- TIP: Passed vs Past
- Kickstart your creativity – Daytime Creative
Writing courses - Writing Competition – $3000 for 3000 words
- Continue your writing journey – Online Creative Writing Stage 2
- More Student Success – congratulations
Lyn Cook! - Did you know? Burning the candle at both ends
- What we’re reading
- WEBPICK: I Write Like
What a week it's been at the Sydney Writers’ Centre! It’s been great to chat to students who are enrolling in our Melbourne courses. Our team is heading to Melbourne from 6 to 9 October and we’re bringing our popular courses:- Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
- Life Writing
- Travel Writing
- Professional Business Writing
- How to Write a Business Book
Find out more about our Melbourne courses here.
Why go to Melbourne? Well, to be honest, it’s because you keep asking! So we can’t wait to connect with our Melbourne community. And we know some of you are flying in from Adelaide and Perth for the courses! Even though we’re called the Sydney Writers’ Centre, we really see ourselves as a national centre design to serve aspiring writers no matter where you live.
TIP: Passed or past?
This one causes a lot of confusion for writers – what exactly is the difference between passed and past? Well, passed is the past tense of the verb pass. For example:Rambo passed doggie school with flying colours.Past is used as a noun, adjective, preposition, and adverb. For example:
This week has passed by so quickly!
The past few weeks have been so busy.
We walked past many beautiful buildings on our tour of Sydney.
What's new at the Sydney Writers' Centre
- Our Book Club will be meeting today for a chat about The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. We'll also be eating cake!
- Filling fast: Professional Business Writing with Sue White on Thursday 18 August.
- NEW DATES: Online Creative Writing Stage 1 starting Monday 25 July; Writing for the Web on Tuesday 16 August.
Kickstart your Creative Writing – NOW
If you’re like us, you’ve been taking advantage of this cold, cold weather to spend more time by the heater, reading books. You may even be feeling inspired to start your own writing journey! If that sounds like you then join us for our next Creative Writing course. During the course you’ll explore character, plot, structure and voice. You’ll also look at how you can create ideas for your writing and put your lessons into practice.
This is our most popular course, but we know many of you can’t make it to evening classes. So we’ve scheduled two daytime options just for you!
What past participants say:
"This course puts writing at the forefront and made it seem like a realistic life choice, not just a pointless endeavour."
- Amanda Baysari
"The most enjoyable thing about the course was the feeling of being inspired!"
- Inga Babic
DAYTIME Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 27 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
DAYTIME INTENSIVE Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth
When: Monday 17 October to Friday 21 October 2011 (five consecutive morning classes)
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
National Year of ReadingNext year will be the National Year of Reading and to celebrate, Writing Australia are holding a writing competition. Stories of up to 3,000 words will be accepted and prizes range from $3,000 for published authors, and $1,000 for unpublished authors. Winning stories will also be produced as recordings to help reach the 46% of Australians who struggle with literacy.
Competition closes 5pm Friday 5 August.
For full details visit our online magazine Writing Bar.
More Oops Words
Thanks to Lia Weston for sending us this picture.
She spotted this at City Pavers in Adelaide.
That dreaded apostrophe strikes again!
Of course, we know that they’re not needed to create plurals. Obviously this sign writer thought he’d throw them in just in case.
Perfect documents at work every time
When you’re working on documents – whether they’re annual reports or weekly newsletters – your final step should be proofreading. This important, but often overlooked, step will help ensure your business documents are polished and professional every time.
Learning the right techniques for proofreading needn’t be hard. Our one-day seminar, Perfect your Proofreading, will show you how to make sure your documents are in the best shape possible for printing and publication. You’ll learn how to use the standard proofreading symbols, how to set up a clear proofreading process for your work, and how to avoid the most common proofreading errors. It’s also the perfect follow-up course if you’ve done Edit with Confidence and want to add to your editing skills.
Here’s some feedback from previous participants:
"The seminar highlighted the difference between editing and proofreading. We realised the line between these jobs had blurred in our team and we have now altered our production schedule as a result. Deb is a great presenter - clear and helpful."
- Julie Nance
“I enjoyed the course content and the experience of the presenter. She was fabulous. The course was very valuable and I would definitely recommend the Sydney Writers' Centre.”
- Maria Theoharous
Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 27 July 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Student Success
Congratulations to Lyn Cook, who emailed us with this wonderful news: “I just wanted to inform the team at the Sydney Writers' Centre that I have had my first success publishing two freelance travel articles. Following a USA skiing holiday in February of this year an article about Jackson Hole, Wyoming will be published in the August edition of the Snowy Times newspaper and a further article about skiing in Park City, Utah will be used in their September issue. Thanks to Valerie for her advice regarding magazine publishing and Geoff Bartlett for travel writing tips.”
Lyn has done many courses with us, including Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers and Introduction to Travel Writing.
Well done, Lyn. We can’t wait to hear more about your writing success.
Did you know? To burn the candle at both ends
An article I read about New York’s skinniest house would be the last place you’d expect to find a little piece of literary history, but find it I did! According to the article the house (which is on the market for $4.3 million) was once home to American Pulitzer-Prize winning poet, Edna St Vincent Millay. She lived in the house, which now bears her name, in the early 1920s, and by all accounts enjoyed the bohemian lifestyle of Greenwich Village at the time. Perhaps it inspired this poem:"My candle's burning at both endsThe saying “burning the candle at both ends” means to live frenetically – whether at work or play. While Edna’s poem may have inspired this meaning in the phrase, she wasn’t the first person to use it. The original phrase comes from 18th century England, when candles were so valuable that to burn them at both ends would be considered recklessly wasteful.
