Welcome a writer into your school

I delight in teaching young people the craft of writing in order to make their writing easier and more effective. I help to inspire them with the joy of discovering their own words and creativity and the excitement of harnessing their imaginations and communicating their ideas, thoughts and feelings to others.

Self expression is an affirmation of identity and writing is one of the best ways children can learn about their uniqueness and what connects them to other people.

My experience in writing and publishing allows me to show how rewarding and diverse writing can be as a career. Young people are intrigued to discover that putting words on paper, if it is done well, can open the door to the world inside the writer’s head and heart and to the outside world



To suit your particular school situation and the requirements of your students I offer two options.

1. Group talks of any size and age – 45mins

I am skilled at adapting my material to suit your needs and the age of your students. They will enjoy and benefit from my talking on the following topics:

  • What it is like to be a writer of fiction and non-fiction in Queensland;
  • The fascinating careers available in writing and publishing;
  • The writing and publishing process: from idea to manuscript.


2. Specialised workshops of 8-12 students

I suggest two 90 minute periods and a maximum of 12 students who are particularly interested in writing.


In this workshop situation I can immerse your students in the writing process. Using their own experiences and interests they will learn how to switch on their creative minds and experience the pleasure of seeing their words and ideas flow easily onto the page. Then, using their analytical minds, they will learn how to craft and improve those words by applying narrative skills such as characterisation, scene setting, clarifying and cutting.

What your students will gain:
  • The opportunity to talk with a published writer of both fiction and non-fiction who also runs a Writers’ Consultancy helping other writers to bring their works to fruition.
  • An appreciation that writing requires creative freedom and strong discipline;
  • The techniques that will help them write more effectively, whether it be a short story, a critical essay, or a poem;
  • The valuable insight that their free-form writing enables self discovery and empowerment;
  • An understanding of the writing process from idea to publication;
  • An appreciation of different career paths involving writing.




How do you teach a teenager to write a short story? Do you introduce plot or character first? In my experience teachers generally work first with plot, because it seems more logical and is also easier to teach.

But this can be inhibiting for your more creative students and can result in dull writing. I can show you how to stimulate and excite your students by encouraging them to delve first into character and from there into story. This is a more organic and open way of writing which is particularly suited to the imaginative student.

Read More about The Art of Story Telling


Fees:
Per school session (max. 1 hour) $350
Per half day (max. 1.5 hours) $485
Plus travel costs: car subsidy 60c per km
travel time $20 per hour

Contact Rose