Australian Writers' Center- Writing Courses for Pleasure and Profit

Get Published newsletter Sydney: (02) 9929 0088 Melbourne: (03) 9005 6737   Happy new year! I hope that 2013 has started brilliantly for you. Judging by the flood of enrolments we’ve been seeing, it looks like you’re taking action on your writing goals. We look forward to seeing you soon and helping you achieve them. I’ve been in the Yarra Valley wine region in Victoria and have been spending a lot of time relaxing and poring over my favourite magazines. I’m a magazine junkie from way back and there’s nothing I like more than getting lost in the words and pictures of a glossy mag. That’s what first inspired me to start writing for magazines in the first place. In fact, Magazine and Newspaper Writing is one of our most popular courses. And I love the fact that I can flip through the pages of many of Australia’s leading magazines and find the bylines of so many of our students! If you’re interested in writing for magazines (either as a sideline or as a career change), you’ll enjoy our course Magazine and Newspaper Writing – held in both Melbourneand Sydney. You’ll discover: Ideas – where to get them and which ones work The industry – understanding the magazine/newsmarket Styles – all the different types of feature articles Researching, structuring and actually writing your feature Interviewing skills – whether it’s a CEO or circus clown, rock star or rocket scientist, learn the questions you need to ask People power – who to approach to get the best subjects for your stories Editor expectations of freelance writers Selling your story – a step-by-step guide to successfully pitching your article or idea to a magazine and MUCH more! TIP: Are you discreet or discrete? We see these two words confused all the time. Be careful – discreet and discrete have two very different meanings. Discreet means prudent, circumspect, or tactful. For example: Rambo the dog wasn’t discreet enough about his favourite hiding place and it’s now been taken over by Rocky the cat. Discrete means detached from others, separate or distinct. For example: There are two discrete groups in this office; one for cupcakes, and one against. While both words are derived from the same Latin word and sound identical, over time they’vedeveloped distinct meanings. So be careful when deciding which one you should use. WORDWISE: Flack or flak? Here’s an interesting post from Grammarphobia on the all too common mistake writers make confusing “flack” and “flak”. Ask almost anyone and you’ll hear that “flack” is a misspelling of “flak”, a term coined during World War II to describe enemy anti-aircraft fire. (“Flak” was an acronym for fliegerabwehrkanone, a German anti-aircraft gun.) After the war, “flak” also came to mean a barrage of criticism or disapproval. It’s understandable, then, that the flacks who bombarded news hounds relentlessly with press releases got confused with flak. The PR man who gave us “flack” was named Gene Flack, and in the 1920s and ’30s he was a movie publicist without peer. He was so good at his job thatVariety, the showbiz weekly, starting calling all publicists “flacks”. One reason the origins of “flack” and “flak” have become confused is that the words emerged at about the same time. The Oxford English Dictionary says that “flak” was first recorded in a 1938 edition of the naval reference book Jane’s Fighting Ships, which is published in Britain. The OED says “flack,” which it defines as “a press agent” or “a publicity man,” is a “chiefly U.S.” slang term of unknown origin first recorded in 1946. National Survey: We’d love to know why you write We would be so grateful if you could take 1 minute out of your day to complete our quick survey. We would love to know why you write and to get a snapshot of: what motivates Australians to write and what your writing goals are for 2013. The survey is super quick to complete and we’d love your thoughts. You can complete it here: National survey on why you write Screenwriting Stage 1 Want to get your screenwriting off to an action-packed start in the quickest possible time? Then our first everScreenwriting Intensive is perfect for you. In one week, over five daily two-hour sessions, you’ll be shown the fundamentals of screenwriting focusing on three basics – character, story and structure. It’s a great way to take your brilliant idea and turn it into an engaging movie script in no time flat! Daytime intensive course Monday 14 January to Friday 18 January 2013 Time: 10am – 12noon Cost: $395 Travel Writing Can you believe it’s the start of a new year? If you’re going on a summer holiday, you may want to think about whether you can incorporate some writing into your vacation plans. Specifically, is there a way for you to get paid for your travels? If so, then our Travel Writing course is a must. Weekend course: Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 January 2013 Time: 10am – 4pm Cost: $395 Creative Writing Stage 1Whether you’re a total novice or already have some writing experience, Creative Writing Stage 1 is the ideal starting point on your road to creative enlightenment. If you’re in Melbourne, you can join us for our weekend intensive course with novelist Kylie Ladd. Weekend course: Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 February 2013 Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Online courses – learn from wherever you are This is the perfect time of year to start an online course. You’ll get your own tutor, get access to comprehensive and info-packed course materials, get feedback on your assignments and even have classmates! Here are our upcoming online courses: WEBPICK: The Literary Gift Company Okay, so it’s a little bit late for Christmas, but if you feel you deserve a treat after a frantic festive season or you need ideas for a birthday present for the person who has everything, check out the Literary Gift Company. There’s a seemingly endless range of bookish products on offer including “Books turned into things” (like a handbag!), “Books about books” and “Quotable chocolate bars”. There are gifts for writers, games for word lovers and e-reader and tablet covers. And there’s this – a book worm! Check it out here. “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.”Words of wisdom from – Douglas Adams Upcoming courses Online Course: Travel Writing with Sue White When: Week beginning Monday 7 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman – FULL When: Week beginning Monday 7 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Sue White/Allison Tait When: Week beginning Monday 7 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman When: Week beginning Monday 7 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson When: Week beginning Monday 7 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman When: Week beginning Monday 14 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Sue White/Allison Tait When: Week beginning Monday 14 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Travel Writing with Sue White When: Week beginning Monday 21 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman When: Week beginning Monday 4 February 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman When: Week beginning Monday 21 January 2013 for five weeks Time: Whenever suits you Cost: $395 Seminar: How to Write a Business