Fiction Writing Melbourne

Tea and Type 😍

Hi 🤗 Meet us for another afternoon of chats, teas and writing! We will meet at Cafe Sapore in Caulfield

Proposal Writing - 1 Day Workshop in Melbourne

**The Winning Edge: Master the Art of Persuasive Proposal Writing** Learn to research, write, and polish winning business proposals in our practical 1-day Proposal Writing workshop. **Ready to secure your spot? 🎯 Register now and complete your payment securely via Stripe Checkout!** [Click Here](https://buy.stripe.com/8x2bJ1aam1YGeG4aeg2oE43) **Program Details** **Duration:** 1 Full Day (8 Hours) **Delivery Mode:** Classroom / Inhouse **Language:** English **Credits:** 8 PDUs / Training Hours **Certification:** Course Completion Certificate **Refreshments:** Lunch, Snacks, and beverages will be provided during the session **Elevate your writing. Increase your influence. Win more business.** **If you would like weekend training sessions, kindly reach out to us at [info@mangates.com](info@mangates.com) for availability and scheduling.** **In a competitive market, is your proposal just a document, or is it a definitive argument for your success?** A truly effective proposal does more than just list services—it positions your solution as the only logical choice for the reader. Whether you are bidding for a major contract, applying for a grant, or pitching to an investor, the clarity and persuasiveness of your writing are what separate winners from the rest. **Why Results-Driven Professionals Choose This Course:** Winning proposals are built on strategy, not just words. This session is engineered to help you: • **Think Like an Evaluator**: Understand the psychology of buyers and investors to address their needs before they even ask. • **Differentiate from Competition**: Learn the art of "ghosting" the competition—highlighting your strengths while subtly exposing their weaknesses. • **Master Persuasive Syntax**: Move beyond basic grammar to master the voice, tone, and transitions that lead a reader to a "Yes." • **Streamline Your Process**: Use proven templates and outlines to write high-quality proposals in less time. **The Professional Curriculum:** **Module 1: The Strategic Foundation** • Defining the proposal and the modern writing process. • Navigating different types of proposals and Requests for Proposals (RFPs). **Module 2: Purpose & Audience Alignment** • Identifying your core purpose and performing a deep needs analysis. • Crafting a powerful goal statement that resonates. **Module 3: Structural Frameworks** • Mastering general formats and specialized sections. • Building a detailed framework that ensures no critical detail is missed. **Module 4: Fact-Finding & Data Organization** • Identifying and leveraging high-quality resources and the internet. • Organizing complex information for maximum clarity. **Modules 5 & 6: Advanced Writing & Persuasion Skills** • Mastering grammar, sentence construction, and persuasive voice. • Creating strong transitions and building logical, undeniable conclusions. **Module 7: Educating the Evaluator** • Using illustrations and strategic writing to guide the evaluator’s decision. • Techniques for "ghosting" the competition effectively. **Modules 8 & 9: Precision Editing & Proofreading** • Using the Readability Index to ensure your message is crystal clear. • Professional proofreading and editing techniques, including the power of peer review. **Module 10: The Final Professional Package** • Typesetting tips and achieving a high-end look and feel. • Packaging your proposal for maximum professional impact. **Tailored for Your Business:** Does your team struggle with specific RFP formats, government contracts, or complex technical bids? We offer Customized In-House Training designed to align perfectly with your organization’s business development goals. The primary benefit of our in-house sessions **is** contextual relevance. We don’t just use generic examples; we can tailor the content to your specific industry and current bidding challenges. We can work directly with your existing templates or help you build new ones, ensuring that your team leaves the workshop with a refined, ready-to-use process that increases your organization’s win rate. **©2026 Mangates Tech Solutions Pvt Ltd. This content is protected by copyright law. Copy or Reproduction without permission is prohibited.** **Who Should Attend?** This course is open to anybody looking to improve their professional influence, including: • Sales & Business Development Teams • Grant Writers & Non-Profit Professionals • Project Managers & Freelancers • Entrepreneurs seeking investment or partnerships **📧 Contact us today to schedule a customized in-house session: [corporate@mangates.com](corporate@mangates.com)** ## **Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)** **1\. Do I need to be a professional writer to attend this course?** **No.** This course is designed for anyone who needs to write persuasive proposals, whether for business, grants, contracts, or internal approvals. You'll learn practical techniques that anyone can apply, regardless of writing experience. *** **2\. Does this course cover grant writing?** **Yes.** While the course focuses on proposal writing principles applicable across industries, it also covers techniques relevant to grant applications, funding proposals, business contracts, and internal business cases. *** **3\. What is "ghosting the competition"?** It is a proposal strategy that highlights your unique strengths and value proposition while subtly addressing common weaknesses found in competing solutions—without directly mentioning competitors. *** **4\. Will I receive templates and resources after the workshop?** **Yes.** Participants receive a comprehensive course manual containing proposal templates, writing frameworks, best practices, and practical tips to support future proposal development. *** **5\. How does the course help with Request for Proposal \(RFP\) responses?** You'll learn how to interpret RFP requirements, understand evaluation criteria, ensure compliance, and develop compelling responses that improve your chances of success. *** **6\. What is a Needs Analysis in proposal writing?** A Needs Analysis identifies the client's challenges, objectives, and expectations. The course teaches you how to align your proposal with these needs to create more persuasive, client-focused solutions. *** **7\. Will this course improve my business writing skills?** **Yes.** In addition to proposal strategies, you'll learn professional writing techniques, including clear sentence structure, effective language, and common writing practices that improve clarity and credibility. *** **8\. What is the Readability Index\, and why is it important?** The Readability Index measures how easy your proposal is to understand. You'll learn how to write clear, concise content that keeps evaluators engaged and communicates your message effectively. *** **9\. Does the course cover proposal design and formatting?** **Yes.** The workshop includes guidance on proposal layout, formatting, document structure, and professional presentation to ensure your proposals are both visually appealing and easy to navigate. *** **10\. Can this course be delivered onsite for our organization?** **Yes.** The workshop is available in onsite, classroom, and virtual formats. For corporate groups, the content can be customized to align with your industry, proposal processes, and organizational requirements. **11\. What is the refund policy?** You are eligible to request a refund up to 7 days before the event.

