Back Row from left: Michele Cashmore, Sean Williams, Robert Hoge, Chris McMahon, Mark Curtis Front Row from Left: Margo Lanagan, Nea Beauville, Deb Soukup, Kate Eltham, Jason Nahrung (Paul Garrety absent) Picture by: Jason Nahrung

Writers on the Edge was first formed after EnVision 2003, a speculative fiction novel writing workshop, organised by Rowena Linquist, aka Cory Daniells.  We meet once a month for critique meetings, hang out at spec fic conventions, organise an annual writing retreat, and two or more of us can be seen at coffee shops brainstorming and discussing writing in between. 

In 2005 Writers on the Edge banded together and self-organised and self-funded our first writing retreat.  Visit Jason’s website for tips on running your own writing retreat.

Since then we have grown from six members to eleven. Our first retreat was in Maleny, with our tutors Rob Hood and Sean Williams.  The following year we headed to Stanthorpe with tutors Jack Dann and Annabel Blay, and from there we found the perfect home at Joondoburri, Bribie Island in Brisbane.  We attended our writing retreat at Joondoburri for three consecutive years, with tutors Louise Cusack, Margo Lanagan, Sean Williams and Alison Goodman.  It was the perfect location for morning walks by the ocean, or a swim if you could brave the cold water.  Good size rooms, great meals all catered for and plenty of writing space, lots of terrific nooks and crannies, or open spaces in the garden, underneath the pergola or in ‘the cage’ a lovely screened outdoor room by the pool. A popular spot for all of us at varying times of the day.   

Sadly as of 2009 this wonderful conference centre will be closing their doors and we are now on the lookout for a new venue.