South African Writers' Network

The South African Writers' Network serves as a platform from which authors and aspirant writers can explore the wealth of human information on the Internet and contribute to this burgeoning network culture. SAWN also assists authors who want to self-publish their work.

Join Now! R600 annual subscription

Our objective is to become the ultimate online Writers' Directory through continual improvement of the site and posting the most up-to-date writing information and job opportunities available worldwide. SAWN is headed by Gary Smith and Theresa Lütge-Smith.

Why subscribe? While the public site provides a broad scope of information that is freely available, it is the member's site that comprises a wider range of services and information. Additions to the member's only site are added on a continual basis in the best interest of our subscribers. The site also provides detailed instruction that enables writers to

communicate with other writers and publishers
market themselves and their work
polish their writing skills
find writing jobs and opportunities to develop writing skills
broaden their writing horizons
access to informative articles about the publishing field
netiquette for communicating with publishers
learn pros and cons of submitting work electronically
learn to use Internet search engines to gather data
create an effective e-résumé
utilise online libraries and archives
draw up contracts
access to current news and articles
link to the latest topical books about writing and publishing
access to reference and research sources
access to online studying and employment opportunities
learn from topical articles written from a writer's perspective
take part in writing competitions
attend writers workshops and seminars
access to our weekly columns Wired Works and Inside Track that discuss ways to increase your earning potential as a writer, contacts
and news in the media

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Articles of Interest

How to Write an Abstract

How to Write Drafts

How to Write an Operations Manual

Freelance Article Writing: Tips for Establishing and Maintaining Good Relationships with Magazine Editors

What is ...? (media kit, kill fee, ghostwriting)

Writing Teachers & Courses
(South Africa) Inside Track column, members only

So, you think that you've written a bestseller?
Guidelines to follow when submitting your manuscript.
Self-Publish your book! Contact Theresa for details.

Be your own Boss: The reality of Freelance Work

Frequently Asked Questions about writing and publishing

Twitter is a social media phenomenon that has been around since 2006. Twitter.com describes the service as a way for “friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: “What are you doing?” As with any kind of business marketing, or communication, you need to decide what you want to achieve through it and how you intend to do this. Are you going to utilise Twitter to build your profile in a specific niche? Are you wanting to drive traffic to your website or blog? Do you want to communicate in a more informal way with your network? A branding exercise? Promoting your skill as a writer or perhaps the launch of your novel? All of these are perfectly valid reasons to get yourself a Twitter account and to start tweeting. Just remember that Twitter is still social networking – and as such is about two-way communication. If you don’t participate in a meaningful way, you will not gain or retain many followers.