FREELANCE WRITING

For pleasure and profit

Weekend Workshops at Otters’ Haunt, Vaal

Come to the country for a getaway with a creative difference! From Friday evening, through Saturday and Sunday till lunchtime enjoy the stimulating company of a leading professional writer and fellow freelancers. The workshop will leave you filled with ideas and enthusiasm - with the the goal of earning back the course cost through the sale of an article.

Next : Friday 16-Sunday 18 January 2009

“Fellow ink-stained wretches,” begins every email from a friend who writes for media abroad. Yes indeed, writing, even in the age of the computer, can be a messy business. It’s messy in the mind, it’s messy on the page, it’s messy when selling, and it’s even messy when you finally see the work in print and you wish you could have done better!

Despite being messy, there is such a thing as final satisfaction when you are writer. Your words appear in print and this means that an editor likes what you have written. And, as the great philosopher Plato is rumoured to have said, at least if you are a pro you will get paid for your work. Messy yes. Status as a writer and a cheque at the end of the day? – most assuredly, yes!

You can make back the cost of this course by selling one feature article, and we will certainly advise you on topic, style and placement with an editor. After the course we will help you although we do not act as agents.

BASICS

This course is designed to help newcomers to freelance writing as well as those who have some experience and wish to improve. There are three things we deal with –

·     What to write

·     Who to write for

·     How to write

Oh, and a fourth thing…

·     WRITE, don’t talk about it or dream about it!

These may sound like basics but they are also the fundamentals of advanced writing. As an experienced professional who has freelanced for a living for many years, Graeme Addison will give you the benefit of his insights into the right topics, the right markets, and the right way to write so that editors will accept your work. Unless, however, you persevere and do actually produce words on paper (or disk) there will be no satisfaction at the end of the day. Writing is, first and last, practical.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The weekend begins with a Friday evening introduction, supper, and demonstration of writing. The latter uses the projector screen to show how a writer compiles words, edits, checks and finishes the product. With this in mind you retire to read a handout on how to dream up ideas (literally, from your subconscious).

Next morning, refreshed and with those ideas that came to you in the dead of night, we work through the techniques of prewriting, drafting, rewriting, self-editing and article finishing. Short instructional talks are followed by practical exercises and discussions. This is all the “How-to” of writing. After a light lunch and a relaxing stroll to clear the head, we return to talk about “What to write” and “Who to write for” questions – getting to know the publishing media, choosing your topics, and writing with the aim of placement. Talk about your writing ideas and listen to the advice given.

An hour at leisure follows, then dinner, and a video on the writer’s life, with coffee to end the evening.

Sunday morning is all about fluency and skill in writing. Learn to avoid the dreaded writer’s block and become productive with words. After tea we consider the many possible outlets for your creative talents, from freelance travel writing to short stories, documentary scripts, books and corporate reports or PR writing (which can pay very well). We end off at lunchtime with everyone saying what they intend to write following the workshop. You may relax for the rest of the day or stay on to scribble down your inspirations.

The training room is fully networked by wireless to the Internet, though we cannot provide computers – bring a laptop if you like. If not, the old pen and paper are just as good.

MENTORING

A special feature of the workshop is that the instructor will take your articles by email or fax for two weeks after the course and return them with comments. This mentoring is limited to two full feature articles per person – about 3000 words in all, quite enough to keep you busy. Please do not expect to wage lengthy phone conversations with Graeme, though a call or two is acceptable.

LETTER OF ATTENDANCE

Everyone gets a letter of attendance signed by Graeme and specifying what the workshop covered.

More importantly, you will be helped to find markets though Graeme will not intercede directly with editors on your behalf – it is up to you to make the running, as this is partly what the workshop is all about.

THE APPROACH

Nobody can “teach” you to write – but you can learn by doing, and your final writing style and interests will be all your own. Trusting yourself, knowing in your own mind what you are trying to say, and getting the words out of your mind onto the paper are key elements in any freelancer’s writing life. The workshop aims to inculcate self-confidence along with essential tricks of the trade that bring success.

FEES & ARRANGEMENTS