Socialise and discuss a book over coffee.

This is September event not August. We read Michelle Wright’s novel Good Boy, about a convicted murderer who is soon to finish a 20 year sentence, who trains an unruly dog so it won’t be put down.

Writers & Creatives Social

We are trialling a new platform and will be running the new platform from 2024. Please signup here: [https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers](https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers) The Wharf Hotel by the river. Southern Cross Station is closest. Ask at the bar to find us. Or call us 0403193785. Tonight's Social Evening Schedule: (Ideas welcome) 6pm to 6.45pm: Socializing 6.45pm to 6.55pm: Introduction and overview of the evening by Jim including go-around introduction 6.55pm to 7pm: A word from Mat our founder 7pm to 7.10pm A paired connection question to get people talking with one another 7.10pm to 7.30pm: Guest Topic: Still to come - suggestions welcome. 7.30pm to 8.15pm: Readings section open to all to read out something from their work up to 4 minutes. Feedback optional. 8.15pm to 9.30pm: Socializing. Optional. Many of us love this as a chance to connect personally in a screen-addicted culture. • Come out and meet some like-minded folks who enjoy writing and other entertainment and creative outlets. We'll hang around until at least 8.30pm, but often later. All age ranges, all writing types (and entertainment types), all the way from never writing and up to published authors. • This night is about you. So chat to people, read out your work, give feed back, get to know everyone... Or, feel free to sit back and chill. It's your night, enjoy it how you see fit. **Please only RSVP if you can make it.** **We're booking the area, so we will need you to turn up if you say you are coming.** **We have added an attendee limit, so please update your RSVP if you can not make it.** Thank you, Melbourne Writers. The Wharf Hotel food menu: https://www.wharfhotel.com.au/eat-and-drink Great Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelbWriters Website: www.worldwriterscollective.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelbCityWriters Blog: http://melbournewriters.wordpress.com **Help us by getting in contact so you can add to these social pages and site - matclarke.author@gmail.com**

