Meet our team
At the Sydney Writers' Centre, you learn from the best. Scroll down to meet our team of excellent and experienced presenters who are all committed to helping you achieve your writing goals.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Valerie Khoo is an award-winning feature writer whose articles appear regularly in The Sydney Morning Herald. Before becoming a freelance writer 10 years ago, she was features director of CLEO. Valerie is also the journalist behind the popular Enterprise blog on smh.com.au and theage.com.au, brisbanetimes.com.au and watoday.com.au. Valerie is also editor of Latte magazine, Australia's leading magazine for businesswomen.
She has worked at the three publishing giants - ACP Magazine, Pacific Magazines and EMAP - and currently works as a freelance editor for several consumer and corporate publications. Her work has also appeared in publications such as Vogue, SHE, Australian Financial Review and The Age.
Valerie is author of five books. She is a former accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers but switched careers many years ago when she finally gave in to her passion for writing. She hasn't looked back. Many of Valerie's students end up successfully publishing their work and carving out careers as successful writers.
To watch a video interview with Valerie about writing as a career and how to transition into it, click here.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Judy Skatssoon is the features editor at Australian Associated Press (AAP). An experienced journalist, Judy has also been a successful freelance feature writer. She has contributed to a diverse range of publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, life etc, Medical Observer, Sydney's Child, Women's Health, ABC Online and many more.
After studying a Bachelor of Arts (Communications), majoring in journalism and writing, at UTS, she began her career as a cadet with AAP. She was also a regular feature contributor for Medical Observer Weekly during her two year freelance stint. Judy held a variety of positions including state political correspondent and national medical correspondent. She writes on a wide range of issues including the arts, health, politics, technology, women's issues, business and more.
Recently, Judy has also been a lecturer and tutor in journalism at UTS and is passionate about helping students discover the world of journalism and writing.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Pamela Wilson has worked as a freelance journalist for the past eight years. Her articles regularly appear in Medical Observer, Reader’s Digest and Health Smart. She has also contributed to various other publications including Men’s Health, Good Health and Medicine, Australian Parents, Travel Vacations and Ninemsn online.
After earning a cadetship at the Gold Coast Bulletin, Pamela knew her dream of becoming a print journalist had become reality. She then went on to work for AAP and The Daily Telegraph. Throughout her 18 years in the media industry, Pamela has held various positions including medical-political features editor, chief-sub-editor, chief-of-staff, education and industrial relations correspondent, news and feature writer and health reporter.
Pamela has developed expertise in covering medical-political, health and family issues, but still enjoys writing about a diverse range of topics including education, travel, books, lifestyle and men’s and women’s issues.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Holly Nott is a journalist who has covered everything from shark attacks to federal elections, terrorism trials to snowboarding holidays. She has spent almost a decade as a journalist with Australia's news agency, Australian Associated Press. She has held a range of senior roles with the news outfit, and until welcoming her first child in Februrary, was Sydney Bureau Chief, with responsibility for one of AAP's biggest, busiest newsrooms. Prior to that, Holly spent two years as Perth Bureau Chief, and was chief of staff in the Sydney Bureau.
Holly has worked for regional, suburban and national news publications and has also spent time as a sub-editor and freelancer since earning her Bachelor of Arts Communications degree more than 15 years ago. After a long commitment to welcoming cadets and interns into her newsrooms, Holly recently began tutoring UTS journalism students and now teaches at the Sydney Writers' Centre.Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Matthew Nott has worked as a freelance and staff journalist in Australia and internationally for more than 20 years. He 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.
Over the years his reporting and feature writing has ranged across the full spectrum of Australian society, from underworld figure Neddy Smith, deep in Long Bay Jail, to ex-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on the eve of his destruction.
In the broadcast media, Mathew has been Triple J’s overseas youth correspondent and worked in TV production in Spain, creating wildlife documentaries for the National Geographic Channel.
