Synopsis Comprehensive Creative Writing Diploma Course

Module1WelcometoTheWritersBureau Yourfirstandmostimportantstepstobecomingapublishedwriterhowtobuildonyour naturaltalenthowtoenjoyyourcoursehowtoapproachyourstudiesworkingwithyour tutorcompletingyourassignments. Module2MakingaWriterOutofYou Decidingwhereandwhentowritehowtostartyourwritingwritersblockandhowto overcomeitthetoolsyoumustworkwithkeepingacuttingsfilehowtoorganise yourselfthewritersapproachtolifedevelopingyourimaginationthebenefitsofreading widelyhowtodevelopyourpowersofobservation whatthetrainedwriterlooksfor personalqualitieseverywriterneeds:perseverance,determination,selforganisation, resilience,confidencehowtouserejectionstoimproveyourwritingusingyourspecialist knowledgethedoortoquicksuccessfindingmorewritingideaswhateditorsarelooking for. Module3DevelopingYourWritingStyle Gettingthebasicsright11rulestodevelopagoodstyleandavoidcommonmistakes constructingclearsentencesandparagraphsusingactiveandpassivetenseslinkwords andsignpostshowtosayexactlywhatyoumeandangerstoavoid:verbosity, circumlocution,clichs,repetitionetcdealingwithslangandobscenitieshowtouse adjectives,similesandmetaphorscomparingdifferentstyles. Module4HowtoDevelopYourWritersCraft Howtowriteopeningsentencesandparagraphsthatcaptivateeditorsandreaderstitles thearticlesbodyplanningyourwritingtheclosingparagraphcheckingyourfactsthe importanceofrevisionthreestagesofrevisionexamplesofawellplannedarticle researchandhowtogoaboutit. Module5HowtoSellYourWriting Avoidthecommonmistakesthatuntrainedwritersmakethevalueofmarketresearchthe largenumberofmarketsyoucanselltowheretofindthemanalysingyourmarkets articleanalysis:length,paragraphandsentencelength,titles,theclosingparagraph analysingthefictionmarketshortstoriesandwheretosellthemgoodopportunitiesinTV andradiothemarketforbookswritingfornewspaperssellingtotheworldwhy America,Canada,Australia,NewZealand,Singaporeetccanbegoodmarketsforwriters howtoapproachoverseaseditorsandpublisherssyndicationandpressagencieskill fees. Module6PresentingYourWork Howtopresentyourworkadviceontheequipmentyouneedlayoutofyourmanuscript coversheetssubmittingworkelectronicallyhowtosafeguardyourinterestswordcounts coveringletterssubmittingyourworkdontdoubledealpreparinganoutlinequery letterstoeditorssendingreminderssellingrightstheInternet. Module7EssentialLegalAspects Copyright,plagiarismandhowtoavoiditwhyyourgoodnameisimportantthedangersof libelandhowtoavoidthemcontracts,whattolookforandhowtosafeguardyourposition theMinimumTermsAgreementliteraryagentsandhowtoobtainoneroyaltiesPublic LendingRight vanitypublishinganditssnagsselfpublishingtaxandVATusingapen nameorpseudonym. Module8ReadersLettersandFillers Opportunitiesforaregularincomewhopublishesreaderslettersturningyour experiencesintocashpersonalanecdoteletters,furthercommentlettersandcontroversial lettersexplainedhowtostartthevalueofmarketresearchandhowtotackleit assessingthecompetitiontipsonwritingasuccessfulreadersletterdevelopingyour

