Message from the Committee
Hong Kong is one of the few places in the world where we go from one major annual festival to another in a month. As the city switches overnight from poinsettias to pussy willows, the celebrations continue with promises of a new start. So, whether you’re making a dent in those reading goals or writing 500 words a day, do step away to join us for a workshop, a publishing talk or a spirited discussion at the Book Club. We look forward to another year of friendship and growth!
Wishing our WiPS community Kung Hei Fat Choy and a prosperous Year of the Snake! 🐍🧧
Newsletter Update
We’re excited to announce that we plan to introduce a Member Spotlight feature in our upcoming newsletters. If you have had a new book released or you just want to introduce your literary accolades to our members, you can now submit a short bio of 150 words to us for publication in future issues. Please contact wipshk@gmail.com to submit your bio.
WiPS WhatsApp Group
The WiPS WhatsApp Group is a community for you to share details of upcoming (publishing-related) events, share successes or simply recommend your favourite 2024 book to like-minded friends. You can use this link to join the group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GuPzfmSiF0u9xXgZ2wAiOn
January Book Club
[co-ordinator: Gillian Kew]
Our January read (on 27 January at 7pm, via Zoom) is Percival Everett’s Booker nominated James, the second Everett book our members have read, having roundly enjoyed his The Trees back in 2022.
We have made some changes to Book Club, informing members through the usual channels. The original Book Club WhatsApp group has been renamed Booklovers and is a forum where members can share all things “books” – we hope it will enable fun and lively discussion! For the more regular Book Club members, who have attended at least one Book Club meeting within the previous six months, a new WhatsApp group (retaining the name Book Club) has been created to more easily keep participants abreast of our meetings, books and relevant information. With these two groups, we hope all our WiPS book lovers will feel welcome.
As always, if you have any queries or suggestions, please contact Gillian Kew at gilliankew@yahoo.com.
February Writing Workshops
[co-ordinators: Andy Lowe, Rinkoo Ramchandani and Holly Sykes]
Due to the popularity of our Zoom Writing Workshop, we have set up a second one in February. The sessions will be held on Friday, 7 February at 3pm (submission deadline, Monday, 3 February) and Thursday, 13 February at 6pm (submission deadline, Sunday, 9 February). Both workshops are full at the time of writing, but members are welcome to join the waiting list in case of a cancellation in either. If this happens, please be ready with your piece before the submission deadline.
Imprint Launch Party
Soon it will be time for our most awaited event of the year! We will launch Imprint 23 on Wednesday, 5 March as a part of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. An impressive number of members sent submissions for this latest issue, possibly the most ever, and it abounds with good writing on an extraordinary range of topics. The anthology will go to print shortly after Chinese New Year. Do remember to mark your diaries. Details of the not-to-be-missed event party will follow soon, with registration in February!
Smartphone Stories
Smartphone Stories is back in March! Given the popularity of our Smartphone Photography workshop with Jayne Russell, we’ve decided to offer it once again on Saturday, 15 March. Stay tuned for details to follow.
Past Events
Ending 2024 with a bang, we enjoyed a private tour of Liu Guofu’s exhibition Dusk Upon the Hush at Gallery 3812, Jayne Russell’s Smartphone Photography Workshop (huge congratulations to Hoi-Yee Yip who won the photo competition that day), and our annual Holiday Party complete with festive dinner and Secret Santa book swap. To kickstart 2025, we embraced our inner poet during celebrated author Jennifer Wong’s inspiring Poetry Workshop.
New Members
Since our last newsletter, two former members have rejoined us: Julia Besnard and Hoi-Yee Yip.
Don’t forget, members who successfully refer someone to join WiPS as a full-year member will be entitled to a discount of $200 to one event.