Quixotic Writers Group
Dear Writing Enthusiasts,
Welcome to the Quixotic Writers Group - an enclave for those who dare to chase the whimsical, the impractical, and the beautifully absurd in the realm of words. Aspiring authors and seasoned storytellers, we invite you to join our group, where quixotic ideals are not just embraced but celebrated.
About Us:
Join us each week at the bookshop to discuss, create and offer support. Our gatherings are geared towards supporting each other with practical discussions about writing strategies and techniques, before sitting down to get some words on paper! Come along with an idea you want to tease out, or a difficult passage you’re working on.
Sessions begin with an opportunity to discuss and help a member with their writing, before commencing a period of committed writing.
What to Expect:
Compassionate Community: Whether you’re a published author or hobby scribbler, we’re gathering together because we all love to write and share that passion.
Constructive Critique: Receive actionable feedback from fellow writers who understand the importance of practical refinement.
Mutual Accountability: Benefit from a community that encourages each other to sit down and get words out of your head and onto the page.
Sessions
When: Every Thursday, between 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Where: The Sancho Room at Quixotic Books
Interested?
Contact Toby at Quixotic Books on 0457 864 495
Nano6: The six-word story (Repeat)
While writers around the world attempt to draft a 50,000 world novel as part of NaNoWri Month, we’re going to try our hand at writing a six-word story!
Nano6: The six-word story
While writers around the world attempt to draft a 50,000 world novel as part of NaNoWri Month, we’re going to try our hand at writing a six-word story!
Novel Structure (Repeat)
NaNoWriMo is approaching in November, where writers around the world attempt to start and finish a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. This is an enterprise where writers may put structure at the forethought of their writing. In October, we will be discussing writing which places structure at the very front of the creative work.
Some novels reflecting Oulipo constraints in their structure include:
Italo Calvino's "If on a winter's night a traveler"
Jacques Roubaud's "The Great Fire of London"
B.S. Johnson's "The Unfortunates"
Novel Structure
NaNoWriMo is approaching in November, where writers around the world attempt to start and finish a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. This is an enterprise where writers may put structure at the forethought of their writing. In October, we will be discussing writing which places structure at the very front of the creative work.
Some novels reflecting Oulipo constraints in their structure include:
Italo Calvino's "If on a winter's night a traveler"
Jacques Roubaud's "The Great Fire of London"
B.S. Johnson's "The Unfortunates"
The Lipogram
September, we’re going to try our hands at writing lipograms!
The lipogram is a kind of constrained writing or word game consisting of writing paragraphs or longer works in which a particular letter or group of letters is avoided. The lipogram is a common constraint used in Oulipo. In English, the letters A, E, and T are often selected as the letter to avoid.
The Lipogram
September, we’re going to try our hands at writing lipograms!
The lipogram is a kind of constrained writing or word game consisting of writing paragraphs or longer works in which a particular letter or group of letters is avoided. The lipogram is a common constraint used in Oulipo. In English, the letters A, E, and T are often selected as the letter to avoid.
One Hundred Thousand Billion Poems
Hundred Thousand Billion Poems
"A Hundred Thousand Billion Poems" (Cent mille milliards de poèmes) is a unique and innovative work of literature created by the French writer and poet Raymond Queneau. It was first published in 1961. The book consists of ten sonnets, each containing 14 lines. However, what makes this collection extraordinary is that the lines are not fixed within each sonnet. Instead, the pages of the book are divided into strips, and each strip contains one line from a sonnet. The reader can mix and match the strips to create new combinations of lines, generating a vast number of possible poems—precisely one hundred thousand billion potential poems, hence the title.
Sounds confusing? Well, come along and we’ll talk about it and how one might go about creating such a work. It’s an excellent exercise to explore unexpected tones, ideas and structures in writing.
Hundred Thousand Billion Poems
Hundred Thousand Billion Poems
"A Hundred Thousand Billion Poems" (Cent mille milliards de poèmes) is a unique and innovative work of literature created by the French writer and poet Raymond Queneau. It was first published in 1961. The book consists of ten sonnets, each containing 14 lines. However, what makes this collection extraordinary is that the lines are not fixed within each sonnet. Instead, the pages of the book are divided into strips, and each strip contains one line from a sonnet. The reader can mix and match the strips to create new combinations of lines, generating a vast number of possible poems—precisely one hundred thousand billion potential poems, hence the title.
Sounds confusing? Well, come along and we’ll talk about it and how one might go about creating such a work. It’s an excellent exercise to explore unexpected tones, ideas and structures in writing.
Exercises in Style - Part 2
“From Exercises in Style” by Raymond Queneau
In this exercise, we will take a short passage of text and rewrite the passage in 7 different ways: via Notations, Olfactory, Tactile, Visual, Translation, Lipogram, and Antonymic.
There is no expectation to finish an exercise in the session.
Exercises in Style - Part 1
“From Exercises in Style” by Raymond Queneau
In this exercise, we will take a short passage of text and rewrite the passage in 7 different ways: via Notations, Olfactory, Tactile, Visual, Translation, Lipogram, and Antonymic.
There is no expectation to finish an exercise in the session.