helped to flush the heat and get muscles other than those of our fingers working!
Transcended Ink – Monday, 23rd July
In the fourth open reading of The Writers Club for this year, writers read out their poetry and prose and then engaged in discussion with the audience as they obtained feedback on each presented work.
Well done to everyone!
Ongoing Projects
Niltaqghu is-Suq – Monday 25th June to Friday 24th August
The Writers Club, Versatili, PoezijaPlus, DESA, and Pilot have come together to produce Niltaqghu is-Suq: a project brimming with the creativity and diversity of the arts.
As writers and artists (16+), you are invited to:
1. attend any events of the Malta Arts Festival, Evenings on Campus, and the Jazz Festival
2. be inspired with what you experience at the event(s) you choose to attend and produce a literary/artistic work (**of any type) to express this inspiration
3. bring the work to the official event of Niltaqghu is-Suq which is scheduled to take place in the first week of August in front of “is-Suq” in Valletta where it will be interpreted by artists (dancers, theatre groups, singers…) on the spot!
The final event is scheduled for Friday, 24th August at 19:00 opposite “is-Suq” in Valletta. Next meeting is on Monday, 6th August.
Details can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/480211041990279/
Map/Mappa – 21st July to 6th August
We’re proud to announce our third competition – or should i say competitions, for this year:
Theme: Map / Mappa
Languages: Maltese or English
Word limit: 2,500 words
Deadline for submission: August 6th at 00:00
Eligible age: 16+
*We have 2 concurrent competitions: one for poetry and one for prose. Details above are the same for both BUT we have separate judges!
Established poets will be the judges of the poetry section…
Established authors will be the judges of the prose section…
*Prize for both will be a fully paid online writing course of your choice from:
http://www.writersbureau.com/writing/other-courses.htm
*Entries are at a cost of 5 euro for registered members and 8 euro for non-members of TWC.
Fees are to be paid via bank transfer to to HSBC account number 074 – 161993 – 001
You may submit more than one entry but each entry costs as above. Give your name, surname, ID number, and a contact number. Members are to also provide their membership number.
Submissions are to be emailed to twcentries@gmail.com
Due to the nature of the prize, TWC reserves the right to not give a prize should the literary standard for such prize not be reached, as per the judges’ advice. Only a first prize will be awarded.
Wherever you are over the globe… start writing!!
Should non-members want to register as members to benefit from a cheaper entry rate, membership fee is 5 euro for 1 year.
The New Executive
AGM Calling! – Monday, 30th July
It is with great pleasure that we announce the members of the Executive Team for 2011/2012
Chairpersons: Rachel Lombardo and Louise Mifsud
President: Keith Azzopardi
General Secretary: Mark Abdilla
Public Relations Officer: Ivan Xuereb
Assistant Public Relations Officer, Treasurer: Robert Fenech Castaldi
Activities Coordinator: Luke Caruana
Final Note
We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of The Writers Club to its being what it is today – a literary organisation established in Malta with the main purpose of providing space and support to all writers to develop their skills, share their works, and grow together.
After all, although “alone we write…together we grow!”
Special thanks goes to Mr Chris Gatt, our mentor, who has been of great support to us all. Mr Gatt not only provided us with the premises of St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity for our meetings, but was of guidance throughout.
Thank you also goes to all writers and organisations who have given us their time and commitment in collaboration to share their knowledge with us and to make the achievement of our aim possible, thus offering an ever increasing myriad of opportunities to young writers.
Last but not least, a big thank you to all young local and foreign writers who believe in our work and in the benefits that they reap from attending our meetings. Thank you for your regular participation in our activities. There are many more to come so stay posted! The Writers Club would have never been without you!
And for those of you out there who would like to start attending or would just like to see what it feels like to attend a Writers Club meeting… please feel free to come! The doors of The Writers Club are always open to all writers out there, old and young.
______________________________
TWC welcomes new members aged 16+
Feel free to join us for an innovative literary experience creative down to its roots!
For more details, and to catch us at our random events, follow TWC on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twcthewritersclub
TWC is working in collaboration with St James Cavalier, English Speaking Union (ESU), British Council, Inizjamed, PoezijaPlus, DESA, the University of Malta, Malta Comic Con, Versatili, the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), and Pilot. It is also a registered organisation with Agenzija Zghazagh.