- Home
- Develop
Develop
Tools to help develop your writing skills.
- Program
Program
Workshops and events.
- Workshops
- Online Workshops
- Youth WorkshopsWorkshops and events for teenagers who love to write.[EVENT_ESPRESSO_CATEGORY event_category_id="youth-program-1465367927"]
- Events and Networking
- Self-Publishing WeekendWe’re doing it again! Last year’s self-publishing weekend was so insightful that we’re bringing you another two days packed with great local and interstate speakers talking everything self-publishing. See below for the full program and lineup.Join local self-publishing success stories and nationally acclaimed experts for a weekend of workshops, panels, networking and mingling. Whether you’ve finished your book and are still considering your options or maybe you want to expand your readership and boost sales, you’ll get it here. After this intensive weekend of workshops, panels and networking, you’ll have so much more knowledge and be on your way to successfully self-publishing. DAY 1: SATURDAY 9th November8:45am – Doors Open9am – 9:15am – Welcome by Writers SA staff9:15am – 10:15am – Panel: My Indie Journey with John Birmingham, Chris Taylor and Jane Hinchey10:15am – 10:30am – Morning Tea10:30am – 12:30pm – Workshop: Self-publishing overview with John BirminghamFrom first draft all the way through to marketing your book, John will share his knowledge on the processes and software.12:30pm – 1:30pm – Lunch1:30pm – 3pm – Workshop: Write to Market with Jane HincheyHave you written a book that just isn’t selling? Do you want to write a book that readers line up to buy? You need to learn to write TO market, not write, then market. Writing to market is not a cop out, nor is it a cookie cutter process. Writing to market is figuring out what readers want – and giving it to them.3pm – 3:15pm – Afternoon Tea3:15 – 4:15 – Information Session: Why a Consultant? with Rommie Corsaro at Hardshell PublishingThere’s a lot of technical steps to self-publishing stories, from the editing and formatting to marketing and socials and beyond. If you’re time-poor or not very tech-savvy, Rommie will tell you how Hardshell can help out including examples of the fees consultants charge to see if it’s a viable option for your writing business.4:15pm – 4:45pm – Information Session : How to get your book on the shelf at DymocksDymocks on Rundle Mall are huge supporters of South Australian talent, traditional and indie alike. Learn how you can stock print copies of your indie titles on the shelves of a bricks and mortar bookstore.5pm – 7pm – Networking drinks (venue TBC) DAY 2: SUNDAY 10th November10am – 10:30am – Doors Open10:30 – 12:30pm – Workshop: Maximising your success as an indie author with Chris TaylorEver wondered why some books seem to take off, hitting high on the charts right out of the blocks, while others languish in Nowhere Land forever? Wonder no more. Join USA Today bestselling indie author Chris Taylor in discovering why there is more to being a successful indie author than just writing a great book. Chris will cover topics such as the importance of creating a professional product, branding, newsletters, marketing and much more.12:30pm – 1:30pm – Lunch 1:30pm – 3pm – Workshop: Find readers in conventional places with Matt PikeOne of the key ingredients of building a successful writing career is finding your audience. Whether that’s in print or digital, Matt will share his experiences in connecting his work with readers. Topics covered include: Book events, exhibiting, markets, branding, email lists, ebook promotions and marketing, reviews and more3pm – 3:15pm – Afternoon Tea3:15pm – 4:30pm – Panel: Tips and Traps with John Birmingham, Chris Taylor and Matt PikeThere are pitfalls with any venture you stick your financial stake into and self-publishing is no different. Hear what these successful authors wish they knew before starting out and some of the potential traps to watch out for too. A Q&A will follow.4:30pm – 5pm – Wrap-up and Farewell*All participants will be emailed a self-publishing checklist after the weekend.**The weekend will contain useful advice and guides but is not intended to be a step-by-step exercise.
- Resources
Resources
Professional resources for writers.
