In this issue:
- TIP: Further versus Farther
- Learn creative writing - online!
- Overland bloggers wanted
- How to self-publish your book
- Wordwise: Maverick
- Grammar and punctuation - what you need to know
- WEBPICK: What Kate Did Next
I love receiving emails from former students to hear what they have been up to. This week, Steve Wilkinson emailed me:“Within a month of completing your online feature writing course I’ve had my first article accepted for publication in ‘Finally at 40 – Life Begins’, with the promise of more work. I now have the confidence (and skills, thanks to you) to approach some bigger mags. My journey begins…”
Congratulations Steve. We’re thrilled to hear this!
If you’re interested in getting published in magazines and newspapers two upcoming courses include:
Online Feature Writing with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 22 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
And if you’d like to attend in person, we have a day time course that may suit those of you who can’t attend in the evenings.
DAYTIME Feature Writing with Vanessa Waters
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
TIP: Further vs Farther
You may have noticed that the English language seems to have an endless list of easily confused words. And here is another addition to that list - further versus farther. While they are often used interchangeably, a subtle difference has developed between them and there are cases where you would use one over the other. Grammar Girl explains it like this:
The quick and dirty tip here is that you use farther to talk about physical distance and further to talk about metaphorical, or figurative, distance. It's easy to remember because farther has the word far in it, and far obviously relates to physical distance.
For example:
‘How much farther do we have to walk?’ (or, how much distance do we have to walk?)
‘If you have any further questions, please contact us.’ (or, if you have more or additional questions)
You may have noticed that the English language seems to have an endless list of easily confused words. And here is another addition to that list - further versus farther. While they are often used interchangeably, a subtle difference has developed between them and there are cases where you would use one over the other. Grammar Girl explains it like this: The quick and dirty tip here is that you use farther to talk about physical distance and further to talk about metaphorical, or figurative, distance. It's easy to remember because farther has the word far in it, and far obviously relates to physical distance.
For example:
‘How much farther do we have to walk?’ (or, how much distance do we have to walk?)
‘If you have any further questions, please contact us.’ (or, if you have more or additional questions)
Learn creative writing - online!
Imagine being able to learn from home, your office, or even a hotel room! Well, that’s exactly what you can do with our Online Creative Writing course. If you’ve always wanted to do a creative writing course but just can’t make it to our face-to-face classes in Milsons Point, then here’s your solution. You’ll join 15 other writers in a virtual classroom, designed so that you get the same interaction and feedback as you would from a real classroom.
You'll 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 said about the online course:
‘Relevant and informative, but also interesting and enjoyable. Having the lectures as downloadable MP3s was particularly convenient for me. I now know a lot more about the technique of writing creative fiction, and have what will be useful resource materials for when I seek to have something published.’
- Peter Tiffen
‘Having the ability to revise notes, using the audio and access to other students' work and responses from the tutor, were invaluable learning tools. Ease and convenience was the best thing. Often the only time you have to write is at midnight. Online courses offer you the ability to do so.’
- Jody Watkins
Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 1 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Overland bloggers wanted
Here’s a great opportunity if you’d like to get involved in an online community of readers and writers. Overland is one of Australia’s oldest literary publications and publishes features, fiction, poetry and commentary in a quarterly magazine. It also has a strong online presence and a group blog that is currently written by editorial staff in Melbourne. They’re now looking to expand that content to include writers from all over Australia. So, if you like writing about books, politics, festivals, or poetry, and would like to join the lively discussion at Overland blog, you have until the end of February to apply for a regular blogging role. While this is an unpaid gig, it’s also an excellent opportunity to have your writing published on a well-known and well-respected site.
Click here for more information.
How to self-publish your book
For many people, a commercial publisher is not necessarily the best way to go. Self-publishing is becoming more and more prevalent, and many writers have had great success taking this route – just ask Sandra Cabot (The Liver Cleansing Diet) or Matthew Reilly (Contest). If you’re a professional or business owner and want to write a book about what you do, self-publishing is definitely the way to go. It can also be suitable for some non-fiction books and occasionally fiction as well.
Our Self-publishing seminar will help you decide if this is the right path for you.
The seminar will cover:
- self-publishing versus commercial publishing
- the steps to successful self-publishing
- the importance of editing and layout
- how to get your book printed
- marketing and distributing your book
- what's it all going to cost?
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the seminar:
‘Curious is the best word I can use to describe the reason I enrolled and I was starting from a zero knowledge base on any type of publishing. So I found the entire seminar enjoyable to attend. It's great knowledge to file away and a fabulous base for learning more about the publishing world.’
- Karen Ranga
‘Geoff was totally in command of hs subject, and he packed LOTS of information into a short amount of time. Well done all round.’
- Pamela Thorne
This seminar is presented by Geoff Bartlett, he has worked as a freelance travel writer and photographer for magazines and websites for the last six years. His current areas of focus are the islands of the South Pacific and Asia. He is a regular contributor to Pacific Island Paradises and Asian Paradises.
