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I’ve been poring over the program for the Sydney Writers’ Festival (pictured right checking out the SWF website). We love the Festival and can’t wait to see you all there! We’ll be chatting to our favourite authors and reporting back to you on what’s hot – and what’s not.

In the meantime, this morning I was chatting to a program manager at one of the universities. We have both been tearing our hair out at some of the written communication you see in the business world these days. Some of it is terrible.

This could be because it’s simply not taught in some schools or unis, lazy habits resulting from the SMS-driven world we live in, or a lack of managers who have good written skills themselves.

That’s why I’m so passionate about our one-day seminar, Writing Letters and Emails.

Letters and emails are the cornerstone of business communication these days. And yet so many people can get this wrong. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression so if you – or your team – need some structure and guidelines on how to write emails and letters, this seminar is ideal.

Writing Letters and Emails with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 13 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.

• Our next evening Creative Writing Stage 2 course has filled! But you can join us for the daytime course starting 4 May.
  
  
• Our second Book Club meeting is on today. We’re reading: An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin.
  
  
• Grammar and Punctuation Essentials is on tomorrow. You can book now!
  
  
• We went to the book launch of “Paris Dreaming” by Anita Heiss. You can check out the quick video here.
  
  
• QUICK VIDEO: Find out what's on at the Centre including some fantastic advice from best-selling Canadian author Amber MacArthur on why blogging is great for aspiring authors.
  

TIP: What’s a comma splice? And should you use it?
You may not recognise a comma splice immediately, but you’ll notice the clunky sentence it creates. A comma splice is when a comma is used to join two complete sentences, creating a run-on sentence. For example:

Rambo is very proud of his new coat, it keeps him warm.

The professor sat sedately on his sofa inhaling the fragrance of the roses, coffee dripped quietly from his saucer onto the cat.

Rambo is very proud of his new coat; it keeps him warm.

The professor sat sedately on his sofa inhaling the fragrance of the roses. Coffee dripped quietly from his saucer onto the cat.

Join us for your daytime Creative Writing course
The end of daylight savings has brought with it a sudden change of season in Sydney and it looks like winter is on the way. So now that you’re not spending your days outside soaking up the sun, why not join our daytime intensive creative writing course with Jeni Mawter?
 
If you dream of writing fiction – shorts stories or novels – this course will show you how to draw inspiration from your world and put it in words. The course will cover all the essential elements of a great story – character, plot, structure – and will also show you how to generate ideas.
 
Here’s what some recent participants had to say about Jeni:
"Jeni was great! The way she teaches is so easy to understand and so enjoyable. I had so much fun listening, writing, talking, and I loved all of her advice and motivation and everything she taught us. This course was perfect for me."
– Chantelle Ravenswood

"Try and get on a course with Jeni! She's great - inspirational and really helpful. She really knows her stuff and is fun and friendly!"
– Jennifer Jamieson

DAYTIME INTENSIVE Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 April to Friday 15 April (five consecutive mornings)
Time: 10.00am – 12noon
Cost: $395
 
Click here for more information or to enrol online.

More Student Success
It’s been a big month for many of our former participants and this week we have even more good news!
 
First, Laura Clarke, who completed our Writing Books for Children and Young Adults course and the Self-Publishing seminar. She has now co-published a book – My Grandmother’s Kitchen – and secured a distribution deal! Here’s what she wrote to us.
 
“I wanted to write and tell you about the success we have had with our new release My Grandmother's Kitchen as we did your course on Self Publishing back in 2008 and it set us on the right path.

The book charts the lives and recipes of 19 grandmothers from all over the world, sharing their wisdom and delicious dishes with the next generation. The 20th chapter has been left blank for the reader to fill in for a special mother or grandmother in their own lives.

I also did the Sydney Writers' Centre course called  'How to Market Your Book' in 2009 which was very helpful when it came to marketing. We have just signed an Australia-wide distribution deal for the first run and we have been approached by several large publishers so who knows what the future holds?”
 
Congratulations Laura! The book sounds great and we can’t wait to hear more about it.
 
We also heard from former Feature Writing participant, Kees Bakhuyzen. Since completing the course he’s been busy writing and has just had a full-page article published in The Australian. Here’s what he had to say:
 
"I have used everything taught in the courses – I’ve written and edited articles, done a lot of proofreading, drafted texts for print media as well as intranet content, and written media releases.

