Sydney Writers’ Centre- May 1, 2012 What’s New & Latest Writing Courses & Newcastle Poetry Prize
Our ONLINE COURSE: Creative Writing Stage 2 is a must if you’ve already had a taste of writing fiction.
You’ll learn:
•how to find, create or extend your main characters and how to
place them within a world of believable minor characters
•how to make similar characters distinct on the page – what is your
character’s ‘journey’?
•structuring your story
•climax and resolution: how these shape the final story – and
how to write them!
•the principles of scene development: dialogue, pacing, the manipulation of time, character interaction, management of exposition
•the right process of structural editing, copy-editing and proofreading, using examples from both published and student work
•and MUCH more.
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 7 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
What’s new at the Sydney Writers’ Centre
•This week we spoke to the 2012 The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award winner Paul D. Carter. You can watch the interview on Writing Bar.
•Filling fast: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle, Thursday 10 May 2012.
•Congratulations to our Life Writing guru, Patti Miller! Her latest book THE MIND OF A THIEF is now in bookstores.
Get published in your favourite magazine
Want to know how to turn your love of writing into a career? Writing for magazines and newspapers is the perfect way to indulge your love of just about any topic – including politics, sport, travel, and entertainment – and get paid for it!
Our Magazine and Newspaper Writing course will show you how you can do it. You’ll learn which ideas work and how to find them, how to write feature articles, what editors want, and how to pitch your features and increase your chances of getting published.
What past participants say:
“Marina was incredibly articulate, intelligent and insightful and ran the course brilliantly. I enjoyed learning how to structure articles correctly.”
- Jo Clancy
“Marina was excellent. I thought she facilitated the discussions really well and was also able to give us real world examples from her own experiences. One of the best presenters I have come across.”
- Yatungka Widders
Magazine and Newspaper Writing with Marina Go
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 9 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Student Success
It’s been a big week for Sydney Writers’ Centre graduates – we’ve heard from two former students who’ve had publishing success!
Juliet Matheson did our Life Writing with Patti Miller last year and has had two stories accepted for publication in Footprints magazine. She wrote to us:
I did a life stories course with you last year and I LOVED it! I have received two emails from Footprints saying they will publish two different stories of mine. I am SO excited! Just wanted to say thank you for all your encouragement. You have made a big difference to my writing and dreams of writing for others to enjoy.
Congratulations Juliet!
We also heard from Kees Bakhuyzen. Kees has done many courses with us, including Magazine and Newspaper Writing. Kees has had lots of success since completing the course and his latest is an article in The Weekend Australian’s “Professional” section.
Congratulations Kees!
Newcastle Poetry Prize
One of Australia’s oldest and richest writing prizes is the Newcastle Poetry Prize. Established in 1981 as the Mattara Prize, it is now co-ordinated by the Hunter Writers’ Centre.
And as far as poetry prizes go, this is a big one. The first prize winner will take away $12,000 and will also be published in the prize’s anthology, both in hardcopy and as an eBook. Second prize is $5,000, third prize $1,000 and there are also two $500 prizes for young and local poets in the Hunter region.
Entries are now open for poems or suites of poems up to 200 lines. Entries close on Friday 8 June, 2012. For entry forms and more information visit their website. http://newcastlepoetryprize.com/
Make your travel writing dream come true
If you dream of making a living from writing about your travels, then our ONLINE COURSE: Travel Writing is for you. In five weeks you’ll learn about what needs to be in your travel writing toolkit, how to find inspiration wherever you are, and how to pitch your work to editors.
This course is held in our virtual classroom, which means you can do it from wherever you are, whenever suits you!
What past participants say:
“The downloads were supported by the podcasts and this allowed me to follow through each module. And it’s great that I have all the modules saved and can read and listen to them again, getting something new every time.”
- Stephen James Castley
“Sue obviously knew her stuff. Her feedback was always spot on.”
- Kutloano Leshomo
This course will be taught by Sue White. Sue has lost count of the number of countries she’s visited for work and play. As a travel writer, she has written about everything from the Golden Temple (Amritsar, India) to Gianni Versace’s 24-carat gold toilet (Miami, USA) while indulging her own itchy feet.
ONLINE COURSE: Travel Writing with Sue White
When: Week beginning Monday 7 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Learn the essentials of good business writing
If you’re writing at work you want to be sure your communication is clear and concise every time. That’s why it’s so important to know the fundamental rules of good business writing – something that isn’t often taught at school or university.
If you’re writing correspondence and other documents, and want to be sure your writing is the best it can be, our one-day Business Writing Essentials seminar is for you. You’ll learn the 11 golden rules of business writing as well as essential skills that will help you get your message across clearly, every time.
What past participants say:
“Tony was excellent. He has a good knowledge of his subject.”
- Catherine Ferrara
“Tony is very good. I was particularly impressed with his passion to increase the “human side” in business writing.”
