Welcome to our April Newsletter.
As we head into cooler, cosy weather, we hope that everyone who is doing a course with us are keeping the spark of creativity alive in their soul.
Whether you are doing our 4-Week Unlocking Creativity Course, 6-Week Short Story courses, or are writing your novel or screenplay with us, we are seeing an inspiring and diverse output of high-quality writing and stories emerging.
It is amazing what comes out when writers follow the creative process, develop their art and craft and tap into the power of their creativity.
The Enduring Strength of Resilience
We recently had the pleasure of celebrating the launch of Writers’ Studio alumna Julia Levitina’s debut novel, The Girl from Moscow, at Gertrude and Alice’s bookshop in Bondi. (See pictures below)
It is always inspiring and rewarding to see one of our hardworking writers achieve their goal of having their novel published and to reflect on their journey.
Kathleen and Roland can still remember when Julia first walked up the stairs of our Bronte Studio and into the first session of our 4-Week Unlocking Creativity and 10-Month Novel & Script course over ten years ago. She came in bright eyed, smiling, hungry for knowledge and deadly serious about the business of writing a novel.
So, it was a real thrill to see her debut novel, The Girl from Moscow, published by Pantera Press and launched by the Premier of NSW, Chris Minns.
We both know how much hard work, determination and effort Julia, who has done all of our courses, put into turning her writing dream into a reality.
Julia is now writing her second novel and doing the first draft with us in our 10-Month Novel & Script First Draft course and many of her fellow classmates were on hand to celebrate the occasion.
Also in attendance, was one of her tutors, Zahid Gamieldien, whose novel, All the Missing Children, will be published by Ultimo Press in August. He is with Kathleen and Sara from Julia’s class.
Kathleen and Roland, along with more of her classmates, were also at the Bondi Pavilion to host an “In Conversation” about the writing of The Girl from Moscow.
When Roland asked Julia how her main character, Ella, developed the resilience to take on the KGB, Julia told of how she grew up in Russia with a burning desire to escape. She said to survive living in an oppressive regime, a person had to develop great resilience, fortitude and a will to succeed.
Julia has shown the same characteristics in writing her novel and in the first workshop of our March 2024 Novel & Script Course, we waved The Girl from Moscow around and used Julia’s resourcefulness, resilience and determination as a source of inspiration for writers just starting off on their creative journey to write their novel or screenplay.
So well done and a huge congratulations, Julia! We’re both thrilled and proud to see your book published and out in the world for people to enjoy.
As Jack Canfield said, ‘Everything you want in life is on the other side of fear and discipline.’
Begin Your Creative Journey
If your dream is to write, our 4-Week Unlocking Creativity Online creative writing course will get you doing it. Starting on the 1st of May, Unlocking Creativity is a practical yet inspirational creative process that will get you writing from the very first session.
By the end of the four weeks, you will see your writing dramatically improve whether you are a complete beginner, a professional writer or anywhere in between. $100 discount extended!
Intensive 6-Week Short Story Course
Starting on the 15th of April, the 6-Week Writers’ Gym will teach you advanced writing tools and techniques to further nurture your craft and flex your creative muscles.
This comprehensive course is designed for writers who have completed our Unlocking Creativity course and are looking to continue their creative journey. Last week to enrol!
Success Stories
Asylum by Ruth Fingret
Congratulations to Ruth Fingret, an alumna and current tutor at the Writers’ Studio who has written and produced a play called Asylum.
After a hugely well-reviewed season in 2017, Asylum will be returning to the stage at the Hellenic Art Theatre in Marrickville with multiple performances from the 2nd to the 12th of May.
Inspired by the tragedy of statelessness, this play explores the choices people make under pressure to save their family.
Set against the back drop of large scale migration, this play examines the personal story of Hajir, a young Lebanese man seeking asylum in Australia, and Craig, the immigration officer who will decide his fate.
