Writing Workshops

Ashfield Library Workshops

If you’re interested in writing short stories, I’m running two workshops for Ashfield Library in January 2013:

  • Wednesday 9 January, 2013, Ashfield Civic Centre, 10am-1pm.
  • Friday 11 January,2013,  Michael Maher Room, Haberfield Centre. 10am-1pm.

And there’s a Poetry writing workshop as well:

  • Thursday 10 January 2013, Ashfield Civic Centre, 10am-1pm.

Writing Short Stories: Small, Good things

In 2013 I’m running a couple of extended courses on writing short stories. The first, for the ACT Writers Centre in Canberra, will begin on Saturday, March 23, and meet monthly for 6 months finishing in August. It takes time to write a good short story and I’m excited about the possibility of working with people over a period that allows sufficient time for an idea to germinate and mature. A similar course, but meeting fortnightly will begin at the NSW Writers Centre in Rozelle on Thursday, May 9. More details about both courses to follow soon.

I’m available to run workshops for festivals, writing centres, schools or universities.

I’ve worked as a writier- in-residence at MLC Burwood and as a university lecturer in Creative Writing. I’ve taught Creative Writing at undergraduate and postgraduate level at four universities. I have worked at UNSW (2007-2009), UTS (2001-2006), Macquarie (2001-2, 2005) and UWS (1999, 2004).

In May 2010, I ran the following workshops for the ACT Writers Centre:

Writing Poetry: Writing Voice

Writing dramatic monologues, writing in the voice of a character or persona not your own is an exciting and liberating technique. The monologue has been exploited by masters such as Robert Browning and contemporary poets like Dorothy Porter, Carol Ann Duffy and Andy Kissane. The monologue is also a crucial part of many contemporary verse novels. This workshop will explore the importance of voice and narrative in poetry, through a focus on the dramatic monologue, discussion and writing exercises. Participants are also invited to submit one poem for workshopping.

Beginning, Structuring and Finishing a Short Story

This session will start by focusing on the principles of writing prose dialogue through the use of role play and writing exercises. We’ll consider how to give your dialogue life and zest, as well as how to set it out on the page. Techniques of plotting and structuring a story will then be investigated through interactive exercises and discussion. We’ll investigate ways of beginning short stories that hook and engage readers and also consider the momentum, purpose and narration of a dramatic scene. It’s not everything you’ll need to write a story that is memorable and publishable, but it’s a bloody good start.

Schools

I’ve run a number of master classes for Sydney Girls High students in years 7, 8 and 9. In 2011, I ran classes on writing poetry, focusing on dramatic monologues and the pantoum. In 2012, I ran classes that dealt with writing dialogue, characterisation and structuring the short story.

I ran a workshop on Writing Stories and spent the rest of the day doing one-on-one story editing as part of Rosebank College’s Festival of the Creative Spirit in November 2009

Mentoring

I’m also listed on the Australian Society of Authors and the NSW Writers’ Centre lists of mentors for writing literary fiction and poetry.