In this issue:
- TIP: ’Tis the season
- Kickstart your creative side in 2011
- More Student Success – Kirsty Carter
- Look! The Art of Australian Picture Books
- The art of writing your life
- Get paid for your travels!
- WEBPICK: Book Lady’s Blog
As you read this I'll be on a plane to Austin, Texas, where I’ll be for a few days. I've heard so much about this town and I can't wait to check out the bookshops, stores and other cultural attractions. In the meantime, at the Centre we are gearing up for summer – and it seems you are too. We just launched the Sydney Writers' Centre Summer School because of so many requests for us to run intensive versions of our courses. This is particularly for those people who don't live in Sydney or who want to fast track their learning.
The Summer School is going to be a blast because there is no better place than our harbourside training rooms to learn this summer. Enrolments are already pouring in so we know it's going to be a dynamic Centre this January. We hope to see you here!
We'd love to hear what you thinkWe're also planning 2011 and we want to ensure we are bringing you the courses that you want to do. So we would be so grateful if you could answer a few questions for us in this survey. It's a very short survey so it won't take long. And since it's the season for giving, for every survey that's completed we'll donate $1 to Doggie Rescue to help them do their important work – particularly during the holiday period when too many little doggies are abandoned.
Click here for the surveyThanks so much. See you next week when I’m back in Sydney.
TIP: ’Tis the season
’Tis the season to be jolly! Or so that’s what the Christmas carol says. You'll also see the phrase ’Tis the season emblazoned on signs, menus and magazines this holiday period. If you're going to use it yourself, make sure you write it properly.Check out this advertisement in a magazine (pictured). Can you see what's wrong? The apostrophe in front of ’Tis is facing the WRONG way.
This is incorrect:
‛Tis the season (that's not even an apostrophe in front of Tis, that's a single open quote mark.)
This is correct:
’Tis the season
Here's the thinking behind it:
’Tis is a contraction of it is. It's contracted further by losing the i in it. An apostrophe is inserted to indicate where a letter is missing.
So, Fa la la la LA. La la la LA!
Kickstart your creative writing
We’re always looking for new ways to offer our great courses to those people who can’t commit to five weeks. One way we do that is with our incredibly popular Daytime Intensive courses. This option is perfect for anyone who is taking some time off in January and wants to get straight into fulfilling those New Year’s resolutions. Our first Daytime Intensive for 2011 will be Creative Writing with Jeni Mawter. In just 5 days, you’ll learn the essential elements of a great story. The course is ideal for new writers or anyone who wants to refine their fiction writing skills. It would also make a great Christmas gift for one of the budding writers in your family!
This creative writing course will teach you how to:
- kick-start the creative writing process
- tap into your imagination
- draw from everyday experiences and memories
- examine different types of creative writing
- give structure to your writing
- use characters and dialogue
‘The information and advice given was excellent and much more in depth that I had expected. I also thought the writing exercises were really good. Jeni was a very good communicator and put time, effort and substance into teaching the class, which definitely came across in the teaching and kept me coming back each week.’
- Billie Vine
‘Jeni Mawter was an excellent presenter. She was engaging and provided realistic advice. I have a clearer idea of what direction my writing needs to take.’
- William Tomlin
The course is presented by Jeni Mawter, the children’s author of the hilarious ‘So’ series: So Gross!, So Feral!, So Sick!, So Festy!, So Grotty! and So Stinky! (HarperCollins) as well as the Freewheelers series: Unleashed!, Launched! and Extreme! (HarperCollins). Unleashed! was shortlisted for the WAYRBA Older Readers Award 2009.
Jeni has also published fiction, non-fiction, poetry and verse narrative for the education market. With a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature and a Diploma in Book Editing and Publishing Jeni has taught creative writing for many years at Macquarie University and at writers' centres. Her enthusiasm for words and books is infectious.
DAYTIME INTENSIVE Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 10 January to Friday 14 January (five consecutive mornings)
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Student Success – Kirsty CarterThis week’s student success story comes from Kirsty Carter, who has had her first feature story published in Darwin Life magazine.
Here's what she emailed us:
I have recently quit my day job and have been doing a little writing. I did the magazine and feature writing course and it was great!
Darwin Life magazine have given me some more little stories to write for the January edition - 1500 words in total. I am now officially calling myself a freelance writer!
Congratulations Kirsty! We look forward to reading more of your published articles.
Look! The Art of Australian Picture BooksFor those of you in Melbourne these school holidays, there’s a great exhibition being held at the State Library of Victoria – ‘Look! The art of Australian picture books today’.
Featuring the work of more than 40 Australian illustrators, this exhibition will delight adults and children alike. Anyone with kids (or a love of kids’ books) will be familiar with Shaun Tan, Graeme Base and Leigh Hobbs. Work from some of their books of the past ten years will be on display along with many others.
The exhibition is on until Sunday 29 May 2011 in the Keith Murdoch Gallery of the library.
You can find all the details here.
Life Writing with Patti Miller
Writing your memoir can be a difficult experience, but also an extremely rewarding one. You need to be able to combine your creative writing skills with an ability to bring your memories alive for readers. Australia’s premier life writing teacher, Patti Miller, teaches just a few courses a year and, not surprisingly, they fill quickly! A favourite with many Sydney Writers’ Centre alumni, she will introduce you to the art of creative autobiographical writing and set you on the journey of writing your life.
