Expression of interest for SA Story City

Expressions of interest (EOI) are now open for a new Story City project in Adelaide, thanks to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

We are looking for an Adelaide-based writer to join our production team this year to create a new choose-your-own-adventure-style story in Port Adelaide.

The writer will be paid between $1500-$1600 (depending on which EOI you apply for), and all short-listed writers will be invited to attend a PD workshop on digital writing and locative literature. This professional development workshop will provide you not only with training in writing for apps and the digital space, but is an incredible networking opportunity to create your own projects outside of Story City with like minded creatives (which often get promoted via the Story City network).

To download an EOI application form for the City of Port Adelaide project, please go to: http://www.storycity.com.au/work-with-story-city/eoi/

Applications close for the City of Port Adelaide Project on 5pm Monday 4th July 2016, so hurry and apply now!

This is an unique opportunity to challenge yourself and your writing as a couple of other SCBWI members can already attest. See the blog posts here: http://www.scbwiaustralianz.com/our-blog/2016/2/29/living-the-dream-story-city

We look forward to your applications. We hope to have more EOIs due to go out in the second half of the year so stay tuned.

Dimity Powell

Expressions of Interest - Story City writing opportunity

Have you ever thought that Adelaide needed more adventure? Well you're in luck!

Expressions of interest (EOI) are now open for two new Story City projects in Adelaide, one thanks to the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, and the other thanks to the City of Charles Sturt.

Story City are looking for two Adelaide-based writers to join our production team this year to create two new choose-your-own-adventure-style stories in Port Adelaide and Grange.

Each of these two writers will be paid (depending on which EOI you apply for), and all short-listed writers will be invited to attend a PD workshop on digital writing and locative literature. This professional development workshop will provide you not only with training in writing for apps and the digital space, but is an incredible networking opportunity to create your own projects outside of Story City with like-minded creatives (which often get promoted via the Story City network).

To download an EOI application form for the City of Port Adelaide project, or the City of Charles Sturt project please go to: http://www.storycity.com.au/work-with-story-city/eoi/

Applications close for the City of Charles Sturt Project on 5pm Tuesday 28th June 2016

Applications close for the City of Port Adelaide Project on 5pm Monday 4th July 2016.

A couple of SCBWI members were fortunate to be part of this exciting incentive last year. Read all about their adventures and stories, here: Dimity Powell’s The Chapel of Unlove takes place on the Gold Coast while Jade Harmer’s Ready or Not – Hide and Seek Alien Style unfolds in Adelaide.

We look forward to your applications. We hope to have more EOIs due to go out in the second half of the year so stay tuned!

Living the Dream - Story City

As children's authors, we often live the lives of our heroes vicariously. It's much easier, safer and cleaner that way. However, part of me still relishes the breathy feeling of discovering the missing link for myself, trekking down the baddies armed with nothing more than a sharp pencil, and surviving a mutant alien invasion with all of my limbs intack. It's thrilling stuff living in the heart of your own adventure and being your own hero, and the reason choose-your-own-adventure style storytelling is so popular with young and old alike. It's also why I decided to 'choose' a different path in my story creation, for a short while at least.

Last year I embarked on a writing adventure that challenged my ability to pen such a story suitable for the digital format. Story City is a FREE downloadable app using GPS and geocaching technology to inspire people to get active and physically immerse themselves in real-life choose-your-own-adventure stories. It ingeniously unites our modern-day love affair with technology and the need for fast access entertainment with a solution to stave off obesity and anti-social behaviour that can be associated with our overuse of modern devices. In otherwords, it gets us out there on the streets living and breathing stories in the real world.

Of course many of the multi-genre and variously rated stories don't take place in the real world as such. Themes are as diverse as your imaginations but they all share a common thread; their settings are based on real-world locations giving users a fascinating sense of place. Users can choose stories that most appeal to them, then from a starting point, they are in full control and can choose where and how the adventure unfolds. Each tale has several endings. The beauty of this style of storytelling is that there can be no true disappointing ending. If you aren't satisfied with the path you chose, go back and choose another! Even if you choose the same direction over and over again, chances are the location will evoke a different sense of reality for you; the weather may be different, the sounds, smells and people surrounding you may have altered subtly. The scope for continued enjoyment is off the Richter Scale with Story City! Ultimately, it's plain old-fashioned fun, suitable for young and old, Luddites and techno junkies, locals and tourists.

The Gold Coast team headed by Emily Craven - photo courtesy Jenny Stubbs

In addition to this, Story City uses local writers, illustrators, musicians and voice-talent to produce the stories. There is nothing better than homegrown to add a delicious dollop of authenticity and pride.

When I was accepted to be part of the Gold Coast team, I was thrilled to be part of the Story City family which has live working stories in Adelaide,  Brisbane and the Gold Coast with more planned for other regional and capital centres and a notable list of commendable authors and artists including fellow SCWBI members, Isobelle Carmody, Kim Wilkins, Tim Baker and Trent Jamieson to name just a ridiculous few. But I also shivered with panic (on the inside where nobody would notice, mind) I mean I usually struggled to come up with one acceptable ending, let alone up to eight!

Original artwork by Ken Best

Despite scathing deadlines and a collection of plot lines more convoluted than a bowlful of spaghetti and the odd dejected child wondering when she was getting her next meal, I managed to produce The Chapel of Unlove. Mine's a quirky, spoof type tale based in the surreal surroundings of Sanctuary Cove at the north end of the Goldie (where I live). It's fantastical, fun, and kid-and-family-friendly but touches on a few of the delicious life-parodies one can encounter here on the Gold Coast which naturally involves pirates and Elvis impersonators. What more could you ask for?!

Working collaboratively

I encourage anyone with a passion for adventure and a quest to be their own hero to experience the stories of Story City. If the chance to be a contributing artist or writer comes to your town, I urge you to consider pouncing on it. Preserving the art of storytelling in a multi-sense way whilst actually making stories immediately accessible in the hands of our audiences is a marvellous opportunity not to be missed. I learnt a lot. I'm edging over into the realm of plotter vs panster thanks to this project. And I had a heap of fun along the way.

Over the next month or so, I hope to divulge more of the hows, whys and whos behind my Story City Creation. You can follow those posts at Dim's Write Stuff. Visit the Story City website to register your interest as a future contributor or simply learn more about the team behind the stories behind the adventures!

Story City Gold Coast is presented by Story City and funded by the Regional Arts Development Fund. The Regional Arts Development fund is a Queensland Government and City of Gold Coast Council partnership to support local arts and culture.

Dimity Powell is a published children's author and SCBWI member residing just around the corner from Bat Man on the Gold Coast. She is the official Blogger coordinator for this year's 2016 SCBWI Sydney Conference. You can follow her reviews on Kids Lit at Boomerang Books Blog or visit her at Dim's Write Stuff.