Read, listen, learn and connect with your community over your shared love of literature.Sunshine Coast Council Libraries are bringing together writers, readers, and creatives to share the love of stories for one big day at the Beerwah Heart Precinct.
Meet and mingle with successful local authors, join exciting storytelling sessions, hear compelling First Nations stories, find your next great read, and immerse yourself in a range of fun activities for all ages.
If you are an aspiring author, come and get hands-on with a series of creative writing and publishing workshops which will inspire you to follow your literary dreams.
Choose from contemporary character writing, historical non-fiction, memoir, self-help and wellness, authentic crime, screenwriting and more.
Book Emporium (family event)
Visit the Book Emporium to see local authors showcasing a diverse array of novels, picture books and merchandise for sale.
Taking place on the deck overlooking scenic Turner Park, enjoy storytelling sessions that will engage and delight all ages.
Join in the literary scavenger hunt, meet notable authors for book signings or grab a coffee and chat to other book lovers.
Time: 12pm–4pm
Location: Beerwah Heart Precinct
Price: free
For complete program visit Sunshine Coast Library website.
Creative Workshops
Writing Memoir – Dr Paul Williams
Time: 9.30–10.30AM
Location: Room 3 = 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
Break free from writer’s block: exercises and tips that will start you writing your story and encourage you to see your life as a hero’s journey. Bring only yourself, your pen and paper (or tablet) and a willingness to create art out of the lived experience.
Plotting a Page Turner – Melanie Myers
Time: 9.30–10.30AM
Location: Events Space – Beerwah Library
Price: $22 + BF
Take your reader on a journey from beginning to end. Learn the difference between plot and structure, and how structure can be crafted to create satisfying plot arcs. The workshop covers structural techniques and plot devices and how to apply them to your own writing.
Crime Fiction Masterclass – Jack Roney
Time: 10.45–11.45AM
Location: Room 3 + 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
With over 33 years-experience as a Queensland Police Officer, join crime author and former detective Jack Roney for first-hand insight into the real world of policing. This masterclass arms writers with the information you need to accurately describe police culture and procedures in an Australian setting, to create authenticity in your own writing.
Writing in the Self-Help Space – Sheridan Stewart
Time: 10.45–11.45 AM
Location: Events space – Beerwah Library
Price: $22 + BF
Join Sunshine Coast personality, Sheridan Stewart for a journey into the self-help genre. Discover how your journal may hold the key to finding your voice as a writer. And how to ensure your personal story, expertise and insights resonate with your readers and provide them with a roadmap to a happier life.
Romance Writing Basics – Ally Blake
Time: 12–1PM
Location: Room 3 + 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
Develop your romance writing skills, discover how to create strong lead characters and intriguing plots. Learn to use emotional conflict for a gripping ‘will they or won’t they’ romantic story. Join romance writer Ally Blake, with over 4 million books sold around the world, discover all the tips and tricks on what it takes to create a riveting romantic read.
Publishing your book – Rachael Bermingham
Time: 12–1PM
Location: Room 3 + 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
Join Rachael Bermingham, 10-time bestselling author and Australia’s leading female book publisher, for the steps to bring your manuscript to life, so it is of industry level and marketable. Learn book industry secrets along with the book production process, elements your book needs before it goes into design, printing, and retail options.
Social Media Marketing Your Book – Stacey McEwan
Time: 1.15–2.15PM
Location: Room 3 + 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
Take a dive into the power that social media has on the book market! Stacey will share tips and tricks on how to capture the attention of potential readers across a variety of social media platforms. Discover how to use social media as a marketing tool and how to create engaging and entertaining social media content to promote your book.
Unscripted Screenwriting – Dan Munday
Time: 1.15–2.15PM
Location: Events space – Beerwah Library
Price: $22 + BF
Unscripted TV may seem a strange place for writers, but they’re there. Come along and learn a bit about the writing that goes into the development of a show, creating a shows language, writing host copy and soft scripting for documentaries.
How to Write a Picture Book – Dhana Fox
Time: 2.30–3.30PM
Location: Room 3 + 3A – Beerwah Meeting Place
Price: $22 + BF
Join Dhana to learn where and how to start. Find out everything from the guidelines to writing picture books through to preparing a manuscript for submission. Discover where story ideas come from and how to turn them into a picture book.
