In this issue:
- How to meet Bono, Bon Jovi, Hugh Jackman and more
- TIP: Fulsome or full
- Australian Traveller magazine’s Virtual Intern Program
- TIP: Thank you vs Thankyou
- NEW COURSE: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
- TIP: Try to get it right
- The perfect Christmas gift for any writer
- WEBPICK: Copyblogger
Well I’m back in beautiful, sunny Sydney now and arrived right in the middle of Oprah fever. It’s certainly a busy time of the year with so many big names in town … Bono, Bon Jovi, Hugh Jackman and more. And if you’re coming by the Sydney Writers’ Centre, you might spot the paparazzi outside as Keith and Nicole live in our building! Tomorrow night half our team are heading to Bon Jovi – yes, I am a self-confessed diehard fan. In fact, I thought I’d share this photo with you of me with Jon Bon Jovi on his previous visit to Sydney.
That’s one of the great things about being a feature writer – you have the opportunity to meet and interview everyone from corporate tycoons and rock icons, to ordinary people with amazing stories. It’s a great privilege. I can be interviewing someone like Jon Bon Jovi one day or a business leader like Michael Dell (founder of Dell computers), like I did last week in Texas. Every day is different – and I love it!
You can do it too – and your first step starts with our Feature Writing course.
Feature Writing Intensive Summer School – fast track your learning
When we surveyed readers recently about their preferred times for Feature Writing courses, we were overwhelmed with requests for an intensive weekend course. There’s also been a lot of interest in a weekday intensive, for those lucky people taking time off in January. So, now we have three face-to-face teaching options for one of our most popular courses! And we’re launching them in January so you can make the most of that New Year’s motivation, and start fulfilling your writing dreams sooner.
If you want to learn how to write for magazines and newspapers, and more importantly, make a living from your writing, then this is the perfect course for you. The course will teach you about:
- 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!
‘The course was fast paced, fun and utilised clear examples of published work to demonstrate key concepts. I particularly enjoyed the profile writing exercise, and appreciated the personalised feedback. I'm reading with fresh, discerning eyes and feel I have been given valuable insight into the publishing industry. The course has given me the basic skills to tackle the process of preparing and submitting my own work for publication.’
- Leanne Gillespie
‘The material struck just the right balance between informative and inspirational. I not only gained the knowledge to move forward but the confidence as well. I have attained an understanding of how to structure and frame my articles. I have learnt how to powerfully promote my craft and navigate the pitfalls and possibilities of the market place.’
- Caroline McCullough
INTENSIVE Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White
When: Monday 17 January to Friday 21 January 2011 (five consecutive mornings)
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
WEEKEND INTENSIVE Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White
When: Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (two-day workshop)
Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: Fulsome or full
I see and hear this mistake so often that it’s rapidly becoming a pet peeve. Many people believe that fulsome is closely related to full or fullest, and it is, but definitely not as a synonym.Fulsome means excessive, off-putting or cloying to the point of disgust. Apparently full and fulsome do have similar etymological roots, but the two words must not be confused because such an error would completely change the meaning of your sentence.
For example, these two sentences explain a very different situation:
Maria was uncomfortable with Claire’s fulsome praise of her latest story.OR
Claire was full of praise for Maria’s latest story.
James made fulsome apologies for his late arrival.
James apologised, and took full responsibility for his late arrival.
Tell us what you think
Thanks to everyone who completed our quick survey last week.
We’d love to hear from more of you so that we bring you the courses that you want to do in 2011. It's a very short survey so it won't take long. And since it's the season for giving, for every survey that's completed we'll donate $1 to Doggie Rescue to help them do their important work – particularly during the holiday period when too many little doggies are abandoned. Thank you so much.
Click here to go to the survey
Australian Traveller magazine’s Virtual Intern ProgramAs a new travel writer, it can be hard to get your articles read by the right people. So this unique opportunity with Australian Traveller could be just what you need.
Australian Traveller is the only magazine committed to promoting Australia’s domestic tourism and is one of the highest-selling travel magazines in the country. They’re establishing a Virtual Intern Program (VIP) – an online forum where budding journalists and travel writers will have a chance to have their work posted and sent directly to their readers.
To get started, you just need to write 600 words on your favourite local destination or experience. Each month throughout 2011, the editor will pick her favourite entry and that article will be included in Australian Traveller’s e-newsletter. A selection of stories will also be chosen for the website.
For more information visit their website.
TIP: Thank you vs ThankyouWhen you use want to thank someone you usually use 'thank you'.
Example: I want to thank you for your Christmas card.However, if you are using it as a noun for expressing thanks, it’s 'thankyou'.
Example: The speaker expressed a big thankyou to her audience.If you are using it as an adjective, it’s 'thankyou'.
Example: He wrote a thankyou email to his host.
Travel Memoir
One of the most exciting new courses on offer in 2011 is Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie. We’re thrilled to have Claire joining us as a presenter! Her book, Last Seen in Lhasa, won her the Dolman Best Travel Book Award in 2007, and now she is joining the Sydney Writers’ Centre to teach you the secrets to writing your own travel memoir. This is already proving incredibly popular and places are filling fast for both our weekend intensive and 5-week evening course.
