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Happy Christmas!; Write short films for the big screen; Write for magazines and newspapers; Writing in Paris 2010


In this issue:

• Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas
• TIP: Inconsistencies in the English language
• Write for the big screen! Script Writing for Short Films
• Learn online with Online Feature Writing
• Wordwise: & (ampersand)
• Writing in Paris 2010
• WEBPICK: Letters of Note

This week, I've been travelling around Tasmania and loving it - it's just gorgeous here. I spent Saturday at Salamanca Markets and loved browsing through the second-hand book store, Deja Vu Books at Salamanca Place in Hobart. Of course, I couldn't resist sending you my snaps of an errant apostrophe I spotted in Kingston. Can you see it?


There is no need for an apostrophe here at all. Just because there is an "s" at the end of a word doesn't mean an apostrophe should automatically precede it. So resist the temptation to insert one.

The plural of "oyster" is "oysters" - no apostrophe. And don't get me start on the way they have spelt "enjoy"!

I'd also like to wish everyone in the Sydney Writers' Centre community a happy and safe holiday season. Although our office will be closed between Christmas and New Year, we will be available via email courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au.

And you can book online any time during this period. We are back in the office on 4 January 2010.

Best wishes to everyone for the new year and may all your writing dreams come true!





Write for the big screen! Script Writing for Short Films
Hollywood is heading into another frenzied Oscar season, and, if you look closely at the eventual list of nominees, you'll find that many of the directors had their start with short films. So why wouldn’t you start that way too?

Our script writing for short films seminar is an intensive course taught by an industry expert. You’ll learn all about writing your short film and getting it made – and onto the big screen!

This course will cover:

• how to select and develop suitable ideas for a short film
• what narrative elements you need in a short film screenplay (characters, plot, dialogue etc)
• what technical elements you must consider in a short film screenplay (locations, props, budget etc)
• the roles of the writer/director/producer and how they interact
• getting your film seen and sold

Here's what past partcipant Katie Whiffen said about the course:
"It was fantastic to understand the process of a short film and how ideas become reality. Before this course I had a few vague ideas for short films. I know what to do next if I want to enter Tropfest! Also have a range of resources from the presenter which will be invaluable."

This course is presented by Geoff Bartlett who has written for several Australian TV shows and produced three short films. Two were semi finalists at Tropfest and one screened in competition at Flickerfest. They were also bought by Foxtel (The Comedy Channel), ABC TV, Qantas, Telstra and Japanese TV.

Script Writing for Short Films with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesdays 20 and 27 January 2010
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Click here for more information or to enrol online.




Learn online with Online Feature Writing
Do you have an idea for an article you’d like to see published? Think you have what it takes to write for your favourite magazine or newspaper? Online Feature Writing Stage 1 will show you how you can achieve this.

We know how rewarding it is to see your writing published in a major magazine or newspaper. And we know this because so many of our former students have achieved this – some before they’ve even finished their course!

The course is held in our virtual classroom, which means you can log in whenever and from wherever you like. It will show you: 

• 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!

Recent participant, Maraya Bell, had this to say about the course:
‘I loved how practical the course was. I've studied writing at uni but it was all theory and no practical. I loved knowing the exact steps you need to take. I feel like I have a lot more confidence to go out and pitch, knowing exactly what editors expect. It was very easy and convenient and I enjoyed being able to do it in my own time.’

Online Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.



 
Wordwise: & (Ampersand)
Did you know that the ‘&’ symbol is actually an ancient one? Surprisingly, it dates back to around 63BC, and originated with the philosopher and orator, Cicero. A man named Tiro was tasked with writing down all of Cicero’s speeches and, in an early example of shorthand, combined the two letters of the roman word for ‘and’ – et – to make one symbol.

The name ‘ampersand’, however, wasn’t applied to this symbol until around 1837. In a list of English language symbols, the following notation is used:

& per se = and

Again, these letters were eventually compressed to read ‘ampersand’.




Writing in Paris
Our 2009 trip to Paris was a huge success! Twelve lucky writers joined Patti Miller in the city of lights for a two-week memoir-writing sojourn – and had the time of their lives.

Ever since bookings filled for the October trip, many of you have been asking about dates for 2010. Well, we’ve finalised details and are happy to announce that Writing in Paris will be held again next year!

Dates for Writing in Paris 2010:
Arrival: Thursday 21 October 2010
Departure: Saturday 6 November 2010

Click here for more information

This really could be the trip of a lifetime. You'll spend 17 days soaking up literary Paris while embarking on your own writing journey with Australia's best life writing mentor, Patti Miller.

Details are available now on our website. You can also read more about one person's impressions here. And remember - if you book and pay in full before Wednesday 31 March 2010, you'll receive a 5% discount on the booking price.




WEBPICK: Letters of Note
In this busy, electronic age, letter writing as an art is almost lost. But it wasn’t so long ago that all of us wrote letters regularly – letters to friends or relatives, letters to the local newspaper, letters of complaint, even letters to Santa! This lovely website is devoted to keeping letter writing alive by gathering some of the more fascinating examples of letters, postcards, faxes and telegrams from readers around the world.

It’s updated every weekday with new examples and this week features a letter to Bob Hope from an American prisoner of war in Vietnam in 1973; a letter written in 1897 by a young girl wondering if Santa is real; and a letter written to Ronald Reagan by one of his greatest allies, Margaret Thatcher.

It’s a fascinating reading! You can check out Letters of Note here: www.lettersofnote.com.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 11 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Monday starting Monday 18 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 2010 (two evening seminars)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $165

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 January 2010 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller - 1 PLACE LEFT
When: Every Friday starting Friday 22 January 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 28 January 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 2 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge - FULL
When: Week beginning Monday 8 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 11 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February (two-day workshop)
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm
Cost: $450

Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Monday 15 February 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75

Course: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 February 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman - FULL
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 18 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge - NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 1 March 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

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

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: 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 - NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 8 April 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
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