Sue McCauley will speak about the essential elements of a short story in Palmerston North on April 12. Photo / Supplied
Sue McCauley will speak about the essential elements of a short story in Palmerston North on April 12. Photo / Supplied
Tantalisingly described as "a kiss in the dark from a stranger", short stories can offer an eye-opening glimpse of any aspect of life. Award-winning author and scriptwriter Sue McCauley will speak about the essential elements of a short story for the Manawatū Writers' Hub on Monday, April 12.
Those inspiredcan then set to work with increased confidence they know where they're going and the Writers' Hub May meeting will be an opportunity for all who wish to share an excerpt of their story to get feedback.
New Zealand has some great short story competitions each year. Along with the well-known Sunday Star Times competition are Top of the South, deadline April 30, and the Sargeson prize for short story writing (University of Waikato), which closes June 30.
McCauley was born in Dannevirke. Her first novel Other Halves (1982) won both the Wattie Book of the Year Award and the New Zealand Book Award for Fiction. An autobiographically based account of a relationship between a separated Pākehā mother and a much younger Māori man, it explored ethnic, gender, age and class differences. It has been frequently reprinted, selling more than 20,000 copies, and was made into a feature film.
The Manawatū Writers Hub is the place for everyone who loves the written word, whether in reading, writing or both. It meets at City Library on the second Monday of each month between 5.30pm and 7pm, often with a speaker to increase knowledge about any aspect of writing, publishing and publicising, and sometimes to share members' work for feedback and support. Attendance is free and all are welcome.
Topics being considered for future months include the use of metaphor in writing, post publishing – how to get books known about and sold, and humorous writing.
