Intro and Overview of Osborne Porter Literary Services’
Online Writing Course

Including a copy of Getting Published – Art, Science or Luck?
by Helen Osborne and Ginny Porter

Our course has been compiled for people of all ages, backgrounds, educational levels and writing ability, to develop and hone their writing expertise.

The Online Writing Course was conceived as a form of training for prospective writers who may live too far away from any Workshops and formal Training Facilities.

Training is divided into eight workshops comprising notes and exercises for each Workshop.   The first five Workshops cover writing fiction short stories for magazines and the exercise for Workshop 5 is to submit a complete short story and send it for assessment using the techniques taught.   The final three Workshops start the student on a novel.

The book, Getting Published, is an interactive guide to writing and getting your work published.  This book has received excellent reviews and has sold well in South Africa and other parts of the world. It contains a CD full of additional exercises and creativity modules that will complement the course. As you work your way through the course you will be guided to relevant sections of the book which will enhance the topics being worked on.

Each exercise is assessed by a professional writing tutor, who will return your work to you with comments and corrections that will assist you to improve your writing and style. 

NB: Only the exercises prescribed in the Online Workshops 1-8 will be assessed.  Exercises undertaken from the book or CD are for your own benefit and will not be assessed.

Workshop 1:  

• Are you motivated
• Research your Markets 
• Your Story Needs a Theme 
• It’s fun to Plot a Story 
• Good Openings are Vital

Workshop 2:   

• Titles and Names are Important 
• Readers Must Feel Strongly About Your Characters 
• Dialogue Helps Bring Characters to Life

Workshop 3:   

• Imagery and Sense Impressions are Vital Writing Tools

Workshop 4:   

• Dramatise By Showing, Not Telling 
• Memorable Endings 
• Common Errors Writers Make

Workshop 5:   

• Creative Ideas Are All Around You
• Don’t Fall at the Last Hurdle 
• Present Your Manuscript in a Businesslike Way

Workshop 6:   

• What About Trying a Novel 
• Categories, Lengths, Listings
• Synopsis and Blurb
• Structure
• Research

Workshop 7:   

• Make Sure you Understand Transitions 
• What are Flashbacks and Should You Use Them 
• Whose Story Is This (Viewpoints)

Workshop 8:    

• Publishers
• Types of publishing
• Agents
• Copyright 
• Revision and Rewrites

Cost of the full Online Writing Course:
Including the book, Getting Published – Art, Science or Luck? is only R1710.00 inclusive.

Reference on writers’ course – by Gavin Klarmann

Since commencing with your Writer’s Workshop, I have gained fresh insight into writing and have improved my skills tremendously. I have enjoyed all the assignments and have read the accompanying book twice already. Many thanks for this exciting Workshop which I believe represents excellent value for money.