MEDIA RELEASE
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4 Centres Emerging Writers Program for WA Authors Extended
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An exciting new initiative between Fremantle Press and four local WA writing centres, which began in 2019 with the aim of improving the chances of Western Australian writers getting published, has been extended.
Over the past two years, the Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers’ Centre (KSP) worked in collaboration with the Fellowship of Australian Writers WA (FAWWA), WA Poets Inc (WAPI) and the Peter Cowan Writers Centre (PCWC) to deliver the pilot program, which yielded tremendous success. The program included a series of workshops, mentorships and special events that provided opportunities for a select group of local writers from each Centre to write, learn, draft and prepare their debut manuscript for potential publication.
During the initial pilot period, KSP selected thirteen authors, three of whom have since gone on to receive commercial publishing contracts. Several others have won writing awards and published short works.
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The 2019/20 intake of KSP writers included: Melanie Hall, Emily Sun, Emma Young, Scott-Patrick Mitchell, Tracey Gregory, Amanda Gardiner, Kelly Van Nelson, Ashleigh Hardcastle, Jacie Anderson, Lucy Franklyn, Shannon Meyerkort, Esme Lee Wilmot and Michelle Symes.
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'In the KSP First Edition retreat I spent hours workshopping and learning how to hone my novel with Laurie Steed and fellow writers. The weekend was jam-packed full of information, discussion, reading, taking notes, and time spent at night in my cabin, applying what I had learned. I took away very specific advice on how to develop my manuscript, which has led to my being published.' Melanie Hall, author of The Little Boat at Trusting Lane (2021, Fremantle Press).
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Due to the success of this program, the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries reached out to Fremantle Press to offer an extension of the program to 2023. KSP Writers' Centre CEO Shannon Britza was both surprised and delighted with this news. 'The success of the pilot program speaks for itself, but even so, as we have witnessed funding for the arts sector shrinking year by year, we expected the worst but hoped for the best, as the old saying goes. This is not only only a win for the WA writing sector but demonstrates value being placed on supporting Australian arts and culture as a whole - which is something to be celebrated.'
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For the 2021-23 program, the KSP Writers' Centre will be extending its original Emerging Writers Program initiatives, which are the First Edition Fellowships and First Edition Retreat. A total of nine positions are available through KSP for this extended program. This is less than the last iteration, however, KSP is now fully covering all costs to better support the selected authors. Writers interested in this program need to be WA residents and a member of KSP to apply; other criteria is also applicable, please refer to links below.
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To find out more about the First Edition Fellowships please see here. PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
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To find out more about the First Edition Retreat please see here. PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
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To find out about the program placements on offer from the other Centres, please contact them directly:
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Thank You!
The KSP Writers' Centre 2022-23 First Edition Fellowships and First Edition Retreat as part of the 4 Centres Emerging Writers Program is managed by the KSP Foundation Inc, in partnership with Fremantle Press, and supported by the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.