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• TIP: Do you capitalise product names?
• Turn your love of design into a writing career
• How to improve your writing in one day – Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
• What is genericide? 
• Kickstart your creativity – Online Creative Writing 
• Did you know? Carrying on like a pork chop
• What we’re reading: By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
• WEBPICK: Byliner

It’s been busy here at the centre! This morning I had the pleasure of speaking to wine aficionado James Halliday, who I interviewed for our Sydney Writers' Centre podcast series. Earlier this week I also interviewed YA Erskine, a former police officer who has written a fictional book which draws heavily from her experiences. Both writers are so different but so fascinating.

Recently, I was also speaking to a woman who has been trying to get media coverage for her business. She has a great business but she hasn’t had much luck in getting journalists interested in covering it. She sent me her media releases and I could immediately see where she was going wrong.

I’m thrilled to say that she took my advice on board (love it when that happens!) and has emailed me to tell me that she’s getting a MUCH better response from journalists than ever before.

If you want to get your message out in the media, it’s not hard. But there are clear guidelines on what you should (and shouldn’t) do. That’s why I love our seminar: PR and Media Releases and Get Results.

This seminar distills what you need to know to:

• write media releases that get the attention of journalists
• create a professional PR campaign (even if you don’t have PR experience)
• know who you should quote and what they should say
• deal with journalists
• approach bloggers as part of your PR strategy
• and MUCH more.

The debate about what to do with the abandoned building was rendered moot when it burnt down.

When the ads come on television, I press the mute button.

What's new at the Sydney Writers' Centre

• One of our busiest presenters, Geoff Bartlett, celebrated his 100th seminar with the Centre this week. Congratulations, Geoff!
  
  
• Filling fast: Professional Business Writing, Thursday 18 August 2011.
  
  
• NEW DATES: Screenwriting Stage 1 starts Monday 29 August 2011; Perfect Your Proofreading on Tuesday 27 September 2011.
  
  
• Our wonderful New Media Manager, Tracy, had her appendix out last week. We're really looking forward to having her back! 
  
  
  

Renovation fever has taken over again! Three prime-time shows currently screening show just how fascinated Australians are by interior style and design. For lovers of home design and style, there are also plenty of magazines available – Home Beautiful, Belle, and House & Garden to name just a few.
 
If you’re interested in exploring the world of architecture and interior design, our industry insight course, Writing for Interiors, Style and Design, will show you how you can turn your love of all things homey, into a writing career.
 
In this two-week course you’ll learn all about the market for home and interior design articles, how to find properties, feature ideas and contacts and the all-important tips and rules for writing your home and style features.
 
Here’s some feedback from previous participants:
"This course was excellent. Nigel showed a keen interest in sharing his knowledge. It's the best short writing course I have been on."
- Phillip Brook

"Nigel's personal insights were really valuable and interesting. I particularly appreciated that he had asked people he knows in the right positions, such as magazine editors, to provide their dos and don’ts."
- Nicola Duncan

This course is taught by Nigel Bartlett, a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years’ experience in magazines. He has written and edited interior design features for Belle, Inside Out, Real Living and other magazines.
 
Writing for Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett
When: Tuesdays 9 & 16 August 2011 (two evening classes)
Time: 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Cost: $175
 
Click here for more information and to enrol online.

Want to learn with us on the weekends?
Then we need to know what kind of weekend courses work best for you!

We're looking into running weekend courses and we need your help to decide which of our 30+ courses to run, and whether to run them in intensive weekends or over five Saturday mornings. If you take a minute to fill in this short survey, we'll know which courses you’d like to do, and when.

 

2011 Bulwer-Lytton Contest winners announced
The winner of the 2011 Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has been announced! This annual contest challenges writers to compose the worst opening sentence to a novel. And this year’s winner is:

Cheryl’s mind turned like the vanes of a wind-powered turbine, chopping her sparrow-like thoughts into bloody pieces that fell onto a growing pile of forgotten memories.
by Sue Fondrie

You can read more about the Bulwer-Lytton Contest and this year’s winners at the Writing Bar.

How to improve your writing in one day – Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
Want to know how to improve your writing in just one day? Knowing the rules of grammar and punctuation will have an immediate impact on your writing, but many of us weren’t taught these essential rules at school.
 
Our one-day seminar, Grammar and Punctuation Essentials, will teach you the golden rules you need to know to transform your writing. After this seminar, you’ll come away with:

• knowledge that you can apply easily and immediately
  
• a clear understanding of how to treat common mistakes
• an understanding of when to bend, break or keep a rule or convention
• the ability to discern when more than one solution is acceptable
• empowerment to justify your corrections to your own and other people's writing
• and MUCH more

Here’s some feedback from previous participants:
"The way this seminar was presented was fantastic. There was never a dull moment. Deb Doyle is an outstanding presenter."
- Claudia Arrage

"It was a great refresher and I came away feeling empowered and enlightened."
- Bronwen Stinson

The seminar is taught by Deb Doyle, an experienced editorial-training consultant and publication editor. You'll be amazed at how engaging and interesting a workshop in grammar and punctuation can be.

Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 10 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: $450
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

TIP: Product names and capitals
It can be hard to know when to capitalise the name of something, but if you’re writing and need to use product names, you should generally use caps. For example, Mars Bar, Chokito and Tim Tam should all be capitalised.
 
This also applies to other products that have been given proper names, such as Aerogard, Mr Sheen or Glad wrap.

Generic term	Proper name
insect repellant	Aerogard
cleaning product	Mr Sheen
cling wrap	Glad Wrap
tissue	Kleenex

Did you know? Genericide

Kickstart your creativity – Online Creative Writing
Need to boost your creativity but can’t make it to Milsons Point? You can still take part in our most popular course, Creative Writing, by joining us online in our virtual classroom.
 
The next ONLINE course: Creative Writing Stage 1 starts soon and if you want to explore the world of writing fiction, this is where you should start. You’ll learn all the elements of writing great stories – character, voice, structure and plot. You’ll also explore ways to generate ideas and draw from your everyday experience and memories.
 
Here’s some feedback from previous participants:
“I really enjoyed learning about structure, and seeing how other writers approach their writing. It felt like it opened a door for me. It was wonderful!"
- Olga van Eerde

"The online creative writing course has given me the tools and confidence to start writing. I highly recommend it for the quality of its content, presentation and feedback."
- Anne Bennett Taylor

ONLINE COURSE: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman/Laurine Croasdale
When: Week beginning Monday 1 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

Did you know? Pork chop
There’s one saying that never fails to make me giggle – “carrying on like a pork chop”. You have to wonder, how on earth does a pork chop carry on?
 
The saying we’re familiar with has a distinctly Australian sound and means to behave in a silly or inappropriate manner. You’ll see this one listed on plenty of typical Aussie slang sites, so I was surprised to learn it actually has an American origin. I found one reference that suggested the term “pork chop” was first used to describe a full-time union official in 1940s America. It was considered they were “in the job for all they could get out of it”.
 
Another theory is that “carrying on like a pork chop” is a truncated version of “like a pork chop in a synagogue”, a term originating in the US in the 1950s. Given that pork is forbidden for Jewish people, to describe something as being like a pork chop in a synagogue means that it is highly inappropriate, embarrassingly out of place, and quite unwelcome – very similar to our own saying.

What we’re reading
This week our Communications Coordinator, Rose Powell, is reading By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham. She writes:

"After we filmed an interview with Michael Cunningham at the Sydney Writers' Festival, I knew I had to read his most recent book, By Nightfall. Cunningham describes his book as being about a New York art dealer who becomes sick of the irony of contemporary art and is searching for true beauty. Reading By Nightfall feels like you're consuming an artwork.

"The delicacy of phrases suggesting the depth of emotional tension, and the illusion of options one can face in the middle of one's life, are the highlight of this book.

"The plot itself is short, the story taking place in just a few weeks, but the book serves as the tip of the iceberg of Peter Harris's life. His marriage to Rebecca and the values he has spent his life endorsing are challenged by the arrival of Rebecca's younger brother Ethan, known as 'Mizzy', short for mistake given his surprise birth. The story focuses on the quiet but ruthless competition between the many ways of creating meaning in one's life. Each subplot handles this overarching theme differently, from Mizzy's drug addiction, Peter's waning passion for his job and Rebecca's difficult decision to sell her art journal to a private owner, to the relationships between the three characters."
 
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: Byliner
Looking for something good to read in your lunch break, or on the train when you’re heading into work? Byliner is an online publishing company publishing feature articles that can be read in one sitting. They seek out original work by the best writers they can find. Called Byliner Originals, these narratives are usually between 10,000 and 35,000 words long and cover topics such as politics, business and travel.

Readers can set up an account and discuss articles or even share their own finds with other readers. Visit Byliner today and you’ll find a spotlight series on the Pulitzer Winners for feature writing from 1995 to 2011. If you’re not careful, you may find you’re spending more than your lunch hour there.

Check it out here.

Other upcoming courses
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy – FULL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 July 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 1 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 1 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 8 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett
When: Tuesday 9 August 2011 and Tuesday 16 August 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 10 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450

Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 10 August 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: PR and Media Releases that Get Results with Catriona Pollard
When: Thursday 11 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495 

Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Tuesday 16 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Sell Your Ebook on Amazon with Steven Lewis
When: Tuesday 16 August 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: Better Business Communications with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 17 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Sue White
When: Thursday 18 August 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450

Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 18 August 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

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
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 – NEW DATE
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 – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 1 September 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
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

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 – NEW DATE
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 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: 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: Your Story Structure with Kathryn Heyman – NEW DATE
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