"What I like so much about the Sydney Writers’ Centre is that not only do you have great and very experienced course presenters, but you also meet so many interesting people. I got my job at ING through a girl I met at the Business Writing seminar on 1 June last year, and we just bumped into each other and decided to catch up soon for lunch. Great that I found so much support in all of this during the seminar!"

Congratulations Kees! This is a great achievement.

How to get paid for writing articles
If you’d like to see your writing featured in a major Australian newspaper, like Kees, then don’t miss our next Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers course with Sue White. This course, one of our most popular, will show you how to take your story ideas and turn them into a published feature article.

You’ll learn how to generate story ideas, how to structure a great feature article, what editors look for, and how to get paid for your writing.

Here’s what recent participant, Diana Timmins said about the course:
“The entire course was so enjoyable that it is difficult to pin-point one particular aspect. There is honestly not one tiny bit of negative or constructive criticism I could give on Sue. She created a warm space from the very second we opened, making sure everyone felt comfortable to speak up and be heard - right to the very close of the weekend. No-one's opinion, comment or thought was more or less important than anyone else's. No matter what part of the writing journey the participant was on, Sue treated each and every one of us with the same level of respect.”
- Diana Timmins

Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White
When: Wednesdays starting Wednesday 12 April 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.

Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize
Want to win $5,000? One of Australia’s most generous short story prizes is now accepting entries. The Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Award is held annually by the Australian Book Review and has recently been renamed to honour the late Australian author.
 
Previously unpublished short stories between 2000 and 5000 words long will be accepted from writers of any age. Four prizes will be awarded - $5000 and publication for first prize, and three shortlisted prizes of $1000 and publication in the October issue of Australian Book Review. The entry fee is $16 (or $12 if you are a subscriber to ABR). Entries close on Thursday 30 June 2011.

Click here for more information and an entry form.

WORDWISE: Memento or Momento?
I recently heard an argument about whether the word is correctly spelt “memento” or “momento”. A memento is something that serves as a reminder of what is past, such as a souvenir. It can also mean something serving as a warning or reminder. It comes from the Latin mementō meaning “to remember”.

If you remember the movie that Guy Pearce starred in, it was called “Memento” with a “e”. The word snobs among us insist that it should be spelt with an “e”. But, if you’re ever in a fight about it at the office water cooler, just pull out your trusty Macquarie Dictionary, which does confirm that “memento” is the correct spelling but also lists “momento”.

It seems the spelling “momento” has come about because of its association with “moment”. While many people still consider it a misspelling, it has snuck into general use and some dictionaries. We suggest that you stick with the original spelling, “memento”.

Writing for the Web
A good website is one people want to visit again – it will be easy to read, easy to navigate, and visitors will be able to find what they want, quickly. To achieve this for your own website, you need to know the golden rules of Writing for the Web.

When customers visit your website they want to read clear, concise and engaging content. It’s not enough to write the same way you would for a print brochure. In just one day, we can show you how to write that content for your website.

Here’s what some recent participants had to say about the seminar:
"I loved that the seminar was so interactive and allowed the participants to use real-life examples from our workplace. It was very practical. Grant was engaging and well-informed on the topic."
– Sharon Troy

"I found the whole day to be very enjoyable and beneficial to me with my current job, and I liked that we could use examples from our workplace. Grant was great! He had a very good knowledge and understanding of the web and how it's not always used correctly in the workplace."
– Catherine Zsifko

Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Tuesday 12 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Click here for more information or to enrol online.

What we’re reading
This week our Communications Coordinator, Rose Powell, is reading Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey. Rose writes:

Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey is an exquisitely written book. The story focuses on the challenges Oscar Hopkins and Lucinda Leplastier face before they come to New South Wales in the early years of the colony of Sydney, their meeting on the boat on the way to Australia, and their evolving relationship once here. Lucinda and Oscar are superbly written characters. Despite their eccentricities they remain sympathetic and you really do want them to sort themselves out and get together.

That said, I loathed the ending. Despite being entirely feasible, the falling apart that the book promised from the beginning was devastating. And for me, not devastating in a good way. The book plummeted several appreciation points in my estimation between the middle and the end.

But overall, the book is well worth reading. With significant subplots of religious, feminist and early Sydney interest, this book paints a vivid picture of what Sydney once was and the preciousness of individual lives.

We want to know what you’re reading! If you’d like to submit a short book review (no more than 200 words) send it to courses [at] spindriftmedia [dot] com [dot] au and we’ll consider it for publication in our newsletter or blog.

WEBPICK: Mummytime
This week we’re featuring another judge in our Best Australian Blogs Competition - Brenda Gaddi, who’ll be judging the Lifestyle Category.