writingstylehowlongtowaitforpublicationtipsonincreasingyourchancesof publication.Whatmakesafillertargetingyoursubjectsquizzestheimportanceof humourReadersDigestandhowtoapproachithowtosubmitfillersmultiple submissionspayment. Module9ArticlesforWomensandMensMagazines Section1:WritingforWomenOpportunitiesforthefreelancemarketresearchisvital whateditorswantthechangingfaceofwomensmagazinesfrontpageteasers menwritingforwomenstitleshowtotacklethetriumphovertragedyarticlehowtowrite theconfessionalarticlecelebrityprofileshowtocontactcelebritiestheinterview,howto approachitandwhatquestionstoasktheimportanceofpreparationhowtogetan originalquoteHappyDaysarticleshealtharticles writingyourpreliminaryletterwho tosendittoandwhattosay. Section2:WritingforMenthenewcontentsofmagazinesformenspeakingthelingo marketresearchisessentialthebigsixsubjectswhateditorswillpayforadoptingthe rightattitude. Module10HowtoWriteGeneralInterestArticles Targetingyourmarketsarticlesversusfeaturessubjectstoavoidopportunitiesforthe freelanceresearchingthemarketfindingapegseasonalarticlesandwhentosubmit themhowtolookfordifferentanglesfordifferentmarketsmultiplesalesmoresources forideasmakingyourhobbyorpastimepaywritingforthecoloursupplementswriting fromyourownexperiencekeeponwriting! Module11TravelWriting Therealityuncoveredhugeopportunitiesforfreelanceswhatatraveleditorislookingfor whattoavoidthesecretofagoodtravelpiecetipsonfindingafreshanglethe importanceofknowingyourmarketgettingfreeorreducedtravelthevalueofpreparation beforetravellinghowtogatheryourinformationonlocationandhowtouseittipsonhow toselltomorethanonemarkettheimportanceoftakingyourownphotographshowto writethetravelarticlewhattoincludeandwhattoleaveoutgrippingintroductions sidebarsanexampleusingyourlocalitytoyouradvantagewheretofindinformation writingforthetoptravelmarketsopportunitiesintheoverseasmarketsandinflight magazinessubjectstowriteaboutandthosetoavoidphotoessaysandtravelbooks. Module12WritingfortheTradePress Anotherhugemarkettheimportanceofmarketresearchthestorieseditorsarelookingfor theimportanceofindepthresearchandaccuracyyourwritingstyleavoidjargon expandingintofeaturesgettingstartedbecomingalocalcorrespondentmakingyour contactswheretofindideashowtocashinontradefairsinhousemagazines sponsoredmagazines. Module13WritingforChildrensandTeenagePublications Whatchildrenreadwhywriteforyoungstersmarketstotargetgettingstartedwhatto writeaboutlanguagemattersstyleandpresentationthevalueoftalkingtochildren sellingyourworkwhatnottowritewhattoincludeinactivityarticles.Theteenagemarket andopportunitiesforthefreelanceyouthcultureusinghumourtheboy/girldividetrue confessionstoriessometaboosinwritingfortheteenmarkets. Module14HowtoWriteHumorousArticles Wheretofindhumourusinghumoureffectivelyinyourwritingfindingyourniche differenttypesofhumorouswriting:personalexperiences,irony,satire,strangebuttrue storiesandgeneralinterestusinghumourinfillersandreaderslettershowtofind humorousideasyourhumourfilefunnyquizzessubjectstoavoid. Module15ReligiousandInspirationalWriting Whocanwriteforthismarketfaithandfactsunderstandingthemarketisvitalbe sinceresubjectstocover:news,people,places,practicaladvice,humour,anniversaries, devotional/spiritual,personalopinion,reviews,personalexperiences,readerspages,

homes/gardens/cookery,writingforchildrenpayment inspirationalarticlestheNewAge marketdosanddontstheAmericanmarketfindingmarkets. Module16WritingReviews Thereviewersroleandresponsibilitieswhatyoushouldincludeinyourreviewyour attitudehowmuchyoucanexpecttobepaidbuildingyourportfoliohowtoreviewand writeupstageshowsincluding:plays,musicals,concerts,opera,balletandcomedy reviewingamateurdramaticsreviewingbooksachecklistofwhattoincludeinyourreview tipsonreviewingCDs,films,TVandcomputergameseatingoutreviewsthepitfalls