Monday, October 27, 2014

Creative New Zealand Literature Review Draft Report

Many of you may already have received an email from Creative NZ about their Literature Review Draft Report. If not, you can download the report from here.

The deadline for submissions is 9am on 3 November and we would encourage you all to have a look and fill out the online questionnaire. Pg 20 of the report explains how you can do this by email, letter or on surveymonkey. 

The report is 46 pgs long so it is not a quick read, but it contains important questions about (amongst other things) what genres CNZ should fund, whether they should fund self publishing, whether they have the balance right between awards/residencies/individual writing grants, the New Zealand Post Book Awards and much more. 

You might need to allow at least 15-30  mins to complete the questionnaire part. It is also suggested (by someone who has already completed it!) that you double-check the 1-5 ranking and be sure which means "Most important" and which is "Least important". 

This is an important opportunity to voice your concerns about issues that affect writers for children and young adults, so don't miss it!

Monday, October 20, 2014

Dear WCBA members,

We are delighted to spread the news that our Patron, Jack Lasenby, has been awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement in the Fiction section. You can read more on Beattie's book blog here

Jack will be presented with this award at a ceremony at Premier House on Thursday

This Friday (24th), Unity Bookshop in Wellington is having a lunchtime event to celebrate the three winners of the Prime Minister's Awards as well as the winner of the Michael King Fellowship, Elizabeth Knox. (See details below.)

We thought that members might like to come along to support and celebrate our Patron, and possibly go out to lunch afterwards.

Please RSVP to us by Thursday morning if you are interested in going out for lunch. Email: the.wcba@gmail.com

Jack Lasenby


Creative New Zealand and Unity Books invite you to a free literary event
Four of New Zealand’s finest writers: Jack Lasenby, Ian Wedde, Jock Phillips and Elizabeth Knox, will read and discuss their work with writer, broadcast journalist and historian, Paul Diamond. 

This is a free event at Unity Books, 57 Willis Street, Wellington on Friday 24th October, 12-12.45 pm. All welcome.