- Manuscript assessment
- Mentorship Program
SA Writers Centre Mentorship Program
The mentorship program is designed to connect our members with a suitable mentor, at any stage of their writing careers. From writing craft, editing, pre publication, to marketing and publicity mentorships – and encompassing a wide range of genres – SA Writers Centre will assist you to identify the most appropriate mentor for your needs.Selection of Mentor
There are a number of mentors listed on our website. Please familiarise yourself with them and prepare a shortlist of preferred mentors.Karen Wyld Ruth Starke Rebekah Clarkson Cassandra Dean Anne Bartlett Carla Caruso Bernard Whimpress Anna Solding Scott Zarcinas Ben Stubbs Cameron Raynes Lauren Foley Jane Turner Goldsmith Tony Shillitoe Ray TyndaleMentorship Application Form
You will also need to identify at least one (maximum of three) goals for your mentorship and agree to the full terms and conditions.Process
SA Writers Centre will connect you with a mentor with four weeks of application. Mentorship fees must be paid in advance in full to the Centre.What to expect
Mentorship hours are billed for actual time spent, in 15 minute (minimum) increments. This includes all contact with the mentee including phone/Skype/IM conversations, emails, reading and feedback time and face to face meetings.Note this means that if you send four emails to your mentor, that will equate to one hour of mentorship time.The mentor and mentee will develop a shared timetable and plan, including identified goals, and will keep a weekly record that tracks progress towards goals and time spent by the mentor.Any questions or difficulties will be resolved by the SA Writers Centre.Rates
Mentorships are offered in five hour blocks.5 hours $55010 hours $88020 hours $1650You can add additional blocks upon completion of initial blocks if you and your mentor agree that this would be beneficial for your work.[gravityform id="15" title="true" description="true"] - Consultations
- Professional development
- DownloadsWriters SA is dedicated to providing South Australian and Australian writers with the information and tools to help support your professional and creative development.That’s why we’re developing free downloadable templates and information sheets specifically designed for writers. Check back for updates!
Downloads:
- Submission tracker template (Excel)
- Members
Members
Membership information and resources.
- Interact
Interact
Keep up to date with those around you.
- Blog
- Writers & Readers in ResidenceIn 2018, Writers SA launched its Writers and Readers in Residence Project, in which South Australian and international writers undertake an artistic residency in regional communities to activate reading as well as writing in the town. The Writers and Readers in Residence Project will take place from 2018 to 2020, and has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.In the first year of the project, residencies were awarded to Bernice Chauly (Malaysia), Jane Howard, Karen Wyld and Manal Younus.
2018 Writers and Readers in Residence
Bernice Chauly
Bernice Chauly is a novelist, poet and educator. She is the award-winning author of six books of poetry and prose which include the acclaimed memoir Growing up With Ghosts, Onkalo, and the novel Once We Were There, which won the Penang Monthly Book Prize 2017. Since 2011, she has directed the George Town Literary Festival, shortlisted at the London Book Fair’s International Excellence Awards 2017. Her contribution to the Griffith Review: Commonwealth Now is “The Batang Kali massacre, Truth still denied”.While on her Writers SA residency, Bernice worked with South Australian poet Ali Cobby Eckermann at her property in Koolunga. She also appeared at Adelaide Writers Week and New Zealand Festival.Jane Howard
Jane Howard is a journalist, critic, artist and researcher who works throughout Australia. She is a contributing editor at Kill Your Darlings Journal, where she focuses on podcast criticism, and a regular contributor to Guardian Australia. Jane has worked for the Guardian across Australia and in Asia; had writing commissioned in England, Scotland, Canada, and the Czech Republic. She was director of the 2016 Digital Writers’ Festival and coordinator of HIVE at the 2017 Adelaide Film Festival. Jane is currently manager of communications and development at ActNow, and a research assistant at Deakin University.Jane undertook her residency in Renmark in partnership with the Renmark Paringa Library. Jane met with local readers at the library and with students at St. Joseph’s School Renmark and Glossop High School, and ran a workshop at Riverland Youth Theatre.Karen Wyld
As a freelancer, Karen writes trade book reviews for Books + Publishing and has op-eds published in NITV, Meanjin, Al Jazeera, Guardian Australia and Indigenous X. She has a piece in the Spring issue of Meanjin, which is a fictional telling of four girls in Western Australia, who were part of the Stolen Generations. Her debut novel, When Rosa Came Home, was shortlisted for a SA Readers & Writers People’s Choice Award in 2015. Her draft manuscript, Where the Fruit Falls, was shortlisted for the Richell Prize in 2017. Karen was a participant of Hardcopy in 2018, after being awarded the inaugural ACT Writers & First Nations Australia Writers Network Indigenous Writers Scholarship.
