Gondor Writers' Centre - Gondor Writers' Centre Breaking News

They will have fun while they learn new skills

9/11/2017

School holidays are fast approaching. There will be lots of holiday fun and learning at Gondor in September.

Still places in these fun workshops.

These holidays, the children have a choice of writing workshops, illustrating workshops, or both in the one workshop in the picture book workshop.

These workshops fill fast so if you want your kids to stop saying, 'I'm bored.' And want to send them somewhere they can have fun while they improve their writing and art skills, check the website now and make your booking.

http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/school-hoilday-programs.html

For the adults: The September workshop is a very interesting and important workshop for the writer set on improving their writing.

One of the biggest problems I see when I'm editing is flat writing.

Good writing will pull your reader into the story, make them feel like they are in the place and keep them engaged. The following are some of the things that make your writing engaging:

When a reader is reading your scene descriptions they should be able to see what you are describing. You need to create word pictures that are as vivid as a painting.

The correct and effective use of metaphor and simile also strengthens your writing.

Some writers have a habit of 'telling' the reader what is happening instead of 'showing' them.

Many unnecessary words are used and this slows the story down.

What do you put in and what do you leave out?

How do you make every word count?

That information and how to create word pictures and effective and interesting metaphors and similes, plus, the use of show don't tell, and the ability to create rising tension are all important tools. How to use these tools to create your masterpiece is covered in this workshop.

Sept 23rd: Advanced class: Strengthening your writing: 10am to 3 pm

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

Learn how to create writing that engages the reader

9/2/2017

To celebrate Spring our Sacred Oak tree is blooming. By the time the next workshop rolls around on September 23rd it should be covered in flowers.

The September workshop is a very interesting and important workshop for the writer set on improving their writing.

One of the biggest problems I see when I'm editing is flat writing.

Good writing will pull your reader into the story, make them feel like they are in the place and keep them engaged. The following are some of the things that make your writing engaging:

When a reader is reading your scene descriptions they should be able to see what you are describing. You need to create word pictures that are as vivid as a painting.

The correct and effective use of metaphor and simile also strengthens your writing.

Some writers have a habit of 'telling' the reader what is happening instead of 'showing' them.

Many unnecessary words are used and this slows the story down.

What do you put in and what do you leave out? How do you make every word count? That information and how to create word pictures and effective and interesting metaphors and similes, plus, the use of show don't tell, and the ability to create rising tension are all important tools. How to use these tools to create your masterpiece is covered in this workshop.

Sept 23rd: Advanced class: Strengthening your writing: 10am to 3 pm

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

How to keep your reader hooked

8/16/2017

Whatever you write – fiction, nonfiction, novels, short stories, picture books or blog posts, you have a singular goal: to make the reader want to keep on reading. There are all kinds of techniques to keep your reader hooked from the beginning to the end. In this workshop we examine the six key things you can do achieve this.

August 19th: Keeping them Hooked: 10 am to 3 pm.

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

Sept 23rd: Advanced class: Strengthening your writing: 10am to 3 pm

These words of wisdom come from Strunk & White’s Elements of Style, ‘Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all sentences short, or void all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tells.’

What do you put in and what do you leave out? How do you make every word count? That information and how to create word pictures and effective and interesting metaphors and similes, plus, the use of show don't tell, and the ability to create rising tension are all important tools. How to use these tools to create your masterpiece is covered in this workshop.

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

If you want a free critique on your writing, join the Gondor Writers' Critique Group.

Why come to a writers group? We all need someone to encourage, motivate and assist us to continue with our writing and grow as a writer.

That is what Gondor Writers Critique Group will do. Writing groups help you meet other local writers, make friends with similar interests and informally share experiences in the real world. In this day of cyberspace, it is nice to get away from the computer and actually exchange ideas with some real people.

If you haven't joined yet and want access to a free critique on your writing, email me at elaine@gondorwriterscentre.com and I will send you the details.

Over 60 events or workshops for the price of one!!

8/9/2017

Just finished the program for the weekend's Sunshine Coast International Readers and Writers Festival. WOW! What a line-up! I'm having trouble choosing which sessions I want to go to. Check it out.

Lots of free events for children and adults. Plus you can buy a ticket to individual workshops and events for just $20 or buy a whole weekend pass for $140 or one day pass for $80. Plus there are concession tickets for seniors, students etc.

You will not get the choice to workshop with these amazing presenters for this price anywhere else.

