The Program CREATIVE WORK FEEDBACK CYCLE Each month you will submit a chapter from your creative work to your peers and your mentor, who will read your work and provide feedback and advice. You will also provide feedback on one of your peer's work each month: finetuning your editorial skills and techniques. Participants have the option of submitting 'extra' work for feedback only if they submit a completed chapter each month (as a reward for all that hard work!). Up to 5000 words of extra work will be read and commented on by the tutor each month. MONTHLY LESSONS Each month you'll be able to access a focused online lesson on writing. The lessons will include guidelines on how to develop the chapter you're working on that month. In the first lesson, for example, we'll look at the various ways writers approach planning and developing a project, the pros and cons of outlining versus discovery drafting, working with a mentor/writing group, and what makes a good first chapter. Each lesson will include opportunities for discussion, as well as writing prompts for you to use in developing your novel. INTENSIVE RETREAT (OPTIONAL) You will have the opportunity to participate in an intensive, week-long retreat to complement your other interactions with your fellow writers and the course mentors. The retreat will be an opportunity to take time out from your otherwise busy life to focus on your writing, and gain the kind of feedback and support from both myself and the rest of the group that can only arise from spending a year writing, thinking, reading and talking together. Sharing the life of the mind and the imagination. During the retreat there will be daily workshops, opportunities to meet one-on-one with the course mentors, and time to write and reflect. You will also have the opportunity to explore some of the attractions of the local area. Retreat Dates: Retreat dates for 2011 will be negotiated with the group, but will be towards the end of the program/year. The per person cost will be around $800.00, including all meals. The cost will depend on numbers.   working online The MDP writers enjoy the use of a custom-designed interactive learning site. The site is a place for you and your fellow participants, and the mentor, to keep in touch with each other between residential retreats. The space includes discussion forums (for asynchronous discussion), chat rooms (for realtime discussions), monthly 'lectures' and resources, lists of writing opportunities and competitions, and so on. The space also includes areas where you can submit work to your mentor without others reading it. The space is user-friendly and secure. You can check out how OWL works by messing about in the free Sampler course , or through our introductory courses Playing with Prose or Playing with Poetry at OlvarWoodonLine WHAT'S INCLUDED All tuition, mentorship, feedback and appraisal work, phone and face-to-face meetings and Friends of Olvar membership. For those of you living in or near Brisbane, there will be a monthly catch-up and writing day at the State Library of Queensland. During the day, we'll spend time writing together in the library, catch up over lunch at Togninis, and take the opportunity to check in with each other about our progress. To kick off the program, you will be invited to participate in a long weekend writing retreat in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. During the retreat you will have an opportunity to meet on-on-one with your mentor, participate in daily workshops and discussions, meet the other writers in the program, and celebrate the beginning of your writing year. [Dates to be confirmed] WHEN The program runs from January 1 - to December 31, 2011. HOW TO APPLY Applications should include: A sample of your writing (up to 5,000 words); An outline of your proposed novel/book; A statement outlining what you hope to achieve from undertaking the program. Applications can be posted to: PO Box 252 PALMWOODS QLD 4555 Applications Applications should include: - A summary of your writing experience/writing CV; - A sample of your writing, preferably in the genre you plan to work in; and - An outline of the project you will be working on.   What we really want to see in your application is evidence of the quality of your writing, your commitment to your writing, and a sense of how open you are to the possibility of improving your writing through the intense cycle of feedback and discussion that forms the spine of the program.   Applications close November 30, 2010. COST In 2010, the year-long manuscript development program costs $6000.00. The fees includes all tuition, and tuition materials and feedback, as well as phone, online or in-person meetings (depending on whether you live in South-East QLD, or interstate). Fees may be paid in quarterly instalments.   The retreat is an add-on extra - you can choose whether to participate in the annual retreat before, or after, you enrol in the program. The cost of the retreat will be dependent on the number of writers who chose to participate.   Participants in the Manuscript Development Program automatically become lifetime Friends of Olvar.   QWC, ACTWC and NRWC members receive a 10% discount. FUNDING Although Olvar Wood Writers Retreat does not supply or receive funding itself, you can apply for funding to support your visit to Olvar Wood through your state-based arts funding body. If you are a postgraduate student at a university, you may be able to apply to use your discretionary funds to attend a retreat or course. We are happy to provide letters of support or other documentation for your application upon request.