Brenda is kept busy as a stay-at-home mum to four kids, so it’s incredible she finds the time to not only blog, but also set up the social networking site, Aussie Mummy Bloggers, and run the Aussie Bloggers Conference. She blogs at Mummytime, which she appropriately describes as “misc ramblings of an almost grown-up”.

Of course, there are lots of posts on being a mum. There are also some guest posts from some of her Mummy Blogger friends. All of them are very funny and a great way to while away the hours!

Check it out here.

Other upcoming courses
Seminar: Grammar and Punctuation Essentials with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 8 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450

Course: Weekend Travel Writing: Get Paid for Your Adventures with Sue White
When: Saturday 9 April 2011 and Sunday 10 April 2011 (2 day workshop)
Time: 10.00am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Online Course: Writing Books for Young Adults and Children with Laurine Croasdale/Judith Ridge/Nicola Robinson
When: Every Monday starting Monday 11 April 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Daytime Intensive Creative Writing Stage 1 with Jeni Mawter
When: Monday 11 April 2011 - Friday 15 April 2011 (5 days in a row)
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $395

Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 12 April 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Writing for the Web with Grant Doyle
When: Tuesday 12 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.00pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Writing Letters and Emails with Deb Doyle
When: Wednesday 13 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Sell your ebook on Amazon with Steven Lewis – NEW SEMINAR
When: Thursday 14 April 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: How to Get Your Book Published with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 14 April 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Seminar: Edit with Confidence with Deb Doyle
When: Friday 15 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 18 April 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Seminar: Professional Business Writing with Mel Wilkinson
When: Tuesday 19 April 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $450

Course: Creative Writing Stage 1 with James Roy
When: Every Thursday starting Thursday 21 April 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Seminar: Introduction to Travel Writing with Geoff Bartlett
When: Thursday 21 April 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Course: Perfecting Your Pitch with Sue White
When: Thursday 28 April 2011 and Thursday 5 May 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Online Course: Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers with Sue White – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 2 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman – FULL
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 3 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Daytime Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 4 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12.00noon
Cost: $395

Seminar: PR and Media Releases That Get Results with Catriona Pollard
When: Thursday 5 May 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.00am - 5.00pm
Cost: $495

Online Course: Creative Writing Stage 2 with Pamela Freeman/Cathie Tasker – NEW DATE
When: Week beginning Monday 9 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: Whenever suits you
Cost: $395

Course: Daytime Travel Memoir with Claire Scobie
When: Every Monday starting Monday 9 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Screenwriting Stage 1 with Tim Gooding
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 11 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Magazine Writing Stage 2 with Gayle Bryant
When: Every Wednesday starting Wednesday 18 May 2011 for five weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Plotting and Planning with Kate Forsyth – NEW COURSE
When: Thursday 19 May 2011 and Thursday 26 May 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Seminar: Perfect Your Proofreading with Deb Doyle – NEW DATE
When: Friday 27 May 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Boost Your Creativity with Laurine Croasdale – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 2 June 2011 and Thursday 9 June 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Seminar: Self-Publishing – How to do it with Geoff Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 16 June 2011 (two-hour evening seminar)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $85

Course: Your Story Structure with Kathryn Heyman
When: Friday 17 June 2011 and Friday 24 June 2011 (2 half-day classes)
Time: 9.30am - 12.30pm
Cost: $215

Course: Writing about Interiors, Style and Design with Nigel Bartlett – NEW DATE
When: Wednesday 22 June 2011 and Wednesday 29 June 2011 (2 evening classes)
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $175

Seminar: Blogging for Business with Steven Lewis – NEW DATE
When: Thursday 30 June 2011 (one-day seminar)
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Cost: $395

Course: Life Writing Masterclass with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 1 July 2011 for eight weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12.00noon
Cost: $650

Course: Novel Writing Workshop with Pamela Freeman
When: Every Tuesday starting Tuesday 5 July 2011 for six weeks
Time: 6.30 - 8.30pm
Cost: $495

Course: Life Writing with Patti Miller
When: Every Friday starting Friday 9 September 2011 for six weeks
Time: 10.00am - 12noon
Cost: $450

WRITING TOURS
Writing in Bali with Patti Miller
When: Saturday 18 June to Saturday 25 June 2011

Writing in Paris with Patti Miller
When: Thursday 20 October to Saturday 5 November 2011

Travel Writing in Italy with Sue White
When: Friday 16 September to Friday 30 September 2011