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Happy Christmas!; Write short films for the big screen; Write for magazines and newspapers; Writing in Paris 2010


In this issue:

• Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas
• TIP: Inconsistencies in the English language
• Write for the big screen! Script Writing for Short Films
• Learn online with Online Feature Writing
• Wordwise: & (ampersand)
• Writing in Paris 2010
• WEBPICK: Letters of Note

This week, I've been travelling around Tasmania and loving it - it's just gorgeous here. I spent Saturday at Salamanca Markets and loved browsing through the second-hand book store, Deja Vu Books at Salamanca Place in Hobart. Of course, I couldn't resist sending you my snaps of an errant apostrophe I spotted in Kingston. Can you see it?


There is no need for an apostrophe here at all. Just because there is an "s" at the end of a word doesn't mean an apostrophe should automatically precede it. So resist the temptation to insert one.

The plural of "oyster" is "oysters" - no apostrophe. And don't get me start on the way they have spelt "enjoy"!

I'd also like to wish everyone in the Sydney Writers' Centre community a happy and safe holiday season. Although our office will be closed between Christmas and New Year, we will be available via email courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au.

And you can book online any time during this period. We are back in the office on 4 January 2010.

Best wishes to everyone for the new year and may all your writing dreams come true!





Write for the big screen! Script Writing for Short Films
Hollywood is heading into another frenzied Oscar season, and, if you look closely at the eventual list of nominees, you'll find that many of the directors had their start with short films. So why wouldn’t you start that way too?

Our script writing for short films seminar is an intensive course taught by an industry expert. You’ll learn all about writing your short film and getting it made – and onto the big screen!

This course will cover:

• how to select and develop suitable ideas for a short film
• what narrative elements you need in a short film screenplay (characters, plot, dialogue etc)
• what technical elements you must consider in a short film screenplay (locations, props, budget etc)
• the roles of the writer/director/producer and how they interact
• getting your film seen and sold

Here's what past partcipant Katie Whiffen said about the course:
"It was fantastic to understand the process of a short film and how ideas become reality. Before this course I had a few vague ideas for short films. I know what to do next if I want to enter Tropfest! Also have a range of resources from the presenter which will be invaluable."

This course is presented by Geoff Bartlett who has written for several Australian TV shows and produced three short films. Two were semi finalists at Tropfest and one screened in competition at Flickerfest. They were also bought by Foxtel (The Comedy Channel), ABC TV, Qantas, Telstra and Japanese TV.

Script Writing for Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesdays 20 and 27 January 2010
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




Learn online with Online Feature Writing
Do you have an idea for an article you’d like to see published? Think you have what it takes to write for your favourite magazine or newspaper? Online Feature Writing Stage 1 will show you how you can achieve this.

We know how rewarding it is to see your writing published in a major magazine or newspaper. And we know this because so many of our former students have achieved this – some before they’ve even finished their course!

The course is held in our virtual classroom, which means you can log in whenever and from wherever you like. It will show you: 

• which ideas work and where to get them
• understanding the magazine/news market
• different types of feature articles
• how to research, structure and write a feature
• what editors want from a writer
• how to pitch your article or idea to a magazine and sell it!

Recent participant, Maraya Bell, had this to say about the course:
‘I loved how practical the course was. I've studied writing at uni but it was all theory and no practical. I loved knowing the exact steps you need to take. I feel like I have a lot more confidence to go out and pitch, knowing exactly what editors expect. It was very easy and convenient and I enjoyed being able to do it in my own time.’

Online Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.



 
Wordwise: & (Ampersand)
Did you know that the ‘&’ symbol is actually an ancient one? Surprisingly, it dates back to around 63BC, and originated with the philosopher and orator, Cicero. A man named Tiro was tasked with writing down all of Cicero’s speeches and, in an early example of shorthand, combined the two letters of the roman word for ‘and’ – et – to make one symbol.

The name ‘ampersand’, however, wasn’t applied to this symbol until around 1837. In a list of English language symbols, the following notation is used:

& per se = and

Again, these letters were eventually compressed to read ‘ampersand’.




Writing in Paris
Our 2009 trip to Paris was a huge success! Twelve lucky writers joined Patti Miller in the city of lights for a two-week memoir-writing sojourn – and had the time of their lives.

