Writers' College Links...
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Dear writer
Do you ever ask yourself: 'What difference does my writing really make?' We face critical problems in the world right now - rising inflation, rising unemployment and rising sea levels. For the humanitarians among us, the impact and importance of our writing (both fiction and non-fiction) can seem to pale in comparison with global and domestic plights.
Confronted by these dilemmas, it's easy to become despondent, to ask: does my writing even matter. That's when you need a reminder: you are unique in this universe. And so are your words. Those whisperings inside you, that incessant urge to write, has a purpose. Martha Graham - sometimes called the 'Picasso of Dance' - so eloquently put it, "There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique, and if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium; and be lost. The world will not have it."
We cannot begin to guess the influence of our writing, but there is no doubt that what we send into this world will resonate with someone, somewhere.
Our stories might not reach the best-seller list, but can warm a friend's soul. Our articles might not win awards, but can help a reader feel less isolated. Our writing has endless purpose and power - to reflect, inform, entertain, educate, soothe. As American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne (in Notebooks) said, "Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them." By moving just one person, we change the world.
As a firm believer in the butterfly effect, it is my conviction that our words will only stop rippling and reverberating if we stop writing.
Your writing matters.
Forge ahead fearlessly,
Michelle
Michelle Nöthling - Editor of The Writers' College Newsletter and freelance magazine journalist.
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FOUND ON THE WEB: YOUR WRITING MATTERS
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SPOTLIGHT ON AUTHOR HELEN BRAIN
Helen Brain is the author of over 30 books for children, an adult memoir and many short stories. In 1998 she won an ATKV award for her novel Tamara and her novel Noem my Kat was a runner-up for an ATKV award in 2001. Three of her books have been selected for the SACBF (South African Children's Book Forum) Honours List. In 2006 Helen was nominated for a Women Demand Dignity 'White Ribbon' Award.
Helen tutors the hugely popular Basics of Creative Writing Course and the Basics of Creative Writing for High School Students Course, as well as the Write a Children's Book Course at The Writers' College.
Q. How did you become a writer?
I started writing a novel, and after a hundred pages I knew it was dreadful, so I set about learning the craft of writing, from books, articles and by analysing how writers I admired wrote. I gave myself five years to learn the craft before I got published, but I was fortunate that my first book was published before the five years were up.
Q. What general advice would you give aspirant writers/journalists just starting out?
Learn the craft thoroughly. And don't use words that you don't use in everyday speech, or your writing will sound pretentious. Write like you talk, and your voice will be authentic.
Read the full of the article here. |
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LATEST COLLEGE NEWS
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
 We are delighted to hear that our students have been forging ahead fearlessly in their respective fields. Congratulations to these writers for their recent successes.
Mark Scheepers received the Mavis Bleazard Bursary (sponsored by her daughter Hazel Carlstein) and completed the Write a Novel Course at The Writers' College earlier this year. Mark is a finalist for one of South Africa's prestigious writing awards. His play, "Sugar Daddies rot your teeth", is a finalist in the Maskew Millar Longman Youth Literature prize for 2012. It will be published as part of an anthology in September.
To find out more about Mark's progress and his tips about finding ideas, the writing process and staying motivated, read about it here.
Norah Jansen, currently on the Break Through Your Writing Barriers Course, was the runner-up in a short story competition: http://www.cazart.co.uk/index.php?page=story&id=346. Congratulations Norah. We hope that this is the first of many wins.
Congratulations to Nadia Kamies for winning the June 2012 My Writing Journey Competition. Read her lovely story on our blog. Closing date for the next My Writing Journey Competition is 30 September 2012.
Carla Lever was awarded the SAWC People's Choice Award for her story "Tune in Again Next Week". She won an additional R1000. Well done Carla. Read her story here.
Andy Evans, who completed the Basics of Creative Writing Course and the Literary Short and Flash Fiction Course, recently had his first short story, "The Wooden Hills", published in Takahé magazine.
Christine Jefferey, who completed our Travel Writing Course last year has had her first article accepted for the December issue of Country Life. In the same week she also received the go-ahead for an article on down syndrome babies for Living and Loving magazine (October issue) to coincide with the World Down Syndrome Conference being held in Cape Town. Well done Christine!
Amanda Bidwell completed the Magazine Journalism Course in 2011 and has had her article on blogging accepted by Her Magazine. Congratulations Amanda!
