News

Portland State University's Center for Excellence in Writing is now accepting registrations for its winter workshops "Crafting the Query" and "The Writers Life." Local writers conduct the workshops, which are open to the public. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register for the workshops contact Sydney Thompson at 503-725-9422, sydneyt@pdx.edu or visit www.english.pdx.edu/cew. 

Saturday, January 28, 2006, 12 - 3 p.m. (PSU Neuberger Hall, Room 407, 724 S.W. Harrison)
"Crafting the Query," taught by Jodi Helmer, is a workshop for writers interested in learning how to craft a query and make it stand out for magazines or newspapers. The class will cover topics ranging from the purpose of a query, the best way to present it to an editor, tips to help writers sell their idea and conduct in-class writing exercises. Jodi Helmer has written hundreds of articles on topics including the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, the shortage of male teachers and easy ways to cut calories. Her work has appeared in publications like Entrepreneur, Woman's Day, Parents and the Christian Science Monitor. She is also a frequent contributor to the Portland Tribune and has worked as an editor and taught numerous writing classes. Cost for the workshop is $50.

Saturday, February 18, 2006, 1 - 3 p.m. (PSU Neuberger Hall, Room 407, 724 S.W. Harrison)
"The Writers Life," taught by Polly Campbell, is a workshop on how to follow the dream of becoming a full-time writer. The class will discuss what to do before leaving a day job behind, cover the habits of serious writers to produce quality work and a steady income, the realities of full-time freelancing, and how to structure time, overcome writer's block, market oneself and juggle assignments. During her 12-year career as a journalist and freelance writer, Polly Campbell has written about half-ton pumpkins, environmentally-conscious entrepreneurs and jail-bound embezzlers. She is a weekly contributor to The Oregonian and her nonfiction features have been published in The Writer, Pages, American Profile, Family Circle, Arthritis Today and other consumer and trade magazines. Cost for the workshop is $60.

For Immediate Release (#05-173)

Source: Sydney Thompson (503-725-9422)
Center for Excellence in Writing