keypointstoincludeanexampleofafactfilereviewingcarsexampleofanautofile. Module17OntheEditorsDesk Whathappensinamagazineofficewhateditorswanttitlesenvelopesrejectionsthe importanceofnewanglesmistakestoavoidhowlongshouldaneditorholdontoyour work?withdrawingworkwhatsyourworkworth?chasingoverduepaymentkeep writing. Module18Journalism Differenttypesofnewspapersthequalitiesyouneedtobeajournalistvitalequipment makingthebreakintojournalismbuildingupyourcontactssubmittingyourcopyputting togetherastorygettingthemostfromastory:previews,theactualeventandfollowups storystructureinterviewtechniquesstoriestoavoidstartingouttipoffs. Module19PlanningandPreparationofNonfictionBooks Thepossibilitiesfornonfictionbookshowtofindsuitablepublishersthevalueofresearch howtoplanyourbookwhyasynopsisisimportantthewritingstylerequiredhowto dealwithillustrationstextbooksmarketresearchisstillimportantthevalueofagood synopsisresearchvocabularyassignmentsillustrationsquotesreferencebooks andseriesconsiderationsofageanddevelopmenttranslationsghostwritingwriting biographiesandmemoirsinterviewingpeoplefollowalogicalsequenceplanningyour memoirsfindingapublisherdoingityourself. Module20ProfitfromyourPhotography Howprovidingpicturescanenhanceyourchancesofacceptancesourcesoffreeor inexpensivephotosworkingwithotherpeoplegoingitalonewhichcamera/stochoose usinga35mmcamerawhatfilmspeedtousethebestfilmprocessingthe advantagesofdigitalimaginglearningtomanipulateimagesprintingyourphotoslearn tothinkvisuallythesortofprojectsyoushouldconsiderthePICSformulaforsuccess marketingyourworksubmittingphotosusefulnames,addressesandbooks. Module21WritingaNovelPreparation Everyonehasanovelinthemwhattypeofnoveltotackletheadvantagesofwritingfora specificgenreactionstoryorreflectivestory?therightmentalattitudetechnical preparationmarketresearchlengthcreatingaprojectfilegettingintogoodwriting habitsdontgetdiscouragedfindingstoryideasmakingsureyourideaisstrongenough researchthebasicingredientsconflictjeopardyactiontensionyournovels themechoosingtherightviewpoint:firstpersonorthirdperson. Module22Plotting Planyournovelthesynopsiswritingtoaformuladrawingupthestorylineadding textureflashbacksforeshadowingsubplotscoincidencedrawingupatreatment thethreeactdramathebeginninggetyourstorymovingswiftlythemiddledevelop yourthemetheendingthefinalshowdowntyinguplooseends. Module23CharacterisationandDialogue Creatingvividcharactersmakethemlargerthanlifethebelievabilityfactorbringingyour characterstolifenamesmannerismsmotivationsbuildingcompositecharacters contrastyourcharactersintroducingyourcharacters theadvantagesofkeepingthecast smallavoidingstereotypescreatingamemorablemaincharacterthesympathetic enemydialoguemakingitplausibleandinterestingthefunctionsofdialogue:pushingon

theplot,increasingexcitement,characterisationpacecreatingemotionalchangedirect orindirectspeech?dialoguetagsslangandswearwordsdialectpresentation. Module24SettingandAtmosphere,RevisingandSellingYourNovel Findingasuitablesettingbuildingtherightmoodusingtheweathertogoodeffect drawingonallfivesenseschoosingthebestviewpointrevisingyourfirstdraftseeking feedbackfromothersyourownchecklisttousesellingyournovel makefulluseofyour synopsismanuscriptpresentationthecoveringlettersendingyourworktopublishers gettinganagenttheend! Module25WritingSpecialistFiction RecentchangestothemarketRomanceHistorical:realisticstoriesorbodicerippers? DetectiveStoriesThrillers:factionorfiction? War