Beverley Streater | Writer
Beverley Streater
Phone: +61 403 021 176
Reviews
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23.01.2022 http://classicwomen.com.au/women-over-50-information-for//
21.01.2022 Did you know that November is the (US) National Novel Writing month? No doubt, this will give rise to a slew of articles about writing, writers, and satisfying readers - this is so exciting. Below is an article that suggests some handy resources. I also came across
20.01.2022 Speaks for itself!
20.01.2022 Loving this group. Today talking flow, FB marketing. Next is Jenny Gorman talking about authenticity.
19.01.2022 When I speak with local writers and mention that I both write and edit, I'm often asked "how much do you charge?" and "is it really value for money to have my work edited?" Well, the cost of an edit depends on the type of editing the writer is looking for; this, in turn, influences the cost. Regarding its value, all I can say is that it's the writer's choice whether to invest in improving and polishing their work. With the rise of independent publishing, anyone can jump in an...d publish their work warts and all! I have read some pieces which are amazing in their concepts, yet are let down by inconsistencies, poor grammar and incorrect choice of words. It affects my reading enjoyment and influences my choice to read other pieces by that author. If writers choose not to run their work through an editor, there are many low-cost editing options they can purchase. Carla King (carlaking.com) recently reviewed an array of editing tools and applications, advising that she uses Grammarly, MasterWriter and ProWriting Aid, at a cost of around $250 a year. She writes, " Does that seem like overkill? I don’t think so, considering how much it costs to hire a human editor. I’d rather send my editor my best work before she tackles it, so she can work on the harder stuff. And besides, I learn a lot from these smart programs. Publishing error-free blogs and social media posts is important for a writer, too. Don’t you agree?" I totally agree Carla!
19.01.2022 I read ... a lot. Sometimes I indulge in fiction, making a deliberate effort to read beyond my preferred genres. Then sometimes I come across a non-fiction publication that catches my eye. The cover of Viv Goskrop's book, 'How to Own the Room', definitely is eye catching. The quirky typeface and the red-on-pink colour scheme called out, 'Pick me!!!' Viv's short book draws on her personal experience as a stand-up comedian along with her observations of famous female speakers -... Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Oprah Winfrey - to show reluctant, reticent, unconfident women how to get up there in front of an audience and spruik their message. Viv offers practical tips on calming nerves, shares ideas about how to deliver with confidence, and ends each chapter with a round up of content along with some exercises for the reader. So if you are thinking of getting out there to (say) market your book or promote a cause you feel passionate about, and you're jittery about public speaking, grab this form your local library and enjoy the ride!
18.01.2022 I have had a break from writing while concentrating on other bright, shiny things - finishing the edit of a colleague's book, enjoying an alternative creative outlet (fabric and thread), reading lots of books, and settling into the Secretary role at the Gold Coast Writers' Association. So back on the writing bandwagon, chop chop! I recently attended the Helensvale Writers' Group (https://writersfromgoldcoast.com//fantasy-fiction-and-rea/)... to hear a presentation by Brisbane fantasy author, Kylie Chan, about her writing and publishing experiences. She was brilliant, candid, inspiring, candid, energetic, did I mention candid? Very candid about how being a published author is not going to make you financially free. Despite her disparaging message, she had people hanging on her every word. Creatives are motivated by so much more than dollars. A similar message appeared in David Brewster's piece, 'Plan to get rich from your book?' (http://astorytotell.com.au/plan-get-rich-book-read-first/) So when I see 'x ways to win that writing competition' or 'y reasons to publish independently', I read with a smidgen of cynicism. But still I write!
15.01.2022 We are gathering our happy lot to celebrate another successful year in the world of creativity! At GCWA, we'll arrange will be doing some fantastic events at ou...r Christmas Party this year. 1. Secret Santa with a twist: Bring along a wrapped present to exchange with other members. This could be something bought to the value of $10 or a copy of your latest book! 2. Open Trade Table: Bring copies of your book(s) so the other members can do some last minute Christmas shopping. Please note you will have to provide your own way to collect any money, as the Gold Coast Writers’ Association will not be responsible for the sales. 3. Our raffle this year will be a bag of donated books for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. 4. There will be no workshop, but it will be a perfect time to mingle and learn about your fellow authors and writers. 5. Entry cost will be waived if you bring a delicious plate of nibbles to share for the day. If not, the usual fees of $10 for non-members and $5 for members apply. Doors open at 12:15 pm, and we will depart around 3 pm.