The program will be on the website to download later today or you can just download it from our page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gondorwriterscentre/

Join all these amazing authors, Meredith Costain, Dee White, Alison Reynolds, Pamela Rusbhy, Karen Tyrrell, Chris Collin, Dimity Powell, Michelle Worthington, Shannon Horsfall, Gayle Torrens, plus dozens more for a fun weekend.

Make sure you grab your tickets today.

http://www.sunshinecoastreadersandwritersfestival.com/festival-tickets.html

Gondor's next workshops:

August 19th: Keeping them Hooked:
What will make your reader stay glued to the pages until their eyes can't stay open anymore? We examine the six key things that will help you achieve that.

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

Sept 23rd: Advanced class: Strengthening your writing:
The use of word pictures, metaphors and similes, show not tell, and the ability to create rising tension are all important tools. How to use these tools to create your masterpiece is covered in this workshop.

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

If you want a free critique on your writing, join the Gondor Writers Critique Group.

Why come to a writers group? We all need someone to encourage, motivate and assist us to continue with our writing and grow as a writer.

That is what Gondor Writers Critique Group will do. Writing groups help you meet other local writers, make friends with similar interests and informally share experiences in the real world. In this day of cyberspace, it is nice to get away from the computer and actually exchange ideas with some real people.

If you haven't joined yet and want access to a free critique on your writing, email me at elaine@gondorwriterscentre.com and I will send you the details.

SELF PUBLISHING PICTURE BOOKS - IS IT FOR YOU?

7/24/2017

Award-winning children’s author/publisher Chris Collin will share his journey into self-publishing.

Chris will take us step by step through his journey, from leaving a well-paying job and jumping into self-publishing picture books, to how he sold 30,000 of books in just a few years.

Chris says, 'It is over five years since I first took my giant (almost blindfolded) leap of faith into the magical world of children’s literature. Coming from a career of civil construction management (yes you heard it right), it has been the most amazing journey for me and my wife Nadia; experiencing all of the highs and lows you’d expect from starting a small business in a new industry of which we knew very little about. I certainly do not claim to have a magical answer or strategy to succeed in this crazy life of author, businessman, presenter, puppeteer etc!

'I have created this workshop to share my experiences and to assist others who burn with the same passion to contribute to the amazing world of children’s books and play a part in instilling in our children (and the children of the world!), a love of reading and the beauty of language. Where do you start? This is by far the most common question I am asked by writers who want to publish children’s literature. I will go through the steps of how I got started and share with you what I learnt on the way about the publishing process, best marketing strategies and how to set the story to music and produce the CD that I sell with the books.'

If you are a writer who is contemplating self-publishing, this workshop is not to be missed.

August 5th:10am to 3pm: Self-publishing including music: with Chris Collin

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

Dialogue in writing is not a recording of actual speech...

6/27/2017

Let's ask an author of 13 books and editor-in-chief of Stein and Day Publishers for 27 years, Sol Stein, his thoughts on dialogue.

"Talk is repetitive, full of rambling, incomplete, or run-on sentences, and usually contains a lot of unnecessary words. Most answers contain echoes of the question. Our speech is full of such echoes. Dialogue, contrary to popular view, is not a recording of actual speech; it is a semblance of speech, an invented language of exchanges that build in tempo or content toward climaxes. Some people mistakenly believe that all a writer has to do is turn on a tape recorder to capture dialogue. What he'd be capturing is the same boring speech patterns the poor court reporter has to record verbatim. Learning the new language of dialogue is as complex as learning any new language." (Sol Stein, Stein on Writing. St. Martin's Griffin, 1995)

When we talk about dialogue we don't just mean spoken words, inner dialogue (thought) is also vital to help the reader understand and know your character.

Making the dialogue suit your character, add depth to the scene, and show emotion is an important part of making your character believable. It doesn't matter how well a novel is plotted or how exciting the action is, if the dialogue is flat or forced you lose your reader.

Learning to write dialogue is a major challenge. Nothing can kill a character faster than the words they speak. Dialogue is one of the main ways a reader gets to know a character.

Come and learn how to make sure you get it right.

Saturday July 22nd. 10am to 3pm

Writing believable dialogue: with Elaine Ouston

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

THINKING OF SELF-PUBLISHING? Self-publlshed but not sure about marketing?

August 5th:10am to 3pm Self-publishing with a musical edge: with Chris Collin

Chris will take us step by step through his journey, from leaving a well-paying job and jumping into self-publishing picture books, to how he sold 30,000 of books in just a few years.

