Writing Workshops
Develop your writing skills! We've got a range of workshops planned, run by both local and visiting authors. Numbers are limited for most of these, so book now! NB You need to be a member of the con to reserve a place; if you haven't joined yet, you can still register you interest with this form, but that won't hold your place in the queue. Further details to follow.
Juliet Marillier on Voice
Your Writer's Voice: Finding it and using it for great storytelling.
Sean Williams on Collaboration
An intensive, hands-on collaborative experience designed to lay down the rules and encourage people to give it a go.
Ripley Patton on Flash Fiction
Writing very short fiction for fun and profit with Ripley Patton.
Russell Kirkpatrick on Worldbuilding
Think worldbuilding doesn't matter? I have one word for you: Avatar. Long
after the rather cliched plot and characters fade from the memory, Pandora
remains. Come and learn how to build worlds that matter.
Getting published in NZ
Is it worth it? How does the NZ publishing scene work? Tim Jones gives a brief introduction on the publishing scene in New Zealand, and answers any questions you might have.
The Story Tree
Peter Friend presents The Magic Tree - an interactive group exercise for creating story ideas out of nothing, by rubbing writers' brains together until they burst into (creative) flame.
Fast Writing, Revision, and the Muse
Jay Lake on the myths of writing and craft, and how to get out of your own way .
Nicole Murphy on Characterisation
Kurt Vonnegut's second rule is 'Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for'. How do you do that? Bring a character with you and let's see how we can make them stand out from the crowd.
From first draft to final version
Jeena Murphy on how to work your first draft into a well honed, polished, and shaped masterpiece. This session will cover further drafts, including pacing, description, and incorporating reader's feedback.
Blurbs: sell your story in twenty words or less
Explain in that letter-to-the-editor why your book is publishable - in two sentences.
Booking Form
Is now offline. See the registration desk!
