Member and non-member services


Manuscript appraisals
Manuscript appraisals offers qualified and constructive feedback about your work from objective established writers and/or editors. Appraisals can consist of a written report or a report plus a face-to-face meeting with the assessor to discuss the work.

The appraisers are members of the Writers Centre who are industry professionals, with a mixture of teaching, editing and publishing experience. While appraisers cannot speak on behalf of a publishing house, they can give you informed considered opinions based on their knowledge of writing and trends in the writing industry.
Appraisals include, when relevant, comments on matters such as style, themes, characterisations, plot, presentation, imagery, rhythm, suggestions for editing and markets.

This service is designed to meet the needs of emerging writers who are working on short stories, memoirs and poetry.  We can also appraise extracts from longer works, but full assessments of longer manuscripts must be arranged independently between the author and the assessor once the initial assessment has taken place. We can also refer you to other assessment services for book-length manuscripts.

The appraisal can cover one of the following:

• Poetry –  a poem or poems not exceeding 5 x A4pages
• Short fiction – a story or stories to 5000 words (longer stories by negotiation)
• Extracts from longer work – chapter(s) up to 4500 words accompanied by a brief synopsis of the rest of the work

To arrange an assessment, forward your manuscript in the accepted industry format (typed, double-spaced, A4 paper printed on one side only, 2cm margins both sides and pages numbered) to director@actwriters.org.au or ACT Writers Centre, Gorman House Arts Centre, Ainslie Avenue, Braddon 2612. Include a cover letter containing your name, address, phone number, the title of the work/s, your age if you are under 18, cultural background (if relevant), and the audience you had in mind.
You can send in your manuscript at any time throughout the year. However, the manuscript will not be assessed until payment is received, either by cheque, money order, cash or credit card. We do not accept EFTPOS.

Appraisals generally take 2-3 weeks from time of payment, in which case we will either mail the manuscript and written assessment back to you or contact you to arrange a face-to-face meeting with your assessor.



Script appraisals
The Writers Centre offers access to a specialist service for writers who have a completed a first draft feature, a TV drama or short film/video script.  Assessments include a detailed analysis of the story, its development and structure, character, dialogue, suitability for its intended genre and production platform. Writers will also receive suggestions for editing and the development of further drafts. The assessor, Hunter Cordaiy, teaches script at tertiary level and works professionally as a writer and script editor. Biography and credits available at www.huntercordaiy.com


The ACT Writers Centre operates a self publishing arm called New Territory Press to assist its members self publish their work. This service is only available for members.



Invite-a-Writer
If you are looking for someone to run a workshop or seminar or assist you with a project, Invite-a-Writer may be the answer. Invite-a-Writer is a valuable point of contact for all writing and communication professionals, including editors, proofreaders, scribes, freelance writers, performance poets and mentors.

Invite-a-Writer may also be an ideal way for you to advertise your own skills. However, you must be a member to subscribe to the service.

For more information on Invite-a-Writer, click here.


E-news
The ACT Writers Centre publishes a weekly E-news as a supplement to the monthly newsletter. It contains information about competitions, opportunities and events that were not published in the enews, as well as special offers and information. This is a free service for members and non-members alike. If you would like to subscribe, contact communications(at)actwriters.org.au


Advertising
The ACT Writers Centre monthly newsletter, ACTWrite, is sent to almost 1200 members each month, including schools, organisations and libraries (which reach many non-members). Advertisements are welcome in ACTWrite provided they meet general policy guidelines.

For ACTWrite advertising prices, click here.

Advertising is also available in the ACT Writers Centre  weekly e-news, which currently reaches just over 1600 email addresses each week. Enquiries about enews advertising can be directed to communications(at)actwriters.org.au

For further information about advertising in ACTWrite or the E-news please contact Kimberley Gaal at communications(at)actwriters.org.au


Researcher accommodation
Do you need to do some research in the Australian War Memorial, the National Archives, National Museum, the Film and Sound Archive or the National Library? The ACT Writers Centre can offer you cheap accommodation (approx $30/night) in the Artsit at Gorman House Arts Centre, Braddon, plus the use of our library as an office with access to a photocopier and printer. The Gorman House Arts Centre is situated only 1 600 metres from the War Memorial, 300 metres from the city centre and 2 minutes by car from the national institutions. The ArtSit has a foldout sofa-bed and its own kitchen, next to a separate bathroom and toilet. Bookings can be made for any length of time, subject to availability. Writers with a body of work and teaching background can arrange to offer a workshop in lieu of accommodation payment. The location can be seen at www.gormanhouse.com.au/index.php Enquiries about self-funded writers' residencies can be made to director(at)actwriters.org.au


Member only benefits and services

Subscription to ACTWrite
All members receive monthly copies of our magazine, ACTWrite, either as a hard-copy publication or as a PDF sent to their email address. ACTWrite is published 11 times per year and has approximately 24 pages each issue. It contains articles, information on markets, publishing opportunities, profiles of local authors and information about competitions, opportunities and upcoming events.


