Benjamin will take students on a journey to discover their own inner poetry, what it means to access spontaneity and their creative flow, how different poets use various techniques and styles, the use of rhythm, imagery, metaphor and surrealism.
Benjamin had first poetry published as a teen in adult literary journals. He has since published two anthologies of poetry, The Song of a Hundred Miles and Night Swim.
‘But I don’t know what to write…’ Ever heard that one before? In this fun, engaging, highly imaginative (and frequently surprising) creative writing workshop, students are taken through a process, invented by Melaina one dark and stormy night… Actually, it was a moment of playfulness that led to the invention of a writing technique which has since delighted kids and adults across Australia. Both highly enjoyable and strangely effortless, the outcome of this workshop is the beginnings, bones, inspiration, and discovery of images and stories your students might never have believed themselves capable of.
Not all people will be writers, but everyone is a storyteller. Long before pen and paper and keyboards and screens… people told stories. Out loud, and in the moment, with some being passed from mouth to ear for millennia. Stories are at the heart of being human, (we all know how it is to try telling students to stop talking!) and learning to tell a story well is a priceless life skill. In this fun, action-packed workshop – students will learn specific skills and techniques for crafting, remembering, voice work, characterisation, gesture, movement, and the presentation of a story. They will be given opportunities to develop confidence in public speaking and becoming more engaging storytellers!
In this practical workshop, Sarah (who has written novels for both adults and children) will teach students techniques to get their writing flowing, as well as concrete, practical tools to create narrative tension and to deepen character. She explains how students can write ‘scene’ to create immediacy for the reader and to show rather then tell. Most students write in summary and find it a revelation to learn about writing in scene. She shows slides with examples from others’ writing, and illustrates with anecdotes from her own writing experience. She gets the students writing straight away, and they’ll do lots of writing throughout the workshop.
This workshop is targeted at stage 5 and 6 and also suitable for keen and focused stage 4 students.
Topics covered include: Free-writing as a brainstorming tool and fast, effective way to write a first draft; fleshing out character using free-written character histories; when to show and when to tell; using scene to ‘show’ and create immediacy; writing a sensory brainstorm to add effective detail to scene; student Q and A.
Sarah will discuss where ideas come from, and the fun and hard work of being a full-time writer. Discussion of a book’s life from the first inkling of an idea to publication. Sarah will touch on the importance of setting and character in writing and how it informs her own writing. Using stories and photos, she will take students behind the scenes of a writer’s life.
Duration: 30 – 45 minutes
Please note this presentation can be delivered to large groups of up to 300 students.
Picture book and middle-grade author, Zanni Louise, helps high school students develop stories that are meaningful to them. Students will do a deep dive into narrative structure, literary techniques and editing.
Author of over twenty bestselling picture books, Zanni takes kids through the magic of picture books and helps them write and illustrate their own. Kids learn visual literacy skills, literary writing style and formatting techniques.
“I like Zanni Louise because she talked to us (she didn’t just speak) and she has put a picture in my head for when I’m older that I might be a book author.” – Student at Shearwater, Mullumbimby
Join author Shel Sweeney for a series of masterclasses where students will develop their creative writing techniques across a range of genres. Classes are designed to be fun and celebrate the joy of storytelling.
This is a FREE program, 5 sessions per term – Registration essential.
2025 Term 1 dates
2025 Term 2 dates
Time: 5:00 – 6.30pm
Where: Lismore Library, 110 Magellan St, Lismore NSW 2480 (level 1)
Suitable For: School years 6 – 12
Shel Sweeney is a freelance editor, writing mentor, counsellor and teacher. She works with children, young people and adults throughout the Northern Rivers region.
Join author, poet, podcaster and journalist Samantha Turnbull for a series of masterclasses where students will learn and experiment with a range of creative writing techniques and genres. Classes are designed to be fun and celebrate the joy of storytelling.
This is a FREE program, 5 sessions per term – Registration essential.
