The Scribe Tribe group in Balla Balla Community Centre is looking to launch their third compendium of works on Wednesday, 11 June, as the clique gathers to get lost in each other’s words in the coming days.
The third volume, called the Scribe Tribe Volume Three, from the writers of Balla Balla, is a collection of short stories, poems and other forms of writing by local community members, whether they be aspiring poets, storytellers, or just those simply eager to share their creative visions.
On Tuesday, 3 June, just over a week before the official launch, the Tribe gathered in the centre to share their regular theme-based pieces, led and facilitated by renowned author Roderic “Rod” Grigson.
Gathered in one of the many rooms in the centre, the group of five Tribe members, plus Rod, were asked how it made them feel to have a space to share their creative pieces.
“I was asked by the centre’s previous manager to revive a writing group that had been around for maybe seven to eight years before I came to the scene,” Rod said.
“It was sort of dying off, but I’ve been doing this for, also, around seven to eight years, and we’ve got a pretty healthy writing group now.”
The group has 16 members, and roughly the same number of writers who have contributed to the third novel.
While not all members come every time the Tribe gathers, Rod said that “it’s always great to see people coming out of their shells”.
“People who think they’re not good writers who are actually very good, but don’t have the confidence to write something, you see that a lot,” he said.
Program coordinator Lauren McCarthy said that being part of the group, the program, and even just seeing it all unfold “is amazing”.
“I was thrilled when there was a writing group, and I just love being involved, especially when we see so many people from different backgrounds taking part,” she said.
During the session on Tuesday, Tribe members took turns reading out their short story pieces revolving around the theme of science fiction.
From there, as each Tribe member read their pieces out, it became increasingly clear the diversity of interpretation of what sci-fi meant to each writer.
Some wrote about the over-accomplishment of artificial intelligence hampering the creative desires of writers, highlighting technology’s ‘perfection’ sucking away at the ‘flaws’ that give human creation depth.
Rod wrote about personal conflicts, the proliferation of corporate involvement in human lives, and the use of technology such as the web and other similar platforms to inflict harm.
What seems to be a common underlying notion, however, was the correlation of the advancement of technology with the downfall of humanity; from nature, to the very fibres and psyche of what makes human, human.
As each person finished reading their piece, Rod and the others allowed time for reflection, giving comments on what parts they liked and what parts really grabbed their attention.
“For me, this whole thing is great, and I really enjoy bringing people out of their shells and exposing them to the world,” he said.
“In the group, we’ve got some really good, well, very good writers, and every day, you can see them improving.
“You can see that journey through the three volumes of the Scribe Tribe series, because some of them are the same writers, and when you read their stories, you can really see that growth.”
For now, the Tribe is biding their time, excitement growing as they wait for the official announcement to come.
Rod, on one hand, is always looking for more members, urging those from the local area to join and try their hand at creative writing.
For more information on the Scribe Tribe and other writing workshops at Balla Balla Community Centre, visit caseyconnectlearn.com.au/listing/writing-group-the-scribe-tribe/ or ballaballa.com.au/programs/ for the program guide.
