In this issue:
- TIP: On tenterhooks over spelling
- Continue your writing journey with Feature Writing Stage 2
- The Finch Memoir Prize
- How to make editing easy - Editing Essentials
- Book Giveaway - The Interrogator by JJ Cooper
- Building a blog for your business
- Don’t forget! NaNoWriMo starts soon
- Did you know? Rex and Regina
- WEBPICK: Sharing Machine
I'm writing this from chilly Healesville in country Victoria (it's 10 degrees) where I'm taking some time away from the city in order to focus on some writing - and also developing our online courses for you. For those of you who've emailed us asking for more online courses, we hear you! I'm also thrilled to welcome acclaimed author Jeni Mawter to our team. Jeni will be teaching Creative Writing at the Sydney Writers' Centre - the next 5-week course starts Wednesday 11 November 2009. Jeni is author of the ‘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). Other books include the junior novel Team Dream and the picture book There’s a Sun Fairy in Our Garden.
Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 11 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: On tenterhooks over spelling
Here’s another example of how speaking a word can sometimes influence the way it is spelled. A common phrase in English is ‘I’m on tenterhooks’ or, as you’ll often see it written, ‘I’m on tenderhooks’. The problem here is that while the phrase is very common, the word itself isn’t. If you look up ‘tenderhooks’ in the dictionary, you won’t find it. That’s because it’s not a word. The correct spelling here is ‘tenterhooks’.
What’s a tenterhook? It’s one of the hooks or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter. So, what’s a tenter? That’s a wooden frame over which you would stretch canvas or cloth to dry.
So, if you’re on tenterhooks, you’re in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety.
Feature Writing Stage 2
If you’ve completed Feature Writing stage 1, then you’re well on your way to fulfilling your dream of becoming a writer. But of course, there’s always more to learn! Our Feature Writing Stage 2 course will give you the insight you need to develop your career as a writer and learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ in the world of journalism. In this course, you'll learn practical skills on:
- how to find the right angle
- how to attribute quotes correctly
- advanced interviewing techniques
- how to create balance in your stories
- nailing the lead of your feature
- finding hard-to-get interviewees
- Freedom of Information
- where to find relevant sources for your story
- ethics and protocol
- facing journalistic dilemmas
- managing your contact book
- dealing with editors in the real world
This course is presented by Judy Skatssoon who is the features editor at Australian Associated Press (AAP). She has also been a successful freelance feature writer, contributing to a diverse range of publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, life etc, Sydney's Child, Women’s Health, ABC Online and many more. At AAP, Judy held a variety of positions including state political correspondent and national medical correspondent. She writes on a wide range of issues including the arts, health, politics, technology, women’s issues, business and more. Recently, Judy has also been a lecturer and tutor in journalism at UTS and is passionate about helping students discover the world of journalism and writing.
Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 21 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
The Finch Memoir PrizeIf you’ve done a Life Writing course with Patti Miller, or you’re one of the lucky 12 people attending her course in Paris this year, then you’ll be very interested in this competition.
The Finch Memoir Prize will run for the first time this year and will be awarded for an unpublished, non-fiction manuscript written as a memoir. The lucky winner will receive $10,000 and have their book published by Finch Publishing. This is an impressive prize so make sure you read the entry conditions carefully.
Entries close on 18 January 2010.
For full details visit the Finch Publishing website.
Make editing easy
Don’t let the task of editing your colleague’s (or boss’) writing overwhelm you. It may be easier than you think. Editing is a crucial skill if you’re dealing with written communication in your job, and our one-day seminar can show you how you can edit other people’s work confidently and with ease. Using practical exercises on editing and proofreading, this one-day seminar will show you how to:
- edit for structure and style
- improve anyone's writing using simple techniques
- use and understand standard proofreading symbols
- use a style manual, and where to get one/how to create one
- determine the tone and style of your document
- identify common mistakes in punctuation and spelling
- create professional documents that communicate effectively
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about this seminar:
‘When I edit documents now, I feel a lot more confident to make necessary adjustments. I no longer deliberate over a single aspect, like punctuation, for long periods of time.’
- Elizabeth Evans
‘It was an interactive forum that focussed on all aspects of editing. I found it particularly helpful when Katrina discussed dealing with the writers - the course gave me a lot of perspective and confidence.’
- Sarah Webb
The seminar is presented by Katrina Lobley, an experienced journalist and editor. With 20 years' experience in the publishing industry, Katrina spent five years as a sub-editor on The Sydney Morning Herald and is currently in demand as a freelance writer and editor of corporate and consumer publications.
Editing Essentials with Katrina Lobley
When: Thursday 22 October 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $345
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Book Giveaway
Author JJ Cooper has certainly had an interesting life – he spent 17 years in the Australian army, much of that as a Human Intelligence specialist! So you can be sure that his first novel The Interrogator will be a thriller that will have you wondering what’s fiction and what’s real life. Here’s a little more about the book:
Jay Ryan is used to being in control. As the Australian army’s highest-ranking interrogator he always gets the answers. But when he finds himself on the other side of the table, being brutally interrogated, everything – and everyone – he knows and trusts shatters into devastating illusion.
Ryan is blackmailed into a mission: to find his missing father who’s hiding top-secret information. Enter Sarah Evans, a secret agent entrusted with his protection – or so Jay thinks…
We have one copy of The Interrogator to give away. To win, just tell us what question have you always wanted answered. Email your answers by Friday 23 October 2009 to courses@spindriftmedia.com.au and remember to include your postal address.
You can hear more about JJ’s journey from interrogator to writer on our podcast, also available through iTunes.
Blogging for Business
These days, it seems everyone’s writing a blog, or at least regularly reading one. Many companies have already realised the benefits of using a blog to build their market and share or to communicate with staff and customers. A good corporate blog will be informative and will encourage your audience to return. Our brand new Blogging for Business seminar will help you create a blog for your company – whether you’re blogging for customers or for staff. It’s also ideal for those who have started a blog, but want to blog more confidently.
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
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: Friday 23 October 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Don’t Forget! NaNoWriMo starts soonNational Novel Writing Month starts on 1 November 2009. If you haven’t already registered, check out http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano and see if you’re up to the challenge of writing a 50,000-word novel in one month!
This could just be the ultimate writers’-block buster.
Did you know? Rex and ReginaRegular readers of this newsletter will know that the name of one of my cats is Rex. Did you know that Rex comes from the Latin word ‘rex’ meaning ‘king’?
In Latin, ‘regina’ means ‘queen’. That’s why the letters ‘ER’ are often found on royal crests or ciphers. This stands for ‘Elizabeth Regina’ – referring to Queen Elizabeth.
WEBPICK: T-shirts for WordsmithsSometimes it’s fun to celebrate your geeky side, and these t-shirts are perfect for doing just that. Sharing Machine is the site of Drew and Natalie Dee, who have designed heaps of t-shirts with funny and quirky designs on them. You can also buy prints and original artwork. Grammar nerds will love the t-shirts devoted to apostrophes and adjectives.
You can check out the designs, and buy tees, at www.sharingmachine.com
Other upcoming courses
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 15 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 19 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman - FULL
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 20 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 21 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Editing Essentials with Katrina Lobley
When: Thursday 22 October 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $345
Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Friday 23 October 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 26 October 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 5 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Friday 6 November 2009 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter - NEW PRESENTER
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 11 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Online Business Booster Bootcamp with Valerie Khoo
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009
Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm
Cost: $695
Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 26 November 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
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: 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: 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 2009 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450
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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