Invitation to contribute to ACTWrite
Members are encouraged to submit ideas for publication in our monthly member magazine, ACTWrite. For submission guidelines, click here.


Discounts on workshops, competitions and events
Members of the ACT Writers Centre receive discounts of up to $50 on workshops and events hosted by the Writers Centre, including our Writers Festivals, as well as discounts on workshops hosted by interstate Writers Centres and collaborative workshops and programs run by other organisations. Members may also enter the annual Marjorie Graber-McInnis Short Story Award and the ACT Writers Centre Poetry Award at a discounted rate.


Invitations to member-only events
Members have access to specific member-only events which occur throughout the year, such as free workshops and seminars and meetings with publishers, literary agents and editors.


Entry into member-only competitions
The Writers Centre frequently receives tickets to special screenings of movies and theatre productions. We pass these giveaways on to our members through competitions. You must be a member to enter.


Discounts on Writers Centre services
Member discounts apply to most Writers Centre services, such as manuscript appraisals. For more information on these services, click here.


Discounts at local businesses
Members receive the following discounts upon presentation of their membership card:

• 5% discount at Monaro Books, Cooma
• 10% discount at Alexander Fax Booksellers, Southlands, Mawson
• 10% discount at Lilitu’s Books and Music, Gold Creek
• 10% discount at Dymocks Bookshop, Civic.
• 10% discount at the National Library Bookshop
• 10% discount at Electric Shadows Bookshop in Braddon
• 10% discount at Smiths Alternative Bookshop, Civic
• 10% discount at Paperchain Bookstore, Manuka (cash only)
• 10% discount at The Bay Bookshop, Batemans Bay
• 10% discount on Easy Tax at Bird Cameron Accountants
• 20% discount from Ms Biz  Manuscript Assessment
• 20% off Dru Yoga classes with Elita Mackay for members and their families
• Membership of Playworks, (Sydney) at a concession rate
• Discounts on Street Theatre Centre presentations

Use of self publishing services
The ACT Writers Centre operates a publishing arm called New Territory Press, to assist any members who wish to self-publish their work.

Book launch packages
For information about our book-launch packages, click here.


Use of the meeting room
The Writers Centre has a Meeting Room available for use by members and member groups seven days per week (some conditions apply).


Use of facilities
Members may use the Writers Centre’s printer, photocopier and fax machine for a nominal fee.


Library access
The Writers Centre’s Marian Eldridge Resource Library has a large range of books, both about writing and by local writers, available for members to use and borrow.


Advice and referral
The ACT Writers Centre staff are happy to offer our members advice on writing and publishing issues, as well as providing referrals to other organisations and professionals who can assist them, including our sponsor Blue Star Print group for printing enquiries.


Jobs e-bulletin
The Writers Centre sends out weekly E-news’ containing information not already included in our newsletters. Members may also opt to receive an extra Job bulletin containing employment information and opportunities. To subscribe to this bulletin, members should email admin(at)actwriters.org.au with their full name and the words ‘Jobs subscribe’ in the subject box.


Invite-a-Writer
Members may join our Invite-a-Writer program to advertise their skills and services to potential employers and to be referred for employment by our staff. We provide advertising and referrals, and our public liability insurance will cover any speaking or teaching done at public venues such as schools. For more information on Invite-a-Writer, click here.


Writers in ACTion
The staff at the Writers Centre often come into contact with publishers, literary agents, festival directors, journal editors and fellowship providers. Through these contacts we discover opportunities for the promotion or advancement of our members and their manuscripts. To give us a better idea of what our members are working on (and yourself a better chance of being selected for opportunities that aren’t openly promoted) we invite members to send us some information about your finished or almost finished FICTION or NON-FICTION manuscript (not poetry).
Email admin(at)actwriters.org.au with ‘Writers in ACTion’ in the subject heading, and the following details as either an attachment in Microsoft WORD or in the body of the email:

• Your name
• Your membership number
• The genre you are working in (e.g non-fiction, memoir, science fiction, futuristic romance)
• The title of the work
• Word length
• Target audience
• A summary of any assessment already sought
• A short synopsis and
• A short bio about yourself

Absolute maximum of one page. Please do not send us more than we require - that’s a sure way not to get chosen. Brevity is a distinct advantage in publishing.  This is a service for members only. If you are not a member your work will not be accepted and no reply will be given.