How to Show More than Tell
The art of exposition – showing not telling – is a subtle one. Behind every story there is an entire world complete with a history and peopled by real-life characters. How does the writer handle this mass of detail? This workshop shows how and where writers can employ techniques to weave exposition into the fabric of the story so readers are scarcely aware of being given essential information. Stories do not come out of a void. There is much the reader needs to know about the time,...
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This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
Devious art of plotting your novel
A good plot is both the skeleton and sinews of the story, providing direction, definition and the power to move readers' feelings to a satisfactory resolution. Yet many writers find plotting difficult. By understanding and experimenting with the nine-point arc of a typical plot, workshop members will learn the devious art of plotting: discovering that plots are driven by the wilful or unconscious desires of the protagonists and that plot and character are two sides of the same...
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Creating memorable fictional characters
Fictional characters must possess sufficient strength of character to handle difficult dilemmas. In other words, they must be up to the demands of the plot. John Harman will show you how to create convincing characters, even those of the opposite gender. A story may be structured like a journey with a: Compass – the premise, theme, threads Map – the plot Engine – the motivation of the protagonist (plus other central characters) Fuel – the dialogue The depth, dimensionality and...
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Dramatise your story through narrative structure
New writers can struggle with narrative structure in writing whether the form is a novel, short story or script. In this workshop, writer John Harman will help you better understand the type of story you are telling, discover the importance of narrative structure and learn advanced techniques of plotting. Narrative structure is about choices and about writing your novel, short story or script in scenes. The choices hinge not only on the integration of the story and the plot (which...
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This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
Writing dramatic dialogue
Dialogue should leap off the page. In novels, short stories, scripts and screenplays it must move the story forward, reveal character and provide essential exposition. Yet it must also be dramatic and believable. How to reconcile these apparently incompatible necessities is the subject of this dynamic and interactive workshop. A story is a completed process of change which has the ability to move readers' feelings powerfully and pleasurably (or painfully) in a certain, definite...
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How to edit and assess your manuscript - getting from first draft to finishing your book
You have just finished the first draft of your manuscript and you are feeling mighty pleased with yourself. And so you should. It’s no mean feat writing between 70,000 and 140,000 words of a novel or non-fiction book. You are to be congratulated. But… what’s important for you to realise is that you are still much nearer the beginning of the process of writing your book than you are to the end. Your first draft is no more than that: a first draft. You have more drafts to work...
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Globejotting – learn to travel write
Travelling to new and exciting places makes us all want to find ways to capture our experiences for posterity, and many people decide to keep a travel diary while they’re on the road. But writing down your travels shouldn’t be just a blow-by-blow account of every step along your sightseeing journey. Join travel blogger and writer Amanda Kendle to learn about various ways to write down your travels so that you and your family and friends will enjoy reading them over and over. The...
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This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.
Grammar Therapy II
Grammar Matters! Grammar holds sentences together, but it also communicates who you are. With the skills found in this course, you will gain a more advanced understanding of the grammar of English, and use this knowledge to make your writing more clear. This course is directly focused on writing, and gives you facts about language, grammar, and usage. It will help you get up to speed on formal styles, avoid common mistakes, and build a set of tools that you can keep using when the...
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Uncovering the literary history of the wheatbelt
Dr. Tony Hughes-d’Aeth, author of Like Nothing on this Earth: A Literary History of the Wheatbelt, will examine the creation of the wheatbelt through its creative writing. Some of Australia’s most significant writers used their experiences of this landscape in their writing, providing insights into the human and environmental effects of this experiment of mass-scale agriculture.
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Getting published - mastering the process
Completing the first draft of your manuscript – whether for a novel, short story, non-fiction book or magazine article – is a major achievement. Yet this is only the first step in a long journey to getting published. In this course you will learn the step-by-step process including market research, finding an agent, approaching publishing houses, and the pros and cons of self-publishing. Your first draft is only the beginning. Now comes the rewriting, and yet more rewriting; then...
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This course has no current classes. Please the waiting list.