Are you looking for professional support and a strong peer network to finish your draft, or turn your finished manuscript into a pitch-ready product for publication? Writers SA’s Manuscript Incubator program will guide you through the process of self-editing and structural rewrites to make your stories shine.

This exclusive program is designed for writers with a finished first draft or a fully fleshed idea ready to start/have started. We’ll provide the space, skills, guidance and knowledge you need to refine your manuscript into a publishable, marketable product.

By the end of the program you should be ready to query agents and submit to publishers in the new year, or even be thinking about self-publishing. We’ll cover topics such as marketability of your theme or plot, fully developing characters, finding your audience, synopsis writing, hooking your reader and self-editing to a high standard.

You will have access to high quality writing workshops, a fortnightly writing group for support and critiques, professional feedback, career consultations with an industry expert, and more.

This program is most suited to people writing any genre of fiction (and some non-fiction) of novella or novel length (upwards of 40,000 words). Before the first session, all registered participants will be asked to submit a one-page overview of the project they will be working on.

Since 2003, Mark Tredinnick has published over two hundred works—poems, essays, reviews, papers, and books. For twenty-five years, he’s taught poetry and expressive writing at the University of Sydney, where he was poet in residence in 2018. He is a beloved teacher (of writing, literature and ecology), and he’s mentored many writers into print.

Manuscript Incubator with Mark Tredinnick includes:

• Eight fortnightly group meetings (dates are below) 
• Access to a wide selection of workshops with six credits to use across our online and in person events. (T&Cs apply)
• One in-depth consultation about your writing project with a Writers SA staff member
• An expert critical reading of your first three chapters plus one page of feedback
• One Work Space writing intensive day
• Access to a private online space to share work and ideas with your peers.

**And a bonus pre-submission assessment valued at $280!**

Meeting dates: Wednesdays 7pm to 8pm (Adelaide time), August 31, September 14 & 28, October 12 & 26, November 9 & 23, December 7
 

About Mark Tredinnick

Mark Tredinnick is a celebrated Australian poet and essayist. His honours include two Premier’s Prizes and the Montreal, Cardiff, Newcastle, Blake and ACU poetry prizes. His writing and teaching over twenty-five years have touched the lives and influenced the work of many; in 2020 Mark received an Order of Australia Medal for services to literature and education. His books include Fire Diary, A Gathered Distance, The Blue Plateau, and The Little Red Writing Book, and Walking Underwater (2021). His fifth collection, A Beginner’s Guide, is just out. He lives and works along the Wingecarribee River in Gundungurra Country southwest of Sydney.

Members $890*/ Non-members $1390

This program will be held online via Zoom. Instructions will be emailed to you, please be sure to check your spam folder.

*Payment plans are available to members for this program with a $300 deposit and fortnightly repayments of $150. Please email [email protected] to discuss options.

—Writers SA members must be logged in to receive the member discount.

Program Terms and Conditions

-The six workshops refer to both digital and in-person sessions and include: 3 1.5-hour workshops, two 3-hour workshops and one 6-hour workshop. The workshops may be selected of your choice or by recommendation from Writers SA. You must use these credits in 2022. Outstanding credits will not be held over. These cannot be exchanged for any other service or refunded. There will be a maximum of two credit-holders at each event until a minimum number of paid participants is reached and will be on a first-come-first-served basis after emailing [email protected] to lodge your request. If the workshop is at capacity for credit-holders, you can opt to pay for the workshop or join a wait-list until the event reaches the minimum number of paid participants.

-Participation in this series does not guarantee publication.

-In depth consultations and First Feedback will be carried out by a relevant staff member of Writers SA