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Long Course: The Bones of a Story

Writers Victoria

Event Date: 7 October 2023 10:00 AM
Author / Presenters: [email protected]

Lots of people can write well; fewer can tell a gripping story that connects with people emotionally. It’s the writers who do both who change the world. This course sets you up to do that by providing you with the tools to figure out, in a fast-paced interactive way, the bones of your story. We investigate what makes a great ‘story’ and then apply these key principles to your idea, testing them to make sure your story works and developing a tight elevator pitch to prove it.

Three in-person workshops:

Saturday October 7, 10am-4pm

Saturday October 21, 10am-4pm

Saturday November 18, 10am-4pm

You can find details of how Covid-19 restrictions will affect the workshop here: https://writersvictoria.org.au/about-us/covid-19-information/. You are encouraged to wear a mask in the workshop space. The Wheeler Centre’s policy is that close contacts should not attend the building. If you are a close contact of somebody with Covid-19, or have Covid-19 symptoms yourself, please do not attend[email protected] to arrange a refund in this situation.

You Will Learn:

  • How to build a solid foundation for your story – premise, characters, circumstances, setting, themes and how they interact
  • How to interrogate your idea so its rich, original and can engage, sustain and inspire your readers,
  • How to shape the  narrative arc of your story as  well as the individual story arc of each of your key characters
  • The value of internal, external and universal conflicts and how they interact.
  • The lines that your characters can’t cross (and then do).

About the Tutor:

Erina Reddan has been a television producer, a documentary maker and an ABC foreign correspondent, for which she was awarded the prestigious Walkley Award. She co-developed the concept for the iconic ABC weekly 3-hour live youth music and issue program, RECOVERY. She has an MA in Professional Writing (UTS) and a PhD in Creative Writing from La Trobe University where she’s also taught writing. A novelist, she’s also had a non-fiction book published as well as appeared in a range of newspaper and magazines as a commentator. Her next literary crime novel, Deep In The Forest, comes out this December.

Not a Member?

Members of Writers Victoria receive up to 37% off the full price of our workshops, seminars and courses. In addition, members have access to a range of other discounts and opportunities and receive a subscription to 'The Victorian Writer' magazine. Memberships start from just $50. Find out more about becoming a member here.

Book early to access our early bird prices! These expire 9 days before the course begins. Please keep in mind that our workshops require a minimum number of participants to run, so booking early also helps ensure that a workshop will go ahead. 

When: 07 October 2023 - 10:00 through 18 November 2023 - 4:00 Where: The Wheeler Centre 176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia

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