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• TIP: Dependant or dependent?
• Beat the chill – learn creative writing online
• Win $1,500! EJ Brady Short Story Competition
• TIP: Do you use too many intensifiers?
• Two seminars that will improve your writing at work
• What we’re reading: The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White
• WEBPICK: Let me Google that for you

What a week! I'm currently busy at a book publishing conference in California. It's going to be a few days of jam-packed sessions so I'm really looking forward to it.

I was thrilled when former students Louise Woodbury and William de Ora dropped in this week to give me a copy of their latest book hot off the press. The Invisible Branson is fantastic and I'm so thrilled for them. I know it's going to be huge.

That's why I'm also thrilled about the free webinar that I'm hosting about "How to write a business book". If you're a business owner, coach, consultant or expert, you might be thinking about writing a book to showcase your expertise.

When you've authored a best-selling book, this gives you instant credibility. It opens doors, gives you an excuse to get on morning talk shows and is a wonderful calling card for prospects and customers.

Join this free webinar to find out more.

Date: Tuesday 30 August 2011
Time: 12.00noon – 1.00pm

Click here to register for the webinar

I have four furry dependants (noun) and they are all dependent (adjective) on me.

What's new at the Sydney Writers' Centre

• Filling fast: Feature Writing with Marina Go, starts Thursday 25 August; Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults, starts Monday 29 August. 
  
  
• Our wonderful Book Club is meeting again today to discuss the merits of Patrick White’s The Eye of the Storm. Plenty of cake will be needed for this one. 
  
  
• New dates: Sell Your eBook on Amazon, Wednesday 14 September; PR and Media Releases That Get Results, Thursday 15 September. 
  
  
• Check out our profile on kids’ books author, Tristan Bancks. You can read it at the Writing Bar. 

Winter is definitely still with us, so we know it can be difficult to commit to coming to a class on a chilly weeknight. But don’t worry – you can do some of our courses from the warm comfort of your own home, at a time that suits you.
 
The Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 will cover exactly the same content as our popular face-to-face course, but you’ll be learning in our virtual classroom. The course will cover all the essential elements of great fiction – voice, character, plot and structure – and you’ll have a chance to put what you learn into practice.
 
Here's what some recent participants said about the online course:
“The structure of the course was perfectly suited to my needs. The online tutorials were easy to follow and full of useful advice and tips. Now I am reading, and writing, with an entirely new perspective.”
- Jenny Challen
 
“If you're serious about writing, this course covers all the essentials and is a great place to start.”
- Liam Charlesworth
 
ONLINE COURSE: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman/Laurine Croasdale
When: Week beginning Monday 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

EJ Brady Short Story Competition
Now in its 17th year, the EJ Brady Short Story Competition, run by the Mallacoota Arts Council, is held in honour of the poet Edwin James Brady (1869-1952). He lived in Mallacoota and in 1909 established a camp for writers and artists.
 
He is a fitting patron for the annual Short Story and Very Short Story competitions, which attract entries from all over Australia. The 2011 competition is now open and stories of up to 2,500 words (for the Short Story category) or under 700 words (the Very Short Story category) are welcome.

Cash prizes of up to $1,500 will be awarded to the best stories. Entries close Friday 16 September 2011.

For more information visit the Writing Bar Competitions page.

WORDWISE: Ergophobia

Ever wondered what to call that sense of dread as the weekend approaches its end? Or why nobody likes Mondays? Believe it or not, it is a medically recognised phobia – ergophobia, or an abnormal fear of work.
 
Apparently, the term was coined in 1905 by Dr W D Stanton. He insisted ergophobia was a legitimate medical condition, recognisable by a persistent fear of work and the workplace. It’s never really been taken very seriously and you’d be hard pressed to convince your boss of the seriousness of ergophobia. (But knowing the term might come in handy at your next trivia quiz.)  
 
How do you cure ergophobia? We prescribe cupcakes and bubbles!

Learn the art of screenwriting
Do you have a great idea for a short or feature film, but aren’t sure how to write the script? Want to learn the art of writing for television?

In our 5-week Screenwriting Stage 1 course, professional screenwriter Tim Gooding will show you how to write a script and help you complete a first draft of your screenplay. This is the perfect start for anyone who has an idea but hasn’t yet started to get it down. Even if you’ve got part of a script but aren’t sure it’s headed in the right direction, Screenwriting Stage 1 will help you refine it and get you onto your next draft.
 
Here's what some recent participants said about the course:
“Tim was fantastic and was motivating and passionate about our work. The course was very practical and cut straight to the core of the subject.”
- Phil Brook
 
“I enjoyed the process of developing a short film script and actually applying the information from the seminars. The feedback from Tim was invaluable.”
- Michael Olliffe
 
This course is presented by Tim Gooding. He writes for stage, film and television. He has written television drama – Rafferty’s Rules, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Water Rats, All Saints – and comedy – The Aunty Jack Show, The Norman Gunston Show, Wollongong The Brave, and Ratbags. He also devised and co-wrote the ABC TV series Sweet and Sour.
 
Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Mondays starting Monday 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.

TIP: Do you use too many intensifiers?
Intensifiers are words, usually adverbs, that emphasise the meaning of the word or phrase they’re modifying. They make other words sound really important.

For example:

Rambo was very hungry.
 
Rocky and Dougal get on extremely well.

Book giveaway – Four Kitchens by Lauren Shockey
If you watched the recent series of Masterchef, some of the New York restaurants featured in Lauren Shockey’s foodie memoir, Four Kitchens, will already be familiar to you. Lauren is a food writer and trained in some of the world’s busiest and best-known restaurants in New York, Vietnam, Israel and France.
 
