Creative Writing Workshops 2024

An incredible opportunity to spend a full day accessing some of the best Australian Young Adult authors for potential young authors of the future. Suitable for students in years 10, 11 and 12, these workshops are not HSC or curriculum based but focused on the creative writing process with ample opportunity for students to write during the workshops. The focus is for students to have the opportunity to be immersed in the writing process. The aim is for students to write, under direction, with authors also sharing suggestions about the writing process. It is a chance for students to be creative for creativity’s sake, and to explore the potential for creative writing to assist in numerous vocations and creative fields. The authors conduct 2 workshops during the day, with an hour’s lunch break in between.

Due to popular demand, we are running this event for two days in 2024 to allow for more students to take part. Author names will be released closer to the dates.

Capacity is strictly limited.

GUEST AUTHOR: SHANNON MOLLOY

Shannon Molloy is an award-winning journalist with two decades’ experience working for Australia’s largest media organisations. He has covered everything from breaking news and current affairs to business, finance, human interest and entertainment. He was named the 2021 Journalist of the Year at the Publish Awards. These days, Shannon is a senior reporter at the country’s number one news website, news.com.au.

His debut book, Fourteen, was released in 2020 and is a critically acclaimed best-seller. It was longlisted for an ABIA Award, one of Booktopia’s Best of 2020 titles, an Audible Top 20 audiobook, and one of Good Reading’s Best of 2020 picks. It was turned into a sell-out hit stage production, now touring the country, and is now being adapted for the screen.

His second book, You Made Me This Way, has been described as a “genre-defying feat of storytelling” by Books+Publishing and a “work of critical importance” by The Australian.

GUEST AUTHOR: PAUL STAFFORD

Paul Stafford is the author of the Horror High series (Penguin/Random House), historical fiction novels including Ned Kelly’s Helmet (New Holland) and short story series Pants on Fire.

Between 2007-2017 he ran the Dead Bones Society, a kids writing club that met after dark in the fossil museum, wrote stories and made short films including the notorious “Flatularsaurus”.

Paul now designs literacy programs that link regional and remote schools with shared community resources (museums, galleries, significant sites) via videoconference, to generate ideas and new writing content.

Paul’s writing workshops are designed to be a collaborative and supportive creative space, with a focus on brainstorming, developing ideas, and building confidence in the viability of your own ideas.