Teaching and Talking

I give a lot of talks about books and writing and I also run a lot of creative writing workshops. I’ve been a speaker at many writer’s festivals as well as repeatedly being a guest on ABC Radio and TV and a guest speaker at many cultural institutions and schools.

I’ve run writing workshops for many organisations like Express Media, ArtsAccess, Varuna and WestWords and I do many talks in schools.

I’m also a Lecturer in Creative Writing at The Writing and Society Research Centre, Western Sydney University.

If you want to see where I’m talking next please follow my Instagram.

For schools bookings I am represented by Booked Out. You can look at a list of some of the workshops I give for schools at the bottom of this page. I am also happy to tailor workshops to your needs.

For any other enquiries about workshops or talks please contact me via my contact page.

Workshops and Talks:

I am happy to tailor workshops/talks to the needs of your school but here is a short overview of the workshops I most frequently teach:

Incredible Stories Talk (approximately 1 hour)

An engaging and interactive talk about writing The Incredible Here and Now.

Reading to Write (1- 2 hours)

Students participate in a hands on workshop that focuses on the key strategies that writers use in order to convey a powerful sense of voice.

Powerful Images Workshop (1- 2 hours)

Students learn to turn the things they see every day into powerful vignettes by focussing on imagery and voice.

Me and My Place Workshop (1-4 hours)

This workshop encourages students to write about their world by examining the community they live in. Students will consider the techniques used by writers to convey ‘a sense of place’ and learn how to apply these to their own writing.

The Shape of A Story (1.5 -3 hours)

The Shape of a Story Students take a close look at the form of the short story. We consider such questions as: What exactly is a short story and how is it different from other forms? We will look at both the shape and structure of a traditional short story and also examine the ways in which writers have experimented with the form. We will discuss what a narrative arc is and how it can be used to give a sense of cohesion to narratives written in any form.

Extension II Workshop (varies)

Students workshop their Extension II pieces with professional writer and experienced Extension II marker and teacher, Felicity Castagna.

Teaching Creative Writing (full day)

Teachers take a close look at how creative writing fits into The Australian Curriculum as well as what the research says about best practice in creative writing at the high school level. This workshop can focus on many of the new areas and forms of writing being incorporated into the English curriculum such the Reading To Write Module or Discursive Writing.  In addition, teachers will learn plenty of fun and practical creative writing activities to get their junior students engaged and take their senior students to a more advanced level.