Writers' College Links...
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Dear writer
Isaac Asimov, one of the most prolific writers of all time and the winner of dozens of awards, described rejection letters as 'lacerations of the soul'. But, he added, 'there is no way around them.'
So if you've received a rejection letter lately, you're in good company.
What's important is to learn from your mistakes, pick yourself up and keep moving forward. Take sensible steps to limit the possibility of your work being rejected again (for example, don't send out the same pitch letter if it's been rejected by several prospective publishers), but at the same time remind yourself of why you began writing in the first place. Don't let go of your dream!
Author Richard Bach said: "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit." So, most vitally, keep reading, keep writing, and keep submitting.
Best wishes
Tracey
Tracey Hawthorne
Editor
The Writers' College Newsletter
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FOUND ON THE WEB
Read these articles for inspiration.
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COLLEGE NEWS
- We have opened some great new courses.
Our new Grammar for Writers Courses have just opened. Tutored by grammar guru Rosemary Hep�zden, the courses are perfect for writers who want to correct faulty grammar, streamline their writing and clarify their message. Comprehensive, challenging and practical, the courses aim to untangle the rules so you can identify and eliminate writing errors you may have been making for years. The Copy-editing and Proofreading Course is hugely popular. Aimed at those who wish to become copy-editors or proofreaders, it provides a toolkit to get started in this field. The course will also benefit writers who wish to learn more about editing and proofreading their own work. Contact us for the full curriculum and course details.
Grammar Zap! is a free e-course. Spruce up your grammar rules with a 5-minute grammar lesson that arrives in your Inbox each day for 5 days. It takes 5 seconds to register. Click here to sign up. Your first lesson arrives the next day.
- Writers in New Zealand and Australia, don't forget to enter our annual NZ Writers' College Short Story Competition. This year the theme is 'Breaking out'. The closing date is 30 September. A panel of award-winning local writers will judge the stories, including Sarah Lang, Philippa Werry, Owen Bullock, Paul Smith and Panni Palasti. Send your 2000-word story to [email protected].
- On Facebook? Join us for daily tips and inspiration on our Facebook page.
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Well done to our fabulous graduate students who are garnering up success from all corners of the globe. Mariska le Grange wrote a book about Pippie Kruger, called Prinses Pippie Verjaar, accepted for publication by Lapa Publishers. Mariska was interviewed by Sarie Magazine - a fabulous read for Afrikaans students who need a bolt of inspiration. Mariska, we are super proud of you. Christine Wardle completed the Write a Novel and Advanced Write a Novel Course, studying with Sonny Whitelaw. Her novel, Beneath the Perfect World has been accepted for publication by Oceanbooks in New Zealand. Trevor Delaney completed the Web Writing Course in 2011. He has several blogs; here are two samples of the writing he has done since completing the course: www.homeherbgardens.wordpress.com www.chilliesblog.wordpress.com Past student Trish Nicholson has a new book out on Amazon: Inside Stories for Writers and Readers. Writers, you'll enjoy this one as it's packed with writing tips and analyses. Esta Chappell recently completed the Magazine Journalism Course with Sarah Lang as her tutor. Her article about taxonomy titled 'What's in a Name?' is being published in Good magazine. Susan Green is a recent graduate of the Introduction to Poetry Course, working with Owen Bullock. She sent five poems to Blackmail Press, an NZ online journal, and they accepted all five for publication. Well done Susan. Aaron Ure won our 2011 NZ Writers' College Short Story Competition. His story 'Regrets' is a finalist in the Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers 2013 - Best Short Story written in English. Congratulations Aaron. Liz Robbertze wrote an article about the Comrades Marathon in the online magazine Durban Zone, called 'Those were days my Comrades'. Congratulations to all of you. Keep those successes coming!
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SPOTLIGHT ON: KAREN JEYNES
Karen Jeynes is a well-known, award-winning playwright whose work includes "Laying Blame", "sky too big", "Don't Mention Sex", "Kiss Kiss", "The Happy Factory", "I'll Have What She's Having", "Backwards in High Heels" and the multi-award winning "Everybody Else (is fucking perfect)". She also writes for magazines, novels, radio, television, film and websites, and tutors the Scriptwriting Course at the Writers' College.
Q. How and when did you get started as a writer? Tell us a bit about your development as a writer.
I can't remember ever not writing. It's always been the thing I do. At high school I had poetry published in English Alive, and the rush of "being a proper writer" sealed the deal.
Read more here.
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ON OUR WEBZINE
Our webzine is a fantastic place to find guidance, writing tips and information. Immerse yourself in the world of writing.
On becoming a travel writer - by Don Pinnock
Early the next morning, before sunrise, I grabbed my camera and walked out of camp and into the hills. As I rounded a ridge, a camel stepped noiselessly across my path. Mounted on it was a man dressed entirely in blue with a cloth covering his nose and mouth. There was a large, curved knife sheathed at his belt and in his hand was an Uzzi submachine gun. ... He looked absolutely magnificent in the early light, a being from another world, and the photographer in me wanted to capture him on film. I raised my camera and he whipped the Uzzi round, pointing it at my head. I braced myself for the shock of the blast.
Read the rest of Don's article here.
Magazine Journalism Skills Upgrade: Career-proof Your Future - by Beverley Whitehead
Print magazine journalists already entertain, inform and inspire. The digital formula is the same, but at a faster pace, involving same-hour turnaround on stories and rapid responses from readers. It demands even more edgy storytelling and sharply-honed instincts for reaching audiences. Here are six tips to guide your skills upgrade. Read the rest here.
Five reasons print journalism can't die yet - by Carl Beck
iPads fog up in the bath and other stories... Carl Beck tells us why print journalism lives on. Read it here.
Further reading suggestions from our blog:
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MY WRITING JOURNEY COMPETITION
Fran�oise Lempereur is the latest winner of our most recent My Writing Journey Competition. Congratulations, Fran�oise!
My Writing Journey - by Fran�oise Lempereur
Fran�oise's writing journey includes the story of another competition she entered.
'I realised that the competition deadline was that very day, and had trouble sending my story off. My emails weren't going through, and my fax was not working. As a last-ditch attempt, I sent it to a friend at her shop down the road. Her printer was jammed. So, finally, it was printed at the Internet caf� across the road, and speedily sent off.
I telephoned with an apology, asking for clemency as I'd missed the noon deadline. I was assured by a sweet voice that it was all right, but I didn't hold much hope in this regard.'
Read what happened here.
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COMPETITION TIME!
Competitions you can enter:
30 September 2013 23 August 2013
30 September 2013
Monthly entries: For regular competitions, or if your writing is aimed at 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!
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