Self-publishing - How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 March 2010 (two-hour morning seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Wordwise: Maverick
You’ll most often hear the word ‘maverick’ used to describe an individual or person considered a loner or dissenter. But the Macquarie dictionary also offers two other meanings – a maverick is also an animal found without its owner’s brand or a calf separated from its mother. This meaning actually originated with a man named Samuel Augustus Maverick. He was a Yale graduate, lawyer, a war veteran, and also the Mayor of San Antonio – basically an all-round over achiever. But he wasn’t much of a farmer. In the 1840s he was given a herd of cattle in exchange for a debt, but he neglected them so much calves were often found wondering the plains without a brand – absolutely unheard of in those days!
So, when these stray calves were found, they were called ‘mavericks’. The name stuck, and eventually came to also be applied to dissenters – often intellectuals, artists or politicians – who took a stand apart from their colleagues or associates.
Grammar and Punctuation - what you need to know
Here’s another perfect example of why punctuation is so important. I found a link to this one on Twitter. It’s called ‘Punctuation saves lives’.
‘Let’s eat Grandpa!’
‘Let’s eat, Grandpa!’
It’s only a comma, but what a difference it makes! And it just goes to show how important grammar and punctuation are in writing.
Our one-day seminar in grammar and punctuation is an intensive and interactive course designed to give you the tools to improve your writing (and the writing of others) at work.
This seminar will give you:
Here’s what past participants have had to say about the seminar:
‘[The most enjoyable thing about the seminar was] by far the teacher - she was brilliant, incredibly professional and knowledgeable.’
- Rachel Courtright
‘Deb is fabulous!’
- Sze Wing Yip
The workshop is presented by Deb Doyle, an experienced editorial-training consultant and publication editor. Deb has conducted courses for the Productivity Commission, AMP and Wizard Home Loans as well as many other corporate and government entities located in Sydney or Melbourne. Deb's courses are interactive and fun. You'll be amazed at how engaging and interesting a workshop in grammar and punctuation can be.
Grammar and Punctiation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395 (includes GST)
Includes comprehensive text-workbook Grey Areas and Gremlins: A grammar and punctuation refresher (valued at $50).
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Here’s another perfect example of why punctuation is so important. I found a link to this one on Twitter. It’s called ‘Punctuation saves lives’. ‘Let’s eat Grandpa!’
‘Let’s eat, Grandpa!’
It’s only a comma, but what a difference it makes! And it just goes to show how important grammar and punctuation are in writing.
Our one-day seminar in grammar and punctuation is an intensive and interactive course designed to give you the tools to improve your writing (and the writing of others) at work.
This seminar will give you:
- knowledge that you can apply easily and immediately in your writing
- a clear understanding of how to treat common mistakes - such as apostrophes and plurals
- the basic rules you need to know to be confident in the workplace
- an understanding of when to bend, break or keep a rule or convention
- ability to discern when more than one solution is acceptable
- empowerment to justify your corrections to your own and other people's writing
- a taste of how professional editors approach their craft
- more confidence in applying the standard hard-copy editing marks to double-spaced copy
- and much more
Here’s what past participants have had to say about the seminar:
‘[The most enjoyable thing about the seminar was] by far the teacher - she was brilliant, incredibly professional and knowledgeable.’
- Rachel Courtright
‘Deb is fabulous!’
- Sze Wing Yip
The workshop is presented by Deb Doyle, an experienced editorial-training consultant and publication editor. Deb has conducted courses for the Productivity Commission, AMP and Wizard Home Loans as well as many other corporate and government entities located in Sydney or Melbourne. Deb's courses are interactive and fun. You'll be amazed at how engaging and interesting a workshop in grammar and punctuation can be.
Grammar and Punctiation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395 (includes GST)
Includes comprehensive text-workbook Grey Areas and Gremlins: A grammar and punctuation refresher (valued at $50).
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
WEBPICK: What Kate Did NextKate Lord Brown is an English writer and blogger, and this is where she writes ‘tales of babes and books’. Her blog is a mixture of book reviews, author interviews (she recently interviewed one of our writing presenters, Kate Forsyth, about her latest book), her own writing and stories about her family and life, and also writing prompts for other budding authors. She has a really nice writing style and blogs regularly – lately about her big move to Qatar. The Daily Reviewer recently named her blog one of the ‘Top 100 Writing Blogs’, so it’s definitely worth checking out!
Check it out here.
Other upcoming courses
Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 22 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter - FULL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 25 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30-8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Week beginning Monday 1 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 1 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Editing Essentials with Katrina Lobley
When: Tuesday 2 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Vanessa Waters
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Friday 5 March 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75
Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Tuesday 9 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing Stage 1 course with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 10 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Friday 12 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $75
Seminar: Self-Publishing: How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 23 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: Writing for the web with Grant Doyle
When: Thursday 25 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Seminar: Travel writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 25 March 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Tuesday 30 March 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 30 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Kate Forsyth
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 8 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Monday starting Monday 12 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 12 April - Friday 16 April 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Feature Writing Stage 2 with Judy Skatssoon
When: Every Wednesday beginning Wednesday 14 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Editing Essentials with Katrina Lobley - NEW DATE
When: Friday 30 April 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Script Writing for Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 13 May and 20 May 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 12 August 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450
Writing Tour: Writing in Bali with Patti Miller
When: 30 September to 5 October 2010
Writing Tour: Writing in Paris with Patti Miller
Dates for 2010:
Arrival: Thursday 21 October 2010
Departure: Saturday 6 November 2010
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