In this issue:
- TIP: Have you drunk or drank?
- Start your creative writing journey here!
- New Mardi Gras Writing Competition
- Discover how to get your book published
- Slim Ink Book Giveaway - Maralinga by Judy Nunn
- Write for magazines and newspapers
- Did you know? Itinerary and itinerant
- WEBPICK: Editor Unleashed
I'm writing this from New York City where I’ve been absorbing some culture and hanging out at some of the fabulous book-stores here. This morning I visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art (here I am in front of 'Monet's Water Lilies') and yesterday hung out at The New York Public Library. Here's some trivia for Carrie Bradshaw fans. Did you know that the book that featured in the movie – Love Letters of Great Men – which she borrowed from the New York Public Library, did not exist before the movie? Well, it sure does now and I have no doubt it sells well!
I've also been doing lots of research for our students to broaden our resources for you. I have some great ideas to share with our self-publishing students in the upcoming seminar presented by Geoff Bartlett. See you there!
Self-Publishing: How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 9 December 2009 (two-hour seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: Have you drunk or drank?
Do you know when to use ‘drank’ instead of ‘drunk’? Grammar Girl does. Here’s her advice on which one to use.
‘Drank’ is the past tense of ‘drink’.
Do you know when to use ‘drank’ instead of ‘drunk’? Grammar Girl does. Here’s her advice on which one to use. ‘Drank’ is the past tense of ‘drink’.
I drank juice yesterday.‘Drunk’ is the past participle of ‘drink’, and you use it when you combine the main verb with a helping verb such as ‘have’.
I must have drunk juice for hours.‘Drunk’ can also be an adjective and a noun.
John was hit by a drunk driver.
The drunk went to jail.
Start your creative writing journey here!
Less than a week to go until our first daytime Creative Writing course for the year and places are filling fast! If you’d like to explore the world of writing short stories, memoirs or a novel, this course will give you the boost you need to get started. This is our most popular course – it’s a great way to ignite your creativity and meet other budding authors. You’ll also learn 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:
‘[It is a] creative, positive and supportive environment, where ideas flow and imagination is allowed to express. I have a better understanding on the kind of commitment and passion needed to succeed in writing. I have only scratched the surface of my potential and this course has given me an opportunity to peek into what is possible and what I must do to make it happen.'
- Carlos Olles
‘I approach story-telling and my school lessons with more focus on the structure and engaging the reader/students. I enjoy hearing and reading stories more because I'm aware of the different dimensions that make a good story, especially the structure.’
- Callum Shipley
The course is taught 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.
Creative Writing DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Friday mornings starting Friday 20 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
New Mardi Gras Writing Competition
When you hear the words Mardi Gras, you think parade, right? Well, there is another side to the celebrations around Sydney’s annual Gay & Lesbian New Mardi Gras. They also hold a writing competition and in 2010, Sydney Writers’ Centre is one of the sponsors! Here are some details from the New Mardi Gras website: The theme for 2010 is ‘Making History'. Writers can interpret this any way they wish, however the story must feature New Mardi Gras values. Entrants need not identify as GLBTQ (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer community), but the story must be GLBTQ themed. We have some truly amazing prizes this year so pick up your pen and get writing - we look forward to being entertained, amused, startled, inspired, gripped and seduced!
Stories should be no longer than 750 words and entered by 5pm on Monday 4 January 2010. Click here for an entry form and more information.
Discover how to get your book published
The path to publication can be a difficult one. Do you need an agent? How do you get a publisher to read your work? How do you negotiate a contract? These are all questions you should know the answers to before approaching a publisher. How to get your book published is a two-hour seminar designed to give you the confidence to tackle the world of publishing. You will learn:
- how to write a winning book proposal
- how to approach publishers
- what an agent does
- how much you should write before approaching a publisher
- about the editing and re-writing process
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the course:
‘Clear, easy to understand information, knowledgeable lecturer with quirky anecdotes. All my questions were answered. I thought it was a very good seminar process and I was surprised at how much fitted into two hours. The 'DREAM' is a lot more tangible!’
