News & Editorial

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December 15, 2021

Join author Sarah Armstrong 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.

FREE! Registrations essential. This is a year-long program, commencing Term 2, and running until the end of Term 4, 2023.

Term 2 Dates: Thursday 4 May – Thursday 29 June (Fortnightly)
Time: 5 – 6.30pm
Where: Goonellabah Library, 27 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah
Suitable For: 13 – 17 years (school years 7 – 12)

Sarah Armstrong

Sarah Armstrong has written three novels for adults and her first novel for readers aged 8 – 12 will be published in 2022. She is an experienced mentor for writers young and old.

anika


December 15, 2021

Join author Zanni Louise 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.

FREE. Registrations essential. This is a year-long program, commencing Term 2, and running until the end of Term 4, 2023.

Term 2 Dates: Thurs 4 May – Thurs 29 June (Fortnightly)
Time: 5 – 6.30pm
Where: Goonellabah Library, 27 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah
Suitable For: 8 – 12 years

Author of over twenty kids’ books, including bestselling picture book series HumanKindZanni Louise writes and draws every day and hopes she will keep going until she’s too old to hold a pen!

anika

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December 15, 2021

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.

FREE. Registrations essential. This is a year-long program, commencing Term 2, and running until the end of Term 4, 2023.

Term 2 dates:  Wed 3 May – Wed 28 June(Fortnightly)
Time: 5 – 6.30pm
Where: Ballina Library, 8 River Street, Ballina
Suitable For: 8 – 13 years

Samantha Turnbull

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.

anika

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December 15, 2021

In Term 2 and 3, join filmmaker and author Benjamin Gilmour for a series of masterclasses where students will learn and experiment with a range of creative writing and screenwriting techniques. Melaina Faranda will return as facilitator later in the year.

FREE. Registrations essential. This is a year-long program, commencing Term 2, and running until the end of Term 4, 2023.

Term 2 Dates: Thurs 18 May – Thurs 29 June (Fortnightly)
Time: 4.00 – 5.30pm
Where: Byron Bay Library, Cnr Middleton St & Lawson St, Byron Bay
Suitable For: 13 – 17 years

Benjamin GIlmour

Benjamin Gilmour is an award-winning poet, author, film director and ambulance paramedic. What excites him most is sharing his knowledge of ‘guerilla’ filmmaking and inspiring young people to write and make art.

Melaina Faranda

Author and teacher Melaina Faranda is passionate about working with young people, helping to foster their creative talent and be inspired by infinite possibilities.

anika

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October 25, 2021

Sarah draws on her years of experience as a novelist and journalist in this very hands-on, practical workshop. She’ll teach techniques to get students’ creativity flowing, as well as concrete, practical tools to create narrative tension, deepen character, and create a sense of immediacy for the reader. She gives comprehensive handouts, 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 works best for a group of the same stage or a group of keen writers across a mix of stages.

Topics covered

  • Free-writing as a brainstorming tool and fast, effective way to write a first draft.
  • The drafting process – how a first draft is different to the final draft.
  • Exercises to flesh out character.
  • Using detail to show rather than tell.
  • Writing a ‘sensory brainstorm’ to generate material to bring a piece of action alive.
  • A strategy for creative writing in an exam.
  • Student Q and A.

Sue Andersen


October 25, 2021

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.

Topics covered

  • A brief demonstration of the process of having a book edited and an embarrassing confession
  • Distinguishing between the art and craft of writing a story
  • Numerous self-editing techniques that can be repeatedly used to improve students’ drafts

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

In this practical workshop, Sarah 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 gives comprehensive handouts, 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 also suitable for keen and focused stage 4 students.

Topics covered

  • 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.
  • A strategy for creative writing in an exam.
  • Student Q and A

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

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.

Topics covered

  • Poetry
  • Performing/public speaking with flair
  • Self-expression

* Workshops Poetry for the Page and Poetry for the Stage can be combined

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

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.

Topics covered

  • Writing from real life
  • Emotive language
  • Poetic devices

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

Lucas’ creative writing session highlights the importance of using spontaneity and imagination to create short, fun-filled stories. This quirky format allows the students to experience the joy of writing without worrying about spelling mistakes and perfect grammar. The focus of the session is finding your voice, then expressing it through story.

“Lucas is a treasure personally and culturally. We are really lucky to have someone with his storytelling skills and gift for entertainment to inspire our students. His connection to his heritage and place was very powerful. The staff responses were glowing. I am like the kids; I only wish we could see him more often!” – Pottsville Beach PS, QLD

Topics covered

  • Finding your writing voice
  • Imagination and creativity
  • Writing with joy
  • Personal and cultural storytelling

Curriculum outcomes

  • Creative writing
  • History/culture
  • Multicultural themes
  • Performing arts

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

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.