As exclusive Writers’ Studio subscribers, you can get 15% off General Admission with code: WRITERSTUDIO
Code is valid until 11:59PM 11th of April 2024. NOTE: We do not manage the checkout processes on Eventbrite. If you have any issues, contact the ticketing site directly.
Click here to buy tickets to watch Asylum
Share the Good News!
If you’ve recently earned recognition for your writing in competitions or received awards, we’d like to showcase and celebrate your accomplishments!
Please share a brief note along with relevant details or links to wstudio@writerstudio.com.au with the subject line “Success Stories.”
We look forward to showcasing your achievements.
Giveaway!
V/H/S ’85 and V/H/S ’94
Thanks to Shudder, we have a DVD/Blue-Ray Bundle of horror anthology series,
V/H/S, to give away!
Witness the latest disturbing tapes in Shudder’s original horror anthology:
V/H/S ’85: Unveiled through a made-for-TV documentary, five tales of found footage horror emerge to take viewers on a terrifying journey into the grim underbelly of the 1980s.
V/H/S ’94: A police S.W.A.T. team investigates about a mysterious VHS tape and discovers a sinister cult that has pre-recorded material which uncovers a nightmarish conspiracy.
Rating: R18+ – High impact horror violence, blood and gore.
For your chance to win, email with your name, address, title and your mobile number to: rsvp@writerstudio.com.au
Recent Course Feedback
Some snippets of the wonderful feedback that we receive back from recently completed courses. We update these each newsletter.
“I’m grateful to Helen and this course for supporting me along my writing journey, I found my feedback really encouraging and felt continually motivated to write even when I was short on time towards the end of the year. I found the online materials easy to understand and interesting in general to learn from. Now that I have more free time I am planning on writing out all my scenes in depth and really immersing myself in the creative work of simply writing, connecting and forming a whole of something that is still quite disjointed (I have a lot of work to do on scenes!) now that my character, plot and world-building have been so thoroughly laid out. I think about my book every day, I’m ready to just keep writing! Thank you Helen for being so kind and reassuring this year, I feel so lucky that this course has helped reignite my passion for writing :)” Jaz, First Draft Online
“Trusting and learning to trust more often and more deeply is possibly the most rewarding aspect of the course for me…. Without exaggeration, it’s given me a new perspective on my life. Challenges are now opportunities. This always sounded like theory to me. It’s now a fact and a very helpful one.” Graham, Unlocking Creativity
“Thank you for doing what you do. You do it very well, with heart. Your generosity in helping others in your chosen creative field is amazing (yes, I know it’s a business but the generosity shines through). Finally, and I expect that everyone says this, my thanks to Philippa for her endless practical support, optimism and encouragement.” Lyn, First Draft Online
“Wow – those six weeks flew by and I can’t believe the Writers Gym course is already over! For years I’ve been talking about doing a writing course and I’ve now managed to do two short writing courses this year. The environment has been a really supportive one and I have become comfortable presenting my various pieces to strangers, without fear of judgement or ridicule. I assume all of us who started this course had some anxiety about exposing our writing to review from others. To receive such supportive feedback from the other course members has been invaluable throughout the course. I’m very excited to continue with my writing and to see what the future brings!” Shaun, Writers’ Gym
“You have to do this course, it frees you up so much and builds your confidence and vocabulary for writing. It gives you robust synopses and guides that are never hard rules but essential foundations. The people are lovely too. So supportive and grateful with feedback and opinions. They are friendly and as passionate and unsure as you are. The tutor always brings the energy, and chocolate to get you through the intense sessions. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” Sean, Unlocking Creativity Live
“I am at the end of another incredible writing course and am so grateful for having been given the opportunity to learn, grow and expand my knowledge and writing with an amazing bunch of people. Writing inspires me daily and has reignited my passion for literature and the classics. More importantly, I believe I have grown emotionally simply by giving generous feedback to fellow students. The knowledge and growth I have gained through their generous feedback has been an enriching experience. There are lots of things I have discovered about myself, and one of them is I began calling myself a writer halfway through this course and believe there is a book inside of me wanting to be written!” Louise, Writers’ Gym