Writing is often seen as a solitary practice. Typically, it looks something like this: hours alone with you and a half-blank page, scribbling out thoughts for a manuscript still searching for its shape. A sentence sits awkwardly on a page, chewing at your attention and siphoning your motivation. Words ricocheting around the echo chamber of your own mind. Silence pulls at the distance between you and the stories taking shape in your mind. You know there is a story here. You can feel it, almost within your grasp; but the path towards it is foggy. And so, you sit in the weeds, nothing but your page as company.
But this doesn’t always have to be the case. Because while many may think that writing must take place in isolation, the journey to developing your craft is one you don’t have to face alone.
That is where writing communities can make all the difference, as there is something understated and powerful about finding people who can understand the strange, messy process of churning ideas into writing on a page. Those who can offer a fresh perspective when you are stuck, remind you that doubt is part of the process and help you turn the half-formed thoughts in your head into something real on the page.
This sense of connection is part of what makes writers events so valuable. Research into literary festivals has found that they act as cultural hotspots for greater writing communities to meet and network, through workshop events, publication insights and meeting others in the literary space (Weber, 2018 & Ommundsen, 2009).
For someone just beginning their writing journey, however, finding that community can feel difficult. You might not know where to look, who to talk to or where you even belong in the room yet—but that is exactly the kind of gap The Writers Grove has been created to fill.
Created by QUT students, The Writers Grove is an opportunity for writers to meet and learn with those around them. Through workshops, conversations, creative activities and opportunities to hear from experts, the festival aims to create a welcoming starting point for both aspiring and emerging writers or literary enjoyers.
At The Writers Grove, we offer something more than just writing alone: we offer the chance to step outside your own work and into the wider literary world. You can hear how other writers approach their craft, ask questions and encounter ideas you would not have found on your own, all while growing your craft and having fun. Whether you are looking to learn something new, meet those who share your love of literature or simply wanting to spend a day surrounded by stories, The Writers Grove has something to offer! Explore the program, meet others and come see what’s growing in Brisbane’s writing community.
Sources:
Ommundsen, W. (2009). Literary festivals and cultural consumption. Australian Literary Studies, 24(1), 19–33. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292480937_Literary_Festivals_and_Cultural_Consumption
Weber, M. (2018). Literary festivals and contemporary book culture. Palgrave Macmillan. https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/publications/literary-festivals-and-contemporary-book-culture/