Packed with plenty of exercises, this intensive course will cover:
- how to structure your travel memoir and make your journey unique from the first page
- ways to transform dog-eared travel journals into a must-read manuscript
- writing about place with new eyes and describing characters without clichés
- popular genres of travel writing
- how to write a compelling book proposal to get your work published
- what to do before you leave and how to write on the road
This course is presented by Claire Scobie, the author of Last Seen in Lhasa, winner of the Dolman Best Travel Book Award. So far, it has been translated into German, Dutch and Korean. She writes for numerous publications including the Daily Telegraph and the Observer Magazine in the UK, and is a contributor to the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun-Herald, Marie Claire Australia and the Qantas in-flight magazine, The Australian Way. She’s gone on the trail of rhino poachers in Assam, done heli-fishing in Patagonia and crossed the Tanami Track in Australia.
Claire started her career as a journalist working for London’s Telegraph Magazine. In 1997, after winning a national award as Best Young Woman Journalist of the Year, Claire went to Tibet in search of a rare red lily. Six more journeys to Tibet followed, resulting in her acclaimed travel memoir Last Seen in Lhasa, published by Random House, about her friendship with a wandering Tibetan nun.
WEEKEND INTENSIVE Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (two-day workshop)
Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Thursdays starting Thursday 3 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: Try to get it right
Believe it or not, grammar does not always provide an answer to those curly questions our readers send us. We’ve been looking into the problem of people using ‘try and’ where they should be saying ‘try to’ in sentences such as ‘Rambo will try and get his Christmas shopping done early this year.’ But even Grammar Girl has had trouble finding a definitive answer! Here’s what she said:I got really frustrated while researching this topic because none of my books seemed willing to take a stand. They all said "try and" is an accepted informal idiom that means "try to." They say to avoid "try and" in formal writing, but not to get too worked up about it otherwise.
But none of them addressed what bothers me about the phrase "try and," which is that if you use and, as in your example sentence -- I'm going to try and call Grammar Girl -- you are separating trying and calling. You're describing two things: trying and calling. When you use "try to" -- as in I am going to try to call Grammar Girl -- you are using the preposition to to link the trying to the calling.
Gift certificates
Remember how we mentioned a few weeks ago that it’s almost Christmas? And back then you only had a few weeks left to finish all the shopping? Well, we’re now down to 10 days. Only 10 days to finish all the Christmas shopping! If anyone on your list is interested in writing – whether they’re aiming to write a novel, travel features or a kids’ book – then a gift certificate from the Sydney Writers’ Centre will make them very happy. You can buy a certificate for an amount, which the lucky recipient can use towards any course. Or you can book them straight into a particular course, giving them the added motivation to jump straight in.
There’s still plenty of time to order a gift certificate. Just call us on 02 9929 0088 to arrange payment. We’ll then express post your certificate that day – so you’ll get it in time for Christmas Day.
Christmas shopping was never so easy.
WEBPICK: Copyblogger
I’m sure many of our subscribers already read Copyblogger regularly, and we have mentioned it in our webpick before. But catching up on some of the posts yesterday reminded me what a fantastic resource this site is. There is a business focus with this one, so it’s perfect for anyone working in a professional writing role, but much of the advice is useful for any writer. Some of my favourite posts are Ernest Hemingway’s Top 5 Tips for Writing Well, 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking, and How to Write an Article in 20 Minutes. There’s also grammar advice, tips on building your blog, and marketing ideas. Oh, and I just found another great post – The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words. Brilliant!
Check it out here
Other upcoming courses
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Tuesday 4 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Online Course: Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo/Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Tuesday 4 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Monday 10 January 2011 - Friday 14 January 2011 (5 days in a row)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Week beginning Monday 10 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Every Friday starting Friday 14 January 2011 for six weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $450
Course: Daytime Intensive Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Sue White – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Monday 17 January 2011 - Friday 21 January 2011 (5 days in a row)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 19 January 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 20 January 2011 for four weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $345
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie – NEW COURSE
When: Saturday 22 January 2011 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Weekend Intensive Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Sue White – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Saturday 22 January 2011 and Sunday 23 January 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Daytime Intensive Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White – SUMMER SCHOOL
When: Monday 24 January 2011 - Friday 28 January 2011 (4 mornings with a 1 day break for Australia Day)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $345
Course: Magazine Writing Stage 1 with Mathew Nott
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 25 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 31 January 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 1 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Thursday 3 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 3 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie – NEW COURSE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 3 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge – NEW DATE
When: Every Monday starting Monday 7 February 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Tuesday 8 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450
Seminar: Writing Letters and Emails with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 16 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 16 February 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
When: Thursday 17 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495
Course: Perfecting Your Pitch with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 17 February 2011 and Thursday 24 February 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Edit with Confidence with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 25 February 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 12 March 2011 and Sunday 13 March 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $450
Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 14 March 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett – NEW COURSE
When: Thursday 24 March 2011 and Thursday 31 March 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Self publishing - How to do it with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 24 March 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 25 March 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Boost Your Creativity with Laurine Croasdale – NEW DATE
When: Monday 28 March 2011 and Monday 4 April 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Friday 1 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 3 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Magazine Writing Stage 2 with Gayle Bryant – NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 18 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Your Story Structure with Kathryn Heyman
When: Friday 17 June 2011 and Friday 24 June 2011 (2 half-day classes)
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $215
Course: Novel Writing Workshop with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 5 July 2011 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495
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