Australian fiction writers, I’d like to give you the heads-up about a fabulous opportunity to develop your finished manuscript to publication standard. Romance Writers of Australia are running 5DI, a five day intensive manuscript development program with International best-selling authors as tutors.

Australian author T.M. Clark has done 5DI twice and both her novels have sold to Harlequin MIRA.

She said, “I did this 5Di – 5 day intensive – twice, in my journey towards publication. I can’t hold it in high enough regard. By Brother-But-One was my first book that attended, and Tears of A Cheetah (To be publish December 15) was the second. SOOOOOOO worth paying for the help and investing in yourself for the week. Writers – a must!”

Speaking as a tutor, I can attest to the fact that these intensive manuscript development programs really work. Ten years ago I was a tutor for the  EnVision manuscript development program which focused on speculative fiction manuscripts. Over the years I’ve seen many of the EnVision attendees go on to publication, and the quantum leap in writing craft they achieved in that week of intensive learning astonished even the tutors. As I result I’ve advised clients to attended 5DI, and those who have done so have spoken highly of the experience.

These sorts of immersion opportunities don’t come along every week, or even every year. Romance Writers of Australia’s 5DI is for manuscripts “in any romantic sub genre, including mainstream books with romantic elements. This workshop is open to all members of RWA who are aspiring and emerging authors and over 18 years of age.” (Read their conditions of entry for all eligibility criteria.)

Any fiction manuscript with romantic elements (sex, attraction, a love story subplot) should qualify whether it’s a crime novel, a fantasy, paranormal, young adult, etc, and the joining fee for RWAustralia membership will provide you with more writing support and industry information than you can now imagine. You have to qualify to attend 5DI, so do read the entry information carefully.

If you want to take your writing to the next level, I urge you to apply for this opportunity. If you are accepted, I promise you’ll get your money’s worth (and more).

Details are here: