Written by Noa Shenker
You may have heard of Unyoked – the start-up launched just over four years ago, and the company offering the chance to stay in tiny houses has had a disproportionately monumental impact on Aussie culture since. Boasting weekend retreats and journeys of exploration through their small, wilderness retreats, Unyoked offers more than just a holiday and home away from home; their experiences are all about escaping the every-day and getting back in to touch with nature (and yourself).
An exciting opportunity is on the horizon for young writers to collaborate with Unyoked. They’re searching for up-and-comers to submit pieces on nature, including poems and short essays of up to 800 words, to be included in their recently announced Writers Residency initiative.
Four Wilderness Residents will be selected as winners for the initiative, receiving regular, no-strings attached access to Unyoked cabins for six whole months to let their imaginative spirits run wild. Additionally, the successfully chosen writers will have their winning pieces published in print in the new (and first) Unyoked Anthology!
Submissions opened Wednesday 7th April and close Sunday, 30 May 2021.
The submitted pieces will be blindly judged by Alyx Gorman, Zac Bayly, Jazz Money, and Georgia Francis King. Unyoked’s first Anthology will feature the work of over 20 other finalists as well, selected by the judging panel, in addition to the four residency winners. Moreover, each successful finalist will be paid for their work and syndicated to Unyoked’s website. Once completed the Anthology will be released and available for public viewing.
Unyoked is on the hunt for these young and hungry talented writers to emphasise not only their love of nature, but more specifically the power nature holds for young artists – the power to fuel and finesse one’s creativity.
With a dozen different cabins and experiences all within two hours’ drive of Melbourne or Sydney, this residency presents a unique opportunity to stab life with a finely, double-edged sword; prompting you to write on the wonders of nature, and if successful, allowing you to connect with those very wonders as a result – inspiring you to carry that creative momentum even further.
A yoke itself is a piece of wood that effectively harnesses domesticated animal to the work they’re completing. To be “unyoked” means to be free of those restraints. For twin brothers Chris and Cam Grant who started Unyoked back in March 2017, they believe immersing oneself in nature allows you to really connect with the small moments of day-to-day life. It is these small moments that populate the pages of some of the best work ever written. Nature has a way of inspiring creative people and acting as a crucial cog in the rhythm of the creative process.
Writers can submit their work through https://unplug.unyoked.co/writers.
Happy writing!