13.01.2022 Don't miss the next Gold Coast Writers' Association meeting - Feb 17, from 12.30, at Fradgley Hall Burleigh: February 17th 2018 Connecting with your Audience For the last 25+ years Jennie Gorman has been helping entrepreneurs catapult their businesses into the 21st century by utilising what she calls the ‘New Business’ style of marketing and other smart business growth strategies, such as masterminding, social media, networking, and outsourcing.... Her book Awesome Authenticity shows what is it to be awesomely authentic in business, and the power in being real, accountable as well as responsible to self and others. Jennie lives her passion daily as she supports, coaches and mentors others to realise their own dreams. Over many years of learning and teaching about relationships in business she has recognised that there is no difference between who are you are in your personal and business world. Driven by the desire to support and help, Jennie aims daily to make a difference in other people’s lives. Jennie has worked in many areas of business in both the city and the country over the last 30+ years. It wasn’t until the late 80’s, she realised she had a skill connecting and matching people. In 1990 she ran a personal development and natural therapy centre in Brisbane. Working with practitioners, who couldn’t make it in the market place, she found a way to help them. At that time her new career as a promoter was launched. For twelve years she brought international speakers and trainers to Australia to help not only business owners excel but also gain personal development in many different areas. She was fortunate to work over four years with the 20th century’s business philosopher, Jim Rohn when he annually toured Australia along with other renowned business mentors of that time. Since then she has been promoting, teaching and training business owners to gain new business skill sets. As a speaker and trainer she loves the opportunity to educate. Jenny Book Event General Timeline 12.15 p.m. Doors Open: Members and Guests arrive 12.30 p.m. Writing Skills Foundation Snippets 1.00 p.m. Workshop on social media marketing 2.00 p.m. Afternoon Tea. 3.15 p.m. Speakers Presentation: Jennie Gorman Authenticity and Networking why it is a #1 tool for authors Don’t miss any of our news. Just sign up for the newsletter and get the information every month. It usually comes in a week before the meeting so you’re ready for the meeting on the third Saturday of the month. Fradgley Hall, Park Avenue, Burleigh Heads The meeting room is above the Burleigh Heads Library. Parking is available in the adjoining Council car park. $5.00 Members $10.00 Visitors Includes Entry, Light refreshments and Workshop
13.01.2022 C'mon GC writers. This is a special treat!
12.01.2022 Great story about how the the GCWA Committee developed its 2018 strategies at the end of 2017.
12.01.2022 Yesterday, I spoke to a group of writers about the conventions of punctuating dialogue in their work. I received enthusiastic feedback with people commenting on the practicality of the information. So I thought I would share more broadly. I'm going to have a crack at attaching the slide deck as an attachment. If this is unsuccessful, please respond to this post and I'll email it to you. ... If you choose to share this with your network, that's brilliant. Please remember to acknowledge its source.
10.01.2022 Quotation marks - do they matter? I recently attended a meeting of writers where there was an animated discussion about quotation marks. Those little 6s and 9s that we used to call inverted commas in English classes. The debate was about when to use single ('N') or double quotation marks ("N") to signify that people are speaking in a piece of written work. Do you read fiction? Have you noticed the shift away from using any punctuation for direct speech? Done well, this is a ...Continue reading
10.01.2022 The option of self-publishing via 'small press' is coming for authors.
09.01.2022 What are you reading at the moment? I read voraciously - I find it helps me write better; it hones my editing skills; it scratches my itch to know more about my world and the worlds of others. I recently went through an Anita Shreve period - wow she can write! She is prolific, and I'll not be able to get through all her works. But I found that having a go at several of her works helped me identify some of her key go-to images, such as the sea and shells.... Most recently I loved, no LOVED, 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine', insisting that others also read it so I could discuss its virtues with others (thens Nev, thanks Cherie). The Eleanor character is obnoxious and unlikeable, until you get to know her of course! Now reading 'Exit West' by Mohsin Hamid who wrote 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' which my book group tackled many years ago. It is a dark portrayal of what it means to be a refugee in the modern world. Both 'Eleanor' and 'Exit West' will resonate with readers who love the concept of identity - perhaps even existentialism. So what are you reading at the moment? Go on, please share!