His tertiary studies began when he won the prestigious NSW Rural Press Scholarship to study journalism at Mitchell College (now Charles Sturt University) in Bathurst. He is currently half way through a law degree.
Feature Writing for Magazines and Newspapers
Vanessa Waters is an award-winning writer with over 15 years experience in the publishing industry. Since graduating with a BA in Communications from UTS she has worked in both newspapers and magazines, cutting her teeth on titles such as TV HITS, Girlfriend, Teen Hit, New Idea, That's Life!, Aussie Post, Home Beautiful, For Me and B.
Since becoming a freelance writer six years ago her work has appeared in Women's Health magazine, GQ, SUNDAY Magazine, Marie Claire, Body + Soul and New Woman.
She is a seasoned lecturer, a contributing author of a women's anthology (released through Adams Media in the USA) and the author of Secrets of Our Success, published through Random House.
Recently, Vanessa represented Australia as an International Media Delegate at the United Nations headquarters in NYC and is featured as a Revolutionary Woman at Why Are We Whispering?
Gayle Bryant has been a journalist for nearly 20 years and has worked in the media industry in Sydney and London. In the UK, Gayle worked full-time and freelanced for a range of publications including The Sunday Times newspaper and EuroMoney. When she returned to Sydney, she worked as the technology writer for BRW magazine.
She is now a successful full-time freelance feature writer and writes for a wide range of publications, websites and newspapers including the Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, and industry and trade magazines including Medical Observer, Real Estate Institute of NSW, and Connexus. Gayle has also edited many custom publications for major financial institutions such as Macquarie Group, Aon, Ernst & Young and TD Waterhouse. She also does the occasional copywriting stint, and most recently wrote the copy for a number of Telstra BigPond ads. She has a BA (Communications) from Mitchell College (now Charles Sturt).
Creative Writing
Dr Pamela Freeman is the author of 21 books, the most recent of which, Full Circle (Book 3 of the Castings trilogy), is being published in the US, UK, France, Spain, Portugal and Germany as well as Australia. Pamela’s latest children’s book, Victor’s Challenge, was published in 2009 in Australia and the UK.
Pamela started as a children’s writer, and many of her books have been shortlisted for the State Literary Awards, the Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards, the Koala Awards and the Wilderness Society Environment Awards. Pamela – who is also an accomplished script writer – has taught creative writing at the University of Technology, Sydney for many years.She has also been a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney and taught writing workshops around Australia for the National Book Council and various State Libraries. Pamela has a Doctor of Creative Arts in Writing from the University of Technology, Sydney. She is best known for her junior fantasy novels, Victor’s Quest and Victor’s Challenge and an associated fantasy series, The Floramonde Books (The Willow Tree's Daughter, Windrider and The Centre of Magic), as well as for Pole to Pole, a non-fiction book about Arctic and Antarctic animals.
Pamela has published numerous short stories and has spoken at various writers' festivals around the country. Her most recent book for young people, The Black Dress, a fictional account of the childhood of Mary MacKillop in the Australia of the 1840s-1860s, won the NSW History Prize for Young People.
You can visit Pamela’s websites here and here.
To watch a video interview with Pamela about writing as a career, click here.
Creative Writing
Kate Forsyth is the internationally bestselling author of more than twenty books for children and adults, including The Puzzle Ring, The Gypsy Crown, The Starthorn Tree, and the bestselling fantasy series 'The Witches of Eileanan' and 'Rhiannon’s Ride'.
Since her first novel was named a Best First Novel of 1998 by Locus Magazine, she has been shortlisted for numerous awards, including a CYBIL Award in the US. In 2007, Kate became the first author to win five Aurealis awards in a single year when Books 2-6 in the Chain of Charms series were jointly awarded the 2007 Aurealis Award for Children's Fiction. Book 5: The Lightning Bolt was also named a Notable Book for 2007 by the Children's Book Council of Australia.