Ever since bookings filled for the October trip, many of you have been asking about dates for 2010. Well, we’ve finalised details and are happy to announce that Writing in Paris will be held again next year!

Dates for Writing in Paris 2010:
Arrival: Thursday 21 October 2010
Departure: Saturday 6 November 2010

Click here for more information

This really could be the trip of a lifetime. You'll spend 17 days soaking up literary Paris while embarking on your own writing journey with Australia's best life writing mentor, Patti Miller.

Details are available now on our website. You can also read more about one person's impressions here. And remember - if you book and pay in full before Wednesday 31 March 2010, you'll receive a 5% discount on the booking price.




WEBPICK: Letters of Note
In this busy, electronic age, letter writing as an art is almost lost. But it wasn’t so long ago that all of us wrote letters regularly – letters to friends or relatives, letters to the local newspaper, letters of complaint, even letters to Santa! This lovely website is devoted to keeping letter writing alive by gathering some of the more fascinating examples of letters, postcards, faxes and telegrams from readers around the world.

It’s updated every weekday with new examples and this week features a letter to Bob Hope from an American prisoner of war in Vietnam in 1973; a letter written in 1897 by a young girl wondering if Santa is real; and a letter written to Ronald Reagan by one of his greatest allies, Margaret Thatcher.

It’s a fascinating reading! You can check out Letters of Note here: www.lettersofnote.com.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Course: Script Writing for the Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 20 January and Wednesday 27 January 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 January 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller - 1 PLACE LEFT
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 2 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge - FULL
When: Week beginning Monday 8 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 11 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman - FULL
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 18 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge - NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 1 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Vanessa Waters
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395

Seminar: Self-Publishing: How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 30 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth - NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 8 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday beginning Wednesday 14 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

In this issue:

• TIP: Since you ask – ‘because’ or ‘since’?
• Write for children and young adults
• Icon Films giveaway – tickets to The Road
• Kickstart your creativity in 2010 with Online Creative Writing
• My Child magazine and Parenting Express writing competition
• Blogging for Business
• Wordwise: Cocktail
• WEBPICK: Ommwriter

This newsletter comes to you from chilly Tasmania. I’m just regaining my land legs after a night crossing Bass Strait on The Spirit of Tasmania (yes, I took no chances and loaded up on sea-sick pills). I’ve brought a stack of books and magazines to keep me amused as I journey around the island – and I hope it’s a chance for me to get away and reflect on this year at the Sydney Writers’ Centre.

Last week I received the wonderful news that the manuscript of one of our students has been accepted by a publisher in New York. I’m so thrilled that I did a little dance around the office. More details on that as soon as the ink is on the dotted line!

This book has been published in Australia and now it’s set to take on the US market. One of the reasons for the book’s success is that it has had a comprehensive marketing strategy. If you are planning to write a book, the marketing is just as important as the words. What’s the point of writing a book if no one knows about it? That’s what marketing is all about. You’ll learn what you need to know in our course, Marketing Your Book: Your best-seller Blueprint.

Marketing Your Book: Your best-seller blueprint with Amanda Falconer
When: Mondays starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Click here for more information or to enrol online.





Write for children and young adults
Do you have a story you think will appeal to young readers? Have you always dreamt of writing for more than your own children? Writing for Children and young adults can be rewarding and lucrative – but where do you start?

Our Writing Books for Children and Young Adults course will show you how to write an engaging and enjoyable story for youngsters.

This course will cover:

• how to get started
• finding the right voice
• creating characters and stories young readers will enjoy
• how to write believable dialogue
• common assumptions about writing for children and about young readers
• how to structure a story that works
• the secrets to plotting for different age groups
• what you need to know about getting into the children’s publishing market

Here’s what two recent participants had to say about the course:
‘I found Judith to be well informed within the writing industry. It was great to have inside knowledge from an experienced editor. Judith's teaching background was a bonus too. She presented information in an engaging manner. I learned a lot about how to write. I can now get writing!’
- Joy Mortimer

‘I just wanted to know more about writing and how to get started. I have gained so much knowledge and insight now. Judith and Pamela were very knowledgeable and warm presenters.’
- Margaret Fitzgibbon

This course is presented by Judith Ridge. She is well known in Australia and internationally for her involvement with writing for children. Judith has worked with the Children's Book Council, as an editor at ABC Children's Books and the NSW School Magazine and freelances as an editor for Random House. Judith edited Handle with Care: Making Friends with Animals by Paul McGreevy - one of Halstead Press' all-time top sellers. She has also edited Piccolo and Annabelle 4: The Steamer Demons by Stephen Axelsen (Random House) and numerous books for ABC Books.

Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Wednesdays beginning Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




Icon Films giveaway – The Road
Icon Films once again have a fabulous motion picture ticket offer for subscribers – our very last giveaway for 2009!

The Road is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Cormac McCarthy, and stars Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-Mcphee. Father and son are on a journey through a post-apocalyptic world in which it seems very few humans have survived. While the cataclysm that has left the world in a state of perpetual Winter is never explained, this is a haunting, and sometimes frightening, movie about survival.

Thanks to Icon Films we have 10 double passes to giveaway. As this is our last competition for the year, we’ll give you an easy question to answer – what’s your favourite road and why?

Send your answers to courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au by 9am on Tuesday 22 December 2009, and remember to include your postal address.



 
Kickstart your creativity in 2010 with Online Creative Writing
Make 2010 your year to boost your creativity with our Online Creative Writing course. Our interactive online classroom means you benefit from the same content and feedback as our face-to-face classes while doing the course from home!

Whatever your writing goals – whether you’re writing short stories, a memoir or a novel – this course will help inspire you and give you the confidence to start that project, and finish it.

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

Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the course:
I really liked being able to download the tutorials so I can listen to them more than once. This is a great benefit over trying to take notes in a classroom. It’s the first time I have tried to write a piece of creative writing since school, and I have learnt so much abut structure, planning and in particular cutting down on the volume of words.’
- Sarah Browne

‘I don't live in Sydney and these are very valuable courses, so I really enjoyed the online module. I was easily able to fit it around work etc and I would do another online course next time.’
- Lisa Chirio

Online Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




My Child magazine and Parenting Express Short Story Competition
Sydney Writers’ Centre is again proud to be a sponsor of the My Child and Parenting Express magazine short story competition.

Entries are now open for creative non-fiction stories of up to 900 words long, with a theme of pregnancy, childbirth or the first five years of raising a child. Anyone with kids will have plenty to write about with this one!

The best story will be published in the Autumn 2010 edition of My Child, and the writer will also receive enrolment in our Online Feature Writing course. This is one of our most popular courses, perfect if you want to learn how to write great articles and get them published! You can check out the details here.

The winning author will also receive a $150 voucher for Agoo’s online store (funky and sun-safe clothes for kids), a Bella mini-bag by Il Tutto valued at $149.95, and a two-year subscription to My Child magazine. Three runners up will also be rewarded generously with a $150 voucher for Agoo’s online store, a Bella mini-bag by Il Tutto and a one-year subscription to My Child.

All entries must be submitted via email by no later than midnight on Sunday 10 January 2010. You can find out more at Parenting Express or My Child online.




Blogging for Business
Many businesses are now starting to embrace social media particularly through blogging. Blogging can be an incredibly effective way of engaging your customers and staff, and building the reputation of your company. But it’s important to know how to do it well.

This one-day seminar will show you how to make your company’s blog stand out for all the right reasons. It’s ideal for anyone who wants to start a blog for their business, already has one and wants to improve it, or needs to supervise others writing for a company blog.

The seminar will cover:

• the critical distinctions between a blog and an ordinary company webpage
• the terminology of blogging
• what readers expect from a corporate blog
• finding and building an audience
• how and what to measure
• common internal objections to blogging and how to overcome them
• best practice policies and guidelines for corporate bloggers
• building the business case for your blog
• what you should be looking for in your blogging software

Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the seminar:
‘Relevant - fun presentation - dynamic - enthusiastic presenter. Lots of new motivation for marketing ideas for the business.’
- Miranda Corkin

‘The presenter, Steven Lewis, is an expert in his field that made the seminar relevant and up to the minute.’
- Kandy Russo

The seminar is presented by Steven Lewis, who has consulted on blogging, podcasting and other Web 2.0 tools for companies such as Westpac and IAG. For Tourism Tasmania he created a ground-breaking series of travel podcasts, with similar projects in the works for companies like V Australia and Time Out.

