Today is the launch of RWA’s latest program, the 5DI – a five-day intensive manuscript development workshop.

This fantastic scheme will provide successful applicants the opportunity to fine-tune their craft and polish their manuscript with the assistance of a mentor. 5DI is a five-day, live-in workshop where a published author in your genre will mentor a small group of writers, providing continuous manuscript feedback through daily one-on-one sessions.

The inaugural 5DI workshop is being held at Griffith University, Brisbane, from Saturday 10^th July – Friday 16^th July, 2010. Subsidised by RWA, the cost is $1100. This covers accommodation, all but two meals and mentoring. Attendees are to pay their own travel costs and bring their own laptop.

Griffith University accomodation

To apply for the 5DI, applicants will submit the first 20 pages of their manuscript – it’s important to note the manuscript submitted must be the manuscript that will be supplied to your mentor if successful. You must have a completed manuscript by 14^th May 2010 to participate. Applications open 1^st January and close 31^st January 2010. No feedback will be supplied to unsuccessful entries.

To find out more, visit the 5DI web page for FAQs, entry forms and guidelines, and read your December Hearts Talk. If you have any questions not answered in these places, email the 5DI team headed by Rowena Lindquist and assisted by Lisa Barry and Anita Mack.

Wow, just checked stats and found I have had VISITORS – quietly alarmed as this blog is very new. Nevertheless, welcome one and all, please excuse the packing boxes dotted around, I hope to be settled in soon.

Belatedly reporting on the extraordinary phenomenon that was the QWC/Orbit manuscript development program. Part of me is still walking along the beach on Bribie Island, dreaming up solutions to make my manuscript perfect. I was amazed that my novel Kindred Spirit was selected; conversation with other participants revealed I wasn’t the only one, and I was happy to learn this is apparently also common amongst much more experienced and well-known writers, too. Good to feel part of the gang…

Thanks especially to the amazing Kate Eltham (CEO, Queensland Writers Centre) and the wonderful Julie Beveridge; also to Bernadette Foley and Deonie Fiford from Orbit/Hachette Livre for their insights, support, honesty and encouragement – and of course to both organisations for making the program possible.

Thanks too to wonderful author Marianne de Pierres whose perspicacity and good humour were matched only by her generosity, warmth and skill at badminton. And of course thanks to Tara Wynne from Curtis Brown Australia and Ron Serdiuk from Pulp Fiction Press – I’m sorry you guys couldn’t share our island paradise for longer, it was a blast!

And finally, thanks to my fellow participants (working title Orbiteers, until we go through a democratic process to finalise our name). You guys rock!

 Back row: Author Marianne de Pierres, Terence Hornby, Susan L Cullen, Jeremy Gordon, Graham Storrs, Joanne Clay, J-A Brock
Front row: Fiona Sawyer, me, QWC’s Kate Eltham, Joanne Anderton, Luke Keioskie