 There's a shortage of skilled writers in Asia. This region needs people to create literature, screenplays, theatre, teleplays, children's books and interactive media scripts.
But it's got to be world-class! An opportunity is being created for a small number of people to learn from Nury Vittachi, a successful author who has fiction contracts with top publishers and agents around the world. He has more than 100,000 books in print and his work is sought after by film production houses internationally. Vittachi teaches story development at master's level at a university in Hong Kong.
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR
Dramatic changes are taking place in the world of writing, claims Vittachi, author of 16 books.
"It's in flux. Today's writers must know how to produce a work of fiction which is brilliant as a novel, but can ALSO work as a movie, and as a TV mini-series, and as a console game, and as the foundation of an on-line virtual world," he said.
The 45-year-old author believes that writers can only gain the necessary skills if they are serious about it: "You can't be a doctor or a lawyer without learning from experts; it's exactly the same with being a writer."
Vittachi is to offer a set of three intensive writing programs, called MASTERCLASS AUTHOR. Each course runs for four once-a-week sessions of three hours. Applicants must send in a sample of their writing before they are accepted. Vittachi is founder-editor of Dimsum, a literary journal. Several Dimsum featured writers have been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.
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MASTERCLASS AUTHOR I
This is an "essentials" course which equips writers with the basic skills they need to jump from amateur to professional status in their writing. As well as plot, character and story structure, subjects covered include vital modern techniques such as defamiliarization and point-of-view.
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR II
For those who have completed the course above, a virtuoso program is offered which enables writers to learn expert skills used by today's masters, from time-shift to intertextuality to metafiction. By the end of the course, writers should be producing literary fiction of publishable quality in literary journals worldwide.
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR III
Talented graduates of the two courses above are offered the chance to refine their skills for a CGI world. The program teaches authors how to produce fiction which works for novels, screenplays and for electronic media from 3D animated movies to computer games, focusing on new skills such as non-linear storytelling, immersion and interactivity.
IMPORTANT NOTES!
 Seats are strictly limited. Register as soon as possible if you want to be part of the group.
Applications for all courses must be accompanied by writing samples of at least 400 words.
Applicants should take the three courses in order. Exceptions may be made in rare cases, such as if the applicant has a qualification from an accredited creative writing program, such as Iowa or East Anglia, or is already internationally published by a major label.
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Download booking form
DATES
Classes run from 6pm to 9pm on Monday nights
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR I: Oct 25, Nov 1, Nov 8, Nov 15 - application deadline: Oct 20
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR II: Nov 22, Nov 29, Dec 6, Dec 13 - application deadline: Nov 17
MASTERCLASS AUTHOR III: Jan 10, 17, 24, 31 - application deadline: Jan 5
One four-week program: $2,800 (Book two programs in advance for $5,200 or all three for $7,500)
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