07.01.2022 Allow me a little rant, please. It surprises me to hear that academic writers still risk using the words of others and claiming them for their own. Universities warn students that their work will be run through anti-plagiarism software. They are drilled in citation, They are offered assistance with writing. They are just not doing themselves any favours by cheating.
05.01.2022 I have just finished reading four books - Ms Moriarty's 'Big Little Lies', A.J. Finn's 'The Woman in the Window', 'The Ruin' by Dervla McTiernan and 'Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet' by Jamie Ford. I really enjoy Liane Moriarty's style and find I am usually glued to the book until the end. This was no different and I look forward to discussing it with my little reading group. 'The Woman in the Window' featured a lonely, disturbing female character so much like Gail H...oneyman's 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine' - both books evoked a degree of discomfort for me, hitting the nail on its emotional head so perfectly. 'The Ruin'? Well, not my usual genre, so perhaps it's unfair to pass judgement. Let's say I was happy to get it finished and move on. 'Hotel on the Corner....' was a fantastic read. Set in Seattle, it moves between the war period when people living in Seattle's Japantown were 'evacuated' and interned in camps 'for their safety' and forty years on in the same area. A debut novelist, Jamie Ford bravely tackles themes of bullying, racism, and identity, with the two key figures, an American Japanese girl and an American Chinese boy struggling to 'belong'. Online reviews of this book are mixed, some very positive and others critical of some factual inconsistencies. It's fiction, people, just enjoy it! See more
04.01.2022 The Jacaranda trees are blooming in South East Queensland, signalling exam time for our students. It got me thinking about something that happened around this time last year. I was approached, through Upwork, to assist with the composition of an essay dealing with strategic management. 'Happy to help,' I explained, 'but how about you do some research, draft a response, and I'll assist you? What exactly is the topic?' I received a cool response along the lines of, 'I pay, you write.' So I declined, being a believer in the 'teach the man to fish .... and he'll always have fish for dinner' approach. With the proliferation of online 'writing services', students (who can afford it) can pay for someone else to research and write their papers. I just don't want that person handling my finances or fixing my dicky knee!
03.01.2022 Please indulge me in a little brag - just got published again in the current edition of online mag, 'Broad'. So excited!
02.01.2022 Below is some information and advice for writers and editors from IPEd's Charlotte Cottier reviewing the welcome speech delivered by the brilliant linguist, Professor Roly Sussex, to the national editors' conference in May: Shortening Over recent decades, the time between writing something and publishing it has shortened from years... or months to mere milliseconds (in the case of online content such as blogs and social media). Production timelines for books and newspapers have similarly collapsed, which has affected quality. Time spent reading has also shortened, with readers no longer having the patience or inclination to read long passages of text. Widening English has become the ‘lingua franca’ or world language for communication in many fields and genres. Now, everyone is a writer and anything can be published. About 75 per cent of published communications in English are written by non-native speakers. Consequently, English has diversified enormously. Weakening English is weakening because it is ‘pluracentric’, meaning there are multiple sources of information about the language. In fact, the ‘ground zero’ of English is hard to find. For English, a form of ‘bottom-up’ regulation occurs through practice, rather than through a regulatory body such as the French Academy (Académie française), the official authority on language usage, vocabulary and grammar in France. The widening use of English causes it to be diluted, although at the same time enriched and variegated through new words and expressions ... In the absence of a regulatory body, Roly cautions that editors are the guardians or gatekeepers of both the content and the form of English language. We should do this with flexibility, innovation and judgement. Adapted from: Offpress, May 2019.
01.01.2022 https://us2.campaign-archive.com/ The New Publishing Standard has recently posted stories about the emergence of the publishing indistry in the Middle East, India, China, and Africa. Watch this space!
