Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival – The Writers Room
Next Occurrence: Friday, 2nd May 2025
9:00am to 4:00pm
Description
The Writers Room program at Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART offers a range of workshops all weekend.
Schedule:
Friday 2 May: Working Up Stream – Adapting Novels for the Screen with Jock Serong; Flash Fiction: the art of writing tiny, beautiful stories with award winning author Gillian O’Shaughnessy and Masterclass: Writing Fearlessly with Charlotte Wood;
Saturday 3 May: learn how to bring your experiences in the natural world to life on the page at Stories in Nature with Dr Inga Simpson (Willowman, The Last Woman in the World, The Thinning); Writing identity and the self , facilitated by 2024 Dorothy Hewett Award award-winning queer Filipino poet Kaya Ortiz. The Philosophy of Life with Professor A.C. Grayling promises a lively, no-holds-barred philosophical showdown! In this interactive session, the audience ask the questions, and rockstar philosopher Professor A.C. Grayling challenges assumptions, unpacks big ideas, and turns deep thinking into an art form.
Sunday 4 May: In the Memoir Masterclass with Peter Godwinwriters will learn essential techniques for researching their story and structuring narrative effectively, with valuable tips from Godwin’s experience to transform personal experiences into compelling prose. Award-winning author Molly Schmidt (Salt River Road) presents a dynamic workshop on creative non-fiction writing Life story and non-linear storytelling,sharing her toolkit, blending poetry and experimental techniques to bring colour and heart to non-fiction life story.
If your manuscript is begging to be finished or are you stuck on a plot twist or character development? The last session, Manuscript Speed Dating, offers budding writers the unique opportunity to gain expert insight, receive valuable feedback, and hear firsthand from published authors as they share their top tips and insights into the writing and publishing process. Join Chris Flynn, Jane Caro, and Peter Godwin, alongside ECU Creative Writing Associate Professor Donna Mazza, as they explore technique and craft. This offers the opportunity to connect with publishers in person.