Kate has a BA in Literature, majoring in Children's Literature, from Macquarie University, and a MA in Writing from UWS. Kate has taught creative writing from primary to tertiary levels for over ten years, including 'Writing for Children' at Sydney University. She mentors for the ASA Mentorship Program, and for the NSW Writers' Centre and the Central West Writers' Group.
She lives by the sea in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and three children, and many thousands of books.
Creative Writing
Jeni Mawter, sometimes known as J.A. Mawter to disguise her true identity, is the children’s author of the hilarious ‘So’ series: So Gross!, So Feral!, So Sick!, So Festy!, So Grotty! and So Stinky! (HarperCollins) as well as the Freewheelers series: Unleashed!, Launched! and Extreme! (HarperCollins). Unleashed! was shortlisted for the WAYRBA Older Readers Award 2009. Other books include the junior novel Team Dream and the picture book There’s a Sun Fairy in Our Garden.
Jeni has also published fiction, non-fiction, poetry and verse narrative for the education market. In 2007 she published ground-breaking work on Critical Thinking, Humour and Text for Macmillan Education. One of her most recent ventures was in co-writing the scripts for the interactive exhibition at The Powerhouse Museum, “The Magic Garden: MBF Foundation Healthy Kids Unit”.
With a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature and a Diploma in Book Editing and Publishing Jeni has taught creative writing for many years at Macquarie University and at writers centres. Her enthusiasm for words and books is infectious. She is a speaker for the Lateral Learning, Show & Tell and Speaker’s Ink speaker’s agencies and presents at numerous other schools, conferences and festivals. She has been a judge for the Stanton Library Creative Writing Competition and the Wakakirri National Storytelling competition.
To find out more about Jeni go to www.jenimawter.com
Creative Writing
James Roy was born in country NSW in 1968, and grew up in Papua New Guinea and Fiji. He fell in love with books and stories at a young age, and couldn't wait until he was old enough to write his own. Since his first novel was published in 1996, James has written some twenty books, including the Children's Book Council Honour Books Captain Mack and Billy Mack's War, as well as the 2008 NSW Premier's Award-winning Town.
A much sought-after presenter, James has appeared at a number of festivals, including the Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth Writers Festivals, and most of the leading children's festivals. He has worked as a guest lecturer at Sydney and NSW Universities, and visits around seventy schools a year across the Asia-Pacific region, conducting workshops and speaking with students about the joys and trials of being a writer.
James is also the Creative Program Director for the Anglican Youthworks Writers in Residence camps. He lives with his family in the Blue Mountains, and enjoys playing the handmade guitar his father made for him. His latest books are Anonymity Jones and Edsel Grizzler: Rescue Mission.
Creative Writing
Cathie Tasker is a fiction editor with over 25 years experience. Her specialisations are in science fiction, children’s and young adult fiction and genre adult fiction.
She is also a judge for the Aurealis Awards, fantasy novel section. Cathie trained as a librarian, in literature, and in marketing. Her academic qualifications are: libraries and literature (BA in Library Science & Literature), children’s literature (half of a Graduate Diploma in Children’s Literature), and marketing (Graduate Diploma of Marketing).
She worked in public libraries for seven years, and has spent over 25 years in book publishing, both in editorial and marketing, in children’s publishing, and in adult fiction and manuscript assessments. Her publishing background has been at Scholastic Australia, HarperCollins and now at Koala Books.
Writing books for children and young adults
Judith Ridge is well-known in Australia and internationally for her involvement with writing for children. Judith has worked with the Children's Book Council, as an editor at ABC Children's Books and the NSW School Magazine and freelances as an editor for Random House. Judith edited Handle with Care: Making Friends with Animals by Paul McGreevy - one of Halstead Press' all-time top sellers. She has also edited Piccolo and Annabelle 4: The Steamer Demons by Stephen Axelsen (Random House) and numerous books for ABC Books.
