Courses
Get started writing, stay the distance, learn from publishing experts
Writing a Life
w/ Arnold ZableDrawing on thirty years of experience both as an acclaimed writer across the genres and as a lecturer and teacher, Arnold Zable’s 6-week program will explore the most imaginative and engaging ways to structure and write a life’s story. It will include writing exercises, feedback, mini-talks, and question and answer sessions.
— May 29, 2024
Kickstart Your Novel
w/ Alice RobinsonThis is where you start: The perfect place to develop both the technical skill and the narrative momentum to really get stuck into the novel you have been dreaming of beginning.
— June 19, 2024
Kickstart Your Memoir
w/ Dr Lee KofmanHave you always wanted to write a memoir, but haven’t been sure where to start? This 8-week course is designed to kickstart your narrative momentum, so that you can really get stuck into the memoir you have been dreaming of writing.
— June 20, 2024
Writing the Essay
w/ Eda GunaydinThis course will teach you the fundamentals of essay writing, while working on your own piece, covering craft essentials including style, subject, structure, tone and argument. From Montaigne on, this malleable, hybrid and ever-evolving form has been a perennial place of experimentation, where the writer can trial ideas, explore the world around them, test statements and pose new questions.
— June 4, 2024
Start to Write
w/ Ruby PorterHave you always wanted to write fiction? Everyone needs to start somewhere, and Start to Write is the course designed to get you across the basics, as you begin to generate ideas and get your very first words down on the page.
— May 21, 2024
Writing the YA Novel
w/ Shivaun Plozza, Bec Kavanagh and guestsYA fiction is amongst the bestselling genres in Australia, read avidly by teenagers and adults alike—but how do you start writing for this highly engaged community of readers? In this special course, you will carefully study YA’s complex set of rules and conventions, while working towards completing a full first draft of your manuscript.
— October 2, 2024
Writing Crime Fiction
w/ Ashley Kalagian Blunt and guests including writers Chris Hammer and Sulari GentillSuccessful crime fiction writers may find their work on bestseller lists and even making the leap to movie and television screens. The writing can be hardboiled, action-packed, even philosophical in nature, making crime fiction a diverse genre. This course will take you through the fundamentals of crime fiction, while affording you space to develop your own craft.
— June 19, 2024
Writing Romance and Realistic Intimacy
w/ Maame BlueIntimate relationships are the centre of so many of the stories we wish to tell. How do we make connections – figurative and physical – between characters realistic? In this exciting short course, you’ll focus on the ins and outs of writing romance, developing your skills in crafting characters and scenes.
— June 20, 2024
Author to Author: Mentorship and Editorial Program
w/ Ceridwen Dovey, Mireille Juchau, Harrison Christian or Lauren Aimee CurtisProject plan your manuscript with one-on-one consultations with a leading writer.
You will be paired with a leading author for a series of fortnightly one-on-one consultation sessions to discuss your work, and help you negotiate the roadblocks and challenges you might be facing.
Writing a Speculative Fiction Novel
w/ Kaaron Warren, J.S. Breukelaar and guestsFor emerging fantasy, science fiction and horror novelists ready to dive in and commit to completing a novel, this rigorous three-stage course will guide you through the process of planning and beginning, applying essential skills in writing (and reading) to the specialised art of speculative fiction, as well as establishing a dedicated writing practice toward completion of your project.
— April 12, 2025
Writing a Novel Online
w/ Vivian Pham and guestsFor emerging novelists ready to dive in and make the commitment to complete a full manuscript, this rigorous three-stage course will guide you through the process of planning and beginning your novel, developing essential skills in writing and composition, as well as establishing a dedicated writing practice.
— April 12, 2025
Writing Historical Fiction
w/ Lauren Chater and guestsA fascination with history can be transformed into daring works of fiction. In this course, writers will discover opportunities to illuminate the past and learn how to shape and write compelling fiction based on rich historical sources. Whether your goal is to write short stories, a novella, or a full-length manuscript, this program will help open your mind to the creative possibilities of historical fiction.
— September 24, 2024
Writing Short Stories
w/ Laura ElveryShort story writing requires an incredibly sharp skill set. This course will be your opportunity to shape a short story over the space of three weeks with award-winning author Laura Elvery, learning the tips and tricks necessary to crafting a captivating work of short fiction.
— August 21, 2024