Welcome to the first issue of Sparx. This collection of poetry and prose is by members of the Society of Women Writers Victoria and it will entertain and delight you. We all love a good story and we’ve been telling them for countless generations. It’s how we make sense of the world, how we share ideas with each other
and entertain ourselves.

The Society of Women Writers was founded in Sydney as a state body in 1925 to welcome women delegates and wives of delegates to the Imperial Press Conference held in Sydney that year. The organisers included the writer, Mary Gilmore, and the journalist, Constance Robertson. In 1970 Margaret Hazzard and a group of women writers in Melbourne formed the Victorian Branch of the Society of Women Writers, which became an incorporated not-for-profit society in 2000. The SWWV Biennial Literary Award was inaugurated in 2001 to celebrate this event.

We have sister societies of Women Writers in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia. The group now focuses on linking professional and novice female authors, poets, journalists and general writers across Australia. We aim to draw them together and encourage professional skills through regular conduct of workshops, seminars, conferences, book launches, competitions, this journal and group meetings. Through these activities, the Society encourages women to publish their work.

This publication also includes the three winners from the Margaret Hazzard Short Story Award 2016. This award was established in 1987 to honour Margaret Hazzard and is awarded biennially.
Enjoy!
Blaise van Hecke
President