- Victoria Ilagan
This seminar is presented by Tony Spencer-Smith, a corporate writer, editor and trainer, an award-winning novelist and former Editor-in-Chief of Reader’s Digest magazine. Over the last eight years he has delivered writing training courses to many hundreds of people from numerous organisations including the AMP, Macquarie Bank, Optus, the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and the Wesley Mission.
Business Writing Essentials with Tony Spencer-Smith
When: Tuesday 8 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30 am – 4.30 pm
Cost: $395
What we’re reading
This week Sydney Writers’ Centre course manager, Danielle Williams, is reading Eleven Seasons by Paul D. Carter. She writes:
This year’s The Australian/Vogel’s Literary Award winner is a football-loving, high school teacher from Melbourne. So it’s no surprise that his debut novel, Eleven Seasons, uses the great game of VFL (or AFL) as a backdrop to his coming-of-age story.
Eleven Seasons is the story of Jason Dalton, a teenager who lives in inner Melbourne and dreams of one day playing at the MCG for his team. Jason has grown up looking after himself as his mother works long hours as a nurse, saving for the house in the country she craves.
Jason is a methodical and committed player for his under-nineteens team, and this comes through in his life as well. But eventually a family secret so awful it’s been kept from him since he was born comes to light and he’s forced to re-assess his place in the world.
It would be easy to assume this is a football novel for young adults. But it’s not – it’s much more than that. It’s a snapshot of life in late 1980s and 1990s Melbourne and an exploration of the tribal nature of football and teenagers – and what it’s like to be on the outside of that.
This year’s judges were unanimous in their decision to award the prize to Paul Carter, and I can see why. If you want to support new Australian writing, you should definitely get your hands on this book.
We want to know what you’re reading! You can write a book review for the Writing Bar and we’ll feature an excerpt here in the newsletter.
WEBPICK: Fully (sic)
Crikey (the independent online newspaper) has its very own language blog – Fully (sic) – for word nerds and armchair linguists. It’s a fascinating look at how we communicate and the ever-changing world of words and language.
Various contributors tackle topics on anything to do with English, language, media, grammar, spelling – just about anything to do with the written and spoken word.
Other upcoming courses
Seminar: How to Write a Business Book with Valerie Khoo
When: Friday 4 May 2012 (half-day seminar)
Time: 9.30 am – 1.00 pm
Cost: $295
Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett – FULL
When: Monday 7 May 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 7 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Online Course: Travel Writing with Sue White
When: Week beginning Monday 7 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Business Writing Essentials with Tony Spencer-Smith
When: Tuesday 8 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30 am – 4.30 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Marina Go
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 9 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Writing for the web with Grant Doyle
When: Thursday 10 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00 am – 4.00 pm
Cost: $450
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 14 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 15 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Cost: $450
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 15 May 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Seminar: Perfect your Proofreading with Deb Doyle
When: Thursday 17 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30 am – 4.30 pm
Cost: $395
Online Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Sue White/Allison Tait – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 21 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Sell Your eBook on Amazon with Steven Lewis
When: Monday 21 May 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Program: Write Your Novel with Pamela Freeman – FULL
When: Every Monday starting Monday 21 May 2012 for six months
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $1980
Seminar: From Blog to Book with Kerri Sackville
When: Tuesday 22 May 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Sue White
When: Wednesday 23 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Cost: $450
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 23 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
When: Thursday 24 May 2012 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Cost: $495
Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Week beginning Monday 28 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 28 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Introduction to Novel Writing with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 29 May 2012 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $495
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 29 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy – NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 31 May 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Self-Publishing – How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 7 June 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Course: Writing Picture Books with Cathie Tasker
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 13 June 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Food Writing with Carli Ratcliff – NEW COURSE
When: Saturday 16 June and Sunday 17 June 2012 (2 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Write a chick-lit novel with Lisa Heidke – NEW COURSE
When: Saturday 16 June and Sunday 17 June 2012 (2 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett
When: Wednesday 27 June and 4 July 2012 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $175
Course: Screenwriting Stage 2 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 9 July 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Successful Freelancing with Valerie Khoo and Gayle Bryant – NEW DATE
When: Tuesday 10 July 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Course: Travel Writing with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 11 July 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Build Your Profile Using Twitter with Steven Lewis
When: Tuesday 17 July 2012 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $85
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 17 July 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 3 August 2012 for six weeks
Time: 10.00 am – 12 noon
Cost: $450
Course: Thriller Writing with L.A. Larkin
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 9 August 2012 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cost: $395
WRITING TOURS
Writing in Bali with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 21 July to Saturday 28 July 2012
Writing in Paris with Patti Miller – FULL
Arrival: Thursday 18 October 2012
Departure: Saturday 3 November 2012
Wishing you much writing success,
Sydney Writers’ Centre
Suite 3, 55 Lavender Street Milsons Point NSW 2061
http://www.sydneywriterscentre.com.au
