Learn how to polish your manuscript and increase your chances of success.

Make sure your work is ready to submit – to a competition, an agent, or a publisher. It focuses on how to take your work to the next level, with tips for checking, tightening, and polishing. This workshop is for writers in all genres. It will help you to improve your overall manuscript, with a particular focus on the first 10,000 words. It will include time for you to work on your manuscript and apply the strategies discussed.

Learning outcomes

In this workshop, you will learn how to self-edit and review your manuscript to ensure it’s presented as professionally as possible. We’ll discuss how to:

Use a scene list to understand your real structure (whether planned or not) and check your backstory
Check for through-lines and story development
Check your dialogue and description
Identify sentence-level habits that might distract or confuse readers
Tighten sentences.

Format

This is an online seminar with a focus on craft; it will be hosted via Zoom. As part of the Publishable program, this workshop is designed for emerging writers but is suitable for writers of all levels and writing backgrounds. A 7-day replay will be made available to participants.

Complimentary access to this workshop is available to all Publishable 2024 applicants - please select the free Applicant Admission ticket type. Other Queensland Writers Centre members and the public may attend with a paid ticket.

About Judy

Dr Judy Gregory is a Brisbane-based writer, editor, researcher, and writing educator. She specialises in ghostwriting memoirs and business books and using plain language to write about complex concepts. Judy has more than 30 years’ experience as a writer and editor. She currently teaches writing and grammar at The University of Queensland. Her historical novel-in-progress was shortlisted in the 2024 Historical Novel Society’s First Chapter Competition.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info