For the past two years, Judith has taught "Writing for Children" at the University of Sydney MA in Creative Writing. She has also been a tutor in children's literature at Macquarie University.
Judith says: "I love everything about children’s literature. And I love working with people who enjoy writing for children. It’s not my job to tell you what to write, but I’ll help you take a piece of your writing and make it the best it can be."
Writing books for children and young adults
Nicola Robinson has worked in the children’s book industry for more than 20 years - as an editor, manuscript assessor, reviewer, writer and community arts organiser. She has freelanced for publishing companies like Penguin Australia, Pan Macmillan and Allen & Unwin, and is now managing editor at Laguna Bay Publishing, where she oversees the production of fiction and non-fiction titles for the primary school market.
Nicola says, “One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received was from an author who described me as ‘the editor from heaven’. My goal is always to help authors tell their own story, in their own voice, in their own way.”
Nicola’s own short stories and non-fiction articles for children have appeared in anthologies and magazines, and in 2000 she received an emerging writers grant from the Australia Council. She is also widely published as a journalist and reviewer, in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Times Educational Supplement (UK), Australian Way, Australian Bookseller & Publisher and The New Zealand Herald. She has a BA (Communications) and a Diploma in Book Editing and Publishing.
Laurine Croasdale has had a 25-year career in publishing which included setting up the fiction list for Barnacle Books, consultancy work for Reader's Digest, Harper Collins and Weldon Owen and packaging for Simon & Schuster.
She has published three fiction titles for University of Queensland Press (Trivia Man, Red Golf Balls, What Truly Counts), two novels for Pan Macmillan (Surf School and Surf Sisters), school readers for Macmillan Education, a range of games and activity books for the ABC, Simon & Schuster and Reed for Kids, and television scripts for Hi5. She also spent 10 years reviewing books for ABC Radio. Her latest book, iHarry is being released in May 2011 by Penguin.
Tim Gooding writes for stage, film and television. He is also a musician and songwriter. Tim’s feature film credits include “Heatwave” and “On the Loose”. He is the recipient of a “Distinctly Australian” Writer’s Fellowship from the Australian Film Commission. He devised and co-wrote the ABC TV series “Sweet and Sour”, the soundtrack of which achieved platinum sales and was a nationwide hit.
He has written television comedy – The Aunty Jack Show, The Norman Gunston Show, Wollongong The Brave, Ratbags – and drama – Rafferty’s Rules, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Water Rats, All Saints ¬– plus numerous other series involving doctors, lawyers, and police officers, or a blend of the three, on land, sea, and in the air. For younger viewers, he has contributed scripts to Mortified, Time Trackers, Heartbreak High, CJ the DJ, Penelope K By The Way, and others. Tim’s episode 6 of Mortified, “The Talk”, won First Prize at the 2007 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, and the Theme Prize at 2008 Prix Jeunesse in Munich.His theatre productions include the musical plays “King Of Country” and “Rock-Ola”, “Tentshow Pagliacci”, “The Astounding Optimissimos”, and a new translation of Molière’s “The Miser”. The Sydney Theatre Company production of his comedy “Drums Along The Diamantina” featured Mel Gibson as Wayne from Queensland.
Sue White is a freelance writer whose work has featured in The Sydney Morning Herald, Vogue Australia, Travel + Leisure (Australia), Sun Herald Travel, Women’s Health, Vogue Entertaining + Travel, CNN Traveller, various ABC outlets, Green Living, G magazine and numerous other publications in both Australia and overseas.
As a busy freelancer, Sue quickly learned to overcome her initial fear of pitching. She has since developed a fulltime freelance career which allows her to explore her interest in environment, career and wellbeing issues through her writing. Sue’s also particularly chuffed she now gets paid to appease her continually itchy feet through travel writing: an indulgence that sees her regularly journeying to inspiring places across the globe in the name of a good story.