- Amber Rose Gabriel
‘Simply packed with information from start to finish, the seminar provided all the answers to questions that I have had for years about how books get published! I now have a definite plan to work towards in getting my first book published.’
- Lucy Marshall
This seminar is presented by Geoff Bartlett who is an author, journalist, actor and producer. He has filed articles and interviews for over 20 major newspapers and magazines around the country, including The Sydney Morning Herald, Courier Mail, Canberra Times, West Australian and Australian Style.
In 1999, Geoff's first book was published in Australia and New Zealand through Harper Collins. Comedians in the Mist was a series of interviews with top Australian comedians.
How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009 (two-hour seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Slim Ink Book Giveaway
Once again our good friends at Slim Ink have trawled through the new release lists for the month and picked out the very best for us to giveaway. This month’s book comes from Judy Nunn, former Home & Away star and prolific author. Her latest book is Maralinga. MARALINGA is a story of British Lieutenant Daniel Gardiner, who accepts a twelve-month posting to the wilds of South Australia on a promise of rapid promotion; Harold Dartleigh, Deputy Director of MI-6 and his undercover operative Gideon Melbray; Australian Army Colonel Nick Stratton and the enigmatic Petraeus Mitchell, bushman and anthropologist. They all find themselves in a violent and unforgiving landscape, infected with the unique madness and excitement that only nuclear testing creates.
MARALINGA is also a story of love; a love so strong that it draws the adventurous young English journalist Elizabeth Hoffmann halfway around the world in search of the truth. And MARALINGA is a story of heartbreak; heartbreak brought to the innocent First Australians who had walked their land unhindered for 40,000 years.
If you’d like to win a copy of Maralinga tell us: What would you do for a promotion? Email your answers to courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au by Friday 20 November 2009 and please remember to include your postal address.
Write for magazines and newspapers
If you dream of writing for magazines and newspapers but can’t make it to our face-to-face classes in Milsons Point then our Online Feature Writing course could be just what you’re looking for. When you complete this course you’ll have the tools and the confidence to write articles and get them published.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- find ideas that work and know where to get them
- understand the magazine/news market
- analyse different types of feature articles
- research, structure and write a feature
- understand what editors want from a writer
- pitch your article or idea to a magazine and sell it!
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the course:
‘[The course] was fantastic. The best thing is being able to do it when it suited me. I have three kids and a husband who does rotating shift work, so attending in person is near impossible, but this has afforded me the wonderful opportunity of learning as much as I have.’
- Diana Taylor
‘The information was practical and very informative. Valerie has a down to earth approach to tutoring which makes the course user friendly. Learning how to stucture my writing and having more insight into the media world has been a great benefit.’
- Kathy Newman
Online Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 30 November for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Did you know? Itinerary and itinerant
Did you know that the word ‘itinerary’ comes from the Latin word ‘itinera’? These days, an ‘itinerary’ typically refers to a travel document that outlines your journey. Back in Roman times, the ‘itinera’ were the streets that only accommodated people who were on foot. They were almost like tracks, which existed because the cities kept growing, and these tracks often wove in and out of buildings. As well as the word ‘itinerary’, we also get the word ‘itinerant’, which means ‘travelling from place to place’.For example:
I have just printed out my itinerary for travelling to Las Vegas and New York.
Fruit pickers are often itinerant workers who go wherever orchards need harvesting.
WEBPICK: Editor UnleashedEditor Unleashed is a unique look at the publishing and writing industry from someone who knows. Maria Schneider is a former editor at Writer’s Digest magazine and is now a freelance writer and editor. Her blog is dedicated to helping other writers learn about their craft and the business of publishing. The blog features author interviews, competitions, and invaluable information for writers that might otherwise be hard to find.
Check it out here - http://editorunleashed.com. And be sure to enter the ‘Why I write’ essay competition that’s being held until 31 December 2009.
Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Friday starting Friday 20 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 23 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Online Business Booster Bootcamp with Valerie Khoo
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009
Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm
Cost: $695
Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 26 November 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 30 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 2 December 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Thursday 3 December 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
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 INTENSIVE DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 19 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 - NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
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: 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
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