Four Kitchens is her account of a year of food and travel, and it also includes some of Lauren’s favourite recipes. If you’re not inspired to cook up your own feast, you’ll certainly be hungry for some of the more exotic dishes featured! We spoke to Lauren about her book and you can listen to the full interview on our podcast page from tomorrow (Friday).
 
We have one copy of Four Kitchens to give away. If you’d like to win it visit our Writing Bar Competitions page and tell us what your favourite recipe or foodie experience is and why. We’ll take
answers until 5pm on Thursday 25 August 2011.

Two seminars that will improve your writing at work
We all have to write at work. Whether it’s emails, letters, reports or proposals, writing is a skill required in most jobs. Yet many of us struggle with it.
 
If you, or your staff, need help on the essentials of writing at work, we have two seminars designed to get you writing well in just one day.
 
Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
If grammar and punctuation is not your strong point, or you’d like a refresher on the golden rules of grammar, our Grammar and Punctuation Essentials seminar is perfect for you. After this one-day seminar you’ll transform your writing and need never fear apostrophes again!
 
Here’s what past participants say:
"Deb is an outstanding presenter. She made the course enjoyable and very easy to understand. I've gained knowlege as well as confidence in my grammar and punctuation skills."
- Claudia Arrage

"Deb is obviously a master of the English language. Her knowledge is evident and her presentation style was lively and she kept the class awake and enthusiastic."
- Angela Gilmour

Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 9 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: $450
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

 
Professional Business Writing
If you work on large writing projects such as reports and proposals, Professional Business Writing will show you how to plan, structure, and write with confidence. During this one-day seminar, you’ll learn how to plan your document, the most common business writing errors and how to avoid them, and how to write persuasively.
 
Here’s what past participants say:
"You will benefit from this course as it outlines better ways of writing emails, letters and documents and also outlines important English rules that we all tend to forget in the business world."
- Silvana Petrovski

"Sue was very informative and the pace of the course was perfect. Great course, wonderful presenter!"
- Karen Cairncross

Professional Business Writing with Sue White
When: Thursday 1 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: $450
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

What we’re reading
This week our course manager, Danielle Williams, is reading The Eye of the Storm by Patrick White. She writes:

The pending movie release of this Australian classic prompted me to choose Patrick White’s The Eye of the Storm for our August Book Club. It was released in 1973 – the year White was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. It is the story of Elizabeth Hunter, an ageing ex-socialite tended to by three nurses, a housekeeper, and her family solicitor. Her children are also by her side, after travelling from England and Paris.
 
Elizabeth Hunter is not a kind woman. She commands loyalty through cruelty and her children especially seem to feel little emotional connection to her.
 
Described as a “savage exploration of family relationships”, The Eye of the Storm, for me, has lived up to White’s reputation. The book, in parts, is incredibly difficult to read. The writing often shifts into long passages of stream of consciousness, which I have to admit often send me to sleep. But the characters are so utterly convincing and at times it really is possible to experience, as a reader, the lives of Mrs Hunter and her cohorts.
 
If you’re keen to read the work of Australia’s only Nobel Laureate, then I have to warn you – you’re in for a long, hard slog. But the rewards will be worth it.

We want to know what you're reading! You can write a book review for the Writing Bar, and we'll feature an excerpt here in the newsletter. If you'd like to submit, check out the review guidelines here. 

WEBPICK: Let Me Google That for You
This webpick is for anyone who’s ever been asked a stupid question – especially by someone with Google at their fingertips. It’s the snarky response to “where’s the post office?” or “which train should I catch?”.

Just go to Let Me Google That For You and type in the stupid question. LMGTFY will then provide a link, which you send to the questioner. When they click on the link, the answer to their question will appear! Along with the not-so-subtle hint that next time they could look it up themselves.
 
Check it out here.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 23 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Laurine Croasdale – FULL
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 23 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30om
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
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 25 August 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 29 August 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 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Online Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Online Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Week beginning Monday 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 29 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 1 September 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 9 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller – FULL
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
When: Wednesday 14 September 2011 (half-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 1.00pm
Cost: $295

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Laurine Croasdale – NEW DATE
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 14 September 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30om
Cost: $395

Seminar: Sell Your eBook on Amazon with Steven Lewis – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 14 September 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 15 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495

Seminar: Better Business Communications with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 22 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Self-Publishing – How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 26 September 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 27 September 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

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
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 11 October 2011 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495

Course: Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 12 October 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 13 October 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Weekend Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Laurine Croasdale – NEW DATE
When: Saturday 15 October and Sunday 16 October 2011 (2 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Weekend Intensive Creative Writing Stage 2 with Jeni Mawter – NEW DATE
When: Saturday 15 October and Sunday 16 October 2011 (2 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Daytime Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth
When: Monday 17 October to Friday 21 October 2011 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge – NEW DATE
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 18 October 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: The Business of Freelancing with Gayle Bryant – NEW COURSE
When: Wednesday 19 October 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Monday 24 October 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 26 October 2011 and Wednesday 2 November 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Course: Your Story Structure with Kathryn Heyman
When: Friday 4 November 2011 and Friday 11 November 2011 (2 half-day classes)
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $215

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 – FULL
When: Thursday 20 October to Saturday 5 November 2011

Writing in Bali with Patti Miller – NEW DATE
When: Saturday 21 July to Saturday 28 July 2012