Karen spent a month in Ceduna for her residency, where she edited her novel, Where the Fruit Falls, which she worked on during the Hardcopy professional development program for writers. She also commenced her next project, Bestiarium Terra Nullius: peculiar beings of uninhabited southern lands, which is a series of three novellas. Following the journeys of maritime explorers, such as Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders, some of this work is based in the Great Australian Bight.
While in Ceduna Karen was hosted by the Ceduna School Community Library, and presented writing workshops with readers from the wider community, the Ceduna Area School, and met with community at Arts Ceduna and Far West Languages Centre.
Manal Younus
Manal Younus is an Australian based freelance storyteller from Eritrea who believes that language and stories are the very fabric of our existence. The young artist also facilitates writing, performance, public speaking, youth empowerment and intercultural awareness workshops in schools, community groups.Younus has featured on ABC’s QandA, presented at the Adelaide TEDx Conference in 2016, the National Multicultural Women’s Conference of 2016, the Adelaide Festival of Ideas and Open State Festival, the Halogen Foundation’s Young Leaders Convention, The Council for International Schools Conference 2017 and James Cook University’s Young Language Ambassadors Conference of 2018.Manal’s residency took place in Port Augusta in partnership with the Port Augusta Public Library. She also spent time with local writers, readers and artists, in particular with the local community arts groups Desert Voices Choir and Dusty Feet Mob. Manal focused on writing a new collection of poetry, which explores youth, self, femininity, faith and migration. Following her residency, Manal will keep in touch with the community through digital updates to show the progression of her writing work. Subscribe to Writers SA for news about the 2019-20 iterations of the Writers and Readers in Residence Project. - Useful links
- Southern Write ArchiveSouthern Write is the SA Writers Centre newsletter/magazine. It was discontinued in 2014, but there is a wealth of information on writing craft in these pages.2014March editionJune edition 2013March editionJune editionSeptember editionDecember edition 2012February editionMarch editionJune editionSeptember editionDecember edition 2010February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionJuly editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionNovember editionDecember edition 2009February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionJuly editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionNovember editionDecember edition 2008February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionJuly editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionDecember edition 2007February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionJuly editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionNovember editionDecember edition 2006February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionJuly editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionNovember editionDecember edition 2005February editionMarch editionApril editionMay editionJune editionAugust editionSeptember editionOctober editionNovember editionDecember edition
- About
About
About our organisation.
- News
- Staff
- Board
- Sponsors
- FAQ
- Advertise
- Donate
- Volunteering
Volunteering with the SA Writers Centre offers a chance for you to expand your skills, ready you for the workforce and provide you with an operational understanding of a professional arts organisation. Whilst we currently don’t have any vacancies for volunteers, we do encourage you to register your details with us here and we will notify you of any suitable opportunities.SA Writers Centre has a wide reaching professional development program that offers free and ticketed events for local writers – from our Quick and Dirty reading nights, Member Meetup events – through to ticketed events such as literary dinners, fundraising events and regular workshops. The majority of our volunteer opportunities require event preparation, venue set up and pack up, front of house and bar shifts for our regular onsite and offsite events and often reside out of normal office hours, such as evenings and weekends.We really value our volunteers and are committed to ensuring the experience is positive and useful and we strive to provide pathways for them. Many of our current staff began with us through our volunteer program. Occasionally, we also have volunteering vacancies in the areas of administration and workshop delivery. We’re looking for people who want to begin or boost their career in the arts, who want to support opportunities for local writers, or who just want to get involved and have some fun.If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please ensure you fill out this form and you will be contact should we require your assistance or further details. - Gift Vouchers
- Contact
- Subscribe
