In this issue:
- TIP: In regard to...
- Learn creative writing online
- Judith Wright Poetry Prize
- Improve your writing with Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
- PM’s Literary Award winners announced
- Travel and write!
- Did you know? Invictus
- WEBPICK: apostrophe.me
I'm writing this from Las Vegas because I'm here for a conference this week. It's such a weird and wacky place - and I'm enjoying every minute of it. But I couldn't resist taking snaps that show you an example of how important it is to have a house style. If you've done one of our business writing courses, you'll know that a house style is a document that your company/business uses to ensure that language is used in a consistent way. This is particularly important when referring to specific products, trademarked items or important brands.Even though I'm staying at a beautiful hotel called The Palazzo, check out this house style faux pas. There are some beautiful shops here - like Jimmy Choo, Burberry, Diane von Furstenberg and Michael Kors. And they are all in a place called The Shoppes at the Palazzo. I'm not sure why they've decided to use the fancy word "shoppes" - maybe it makes them sound grand. There are signs everywhere referring to "The Shoppes at the Palazzo" - in the casino, in the walkways, in the lobby, all over.
However, check out the sign in the lift. It says: "Shops at the Palazzo". When you're creating a hotel as fancy as this, you want to ensure you get your corporate branding right. And that's what your house style is for. So, no matter whether you are the CEO, secretary, publicist, concierge, or the person who makes the signs for the lift, you put forward a consistent corporate message because you always refer to your house style.
TIP: In regard to…While we would normally suggest that you avoid ‘business english’ where possible, when it is appropriate to use, it’s important to get it right.
‘In regards to’ is often used in business letters or emails, and reports. For example:
‘In regards to your letter…’But it’s incorrect! You don’t use the plural ‘regards’ in this sentence as you are only referring to one issue. Instead, you would use ‘In regard to your letter’. It means referring to, or concerning. You can also use ‘with regard to’.
Learn creative writing online
Just because you can’t get to our training room in Sydney doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from our great courses and experienced presenters. Our online creative writing course can be done from home, or wherever you are, whenever suits you. This is one of our most popular courses. Designed for writers who want to explore the world of writing fiction, it will help you get started on your short story, memoir, or maybe even your novel!
This creative writing course will teach you 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 had to say about the course:
‘Being able to listen to the audio program whenever suited me was fantastic and it also meant I could go over the material whenever I wanted to. I also liked being able to interact with fellow classmates, which makes this course different to other online or distance courses.’
- Sharon Lutrell
‘I enjoyed listening to the lecture presentations each week. I intend to review each lesson quite a few times. It's many years since I sat in a classroom, but I think learning is a life long experience to enjoy and I ENJOYED this course. I now read more attentively and appreciate the written word so much, inspiring me to put my thoughts into words.’
- Judith Harding
Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 9 November 2009
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
If you prefer to learn in a face-to-face class, we have a new daytime Creative Writing course coming up with Jeni Mawter.
Creative Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Friday mornings starting Friday 20 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am – 12 noon
Cost: $395
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
The Judith Wright Poetry Prize
Overland Magazine is one of Australia’s premier literary magazines, so it’s fitting that it should also sponsor a major poetry prize. The Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets is worth $3,000 to the winner, and $500 to two runners up. Judith Wright was a committed activist and writer who published several poetry collections before her death in 2000.
You can enter a maximum of three unpublished poems for each entry, which costs $9.90. The closing date is Monday 7 December 2009 and the winner will be announced in May 2010 at the Emerging Writers’ Festival in Melbourne.
Click here for more information and an entry form.
Improve your writing with Grammar and Punctuation Essentials
Do you want to be able to tell the difference between ‘that’ and ‘which’, a verb and a noun, or understand the nine parts of speech? Understanding grammar and punctuation will help you tighten your writing and give you the confidence to make changes to other people's writing. This one-day seminar will give the foundation needed to write and edit well. You’ll come away with:
- 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 some of our most recent participants had to say about the seminar:
‘FANTASTIC KNOWLEDGE from presenter Deb Doyle, very enthusiastic about her subject and a strong communicator, able to answer all questions in a fun and memorable way. I learnt SO MUCH in one day that I'd really like to do more study and/or courses. The course was exactly what I'd hoped it would be, very practical as well.’
- Fiona Goldsworthy
‘I enjoyed Deb Doyle's teaching style. I found the content interesting and it related to what I wanted to know. A lot of my questions were answered. I came away with a lot of specific knowledge which I needed to improve my skills as a fiction writer.’
