Our Words, Our Town

Through the No Limits Program, Writers SA is calling regional storytellers from the Limestone Coast aged 12-29 to express interest in a new commission. Selected writers will be paid to respond to their experience of living in the Limestone Coast in 500-1000 words of their choosing — the challenges and hardships of being a young person in a regional location but also the joy, freedom, and unparalleled beauty that is the Limestone Coast.

Whether it be through poetry, scriptwriting, songwriting, a narrative piece, memoir, fiction, or any other literary medium, Writers SA want to read your words! The five commissioned writers will be given the opportunity to showcase their work in 2022, with further details to be announced early next year.

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What/When:

Five writers will be selected from this expression of interest. Expressions of interest open 23rd November 2021. Submissions close Friday 14th January 2022 and writers will be notified of the outcome via email on Friday 28th January 2022.

Selected writers will:

  • be paid a fee of $500 for their completed written response.
  • have four weeks to draft, polish and submit their final piece of writing (final pieces of writing due Friday 25th February 2022).
  • receive written feedback to improve their draft from an allocated mentor and Writers SA Regional Coordinators.
  • have access to a closed virtual group to share their work in progress and connect with other Our Words, Our Town writers.

Writers SA will:

  • match selected writers with a suitable mentor to provide feedback on their draft.
  • work with selected writers to showcase and celebrate the final pieces of writing in 2022.
  • pay selected writers the agreed commission fee on completion of their creative response.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Writers must be aged 12-29 on 23rd November 2021.
  2. Writers must currently live in the Limestone Coast of South Australia.
  3. This is a commission for a new piece of writing to be developed in February 2022.
  4. We are looking for a range of ages, experience levels, locations and backgrounds.
  5. The final written piece must be between 500 – 1000 words. 

If you have any questions or need help completing your application, please contact Writers SA Statewide Regional Manager Alysha Herrmann via [email protected].


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

What is a writing commission?

Commission

(noun)

an instruction, command, or role given to a person or group.

(verb)

order or authorize the production of (something).

Commissioning a writer means paying the writer an agreed fee (payment) to complete an agreed piece of writing, often to a theme or set of criteria. In the context of Our Words, Our Town – we (Writers SA) will pay you (selected young regional writers) to write about your experience of living in the Limestone Coast. 

Do I need to be an experienced or published writer? 

Absolutely not. We are looking for a mix of ages, locations, backgrounds and experience and would love to hear from experienced and new writers within the age range. Each selected writer will have ongoing support and feedback during your drafting process, and the Writers SA Regional Team will also read your draft and provide feedback to help you write the very best version of your idea. 

What do you mean by 500 – 1000 words?

The word count is based on a short story, spoken word poem or essay format. 500 words is the minimum word requirement to be eligible for the $500 commission fee, however if your commissioned piece is more than 500 words this is fine, but payment remains capped at $500.  

What will happen to my written piece after it’s finished?

You will submit your final written piece to Writers SA on 25th February 2022. The Writers SA Regional Team will then be in touch with you to discuss ideas for presenting and sharing your piece at Writers SA and/or partner events in 2022. Depending on the form of your final piece this could include reading the work at an event, presenting it within an exhibition or turning it into other formats (for example printing a comic page into a large format for an empty shop window, or audio-recording a poem to share on social media). Some pieces may also be suitable to submit for competitions or journals like Voiceworks. The Regional Team will work with you to find the best ways to showcase you and your work.

I still have questions or I’m feeling a bit unsure about my ideas, who can I talk to?

You can contact any of the Writers SA Regional Team to ask more questions or get some feedback on your ideas before you submit an expression of interest. More about the Regional Team and their contact details can be found here. 

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