Steven has also promoted blogs, wikis and podcasts as a corporate insider, having worked for AMP as an in-house evangelist for its enterprise 2.0 tools.

Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Click here for more information or to enrol online.



WORDWISE: Cocktail
With the silly season well and truly upon us, many of you will no doubt be indulging (perhaps over-indulging) in a few too many cocktails.

When you think about it, ‘cocktail’ really is an unusual name for a drink. While there’s no definitive answer to where this word came from, the most likely involves an apothecary name Antoine Amedee Peychaud, who invented mixed drinks in New Orleans around 1795. He made these drinks in an egg-cup (perhaps his mixed drinks were much stronger than the modern day cocktail), or coqquetier in French. This was eventually changed by English speakers to cocktay, and continued to evolve to become cocktail.

WEBPICK: Ommwriter
A little bit of zen on your computer – that’s what the makers of this writing tool promise.

Ommwriter is a word processor designed to help you focus and concentrate on the writing task at hand. The background (a choice of white, grey or a snowscape) and music are designed to instil peace and tranquillity, to take you away from the ‘noisy background’ of a desktop with countless programs open.  It’s a basic text editor that will help your writing flow.

At this stage it’s only available for Macs, but a PC version may be on the cards if there is enough demand.

If you want to relax your mind and inspire your writing, visit www.ommwriter.com.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Course: Script Writing for the Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 20 January and Wednesday 27 January 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 January 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 2 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Week beginning Monday 8 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 11 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle - NEW DATE
When: Tuesday 16 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Vanessa Waters
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395

Seminar: Self-Publishing: How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 30 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth - NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 8 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday beginning Wednesday 14 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Tell us what you think and you'll get a $50 voucher; Your best-seller blueprint; Kickstart your creative writing in 2010

In this issue:

• Tell us what you think for a $50 voucher to use towards any course
• TIP: Don’t forget the hyphen!
• Turn your book into a best-seller!
• Slim Ink giveaway
• Kick-start your creative writing in 2010
• Wordwise: Censor
• Get published in magazines and newspapers
• WEBPICK: Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity

As you know, we love using videos to communicate with our community at the Sydney Writers’ Centre. Take a look at my video message here.

To this end, we’d love to hear from YOU! If you send us a video testimonial about a course you’ve done at the Centre, we’ll reward you with a $50 voucher to use towards any course here in 2010.

It’s really easy to record and send a video “rave review” to us. You can find details on how to do this here. You need to do this before 31 December 2009 because we’ll be sending your vouchers during the first two weeks of January 2010.

I can’t wait to see your videos!

Click here for details on how to get your $50 voucher and to see my video message.




Turn your book into a best-seller!
Every book that’s published needs a marketing plan – even blockbuster author Dan Brown’s latest book. If readers don’t know your book is out there, how will they ever be able to buy it? If you’re self-publishing your work, or you have a deal with a publisher but want to boost your own sales, then you need to know how to market your book. Even if you haven’t finished writing your book, you can start marketing right now.

Our Marketing Your Book: Your Best-seller Blueprint course will give you the confidence to sell your book, and yourself. During the course, you’ll discover:

• the importance of positioning your book – who it's for and where you find this target market
• positioning yourself - what’s your author brand all about?
• how to choose the most appropriate promotional tactics
• what your publisher does (if you have one) and when they do it – and what they want from you. Also, find out what they don’t do.
• how to prepare for media interviews
• how to generate your own PR long after your publisher has moved on to the next title
• how to promote your book using smart online strategies – do you need a website, blog, online video or a social media presence?
• case studies on online book marketing ideas that you can model.

Here’s what recent participant, Kamal Weerakoon, had to say about the course:
"Amanda knew her stuff and gave us clear guidelines on how to market our book. She also gave me a reality check as to what's needed to successfully market a book."

This course is presented by Amanda Falconer, a brand and marketing expert with over 20 years experience across industries ranging from the rag trade to building and now, books. Amanda is currently the national marketing manager of the Australian division of a global manufacturing company. She is executive editor of LookHome magazine and producer of myLOOKHOMEtv. She is also author of The Renovator’s Survival Guide. Since the book’s launch, she has been featured on Sunrise, 9am with David & Kim, A Current Affair, as well as numerous radio interviews including ABC Radio in Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, and Adelaide, as well as 3AW and 2CA.

