Anne Morgan was the founding co-coordinator of SCBWI Tasmania, a role she fulfilled for nearly ten years. It’s hard to explain just how important Anne has been to the children’s literature scene in Tasmania but, let’s try.
Firstly (most obviously) without Anne’s tireless enthusiasm there would be no SCBWI Tasmania. Our little group would still be part of Victoria (hi Victoria!).
Without local organisation we could not have established a partnership with the Tasmanian Writers Centre that would go on to provide opportunities for our members to speak, perform and share their work at writer’s festivals across the state. We would not have a promising new partnership with Libraries Tasmania that will provide members with the chance to promote their books and access library facilities for book launches. We would not have had access to local professional development opportunities such as the 2015 SCBWI day at Book an Adventure, our 2018 Professional Weekend or the 2020 Pitchfest. Without Anne’s indefatigable lobbying skills, the Wilderness Society would have abandoned their Environment Awards for Children’s Literature. Without her, the Tasmanian Literary Awards would not have a category for Books for Young Readers and Children.
We can list boxes that Anne has ticked until the cows come home but there’s more to it than that. Let’s think about the intangibles. The sense of community that Anne has built, the feeling of being supported, of having somewhere to turn, someone to ask. The pride in not just being authors but being Tasmanian authors, down here in our beautiful forgotten corner. The chance to have a laugh and a chat, a cup of tea, to meet other creators, to listen, to learn and to be a part of something. Something that values the work we do; something that pushes us to want to make it better.
Tasmania is an isolated place. It is a small place. We do not have access to publishing networks like those on the mainland and many of us do not have the spare cash to travel. Anne’s work has brought opportunities to Tasmanian creators and in doing so she has fostered an entire community. Her generosity of spirit, energy and time is breathtaking because every event she organised, letter she wrote or grant she applied for was time she donated from her own creative practise. Anne volunteered for this gig.
Now, after nearly a decade at the helm of SCBWI Tasmania Anne is stepping back from the coordinator role to find her space again. She’s going to write her own stories. She has built a thriving group of creatives, over 35 members now in Tasmania, including a committee of four daunted but dedicated people with huge shoes to fill. It’ll probably take at least four people to do it. We’ll give it our best shot.
Thanks Anne, we owe you x
Written by Christina Booth and Fiona Levings.