Thought Experiment: A What-if Event

# **THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: The Dark Descent** **Arc:** Horrors of Consequence **Keywords:** Fear, Morality, Responsibility, Trust, Survival, Consequence Something has gone wrong. You don't yet know what. The situation is unclear. Information is limited. Everyone has a different idea of what should happen next. At first, the choices seem manageable. Then the consequences begin to appear. New information changes what you thought you understood. Small decisions become harder to undo. And as the situation deteriorates, the group must decide what it is willing to risk, who it can trust and whether the right decision still exists once every option carries a cost. Every decision will shape what happens next. Every argument will reveal something about the people making it. And by the time the full picture becomes clear, it may be far too late to change what has already been set in motion. Welcome to **Thought Experiment**, a meetup where we explore large “What if…?” scenarios through discussion, role-play and difficult decisions. Each session places the group inside one unfolding story. New information is revealed in phases, forcing participants to reconsider what they believe about morality, responsibility, trust, fear and human nature. Some people bring research. Others bring instinct, imagination and personal values. There are no perfect answers. The aim is curiosity, disagreement and the uncomfortable moment when a simple answer stops feeling simple. **The Dark Descent** is part of our **Horrors of Consequence** arc — stories about decisions that become harder to live with the further the story unfolds. This event is for curious minds of all kinds: students, professionals, creatives, horror fans, psychological-thriller fans, philosophy lovers or anyone who enjoys thinking differently. ## Event Details 📍 **Melbourne Central Lion Hotel** 🕒 **3 PM start** 👥 **Small-group event: 6–14 people** 🎟 **Free for the first 14 people, then $6 plus booking fee** 🌐 **Tickets:** [https://thoughtexperiment.au](https://thoughtexperiment.au/) ⌛ **Find the table with the hourglass.** Please RSVP, as places are limited. We ask everyone to purchase a drink from the venue. Conversational English is required to get the most from the discussion. ## Format * Introduction and private roles * An unfolding psychological-horror scenario * Moral and ethical decisions * Small-group discussion * Hidden information * New information revealed in phases * Final reveal * Debrief and optional post-event drinks * No right answers, just curiosity, debate and the uncomfortable question of whether a bad outcome always requires a bad person.

Paranormal Romance Book Club and Culture

Hi all, Welcome to the August Paranormal Book Club!! If you love books that are lighter and fluffier to read, with supernatural elements (magic, vampires, werewolves, etc.) then you will enjoy this group. After book club we head off and become a tourist in our own city, by attending an exhibition or some other cultural activity. For August, we are going to meet at Time Out Fed Square for book club, then head across to ACMI for a look at their free exhibitions. The play school exhibition we were originally thought about attending, will have concluded. I've included a link to the existing exhibitions and we can discuss which one we want to go to during the meet-up. [What's on | ACMI: Your museum of screen culture](https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/?what=exhibition&when_start=2026-08-23&when_end=2026-08-30) The books for Sunday 23 August 2026 are: An Ancient Witches Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward [An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating by Cecilia Edward | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236810735-an-ancient-witch-s-guide-to-modern-dating) The Book Witch by Meg Schaffer [The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238226952-the-book-witch) Stay for a spell by Amy Coombe [Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/238766958-stay-for-a-spell) If you would like to look at all the books that we have read so far, click [here](https://1drv.ms/x/s!Am2wjNpl1c1ijCNvt-hrWM8gPaem?e=riV48x). Finally, if you can't make it, please change your RSVP to a NO. Spaces are limited, so it will give other people a chance to attend. Happy reading until then!! 🤓