Humour:misadventure,satire,sci fi/fantasy,parodyChildrensfictionSciencefiction:thedifferencesbetweentraditionalsci fiandfantasyMaleInterestWomensInterestHorrorWesternsErotica market researchisvital. Module26WritingtheShortStory Whyshortstorywritingisnotaneasyoptionusingyourcriticalfacultieswhenreading learningtobeselfcriticalthemarketsforshortstories:literarymagazines,smallpress magazines,competitions,themassmarket,theInternetideasforplotstypesofshort story:womensmagazinestories,twistenders,truelifestories,horrorstories,sciencefiction, childrensstoriesmakingsuretheresconflictinyourplot makingyourstylefitthe publicationyouaretargetingchoosingtherightviewpointtouseopeningsthathookyour readerthestorysbodysatisfyingendingsusingdialoguetoaidcharacterisation,to giveinformationandtomovethestoryforwardmakingyourcharactersbelievable making thereaderempathisewithyourmaincharactersphysicaldescriptionstitlestaboos sellingyourworkthecoveringlettercopingwithrejectionsuccess! Module27ShortStoriesforRadio Doingyourmarketresearchatoughnuttocrackwritingtotherightlengthwhatmakes awinnerthedifferencesbetweenwritingforradioandmagazinesmakingitappealtothe earchoosingthebestviewpointmonologuesexampleofatypicalradiostorygetting ontherightwavelength. Module28WritingRadioDrama Learningtoestimaterunningtimelayoutofyourscriptgivingdirectionshowtodoyour researchhowtocapitaliseonyourlistenersimaginationtheswitchoffdangertime openingyourradioplayhowmanycharacters?avoidingstereotypesmakingyour charactersbelievablewheretobeginyourstorymakingdialogueworkforyoupreparing thefirstdrafteditingyourworkdramatisingashortstoryavoidingawkwardsilences. Module29WritingforTelevision Agrowingmarketcostconstraintsdoingyourmarketresearchknowthemedium differenttypesofdramatheimportanceofideaspreparingasynopsistellingthestoryin picturesandwordsbackgroundandmoodexpositionsuspenseconflictdialogue characterisationthecharactermixstructure:beats,scenesandsequencesvisualising yourmateriallayoutandlengthcameratricksandeffectsdecidingwhattowriteabout. Seriesbreakingintothegenrereadingtheformat thetreatmenthowpaymentis made.Situationcomedyhaveanoriginalpremisecharacterdrivenplotsdoingthe postcardtestmakingthehumourworklearningthecraft. Module30WritingfortheStage Howtoacquiretheatricalknowledgesourcesofideashowtoselectathemewhatkind ofplay?settingyourstagedecidingoncharacterstheimportanceofentrancesandexits developingyourcharactersthestructureofyourplayhowmanyacts?howmany scenes?planningdialoguehowtocarrytheactionforwardusingdialoguetocreate characterintroducingdramaandconflictthedramaticclimaxwhentoenddeveloping yourstagecraftdirectionsknowyourstageworkingwiththeactorsimprovingyour workdoingyourmarketresearchusefulcontactsadditionalreading.

Lookingaheadgoodluckforthefuture GettingTheMostFromInterviews IainPattison Iainhasinterviewedthousandsofpeople,fromallwalksoflife.Herehegivesyouexcellent adviceonhowtodevelopyourinterviewtechniqueandtakesyoustepbystepfromsetting uptheinterviewtothefinalwrittenpiece. PunctuationAndSpelling DianaNadin Thisisaguideandreferenceforthosewhohaveeverhaddoubtsabouttheirabilitytospell andpunctuatecorrectly.Thisisanexcellentlittlereferencebooktohelpyou. TheInternetMakingItWorkForYou NicolaTaylor Nicolaprovidesaquickguidetowritingforonlinepublishers,findingmarketsandcontacting them.ShethenlooksatusingtheInternetforbothresearchandtopubliciseyourself