Siboney is a writer, editor, and teacher. She has been running workshops for children, adolescents, and adults for over 25 years, and is passionate about fostering creativity and encouraging writing.

Siboney’s workshops cover everything from creative writing skills to discursive writing to developing extended writing skills across the secondary curriculum. She offers sessions for students Stage 3-6, as well as Professional Development workshops for teachers (with most of her Teacher Professional Learning sessions being NESA registered).

Siboney has written extensively for educational institutions (including the Australian College of Applied Psychology) and publishers (including Blake Education). She has had numerous works of short fiction published, has been selected for the QWC/Hachette Australia Unpublished Manuscript Development Program, and has been long and short-listed for a number of writing awards.

Siboney has a Master of Philosophy in Creative Writing (UQ) and is about to embark on her PhD in Creative Writing (Griffith University). She has presented at Teacher Conferences and Literary Festivals, and has been a HSC marker of both Extension 1 and Extension 2 English.

Duration: 1 – 2 hours
Suitable for: Stages 3-5

Workshop overview

This 1-2 hour workshop engages students on a creative journey of exploration, ideas, character, and story. Designed for Stages 3-5, this workshop encourages students to engage creatively with language and to find meaningful, fun, and affirming ways of expressing their feelings, experiences, ideas, and stories. The focus is on inspiring creativity (playing with language), demystifying the writing process, and providing students with opportunities to write creatively. We will be brainstorming, writing, sharing ideas, and playing with images and words. At the end of each session, students will have produced two articles of writing – a piece of poetry and either a work of flash fiction or an evocative description.

Siboney’s aim with these sessions is to encourage students to be fearless in their approach to writing by making it as experiential and fun as possible. As well as developing writing skills, students will also develop self-confidence and the courage to take risks with their stories.

Duration: One full day
Suitable for: Extension 2 English students

Workshop overview

This full-day workshop examines each of the requirements of the Extension 2 English syllabus and provides a ‘plan of attack’ for ensuring students have all the information and strategies they need to create wonderful Major Works.

Elements of the Writing Process to be covered include:

• How to choose the form, themes, and voice for your Major Work.
• How to approach the writing process using a systematic protocol of creation, evaluation, and revision.
• Sophistication of ideas and execution are what score the highest bands in the HSC and this workshop shows students how to demonstrate deep engagement and create erudite work.

Key aspects of the Syllabus will be covered including:

• Viva Voce: What is involved and how to prepare.
• Literature Review: Why it’s important and how to do it.
• Critique of your Creative Process: What should the critique focus on and how to write it.
• Creative Work: How to make your writing shine.
• Reflection Statement: Crafting reflections that justify decisions and demonstrate a clear understanding of the syllabus.

Duration: 2 hours
Suitable for: Stage 6

Workshop overview

This 2 hour workshop explores the various facets of the Stage 6 Craft of Writing module, identifying the key elements of literary craft and providing students with a clear understanding of each element, a series of examples, and a host of strategies for writing with depth and nuance.

Topics covered and activities undertaken:

• Defining ‘craft of writing’
• Distinguishing literary analysis from writing craft
• The core ‘craft of writing’ elements
• How to scaffold narratives using the five most important elements of craft
• Free-writing for ideas
• How to brainstorm for complexity without weighing down the words
• Sophistication – both in terms of ideas and writing