2025 Term 1 dates:
2025 Term 2 dates:
Time: 4:30 — 6pm
Where: Ballina Library 8 River Street, Ballina
Suitable for: 8-12 years
Samantha Turnbull is a children’s author and podcast producer with the ABC. Her books include Fierce Girls, Remember the Rainbows and The Anti-Princess Club series. She is also a qualified primary teacher and loves competing in poetry slams.
Join author and teacher Melaina Faranda for a series of masterclasses where students will learn and experiment with a range of creative writing and screenwriting techniques.
This is a FREE program, 5 sessions per term – Registration essential.
2025 Term 1 dates:
2025 Term 3 dates:
Time: 4:00 – 5:30pm
Where: Murwillumbah Library
Suitable for: School years 7-12
Author and teacher Melaina Faranda is passionate about working with young people, helping to foster their creative talent and be inspired by infinite possibilities.
This self-editing workshop is a distillation of techniques gleaned from working with twenty plus editors from over ten different publishing companies and for many students is surprisingly enjoyable! The focus is not on grammar and punctuation, so much as specific editing techniques taught in a step-by-step easy format that even the most disinterested writers can use to instantly improve their writing (and marks). Great for NAPLAN or HSC preparation.
Sarah’s workshops are very interactive and practical, and students will start writing straight away. She’ll teach them freewriting (her #1 tool) and brainstorming, and guide them in coming up with their own story idea and story plan. She will draw on examples from her own work and that of other writers in exercises on character, plot, setting and dramatic tension.
Sarah will hear some of the young writers read their work; she’s well known for her detailed, constructive feedback. There will be time for student questions throughout, and at the end. The 90 min option allows for more feedback and questions.
Duration: 60-90min
Suitable for small groups (up to 30 students)
Sam will teach students how to write and perform slam poetry. Please note, this workshop includes video, so an IWB or computer and projector with speakers is required.
* Workshops Poetry for the Page and Poetry for the Stage can be combined
Sam will show students the steps she followed to write the beautiful poem that features in her picture book Remember the Rainbows. Students will then write their own poetic masterpiece, experimenting with techniques including repetition and rhyme.
* Workshops Poetry for the Page and Poetry for the Stage can be combined
Drawing from her extensive experience in podcasting, Sam will show students how to tell stories for the ears. Students will use weird and wonderful props to create sound effects for broadcast. Students will then use those sounds to inspire and enhance stories crafted specifically to be heard.
Sam will teach students how to come up with a cracking story idea, create unique characters, build an escalating plot, and pull it all together to write a bestseller.
This workshop will address translating a set text/narrative into a series of illustrations. The complexity and length of the text can be adapted to the proposed duration of the workshop and the age of the students.
Michelle will take the students/participants through the process of creating a rough, initial visual storyboard, from which they will select at least one rough draft to work up as a final illustration so a set size ratio.
The set text teaches participants the specific requirements of professional illustration where the artwork is invariably working with subject matter which may, at least in part, require them to draw elements/objects they would not consider by choice.
They will also investigate working to a set size across several drawings and having to adjust their compositions/ideas accordingly, taking into account text placement, scale issues and centre lines of double-page spreads. We will also address issues of keeping continuity across a series of drawings
I will also address the importance of the artist bringing their own visual contribution/subtext to the narrative.
Students will be encouraged to work images/illustrations up in their own choice of materials, ie Collage, pen and ink, watercolour, paint, colour pencil or a combination of media.
This presentation and workshop explores the elements of creating a childrens’ picture book, using Benjamin’s popular book The Travel Bug as an example. In this workshop, children are assisted to develop their own idea in a group setting (group verse writing) and create a 2-page spread.
A one-off workshop or multi-session workshop on scriptwriting and filmmaking tailored to suit the students’ interests. Benjamin has also run social justice filmmaking workshops over a term or two in secondary schools, where students work towards creating short films for screening at a mini-festival.
Tailored to any upper primary and high school students, Benjamin delivers an inspiring workshop exploring ideas of being a ‘story hunter’, encouraging students to find and develop ideas, understand simple structure to engage readers and above all make writing fun.
