Writing Intensive Workshop
Venue: Bayside Christian Church (Capalaba)
One day, 7.5 hours, work on your manuscript with a published author. Send 50 pages of your manuscript in advance direct via email after signing up so your tutor can give you feedback at the start of the day and then work with you through it. Maximum 5 students per tutor. Get in early...
Tutors available:
Jo-Anne Berthelsen - available for fiction or non-fiction
Meredith Resce - available for historical fiction, drama or non-fiction
Mary Hawkins - available for contemporary fiction
Please note you can choose when you email who you would prefer to work with HOWEVER space will dictate this as well. We will asign you a tutor as soon as you sign up so keep this in mind - sign up early.
Jo-Anne Berthelsen
Jo-Anne Berthelsen worked as a high school teacher, editor and local church minister before officially beginning her writing career. She currently has five published novels, all with Ark House Press – Heléna (2007), All the Days of My Life (2008), Laura (2009), Jenna (2010) and Heléna’s Legacy (2011). She has completed a sixth and is currently writing a non-fiction work dealing with the rich, spiritual journey she has shared with an older mentor and friend. She also writes a weekly blog (www.joanneberthelsen.wordpress.com), with three of these due to be included in Strand Publishing’s 2011 Aussie Stories collection later this year. Jo-Anne lives in Sydney with her retired minister husband and has three children and two grandchildren. She also speaks regularly, mentors others and enjoys music and reading. For more information about Jo-Anne, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.
Meredith Resce
Meredith Resce, author of 14 titles including the popular 'Heart of Green
Valley' series, has been writing since 1991, and over the years has learned
the value of strong input from a critic (structural editor) and editor (line
editor). She is an advocate for the mentoring process, and believes that it
is an essential part of writing. "It helps you grow as a writer, and can
make even the best work better".
In 2010 Meredith worked with two new authors, Carol Preston and Laura
O'Connell, helping them to reshape, cut and polish their manuscripts. Here
is what they had to say about the process:
"For a week last August I attended an intensive writing mentorship with
author, Meredith Resce, and it was the best money I've ever spent to advance
my writing career. I learned how to look at character motivation and plot
structure like an editor; and I was able to identify the weak areas of my
writing. Because of this mentorship I am now a published author. I would
recommend this mentoring week to any writer who is serious about improving
their work and getting published." - Laura O'Connell (author of African
Hearts)
"My mentoring week with Meredith Resce was a turning point in my writing.
Not only was it an amazing time to focus on my novel and totally abandon
myself to the writing process, but having Meredith to encourage, challenge
and guide the development of my writing taught me many things that have been
invaluable to me in further writing. It's most definitely time and money
worth spending. - Carol Preston (author of Mary's Guardian)
Mary Hawkins
Mary Hawkins is the author of 19 titles, but well remembers those early
years when she had no contact with other fiction writers. Many times she
longed to have a published author she could discuss her first writing
efforts with, someone who could offer helpful suggestions and critiques of
her manuscripts before she submitted them to editors at publishing houses.
In fact, she still treasures opportunities to do that with her manuscripts
as too many times a writer becomes too close to her own "baby" and not
recognise areas in the manuscript that could be improved!
Because she can identify so closely with this need writers have, in 2010,
Mary willingly agreed to be a mentor last November for unpublished fiction
writers. She received their manuscripts to read before meeting the authors
and beginning to share with them. The relationship did not finish there but
continued - as much as her own writing time has permitted. She claims that
while it was challenging and time-consuming, she has been amply rewarded by
seeing the hardwork and enthusiasm of the writers to try and improve their
manuscripts to publication standards.
"Working with Mary Hawkins was sheer joy. I learned so much from her during
my mentorship week. She helped me to shape, refine, and improve my writing
in ways I would never have been able to figure out for myself. Spending five
days 'in the cave' with this lovely, encouraging and talented woman of God
was an incredible blessing. If anyone gets the opportunity to have a
mentorship week, grasp it with both hands!" - Andrea Grigg (author of A
Simple Mistake)
"Mary Hawkins is the author of 19 titles, but well remembers those early
years when she had no contact with other fiction writers. Many times she
longed to have a published author she could discuss her first writing
efforts with, someone who could offer helpful suggestions and critiques of
her manuscripts before she submitted them to editors at publishing houses.
In fact, she still treasures opportunities to do that with her manuscripts
as too many times a writer becomes too close to her own "baby" and not
recognise areas in the manuscript that could be improved!
"Because she can identify so closely with this need writers have, in 2010,
Mary willingly agreed to be a mentor last November for unpublished fiction
writers. She received their manuscripts to read before meeting the authors
and beginning to share with them. The relationship did not finish there but
continued - as much as her own writing time has permitted. She claims that
while it was challenging and time-consuming, she has been amply rewarded by
seeing the hardwork and enthusiasm of the writers to try and improve their
manuscripts to publication standards." - Jo Wanmer