Sue is a member of the Foreign Correspondents Association. When she’s not on the road, she works from her home office near the beach in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
www.suewhite.com.au
Tristan Bancks has been actively building and experimenting with his online presence as a writer over several years. His willingness to engage with the web has been integral to his success in getting published in Australia and the United States.
Tristan has a background as an actor and television presenter in Australia and the UK. His short films have won a number of awards and have screened widely at festivals and on TV. Tristan has written several books for kids and teens, including the Mac Slater, Coolhunter series (Random House Australia, Simon & Schuster US), and his illustrated series, Nit Boy, about everybody's favourite mini-beasts. Nit Boy is currently being developed for television. Tristan's Young Adult novel, it's yr life was co-written via email between Byron Bay and L.A. with actress and author, Tempany Deckert.
Tristan is currently writing two new children’s books to be released in 2011. His drive is to tell inspiring, fast-moving stories for young people.
www.tristanbancks.com
Life writing
Patti Miller has taught creative writing, with a particular focus on autobiographical writing, for 20 years. At the Sydney Writers' Centre, you learn from the best – and we believe Patti is the best life writing teacher in Australia.
She is the author of Australia 's best-selling autobiographical writing text, Writing Your Life and of The Last One Who Remembers (life-writing), Child (novel) and Whatever The Gods Do.
She is published regularly in newspapers and magazines including essay pieces in the Good Weekend, SMH and is available for speaking engagements to clubs and other groups. She has a BA (Communications) and MA (Writing) from UTS. Many of her former students have been successfully published. Her new writing book, The Memoir Book was released by Allen & Unwin in May 2007.
How to get your book published & Travel writing
Geoff Bartlett is an author, journalist, actor and producer. He has filed articles and interviews for over 20 major newspapers and magazines around the country, including The Sydney Morning Herald, Courier Mail, Canberra Times, West Australian and Australian Style.
Geoff 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.
In 1999, Geoff's first book, was published in Australia and New Zealand through Harper Collins. Comedians in the Mist was a series of interviews with top Australian comedians.
In the electronic media, Geoff has written for Good News Week, Backberner, Life Support, The Comedy Channel and 2MMM. He also writes regularly for the finance and travel industries. His latest books are Cattitude, released in 2006 and Mutterings which was published in 2007.
Editing Essentials
Katrina Lobley is an experienced journalist and editor. With more than 20 years' experience in the publishing industry, Katrina spent five years as a sub-editor on The Sydney Morning Herald.
Recently, she has been in demand as a freelance editor for corporate and consumer publications. She has also worked with businesses to develop in-house style guidelines and editorial policies. Katrina writes regularly on travel, entertainment and art, with her work appearing in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald.
Professional business writing
Mel Wilkinson is the founding director of Manhattan Communication, a corporate writing agency which provides editorial solutions to firms in the financial services sector.
She specialises in writing, editing and proofreading corporate collateral such as tender documents, annual reports, brochures, website content, newsletters, newspaper editorial, advertising copy, adviser and employee communication and sector reports.
Mel has been a guest lecturer at the Financial Services Institute of Australia and has also published numerous articles in magazines and newspapers including The Australian Financial Review, The Australian, Charter Magazine, Company Director Magazine, Asset Magazine and Vive Magazine.
She has worked with financial PR firm Savage & Partners, (an Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide company) where she was a key advisor to Cochlear Ltd, Hudson and JPMorgan. Prior to this she worked for global investment bank Goldman Sachs JBWere where she worked in corporate finance, research and private client stock broking.
Deb Doyle is an experienced editorial-training consultant and publication editor. She specialises in publication editing and in training company and government employees to improve their skills in grammar and punctuation, writing, editing, proofreading and plain English. Deb has conducted courses for the Productivity Commission, AMP, Wizard Home Loans and the RTA as well as many other corporate and government entities located in Sydney or Melbourne. Deb's courses are interactive and fun.
