Macleay Island Inspirational Writers’ Group

Macleay Island Inspirational Writers’ Group (MIIWG) was established in 2007 with the aim of encouraging Macleay Island writers to develop their creativity in a supportive and welcoming environment. The philosophy of the group is ‘generosity of spirit’.

Membership is comprised of a variety of writers, from published authors to those beginning their journey into the world of creative writing. All genres are welcomed, from fiction to memoir or children’s stories and writing for competitions is encouraged. Group members have achieved success in local and national competitions, including the Redlitzer Short Story and Novel competitions, Best Australian Essays and the Stringybark Short Story competitions.

MIIWG meets on the first Monday of the month to share and critique set assignments and receive information on writing workshops and competitions. To date, the group has published four short story anthologies – aptly named ‘Scribal Connections’, which showcase the writing skills of members. The publication of the fourth anthology was celebrated with a gala launch, where the audience were treated to morning tea and the reading of selected short stories.

Individual members have had considerable success of late with the publication of six novels from four authors. These are:

Desmond Kelly – Death of a Friend (crime)

David Eames – The Showie Boy (memoir)

Alene Ivey – Paradise Landing (contemporary fiction)

Alene Ivey – Turn Right at the Pink Shirt (travel stories)

Trish Cation – The Basketmaker (historical fiction)

Trish Cation – The Way Home (contemporary fiction)

Each of these authors has their own web site and a google search will find them.

Membership of the group is free, however a contribution of $2 per person is taken at monthly meetings to cover the cost of morning tea and go towards any social events the group may arrange. MIIWG is a member of the Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) and if members wish to be part of the group subscription, they have great opportunities to attend QWC workshops at discounted rates and be eligible for mate’s rates at a selection of bookshops.

Due to the high level of interest in the group’s activities, it was necessary to form a sub-group called the Critique and Publishing Group (CAP Group), for those members whose aim is to have their manuscripts developed to a commercial publishing or competition standard. These meetings are held on the third Monday of the month where members both give and receive constructive feedback on their writing projects.

MIIWG is a friendly, supportive group of people who share a love of the written word. If you would like to know more about the group please email Trish at tricat235@hotmail.com