In this issue:
- TIP: Me, myself and I
- Learn to write kids’ books – online!
- More Student Success – Ulrike Sturm
- Get paid for your feature articles
- Brisbane Writers Festival
- The golden rules of Writing for the Web
- WORDWISE: Fair Dinkum
- WEBPICK: Aussie Slang
I’m thrilled to announce our new course “How to get free publicity” with public relations guru Catriona Pollard. If you need to get publicity for your business – in traditional and online media – this one-day seminar is a must. The ability to generate publicity when you want it is an invaluable skill. For example, this week, I wrote a press release for a friend who makes gourmet dog food. It ended up on the front page of the Mosman Daily and was featured on National Nine News last night. A great result. You can learn how to do the same.
In one day, you'll discover the secrets to getting good publicity that you can use for your own business.
This seminar covers:
- The elements of a typical PR strategy
- How to determine your target audiences
- How to structure media releases and what you must include
- Who you should quote and what they should say
- How to deal with journalists
- Online distribution strategies
- Contributing articles to publications
- How to approach bloggers as part of your PR strategy
- Business owners, coaches, speakers or entrepreneurs who want to promote their business.
- Professionals who have been given PR or marketing responsibilities but who may not have had formal training in this area
- People who are relatively new to a public relations role
When: Thursday 23 September 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495 (includes GST)
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
See you at the Byron Writers’ Festival
In the meantime, Danielle from the Sydney Writers’ Centre will be at the Byron Writers’ Festival this weekend. Look out for her Tweets. She’ll be reporting on the festival, posting photos to our Facebook page and Tweeting interesting writing tips she picks up from the amazing lineup of local and international authors.
Twitter: @sydneywriters
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sydneywriterscentre
In the meantime, Danielle from the Sydney Writers’ Centre will be at the Byron Writers’ Festival this weekend. Look out for her Tweets. She’ll be reporting on the festival, posting photos to our Facebook page and Tweeting interesting writing tips she picks up from the amazing lineup of local and international authors.Twitter: @sydneywriters
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sydneywriterscentre
TIP: Me, myself and I
I love Grammar Girl’s tips – she makes tricky writing questions so easy to answer! Here’s what she says about the difference between ‘me’ and ‘myself’.
I've found that many people use "myself" incorrectly; they say, "Please contact George Clooney or myself," instead of "Please contact George Clooney or me."
"Myself" is a reflexive pronoun and the quick and dirty tip for getting reflexive pronouns right is to use them when the subject and object in a sentence are the same:
When I saw myself in the photo with George Clooney, I screamed like a schoolgirl.
Learn to write kids’ books – online!
Writing for children and young adults can be a rewarding and lucrative career – just ask JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer. But don’t assume that writing for a younger audience is easier than writing for adults. Kids can be very discerning and want engaging and exciting books too. If you want to learn how to turn your stories into books kids want to read, our Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults Course can show you how. The best thing about this course is you can do it from the comfort of your own home!
The course will cover:
- how to get started
- finding the right voice
- creating characters and stories young readers will enjoy
- how to write believable dialogue
- common assumptions about writing for children and about young readers
- how to structure a story that works
- the secrets to plotting for different age groups
- what you need to know about getting into the children’s publishing market
‘The information presented was relevant and presented well with plenty of examples (which is key!). Also, receiving feedback on our work, and being able to see the works and feedback from others, was extremely valuable!
Doing the course online meant that I could listen to the modules when it suited me; I wouldn't have been able to participate in the course otherwise. Also, having the ability to pause, rewind, and replay the audio was extremely helpful (there is so much to take in!) and I will absolutely be listening to them over and over again.’
- Sarah Evason
‘It was fantastic to have Judith comment directly on our work. This is the best way to learn. We don't always believe that advice on the pitfalls of writing for children and young adults actually applies to ourselves, but in this course we were given virtual one-on-one feedback on our work. I benefited enormously from the course. I couldn't have done this course without the sort of flexibility it offered in terms of time and mode of delivery. I really, really appreciated that.’
- Mary Binks
Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Week beginning Monday 9 August for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Student Success – Ulrike Sturm
We received a lovely email this week from former student Ulrike Sturm. She’s done a number of courses with us and has already put them to good use – her first book is being published soon! Here’s what she sent us:
I always enjoy reading your e-newsletter. Its always full of interesting news and I particularly enjoy reading grammar tips and the success stories.
I little over a year ago, I attended the seminars on "Getting your Book Published" and "Self Publishing". I also did the online Feature Writing course with you last year.
Well, I am excited to say that these courses have help me make my dream a reality. My book, "A Cat goes Kayaking" is in print! Without the knowledge I gained from you, I doubt I would have managed this, so a big THANK YOU to you :-)
Congratulations Ulrike! We can’t wait to see the book.
Get paid for your feature articles
This week has also been busy because I've been working with one or our recently graduated Feature Writing students on a couple of excellent articles. I'll admit ... I am always thrilled when our graduates are so keen and talented that I end up working one-on-one with them on a professional level.If you've always wanted to be published in your favourite magazines or newspapers, our five week Feature Writing course could help you achieve your dream. You’ll learn all the tools you need to write great feature articles and get them published.
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!
‘It was jam-packed with practical information. I feel ready to start pitching my ideas to editors. I've already got interviews lined up for my first article.’
- Samantha Grosser
‘Everything I learnt was of benefit to me! I have come from a long-term corporate background so every piece of information was new and beneficial for me. The information is so practical that you leave with a good understanding of what to do and how to do it - now it's just about having the courage to do it!’
