The Writers' Resource Centre seminar Novel Starter Essentials in Melbourne in February helped budding writers get a good start on a new novel.

The seminar, which is ideal for those people who want to write a novel but are having trouble getting started or coming up with an idea, covered finding inspiration for a book, developing a plan and characters, writing dialogue technique, as well as tips on how to finish a novel.

While presenting the seminar, crime author and principal contributor to The Writers' Resource Centre, Anthony Santoro, shared his experience on how to get out of the 'desert' - the middle of the book where pace can lag and a writer can lose momentum.

Feedback from writers who attended the seminar revealed they learned "The 'just do it' approach", "not to overcomplicate things", "how to structure my stories properly", "a great overall insight into story writing" and "creative ideas on how to put the novel together".

Attendees praised the seminar's "good, fresh, no nonsense encouraging approach" and referred to it as "professional yet very laid-back and informal".

The Writers' Resource Centre is planning to run this seminar again later in the year, in conjunction with a presentation on writing memoirs and a seminar on getting published/self-publishing.

Please contact us to express interest in these seminars in Melbourne, or other Australian cities, or subscribe to our ezine for updates.