He will also include how and why he set his books to music. If you are a writer who is contemplating self-publishing, this workshop is not to be missed.

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

NO MORE BORED KIDS ...

6/20/2017

LAST CHANCE ...

6/5/2017

The Character workshop is on this weekend. This is in my opinion the most important workshop to attend. There are still places left so if you are serious about writing, book now.

Throughout the history of writing many famous authors have spoken about the importance of character in story. Here are a couple of quotes that I like and relate to:

The only characters I ever don't like are ones that leave no impression on me. And I don't write characters that leave no impression on me.”
― Lauren DeStefano

And my favourite:

“When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people not characters. A character is a caricature.”
― Ernest Hemingway

These quotes are the guidelines for character development in my stories and in the Gondor Character Development course.

Characters must be real people with the fears, weaknesses and strengths that we all possess.

How do you make sure your characters are believable and memorable?

In this workshop, we will examine many memorable characters from books and movies and go through what makes them memorable.

We also examine the many personality types we meet and show you how to portray them effectively. We will then work on how to make your characters unique and memorable.

For crime and mystery writers, the character workshop includes an examination of criminal types and what drives them to commit crimes.

I believe that this is the most valuable workshop of the year. If your character is flat and not well enough developed, so is your story.

It's a two day workshop, so if you are coming from any distance and want to stay over Saturday night check out the accommodation option on the workshop page. The Landsborough Pines Holiday Village is just a short walk away. They have share cabins or single units.

Don't let this valuable workshop slip by. Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

The next workshop after Character is Aleesah Darlison's Picture Book workshop on Saturday July 15th: The Inside Word on Picture Books

Discover the right way to create a picture book story and skip all the newbie blunders!

Learn the various picture book structures and the skills to create a story that truly sings. How do you achieve the best combination of text and art? How do you set out a manuscript ready for submission? And which publishers should you submit your story to?

This session is taught by Aleesah Darlison, award-winning author and owner of Greenleaf Press. Aleesah has published over thirty-five books for the trade and educational markets, including ten picture books.

Bring a manuscript to share with the class and gain valuable feedback. Take-home Handouts. Invaluable Tips. Networking Connections. You’ll be buzzing! View her profile here.

Price $66 per person (includes GST)

Book now on the workshop page or phone 54 399 038 to book. http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html

Get rid of writer's block!

5/29/2017

Many people believe that writer’s block comes from not having a strong plot line, a strong direction to follow. I agree. To me, to write a story of any size without a plan or plot is like going on a journey without a map or GPS. But some writers say they feel restricted by the structure of plot. That doesn’t have to be the way it works.

SO WHAT IS A PLOT? A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged to reveal the dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance of the events of the story.

When you start your journey with no idea of where you are going, allowing the words to carry you along as they will, they sometimes dry up, and you don't know where to go from there.

Every time you get stuck, you can use a form of brainstorming to get you going again.

The main problem with this method is that sometimes you can get so stuck you can’t get going again, or you end up with a lot of material that must be cut later, thereby wasting time and energy. The questions that you then ask to try to get going, are the same ones you would ask when plotting the story, so why waste time being stuck.

Ask them at the start. In this workshop, we will show you the importance of structure and how to achieve a plot that will keep you writing and focused. It doesn't matter if you are a plotter or a 'panters' this will help you.

Plotting Workshop: Sunday 4th June. 10am to 3pm. Cost $50.

Book http://www.gondorwriterscentre.com/workshops.html or phone Elaine on 07 54 399 038.

Want to know the secret to being a successful self-published author?

5/22/2017

Join us on Friday night for a fun-filled night with award-winning local children’s author, Chris Collin as he shares his journey of Animated Funkiness and tells us the secret to selling 30,000 books as an independent author.

Friday May 26th: 7pm to 9pm. Inspirational talk: How to succeed as a self-published author:

If you have questions about jumping into children’s publishing, or you’ve wondered what is involved as a fully independent writer, publisher, presenter and promoter then this is an event not to miss.

Be warned though, Chris may be looking for a volunteer ‘dancer’ or two from the audience!

Hop on the rollercoaster that has been Chris Collin’s life since leaving a 20 year career in civil construction management in 2013 to write his wacky rhyming picture books.

$20 just per head. Book and pay on the workshop page or phone Elaine at 54 399 038.