- Joy Fotopoulos
This seminar 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 Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Thursday 3 December 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am – 5.00pm
Cost: $395. 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.
Writers’ Tent at the Newtown Festival
If you’re in the Inner West in Sydney you probably know all about the Newtown Festival. This annual event, held by the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, features lots of music and performance as well as hundreds of food, craft and eco stalls. And it’s free!
There is also a writers’ tent, and this years line-up includes musician, writer and artist Reg Mombassa; author and broadcaster Richard Glover; and Booker Prize winner Thomas Keneally.
Check out the website for the full details of what’s happening in the writers’ tent.
PM’s Literary Award winners announcedThis week the winners of the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for 2009 were announced. The fiction prize was won by Nam Le for his collection of short stories, The Boat. The non-fiction prize was awarded to two books - House of Exile: The Life and Times of Heinrich Mann and Nelly Kroeger-Mann by Evelyn Juers and Drawing the Global Colour Line by Marilyn Lake and Henry Reynolds.
Congratulations to all the winning authors!
If you’d like more information about the books, or want to keep an eye out for 2010 entry details, check out the website.
Did you know? InvictusI'm so looking forward to the new movie "Invictus". It stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela calling on the help of South Africa's rugby captain Francois Pienaar, played by Matt Damon (sporting a fairly convincing South African accent).
It's a story about how they used rugby and the 1995 World Cup event to try to unite a country that was still divided both economically and racially. I'm sure this is an Oscar contender!
However, did you know that the word "Invictus" actually comes from Latin? It means: "Unconquered".
Travel and write!
If you want to know what it takes to be a travel writer then you should not miss our next Travel Writing seminar. We’ll tell you all about the industry and how you can get your travel stories published. Many of our former feature writing and travel writing participants have gone on to have stories about their favourite destinations published in magazines and newspapers all over Australia.
The seminar will cover:
- publishing opportunities (newspapers, magazines, electronic publishing, travel literature, guidebooks, other avenues)
- types of travel stories (service stories, destination stories, personal essays)
- some straight talk about earnings
- finding and focusing your story (the right subject, travel trends, developing your story)
- the art and craft of travel writing
- getting published and making contacts
- writing for travel guidebooks
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the seminar:
‘I’ve gained more motivation to write and also found out the avenues to take to get articles published.’
- Tina Cicolini
‘[I enjoyed] the "real world" experience and advice. The fact that Geoff has worked in many different types of writing was great too. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely encouraging. I’ve gained confidence to give writing a fair go!’
- Hillary Wild
This seminar is presented by Geoff Bartlett, who 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.
Travel Writing EVENING seminar with Geoff Barlett
When: Wednesday 2 December 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Click here for more information or to enrol online.
WEBPICK: How to use an apostrophe
We’ve talked about apostrophes before in our Tips section, but I don’t think we’ve ever been able to explain it as well as this site does! ‘How to use an apostrophe’ is a humorous yet succinct explanation of the often perplexing apostrophe. Using a flowchart style, and some bizarre examples, it explains when to use and when not to use an apostrophe in your writing. It should be required reading for all sign writers!
Check it out here - http://apostrophe.me.
Other upcoming courses
Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Pamela Wilson - FULL
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 5 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett - FULL
When: Friday 6 November 2009 (2-hour morning seminar)
Time: 10.00am - 12 noon
Cost: $75
Course: Online Feature Writing Stage 1 with Valerie Khoo
When: Week beginning Monday 9 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Online Creative Writing with Cathie Tasker/Pamela Freeman
When: Week beginning Monday 9 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter - FULL
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 11 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Every Friday starting Friday 20 November 2009 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Online Business Booster Bootcamp with Valerie Khoo
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009
Time: 9.30am - 5.30pm
Cost: $695
Seminar: How to get your book published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Tuesday 24 November 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Thursday 26 November 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 2 December 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Thursday 3 December 2009 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $395
Seminar: Self-publishing - How to do it with Geoff Bartlett
When: Wednesday 9 December 2009 (2-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $75
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 INTENSIVE DAYTIME course with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 January - Friday 15 January 2010 (5 consecutive days)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395
Course: Marketing Your Book with Amanda Falconer
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 19 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: Life Writing with Patti Miller
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 - NEW DATE
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 28 January 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 3 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395
Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 16 February 2010 for five weeks
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $395
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