Marketing Your Book: your best-seller blueprint with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




Slim Ink giveaway
As you know, our friends at Slim Ink have given us a book every month for our newsletter subscribers to win. This month, they have something a little different to give away.

Slim Ink is your online library. They stock all the latest releases and your membership entitles you to take out anything from one to 12 books at a time, depending on which plan you purchase. And this month, they are giving away a three-month gift membership for a casual reader. Valued at $66, this plan will allow you to borrow two books per month. All you need to do is select 10 titles to be placed on your reading list, and two books from that list will be sent straight to your door each month.

You can get more details about the plan here.

To win this gift membership, just tell us what your favourite books in 2010 were and why. Send your answers to courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au by Friday 18 December 2009.

Please read these terms carefully before entering.
Your email address is required by Slim Ink and that will be used as your initial password to activate your membership, along with other details. Please be advised that recipients of the gift membership must also give credit card details to activate their gift membership. This is purely a precautionary measure for any other charges that might be incurred eg damage or loss of books, throughout the gift membership period.



 
Kick-start your creative writing in 2010
If 2010 is your year to kick-start your creative writing, then our Creative Writing course will be perfect for you. We know that many of you can’t make it to our evening classes, so we have a great daytime option where you can complete the course in 5 consecutive days in January. You can attend the classes in the morning and head to the beach in the afternoon!

If you’re interested in writing short stories, a novel, or a memoir our creative writing course could be just what you need. It will give you the tools you need to refine your writing and get started on that project.

This creative writing course will teach you how to:

• 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

Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the course.
‘I loved the informal nature of the course. There was a structure where students learn the tools to help with creative writing, however the instructor was also open to feedback in the middle of lessons. I can’t wait to put pen to paper.
- Prasad Lokanadan

‘As a complete beginner I found all of the course very enjoyable. I particularly liked the development of characters in a story. I now know the basics and I know more clearly what direction I need to go in.’
- Alex James

This course is taught by Jeni Mawter, 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.

Creative Writing 5-day intensive with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January to Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol.

If you can’t make it to one of our face-to-face courses in Milsons Point for an evening or morning class, you can still do this great course online.

Online Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




WORDWISE: Censor
Nobody likes a censor. Especially us writers! These days, censors are charged with finding and removing certain material from books, movies, tv shows ... anything that can be published, read or viewed by the public.

But the censor’s original role was a little different. In Ancient Rome, censors were the officials who kept tabs on the population by doing a formal count every five years in a census (just like our modern-day census). They would also make a note of any citizens considered to be behaving immorally in any way. So not only were the censors in charge of counting the population, they also upheld the moral code of the day.

 

Get published in magazines and newspapers
What could be more rewarding than seeing your article published in your favourite magazine or newspaper? Our Online Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers will show you how you can achieve just that. If you’re brand new to writing or you want to brush up on your skills and build your confidence, then this is the course for you.

The course will cover:

• which ideas work and where to get them
• understanding the magazine/news market
• different types of feature articles
• how to research, structure and write a feature
• what editors want from a writer
• how to pitch your article or idea to a magazine and sell it!

All of this will be taught in our interactive online classroom. You’ll have a chance to interact with your teacher and classmates, just like you would in a face-to-face course.

Here’s what one recent participant had to say about the course:
‘I found each module equally enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Valerie's presentation of each module and her audio feedback to comments and questions each week, which I found almost resembled a real life classroom situation. I also enjoyed the opportunity to interact with virtual classmates (and to meet one of them in real life) and I found the assignments very useful and practical. I've had all of my questions answered about getting into freelance feature writing and now feel I have the confidence and knowledge to approach a publisher with a story idea.

‘It was very easy and convenient to be able to do the course in my own time and not have to factor in travelling time, childcare etc. It gave me the chance to do a course that would not have otherwise been available in Canberra. The best thing was that most of it resembled a real life classroom but I had the flexibility to do it when it suited me.’
- Wendy Barilaro

Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.





WEBPICK: Eat, Pray, Love author: Tapping
into your inner genius
Elizabeth Gilbert is author of the best-selling memoir Eat, Pray, Love. The story of her journey of self-discovery through three different countries has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. Believe it or not, this success now has her audience questioning
whether or not she can repeat it.