Write Now

We are moving to a new platform and will be only running the new platform in 2025. please signup here: [https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers](https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers) This is the time to write whatever it is you want to write. \-\-\-\-\-\> IMPORTANT <\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We ask for the Nook which is to your left as you go in, but it is not always available. Ask for the table under "Mat Clarke". Sometimes we do not have an official host, so please say hi to people as they arrive and make everyone feel welcome. Thanks. No limitations. Come along and bring your laptop or pen and paper and work on whatever you want. There are no rules :) You can write. You can chat and write. You can share your work. Or not share your work. (If you need silence to concentrate then headphones are a good idea considering it is in a cafe/bar.) Coffee, hot chocolate, etc., available to buy. Also food and drink. Please buy something to show our thanks for the space they give us free of charge. There are some people that will want to chat, but most will be writing. So bear that in mind. See you there :) \-\-\-\-\-\-Please only RSVP if you can make it\-\-\-\-\-\-\- \-\-\-\-\-\-Un\-RSVP if you need to cancel\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We're booking the area, so we will need you to turn up if you say you are coming. Thanks. Thank you, Melbourne Writers. Great Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelbWriters Website: www.worldwriterscollective.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelbCityWriters Blog: http://melbournewriters.wordpress.com **Help us by adding to these social pages and site**

Squishface Monthly Drawing Night AUGUST @ SQUISHFACE

LAST WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH so **IT'S DRAWING NIGHT AT SQUISHFACE** Join us at Squishface's studio space in South Melbourne: Studio Hall, on the grounds of St Kilda South Port Uniting Church on Dorcas St. There are FOUR TRAMS you can catch from the city. **58, 96, 12** or the **1!** It is even walkable from the city. Bring your sketch books, bring your pens, bring a friend. It's not a class - it's a drawing hang out. All skill levels welcome. Always lots of regulars, always newies. Be socially awkward, be confident as heck. This is informal, it's just a free drawing session. Go ahead and bring snacks. But no nuts please! Our venue is wheelchair accessible, as are the very toilets. Minors are welcome but will need an accompanying adult. Contact us on 0400 356 922 if any issues or you get lost. Please follow us both on instagram, for comic and zine related news and events. 👉 [Squishface Studio](http://www.instagram.com/Squishfacestudio) Here's an [instagram video](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4J5GiOPLxc/) showing where Studio Hall is. You simply enter from the street, walk up toward the big bluestone church, then go left to the car park and you will find Studio Hall!

The Twenty-fifth Page

Join us for the Twenty-fifth Page! Theme: **a book with a child main character** Feel fee to interpret this however you like. I'm sure we'll have some interesting choices this month! Feel free to bring along any discussion questions you can think of or theme suggestions. Happy reading :) See you there!

August Book Club: Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

Book 153: Ghost Station by S. A. Barnes

From Head to Heart: The Art of Emotional Storytelling

**The best speakers don’t just speak to your mind — they speak to your heart.** *They make you feel what they’re feeling. With every word, they can lift you up, move you to tears, stir your anger, or fill you with joy.* This ability to create an emotional experience for an audience is what makes a speaker truly unforgettable. Emotions are the lifeblood of every great speech. **Learning how to tell stories that evoke genuine feeling is an essential skill in any presenter’s toolkit.** As Vikas Jhingran, a former Toastmasters World Champion of Public Speaking, explains, *“The emotional content of a speech makes the information memorable.”* And as Carl W. Buehner so aptly put it, *“They may forget what you said — but they will never forget how you made them feel.”* To **become a memorable and impactful speaker**, you must learn to move your audience by connecting deeply with your own emotions first. At this Toastmasters meeting, our Skill Shot presenter and MC will share powerful tips on how to: * Curate the emotional journey of your speech; * Tell stories that reveal your humanity; * Deliver touching moments that stir the hearts of your listeners; * Incorporate contrast — light and shade — to keep your audience engaged; and * Balance strength with vulnerability, so you can connect with both the minds *and* the hearts of those who hear you. **THIS IS A CURATED GUEST EVENT** Join us tonight at Port Melbourne Toastmasters as we unlock the secrets to speaking with heart — crafting stories that captivate, connect, and leave a lasting impression. *Guests, Meetup Group members, and visiting Toastmasters attend for free.* 🌐 [www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org](http://www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org) 📍 Where: Find directions [here](https://www.portmelbournetoastmasters.org/directions.html) ***Port Melbourne Toastmasters is a club for people who are serious about developing their speaking, leadership, and personal presence.*** We offer limited, curated guest sessions throughout the year for prospective members. These sessions allow you to experience our high-engagement, growth-focused environment firsthand — without open access to every meeting.