Words Out West competition uncovers rich regional talent

Meet the talented Toowoomba writer who’s taken out this year’s Words Out West short story competition.

SENSATIONAL STORYTELLERS: The region's outstanding storytellers have been unveiled with Western Downs Regional Council announcing the winners of the 2021 Words Out West short story competition. Picture: Pixabay

The region’s outstanding storytellers have been unveiled with Western Downs Regional Council announcing the winners of the 2021 Words Out West short story competition.

Toowoomba local Bernadette Whisson has taken out top place for her piece The Rhythm Of Small Things, as part of the competition aimed at celebrating budding writers.

Western Downs council spokeswoman for community and cultural development, Councillor Kaye Maguire said the competition was about encouraging people to put pen to paper and uncovering fantastic local and regional talent.

“Words Out West: Western Downs Readers and Writers Fest is a novel approach to storytelling, offering various opportunities to inspire and ignite the storyteller in all of us,” Cr Maguire said.

“The short story competition offered a chance for people to write a short fictional story which is no longer than 3,000 words, based around the theme “The Little Things”.

“This gave budding writers the exciting opportunity to flex their skills and win great prizes, with first place being awarded $500 and a ticket to the sold-out Writer’s Retreat at Jimbour House, runner up receiving $300 and third place receiving $150.”

Toowoomba writer Bernadette Whisson is this year’s winner of the Words Out West short story competition. Picture: File

Mrs Whisson’s short story blew the expert judging panel away, describing her work as “lyrical and restrained” one of the judges said her short story is a beautiful and detailed rendering of the rhythm of the natural world.

Mrs Whisson said she was surprised and excited to receive first place and a ticket to the Words Out West Writers Retreat.

“I write from time to time for my own pleasure and I sometimes enter a competition or two, and I do a lot of journaling,” she said.

“When I heard about the competition, I tried to create the possibility of a short story using my journaling and my observations of nature, people, buildings – the things in life you’d normally overlook.”

Runner up was awarded to Boondooma local Lisa Shannon for her piece All The Little Things and third place was awarded to Tara local Ashley Collard for her story Peace In Endings.

Words Out West: Western Downs Readers and Writers Fest is taking place from March 11 to 14 March with four days of events, presentations, and workshops, suiting all ages.

This year’s keynote presenters include Jay Laga’aia, Frances Whiting, Nick Earls, Anita Heiss and plenty more.

To book your tickets to any of the Words Out West events and activities, head to the website here.

To read Mrs Whisson’s winning short story as well as the runner up entries, follow this link.