She is passionate about enabling writers and editors to prevent embarrassing errors from occurring in print and online publications and to bring any type of document to an acceptable standard for publication. She bases her teaching methods on the belief that education and entertainment don’t have to be mutually exclusive!
You'll be amazed at how engaging and interesting workshops in grammar and punctuation, writing letters and emails, and editing can be.
Steven Lewis has consulted on blogging, podcasting and other Web 2.0 tools for companies such as Westpac and IAG. For Tourism Tasmania he created a ground-breaking series of travel podcasts, with similar projects in the works for companies like V Australia and Time Out.
Steven has also promoted blogs, wikis and podcasts as a corporate insider, having worked for AMP as an in-house evangelist for its enterprise 2.0 tools.Before moving into the world of Web 2.0, Steven had a long history in translating online tools for non-technical audiences writing as a journalist for mainstream publications around the world.
Writing for the web
Grant Doyle is an experienced copywriter, content manager and web editor. After many years as a print journalist and author, Grant has spent the last 11 years in web writing and has been contracting or consulting to major corporations in various online content capacities since then.
Former clients include financial services, telecommunications and IT companies as well as government agencies. Grant continues to initiate and teach many in-house web writing programs in addition to developing corporate web writing style guides. He is currently studying for a Master of Arts in Writing.
Catriona Pollard is director of public relations consultancy, CP Communications. She has 17 years experience in developing and managing public relations and marketing programs. Prior to establishing CP Communications in 2001, Catriona set up the marketing communications department for a leading software company and managed a diverse range of accounts within PR agencies. She also has extensive experience in managing public affairs and marketing in federal and state governments.
She regularly authors articles on PR and marketing which are published in many business publications. Catriona has won an award in the Public Relations Institute Association Awards for Excellence and holds a BA and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Communication.Catriona regularly provides comments to journalists on PR and marketing and she was labelled a leading public relations blogger in Enterprise and is listed as one of the top 100 PR people worldwide to follow on Twitter as well as on the Top 100 PR. The lists only include PR people who participate and contribute to their Twitter page, share valuable information, and contribute to the profession. The lists, consisting mainly of US PR directors, featured only three Australians.
Catriona's blog Public Relations Sydney was shortlisted for Mumbrella's media & marketing blog of the year 2009. She is a co-founder of Social Media Women, a formal online & in person networking group that encourages and assists women to participate more prominently in social media.
Catriona is actively involved in many business networks, is a Mentor in the NSW Government’s Women in Business Mentoring Program and a Professional Member of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA).
Manuscript assessment
Dr Rose Moxham writes for adults and children and has published short stories and two young adult novels. Her most recent work is a novel, Teeth Marks (Allen & Unwin), April 2007.
She has served as a judge for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards (2000) and on the committee of the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge.
Rose has designed, developed and delivered undergraduate and post-graduate courses in writing and editing (non-fiction and fiction) at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) and Macquarie University since 1997. In her capacity as lecturer in Writing and as a supervisor of numerous MA Writing candidates, she has vast experience in manuscript assessment. She has reviewed peer textbooks on writing techniques (eg. Hazel Smith, The Writing Experiment, Allen & Unwin 2004) and mentored various authors.
Rose has worked as a freelance reader and part-time editor for publishing houses including Random House, McGraw-Hill.
Danielle Williams is the operations coordinator at the Sydney Writers' Centre. She has a long background in writing and adult education. Danielle coordinates our courses and workshops and is passionate about helping our students get the most out of their experience with us. She's formerly worked at the University of Sydney's Centre for Continuing Education and the NSW Writers' Centre. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of New England and enjoys reading and writing.
New media coordinator
Tracy Tan is the new media coordinator at the Sydney Writers' Centre. With a Bachelor of Science (Media and Communications) from the University of New South Wales under her belt, she coordinates the technological side of our online courses, blog, website, podcasts, Facebook and more. She has been with the centre since it was founded and loves reading, writing - and technology!
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