Book with Valerie Khoo When: Friday 8 February 2013 (half-day seminar) Time: 9.30 am – 1.00 pm Cost: $295Weekend course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Claire Halliday When: Saturday 9 February and Sunday 10 February 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Course: Weekend course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kylie Ladd  When: Saturday 9 February and Sunday 10 February 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 WEEKEND course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy When: Saturday 12 January and Sunday 13 January 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395WEEKEND Course: Food Writing with Carli Ratcliff When: Saturday 12 January and Sunday 13 January 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Daytime intensive course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding When: Monday 14 January to Friday 17 January 2013 (5 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $395 Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett When: Tuesday 15 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Seminar: From Blog to Book with Kerri Sackville When: Wednesday 16 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Marina Go When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 16 January 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller – FULL When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 17 January 2013 for six weeks Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $450 Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 17 January 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Course: Writing Picture Books with Cathie Tasker When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 17 January 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm Cost: $395 Weekend course: Travel Writing with Sue White When: Saturday 19 January and Sunday 20 January 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Daytime intensive course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman When: Monday 21 January to Friday 25 January 2013 (5 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $395 Seminar: How to Create and Sell Your eBook with Anna Maguire When: Monday 21 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Seminar: Blogging for Beginners with Kim Berry When: Tuesday 22 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Daytime intensive course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 1 with Sue White When: Tuesday 22 January and Wednesday 23 January 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Seminar: Successful Freelancing with Gayle Bryant When: Tuesday 22 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Seminar: Build Your Profile Using Twitter with Kerri Sackville When: Wednesday 23 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Course: Travel Writing with Sue White When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 29 January 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm Cost: $395 Daytime seminar: Blogging for Beginners with Kim Berry When: Wednesday 30 January 2013 (two-hour daytime seminar) Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $85 Daytime seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett When: Wednesday 30 January 2013 (two-hour morning seminar) Time: 10.00am – 12.00 noon Cost: $85 Daytime seminar: From Blog to Book with Kerri Sackville When: Thursday 31 January 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 10.00am – 12.00 noon Cost: $85 Daytime seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett When: Friday 1 February 2013 (two-hour morning seminar) Time: 10.00am – 12.00 noon Cost: $85 Weekend Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie When: Saturday 2 February and Sunday 3 February 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Weekend Course: Write a Chick-Lit Novel with Lisa Heidke When: Saturday 2 February and Sunday 3 February 2013 (2 consecutive days) Time: 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $395 Course: Thriller Writing with L.A. Larkin When: Every Monday starting Monday 4 February 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge When: Every Monday starting Monday 4 February 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Seminar: Writing for the web with Grant Doyle When: Monday 4 February 2013 (one-day seminar) Time: 9.00 am – 4.00 pm Cost: $450 Seminar: Build Your Profile Using Twitter with Kerri Sackville When: Wednesday 6 February 2013 (two-hour morning seminar) Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $85 Seminar: Business Writing Essentials with Tony Spencer-Smith When: Thursday 7 February 2013 (one-day seminar) Time: 9.30 am – 4.30 pm Cost: $395 Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle When: Tuesday 12 February 2013 (one-day seminar) Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Cost: $450 Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Sue White When: Thursday 14 February (one-day seminar) Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Cost: $450 Seminar: How to Write a Business Book with Valerie Khoo When: Friday 15 February 2013 (half-day seminar) Time: 9.30 am – 1.00 pm Cost: $295 Course: Introduction to Novel Writing with Pamela Freeman When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 21 February 2013 for six weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $495 Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 21 February 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard When: Thursday 28 February 2013 (one-day seminar) Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Cost: $495 Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett When: Wednesday 6 March 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Seminar: Editing Essentials with Deb Doyle When: Friday 15 March 2013 (one-day seminar) Time: 9.00 am – 5.00 pm Cost: $450 Course: Writing About Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett When: Monday 18 March and 25 March 2013 (2 evening classes) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $175 Seminar: Self-publishing – How to do it with Geoff Bartlett When: Monday 25 March 2013 (two-hour evening seminar) Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $85 Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Jeni Mawter When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 27 March 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 4 April 2013 for six weeks Time: 10.00 am – 12.00 noon Cost: $450 Course: Magazine and Newspaper Writing Stage 2 with Valerie Khoo When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 1 May 2013 for five weeks Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $395 Course: Program: Write Your Novel with Pamela Freeman When: Every Monday starting Monday 1 July 2013 for six months Time: 6.30 – 8.30 pm Cost: $1980 (early bird price) Wishing you much writing success, About Valerie: Valerie Khoo is a journalist, author of six books and founder of the Australian Writers’ Centre. Valerie writes regularly for smh.com.au, theage.com.au,brisbanetimes.com.au, watoday.com.au, canberratimes.com.au andbusinessday.com.au. The Australian Writers’ Centre runs a range of popular writing courses in Sydney, Melbourne and online. She is author of Power Stories: The 8 Stories You MUST Tell to Build an Epic Business (Wiley).