Gilbert recently appeared at the TED conference in America and spoke at length about writing, genius, and the pressures of success. It’s a humorous and inspirational talk and, I think, essential viewing for any writer.

Watch it here, and tell us what you think.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Course: Script Writing for the Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 20 January and Wednesday 27 January 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 January 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 2 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Week beginning Monday 8 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 11 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Vanessa Waters
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395

Seminar: Self-Publishing: How to do it with Geoff Bartlett - NEW DATE
When: Monday 15 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman - NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 30 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday beginning Wednesday 14 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

How to write a great script; Master the art of crime writing; Better business blogging; turn your book into a best-seller

In this issue:

• How to ensure your book is a best-seller
• TIP: I imply, you infer
• Get your short film to the big screen!
• Dungong Film Festival – In The Raw program
• How to write crime
• Did you know? Tmesis
• Writing a better blog for your business
• Word Wise - Tantalize
• WEBPICK: An Awfully Big Blog Adventure

Last week I had the pleasure of having a long chat with Christopher Ride, author of The Schumann Frequency and its sequel, The First Boxer. Although now signed to Random House, Christopher initially self-published The Schumann Frequency and successfully sold more then 10,000 copies. This involved a strategic, concerted effort to market his book – and the results were obviously well worth it because it made Random House pay attention.

The reality is that you could be the best writer in the world – or have the most amazing story to tell – but if no one knows about it, you won’t sell any books. Whether you self-publish or are represented by a mainstream publisher, it’s vital to know how to market your book to give it the best chance at being a best seller. That’s why I’m so excited about our course Marketing Your Book: your best-seller blueprint with Amanda Falconer.

Marketing Your Book: your best-seller blueprint with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Click here for more information or to enrol online.





Script Writing for Short Films
Before you write your Oscar winning screenplay, you have to start small. In fact, many successful feature film writers and directors started their careers with short films. If you have a short film you want to get written and seen, then our Script Writing for Short Films is a perfect way to start.

This course will cover:

• how to select and develop suitable ideas for a short film
• what narrative elements you need in a short film screenplay (characters, plot, dialogue etc)
• what technical elements you must consider in a short film screenplay (locations, props, budget etc)
• the roles of the writer/director/producer and how they interact
• getting your film seen and sold

Here’s what some previous participants had to say about the course:
"Geoff's real world experience was invaluable and worth the price alone."
- Chris Bradford

"The presenters information was very practical, he knew what he was talking about and came across genuinely interested and helpful. I have a better idea of the steps involved in the overall process."
- David Owens

This course is presented by Geoff Bartlett who has written for several Australian TV shows and produced three short films. Two were semi finalists at Tropfest and one screened in competition at Flickerfest. They were also bought by Foxtel (The Comedy Channel), ABC TV, Qantas, Telstra and Japanese TV.

Script Writing for Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesdays 20 and 27 January 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Click here for more information or to enrol.




Dungog Film Festival – In The Raw
Still on the theme of screenwriting, the Dungong Film Festival is happening again in 2010 and their ‘In the Raw’ program is now open for submissions.

This is a unique opportunity for writer/producer teams to workshop and present their scripts with Australian industry professionals. Previous writers have included Fiona Seres (Love My Way), Dave Warner (Garage Days) and Julia Leigh (The Hunter).

'In The Raw' is now calling for submissions of unproduced feature, miniseries and TV series scripts from Australian writers and producers. Selected scripts will receive $9000 in script development support and will have the chance to perform the script live for audiences at the 2010 film festival in Dungong.

Entries close Monday 1 March 2010.

Click here for more information or to download an entry form.




 
How to write crime
A good crime thriller will have you hooked from page one. And if you find yourself reading through the night because you can’t put it down, then you know you’re on to a winner! If you want to discover the secrets to writing believable suspense and convincing criminals, then join us for our Crime Writing Workshop with Marele Day.