Zunia Boucher-Myers, a graduate of our Magazine Journalism Course, now writes for a magazine called Alice as their lifestyle/cooking/features writer. Well done Zunia!
Canadian student on the Short Story Writing Course Jennifer Copeland has had her story, "Table for Two" accepted by People's Friend. It's notoriously difficult to get fiction accepted by magazines, so a massive congratulations to Jennifer.
For many more student success stories to show the sky is the limit for you as well, visit our blog! |
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ON OUR BLOG
Our blog has a brand new face! Find great advice for both creative and non-fiction writers - ranging from journalism, to writing for the Web to publishing an e-book. Here are a few samples:
The Only Thing You Ever Need to Worry About When Writing Web Content - by Greg Walker
"Compelling content." "Written with the search engines in mind." "Unique." "Google loves quality content."
These phrases are bandied around by all and sundry when it comes to the qualities of content writing, and such well-meaning but often-oblique instructions can actually serve to confuse many new writers.
What you really need is something altogether simpler. A single instruction, one thing to keep in mind that will ensure your writing comes out well
every time.
And I think I have just the thing:
"Value." [Read More]
Writing's not for sissies! - by Nadia Kamies My daughter has wrapped a scarf around her head as if to hold her brains together. She is writing an essay for the Politics course she is taking this year, her first year at university. "Help me," she says. "I have too many words." I glance down to the bottom of the screen - 780 words. "How long is this supposed to be?" "Three hundred words," she replies, winding the scarf more tightly. "Can you take some of the words away?" This is nothing new; the day before it was an Economics essay. I don't have a clue what she is writing about. This is a far cry from helping her with a school essay. She has always waffled on and on. She seems to think that I can wave a wand and, "Voila!" Half the words march off into cyberspace. [Read More] The Lowdown on e-Book Publishing - by Hannah Green
There are various options available for publishing an e-book. You can go the whole process alone, get some help along the way or find a publisher to do all the hard work, but with each route it is important that you do your research before deciding on which method is best for you.
Self publishing:
Self publishing can be a great opportunity to get your book sold and earn high profits, but there is a lot more to it than merely creating a PDF and putting it on a website. If you choose to go through the whole e-book publishing process on your own then here are some aspects that you need to consider... [Read More]
And more new articles:
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FREE eBOOK: TOP 15 STORIES FROM THE PAST FIVE YEARS
We have compiled an e-book of the top 15 stories from the past five years of our annual SA Writers' College Short Story Competition.
You can download the book off our website and share it with your friends and family.
The anthology is in pdf format and we include easy instructions should you want to open it on your digital eBook reader.
Enjoy the read! |
COMPETITION TIME!
This competition is to acknowledge excellence in creative writing in the Short Story genre. The contest is open to any emerging writer residing in New Zealand or Australia, who has had fewer than four stories/articles published in any format (print or digital).
PRIZES:
First Prize: $1 000.00 plus entry into one of our short courses
Second Prize: $ 500.00
People's Choice Award $ 250.00
Top three entries will be published on our college site and the top five winners will receive editorial comments on their submitted works.
THEME: Full Circle
DEADLINE: 30 September 2012
GUIDELINES FOR ENTRIES:
Entry is limited to New Zealand and Australian residents only.
Entrants must submit a story of maximum word count: 2000 words. Any entries exceeding the word count by 50 words will not be considered.
We aim to support and acknowledge beginner writers, so we only accept stories from writers who have been published fewer than four times in any genre, in any publication (for payment or otherwise). This does not include articles for community or work newsletters where the circulation is under 1000.
For the full guidelines for entries, entry format, who the judges are and the competition rules, go here.
All enquiries can be sent to Nichola Meyer: Nichola@nzwriterscollege.co.nz
Other competitions you can enter: 2012
BBC International Radio Playwriting Competition
30 June, 30 September and 31 December 2012
Flash 500 Competition
31 August2012
Aesthetica Creative Works Competition
13 October 2012
Harlequin | Mills & Boon So You Think You Can Write competition
30 November 2012
New Writer Magazine Prose and Poetry Prizes
If your writing is aimed for a more local readership, country-specific competitions can be found on the bottom right-hand corner of our individual home pages. There you will also find regular, monthly and weekly competitions. Keep checking in for updates!
www.nzwriterscollege.co.nz
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Five reasons why your writing matters