It will not last the night.
But Oh my foes, and Ah my friends
It sheds a lovely light."
Another oops word?
We spotted this sign outside a clothes shop in Birkenhead Point.
That should say “Men’s Avenue”.
Continue your writing journey with our online course:
Creative Writing Stage 2
If you want to continue the momentum gained in your online course, Creative Writing Stage 1, and take your writing to the next level, then the online course, Creative Writing Stage 2 is for you. Designed to build on what you learnt in stage 1, this practical course will give you the chance to practice your writing and gain invaluable feedback from your tutor and classmates. Workshopping is central to this course and it will help you learn about the strengths and weaknesses in your writing. You’ll also learn how to create or extend your main characters, how to structure your story, and the all-important principles of scene development.
Best of all - you don’t have to leave the house! This course will be held in our virtual classroom online so you can join us from wherever you are.
What past participants say:
"I would highly recommend this course. Do it! You won't regret the decision."
- Maurice Venables
"Online Creative Writing 2 was very challenging for me. I had an idea for a story and had done a bit of writing for it. I found it wonderful to be able to look, think about, and work on the structure and form of it during the course, and to get feedback."
- Janet Barwick
ONLINE COURSE: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 25 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Are you putting your adjectives in the right order?
Did you know that there's a pecking order when it comes to adjectives? Let's say you buy a pair of boots, like I did recently when I was in Texas.The following adjectives could be used to describe my boots: leather (material), brown (colour), riding (purpose), Texan (origin).
The correct order for these adjectives is: colour, origin, material and purpose.
So it's correct to write:
Here are my brown Texan leather riding boots.
This is not correct:
Here are my Texan leather riding brown boots.
So there you go!
What we’re reading
This week Get Published reader, Donna Webeck, is reading Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Donna writes:"Described as 'A Masterpiece' by The Age – Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts, is an epic 933 page tome which paints an indelible picture of paradoxes about this, his life story. How a man with a nurturing heart, but hardened soul came in search of freedom.
"The reading journey is a long one, full of tempestuous twists and turns – and much gritty detail which can make for weary reading at times.
"But, if you have a spare month or three and feel the need to tackle a hefty, eye opening tome, let it be Shantaram. This powerful piece of prose will send you on a spellbinding cultural and emotional sojourn that will leave you breathless by book’s end!"
This is an edited extract of Donna’s full book review on the Writing Bar. Click here to read the full review.
WEBPICK: I Write Like
An oldie but a goodie... this neat tool will tell you which literary giant you write like. Just cut and paste some of your own text (make sure you put at least a few paragraphs in) and you’ll be given the name of a great writer – one you apparently ape in your writing! Here in the office we’ve seen mixed results. A quick analysis of this newsletter, for instance, reveals literary talents as varied as Tolstoy, H.P. Lovecraft and Cory Doctorow. I’ll take that as a compliment!
Check it out here.
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Marina Go – FULL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 14 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 15 July 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Online Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White
When: Week beginning Monday 18 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Sue White – FULL
When: Tuesday 19 July 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 25 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 25 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 27 July 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 27 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12.00noon
Cost: $395
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 27 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 27 July 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 8 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Laurine Croasdale/Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 8 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett
When: Tuesday 9 August 2011 and Tuesday 16 August 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 10 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
When: Thursday 11 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495
Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Tuesday 16 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Sell Your Ebook on Amazon with Steven Lewis
When: Tuesday 16 August 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85
Seminar: Better Business Communications with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 17 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Sue White
When: Thursday 18 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 18 August 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 23 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Edit with Confidence with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 24 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 25 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Marina Go – NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 25 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 9 September 2011 for six weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12.00noon
Cost: $450
Seminar: How to Write a Business Book with Valerie Khoo – NEW SEMINAR
When: Wednesday 14 September 2011 (half-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm
Cost: $295
Seminar: Self-Publishing – How to do it with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Monday 26 September 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85
Course: Writing Picture Books with Cathie Tasker – NEW COURSE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 6 October 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White – MELBOURNE COURSE
When: Thursday 6 October and Friday 7 October 2011 (two-day course)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Valerie Khoo – MELBOURNE COURSE
When: Thursday 6 October 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Seminar: How to Write a Business Book with Valerie Khoo – MELBOURNE COURSE
When: Friday 7 October 2011 (half-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm
Cost: $295
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller – MELBOURNE COURSE
When: Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October 2011 (two-day course)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $450
Course: Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – MELBOURNE COURSE
When: Saturday 8 October and Sunday 9 October 2011 (two-day course)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Novel Writing Workshop with Pamela Freeman – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 11 October 2011 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495
Course: Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 13 October 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth – NEW DATE
When: Monday 17 October to Friday 21 October 2011 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Screenwriting Stage 2 with Tim Gooding – NEW COURSE
When: Every Monday starting Monday 7 November 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Plotting and Planning with Kate Forsyth
When: Monday 28 November 2011 and Monday 5 December 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
WRITING TOURS
Writing in Paris with Patti Miller
When: Thursday 20 October to Saturday 5 November 2011
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