The Stella Prize will be an annual literary prize for Australian women’s writing.

International Women’s Day - be part of the conversation

International Women’s Day: Thursday 8 March, 2012.

Is women’s writing different from men’s writing?

A panel discussion to celebrate and acknowledge International Women’s Day and the Stella Prize. The Stella Prize has invited independent booksellers across Australia to participate in the discussion by hosting their own event exploring the question, with a panel of Australian writers. There is no right or wrong answer – the provocative question is our way of getting people thinking and talking about the issue, and stimulating debate. The topic is open for discussion and involves all writers and readers.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women, past and present. 2012 will be the 101th time the day has been celebrated.

Our tips for event management

We invite all bookshops to start their event at 6.30pm, so that writers and readers across the Australia are talking about the topic at the same time. We suggest that men and women should be involved in the discussion. However, in keeping with the spirit of International Women’s Day, we also suggest that you invite a woman to chair the event.

Invite local writers to be part of a panel discussion. You may like to invite a local writer or public figure to chair the event. Or if you have someone in your shop who is a whiz at chairing events and is passionate about this subject, why not have them do it?

Keep the event short and sweet. By 7.30pm we recommend champagne. Have fun with it. Give it your own twist – get as creative as you like!

Tips for promotion

Keep the Stella Committee in the loop about what you’re doing, so we can help you promote your event as much – and as soon – as possible.

Use the Stella Prize logo in your advertising. We can email you images (at the appropriate resolutions for your purposes).

Invite the local paper to attend, and let your media know you are part of a national event. (We will have a generic media release that you can adapt for your purposes, if you’d find it helpful.) Advertise the event on your in-store bulletin boards, website, Twitter, Facebook account and in any in-store publications (for example, your newsletter or enews).

Email us any blog posts, photographs or articles you write about the event. We’ll share them on our website, and via our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

If you receive any coverage from your local media, let us know. Again, we can share that via our channels. If you have any clippings, we can publish them, too.

The Stella Prize Committee will:

Contact the national and state media to promote this event as a collective activity by independent bookshops around Australia.

Be happy to help you source speakers in your area, wherever possible.

Provide a generic media release about this event that you can adapt for your purposes, adding the specific details of your event, including your speakers.

Provide Stella Prize postcards for your guests.

Promote this collective event via Twitter and Facebook.

List your event, with speakers, on our website . Our directory of national events will be regularly linked to via Twitter and Facebook.

If you have any questions and are committed to hosting an event please email our Stella Prize Events Co-ordinator Christine Gordon at thestellaprize@gmail.com.au.