- Lana Haines
This course is taught by Mat Nott. He has worked as a freelance and staff journalist in Australia and internationally for more than 20 years, and has recently returned to Australia from his base in Rome to act as a roving editor with Cumberland-Courier Newspapers – part of News Ltd. It’s a role that sees him occupying the editor’s chair at mastheads all over Sydney.
As a successful freelance, he has written on crime and travel for The Sydney Morning Herald and been published in The Sun Herald, Woman’s Day, Australasian Post and Rugby League Week among others.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Mat Nott
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 18 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Brisbane Writers Festival
If you’re not completely festivalled out after the Byron Bay and Melbourne writers festivals, then your next event will be the Brisbane Writers Festival. The program is now available and there are some great masterclasses and talks on offer.
Jana Wendt will be appearing, as well as David Suzuki, author Anita Heiss, teen solo-sailor Jessica Waston, and former PM Bob Hawke. The masterclasses include a session with crime writer Michael Robotham on how to write great characters, learning the art of writing comedy with Tim Ferguson, and how to write a great review.
The festival will be held from 1 to 5 September 2010 at various venues around Brisbane. If you’re quick, you might still get some early bird tickets, which are on sale until Friday 6 August.
For all other tickets and to download the program visit www.brisbanewritersfestival.com.au
The golden rules of Writing for the Web
Think your website only has to look good? Think again – everything you write for your website also needs to attract visitors and customers. Writing for the web is very different to writing for print or brochures. Your website’s content must be easy to read and understand and must also give your visitors the information they need. Our Writing for the Web seminar is perfect for anyone involved in developing a website. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to update an old website, this seminar will show you the golden rules of web writing.
This practical seminar covers:
- the difference between print and online writing
- good content versus poor content
- how your readers engage with web content
- writing for scannability
- guidelines for concise writing
- using keywords for search engine optimisation
- writing for accessibility and usability
- and much more
‘Grant gave a clear presentation and I came away feeling excited about all I had learnt and keen to use the insights to improve our website. Grant's ability to take people step by step through the material helped me grasp the concepts. He is a gifted teacher.’
- Glenyss Barnham
‘Course content was practical and could be implemented straight away. Content covered made me look at and/or question why certain things are done a particular way and if they can be changed to improve them.’
- Olga Kotsis
Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Monday 23 August 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
Wordwise: Fair Dinkum
Here’s a term you’ve been hearing a lot of lately – fair dinkum. When Julia Gillard or Tony Abbott announce that they’re ‘fair dinkum’, they want us to believe that they’re genuine, honest, and can be trusted. It’s easy for the original intent and meaning of these sorts of phrases to be lost, and you’ve probably never questioned how we came to adopt ‘fair dinkum’ as a distinctly Australian saying. Many people believe the phrase was brought to Australia by the Chinese during the gold rush years. The myth claims that Australian gold diggers would often hear the Chinese yell ‘Dinkum!’ whenever they struck gold. The word apparently caught on and from that we have fair dinkum. Well, this isn’t actually true. The word dinkum comes from an English dialect and came to Australia much earlier than the gold rush. It means ‘work’ and fair dinkum originally meant ‘a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.’
WEBPICK: Aussie SlangAnd while we’re on the topic of Aussie slang, you might like to check out this handy dictionary. It’s your A to Z list of popular Aussie sayings, as well as some more obscure ones.
For instance, did you know that ‘dead horse’ is tomato sauce? Or that ‘alligator pear’ is another term for avocado?
If you need help deciphering Aussie slang, go and ‘ave a gander here.
Other upcoming courses
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett - FULL
When: Monday 9 August 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Online Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Week beginning Monday 9 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Online Creative Writing - Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker
When: Week beginning Monday 9 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle – FULL
When: Wednesday 11 August 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller – FULL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 12 August 2010 for six weeks
Time: 10am - 12noon
Cost: $450
Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Monday starting Monday 16 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo/Pamela Wilson – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 16 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Editing at work with Deb Doyle – NEW COURSE
When: Wednesday 18 August 2010
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $365
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Mat Nott
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 18 August 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Monday 23 August 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Friday 27 August 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Writing Letters and Emails with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Tuesday 31 August 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Tuesdays starting Tuesday 31 August 2010 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 2 September 2010 for four weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $345
Seminar: Self-publishing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 2 September 2010 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Online Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 6 September 2010 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 8 September 2010 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy – NEW PRESENTER
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 9 September 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 10 September 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 15 September 2010 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: Proofreading at work with Deb Doyle – NEW COURSE
When: Friday 17 September 2010
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Seminar: How to get free publicity with Catriona Pollard – NEW COURSE
When: Thursday 23 September 2010
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 5-day Intensive course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 27 September - Friday 1 October 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Magazine Writing Stage 2 with Gayle Bryant
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 29 September 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Novel writing workshop with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday beginning Tuesday 12 October 2010 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495
Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis
When: Thursday 14 October 2010 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm
Cost: $365
Course: Build Your Online Profile with Tristan Bancks – NEW DATE
When: Thursdays starting Thursday 14 October 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Writing Books for Children and Young Adults with Judith Ridge
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 27 October 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Perfecting Your Pitch with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Thursdays 4 & 11 November 2010
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175
Writing Tour: Writing in Bali with Patti Miller – FULL
When: 30 September to 5 October 2010
Writing Tour: Writing in Paris with Patti Miller – FULL
Dates for 2010:
Arrival: Thursday 21 October 2010
Departure: Saturday 6 November 2010
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