During this weekend workshop, you’ll discover:

• the “rules” of crime writing and how to get started
• research resources for crime writers
• how to develop credible heroes and intriguing villains
• how to develop a sense of place in crime fiction
• the importance of plotting your crime
• how to plant clues and create suspense
• what crime fiction publishers are looking for

Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the course:
"The presenter was very knowledgeable - the content was excellent and the size of the group was good. I am feel better equipped to continue on with my novel and am certainly more inspired and motivated."
- Kate Walter

"The presenter was very experienced and gave lots of useful tips. Lots of ideas for how to improve my writing and especially my research."
- Elizabeth Foster

The workshop is presented by Marele Day, author of four crime novels – The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender, The Case of the Chinese Boxes, The Last Tango of Dolores Delgado and The Disappearances of Madalena Grimaldi – as well as a collection of crime-comedy stories – Mavis Levack, PI. She is also the editor of How to Write Crime. Other novels include the acclaimed Lambs of God and Mrs Cook: The Real and Imagined Life of the Captain’s Wife.

A highly experienced teacher, Marele conducts creative writing courses throughout Australia, and mentors emerging writers. She has won several awards including the Ned Kelly Lifetime Achievement in 2008. Her latest novel, released in 2009, is The Sea Bed.

Crime Writing Workshop with Marele Day
When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January 2010 (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




Did you know: What is a ‘tmesis’?
Tmesis is an actual word. I was surprised when I typed it and it didn’t come up as a spelling error! It’s the only word in the English language beginning with ‘tm’ and it means ‘the separation of parts of a compound word by an intervening word or words’.

You’ll see it happen a lot in informal writing or on Twitter and Facebook. It’s basically the insertion of one word inside another. For example:

‘a whole-nother-story’
‘abso-frikkin-lutely’
‘put it back any-old-where’

The word comes from the Greek ‘tmēsis’ meaning ‘cutting’.

 

Writing a better blog for your business
If your company or business is thinking of writing a blog for customers, you want to be sure it’s a good one! With so many blogs being written on so many different topics, it’s important that yours stands out for the right reasons.

Our Blogging for Business seminar will give you the tools, and the confidence, to write an engaging blog for your customers and staff, that could help build your company’s market share and reputation.

The seminar will cover:

• the critical distinctions between a blog and an ordinary company webpage
• the terminology of blogging
• what readers expect from a corporate blog
• how to write a blog that stands out
• finding and building an audience
• how and what to measure
• common internal objections to blogging and how to overcome them
• best practice policies and guidelines for corporate bloggers
• building the business case for your blog
• what you should be looking for in your blogging software

Here’s what some of our recent participants had to say about the course:
‘The seminar was at the perfect pace to learn and be stimulated – great presenter and teacher. It dragged me out of the dark ages of social networking knowledge to be talking the talk!’
- Sally Berry

‘The presenter Steven Lewis is an expert in his field, which made the seminar relevant and up to the minute. I will be changing my Style File to a blog as soon as I can!’
- Kandy Russo

Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Click here for more information or to enrol online.

Word Wise - Tantalise
We all know what it’s like to be tempted, or tantalised, by something that is just out of reach. Just today I was thinking how tantalisingly close the Christmas holidays are!

The word ‘tantalise’ comes from Tantalus, one of Zeus’ half-mortal children. Tantalus was not well behaved. At a feast in Olympus he embarrassed his father by stealing nectar and ambrosia to share with his mortal friends back in the real world. As punishment, Tantalus was banished to Tartarus in the underworld and forced to stand in a river up to his chin with low-hanging fruit above him – forever just out of reach.



WEBPICK: An Awfully Big Blog Adventure
This is a writers’ blog or, as the creators call it, ‘the ramblings of a few scattered authors’. And it really is ramblings – insightful and inspiring ramblings from people who write.

The writers are mainly UK authors and they talk about everything from writing for kids, plotting (or how not to do it), writers’ block, and poetry, as well as book reviews. All contributors are published authors and include Karen Ball, Linda Strachan and Anne Cassidy. There are links to all the authors’ websites as well.

So, visit http://awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com/ for a daily dose of writing advice and inspiration.

Other upcoming courses
Seminar: Self-publishing - How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 9 December 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo - NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Crime Writing Workshop with Marele Day
When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January 2009 (2-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 January 2010 for three weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $265

Course: Script Writing for the Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 20 January and Wednesday 27 January 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 January 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 2 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Week beginning Monday 8 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 11 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller - NEW DATE
When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 February 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Vanessa Waters - NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon - NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday beginning Wednesday 14 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395