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

Indigenous musician and author, Lucas Proudfoot presents a dynamic musical storytelling experience, showcasing dance, cultural diversity and Lucas’ creative process. This highly interactive session is a great way to start a StoryBoard session with Lucas. Students get to know Lucas not only as an author, but also as a live performer who shares positive aspects of music, story & culture.

Topics covered

  • Indigenous Australian culture and history
  • Music
  • Dance
  • Multicultural diversity
  • Storytelling
  • The creative process

Curriculum outcomes

  • History/culture
  • Multicultural themes
  • Performing arts

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

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.

Topics covered

  • Ideas and inspiration
  • Creating characters
  • Plotting and planning

Sue Andersen


October 25, 2021

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.

Topics covered

  • Translating text to image
  • Storyboarding
  • Mockups
  • Drawing to scale
  • Composition
  • Continuity.
  • Use of materials.

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

This workshop uses Laura’s ‘Dream Riders’ horse series as a starting point to explore how grappling with complex or scary feelings – the everyday sort, not the jumping out of a plane sort – can inspire emotionally rich and truthful storytelling. It’s tempting to ignore difficult feelings and ‘put on a happy face’, but shining a light on challenging experiences and feelings can help us develop realistic characters and moving stories which will powerfully connect with others. Laura draws on her extensive experience in running workshops and telling stories for young people to help students tap into where great writing comes from.

Suitable for both keen and reluctant readers/writers.

Topics covered

  • Discussing favourite book/story characters who experience big feelings
  • Role playing/role swapping exercises so students can experience different points of view to inform character and story development
  • Guided individual and group writing exercises for students to ‘put on paper’ what they discovered through role playing and point of view exercises
  • Student Q and A

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

Using text and verbal cues the students will create creatures/monsters based on myths and legends

Michelle will work with collage as a means for the students to create a creature based on a myth. Students will have a collage resource sheet of various animals and textures from which to construct their interpretation of the creature. They will then be assisted to create a drawing based on their collage and place it in a setting.

Students will be encouraged to make the creature their own in terms of interpretation and embellishment and also to start developing an imagined life for the creature and to illustrate that (ie its habitat, diet, likes and dislikes).

This workshop will encourage students to develop a character from a text and introduce them to using collage as both an illustration means in its own right and as a catalyst for other artworks.

The duration and complexity of this workshop can be adapted to the age group of the intended students.

Topics covered

  • Mythical Creature collage to the description
  • Drawing/painting a creature based on the collage
  • And/or using a combination of collage textures and draw features
  • Placing the creature in a setting
  • Character development

Sue Andersen


October 25, 2021

Suspense, thrill, tension. Students learn how to craft scary stories that excite readers. Hakea ties the activities to Tracks of the Missing (Magabala 2022) and uses that to inspire students to create sizzling stories of their own.

Topics covered 

  • Planning for success – inspiration, brainstorm techniques, overcoming writer’s block and using the narrative arc
  • Sizzling starts to hook readers
  • Tightening tension- sentence length, onomatopoeia, chapter cliff-hangers
  • Show, don’t tell
  • Working towards an exciting ending

Curriculum outcomes

  • Writing and representing
  • Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretatively

anika

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October 25, 2021

The outdoors and the outback were the inspiration for CBCA award winning book, Black Cockatoo (Magabala 2018). Hakea takes students through the steps of brainstorming, storyboarding and then finding a way into their short stories by using real life anecdotes from their lives.  

Topics covered

  • Plan for success- Inspiration and narrative arc
  • Reader hooks- sizzling starts to find ways into the story
  • Writing engaging characters- dynamic dialogue
  • Show don’t tell

Curriculum outcomes

  • Writing and representing
  • Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretatively

Sue Andersen

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October 25, 2021

Reluctant readers and writers? The appeal of writing a book in less than 24 lines might hook your students in for the hour. Hakea guides students through the inspiration, structure, choosing the right words and how to use words and images in tandem to create compelling texts. 

This workshop can be modified for Stage 1 & 2 – (1 hr).

Topics covered

  • Inspiration- unique spin on familiar stories
  • Narrative arc
  • Powerful word choices
  • Visual literacy 

Curriculum outcomes

  • Writing and representing
  • Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretatively

anika

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October 25, 2021

Students will walk away from this workshop with a collection of tools to help them brainstorm ideas, overcome writer’s block and craft interesting stories perfect for Australian readers. They will have a list of story ideas that they can use for future writing in class.

Topics covered

  • Inspiration and brainstorm techniques
  • Narrative arc and planning
  • Sizzling starts 
  • Cool characters

Curriculum outcomes

  • Writing and representing
  • Thinking imaginatively, creatively and interpretatively

Sue Andersen

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