The course includes workshops that will help you:
- awaken memory and creativity
- create the lived reality of your experience on the page
- bring details to life
- find structure to your work
‘Patti was wonderful in encouraging us and providing that safe environment to share our stories. Her feedback was invaluable, not just of my work but of everyone's. It gave me the confidence to believe in myself. It has inspired me to continue with my project.’
- Clare Nathan
‘The course was illuminating in many ways. Patti skilfully kept ten very different people engaged and on track whilst cleverly sharing quality advice on ways to improve. It was empowering in terms of both learning and sharing and as a result I'm encouraged to continue this journey of discovery. Not only did it unleash the very dormant writer within but it also taught me to relax, share with, and encourage like-minded folk whom I now feel I have a connection to. I started somewhat hesitantly and finished with a desire to continue in earnest.’
- Felicity Young
This course is presented by Patti Miller who has taught creative writing, with a particular focus on autobiographical writing, for 20 years. At the Sydney Writers' Centre, you learn from the best - and we believe Patti is the best life-writing teacher in Australia.
Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Fridays starting Friday 14 January 2011 for six weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $450
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: Stationary sale?
If we take this sign literally, we’d have to say this sale will be standing still – as well as selling notebooks and stuff.
Surely they meant ‘Stationery sale’!
Travel Writing
Ah, travel. We all want to do more of it, and we’d all love to get paid for it! Summer holidays no doubt inspire dreams of trips to exotic overseas locations, or to your favourite holiday camping spot here in Australia. Wherever you go, the opportunities for inspiration are endless. If you want to learn how to turn your travel experiences into a travel writing career, we have another daytime intensive course just for you – Travel Writing with Sue White.
The course will cover:
- how to structure and sell your work, when it’s important to provide photos and other key elements such as trip notes
- how to research travel stories and finding interview subjects on the road
- travel writing ethics
- different types of travel articles and why they suit different markets
- what you should have in your Travel Writers’ Toolkit
- planning itineraries with stories in mind
- travelling on your own versus an organised trip with other writers
‘Sue White is an excellent teacher. The class was very well structured and planned, compared to other institutions I've done short courses through. Logical, approachable, and with practical advice – Sue had obviously spent a lot of time structuring the course and it flowed perfectly in a timely manner.’
- Mark Holmes
‘I really enjoyed having Sue's insight and experience on the travel writing industry. I have learnt some good tips to start and think it is now possible to have some articles published.’
- Agnes Samour
Daytime Intensive Travel Writing with Sue White
When: Monday 24 January to Friday 28 January 2011 (course held over 4 days, no class on Wednesday 26 January)
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $345
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
WEBPICK: Book Lady’s Blog
The ‘Best Books of 2010’ lists are starting to appear and as a result, my list of ‘must read’ books just keeps getting longer…One of my favourite Best Of lists came from the Book Lady’s Blog – ‘the literary adventures of a panty-throwing, book-loving wild woman’. The author, Rebecca Joines Schinsky, is an American book critic (and huge fan of John Irving). Her blog is full of entertaining and thoughtful book reviews on literary fiction and narrative non-fiction, as well the occasional steampunk novel.
If you’re interested, she’ll also explain her penchant for ‘panty-throwing’. (Not to be taken literally! It seems this refers to a unique rating system she has developed for favourite books and authors.)
Check it out here
Other upcoming courses
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – LAST COURSE FOR 2010
When: Week beginning Monday 13 December 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Online Course: Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo/Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 4 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter – NEW DATE
When: Monday 10 January 2011 - Friday 14 January 2011 (5 days in a row)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 10 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 14 January 2011 for six weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $450
Course: Daytime Intensive Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Monday 17 January 2011 - Friday 21 January 2011 (5 days in a row)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 19 January 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 20 January 2011 for four weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $345
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie – NEW COURSE
When: Saturday 22 January 2011 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Weekend Intensive Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Saturday 22 January 2011 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Intensive Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Monday 24 January 2011 - Friday 28 January 2011 (4 mornings with a 1 day break for Australia Day)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $345
Course: Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Mathew Nott – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 25 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 31 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 1 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 3 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 3 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie – NEW COURSE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 3 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge – NEW DATE
When: Every Monday starting Monday 7 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Tuesday 8 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Seminar: Writing Letters and Emails with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 16 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 16 February 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 17 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495
Course: Perfecting Your Pitch with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 17 February 2011 and Thursday 24 February 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Edit with Confidence with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Friday 25 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 12 March 2011 and Sunday 13 March 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $450
Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 14 March 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett – NEW COURSE
When: Thursday 24 March 2011 and Thursday 31 March 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Friday 25 March 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Boost Your Creativity with Laurine Croasdale – NEW DATE
When: Monday 28 March 2011 and Monday 4 April 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Friday 1 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 3 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Magazine Writing Stage 2 with Gayle Bryant – NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 18 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Your Story Structure with Kathryn Heyman – NEW DATE
When: Friday 17 June 2011 and Friday 24 June 2011 (2 half-day classes)
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $215
Course: Novel Writing Workshop with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 5 July 2011 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495
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