Winter Writing School
The Dan Davin Literary Foundation is pleased to announce the timetable for this year’s Winter Writing School with experienced workshop tutors Sue Wootton and James Brown. This year’s workshops focus on both poetry writing and short story writing and cater for all levels.
The student workshops are designed for those students with an interest in creative writing and include two sessions each for Years 9-11 and Years 12-13. The first block is being tutored by Sue Wootton at Northern Southland College. The second block will be held in Invercargill and tutored by James Brown. Students are encouraged to attend both days if possible so they can gain valuable insight into the craft of creative writing. Spaces are limited so register your interest early.
Four adult workshops will be held over two weekends. The first weekend tutored by Sue Wootton and the second by James Brown. These workshops cost $35 each or people can attend all four for $120. As with the student workshops, these sessions will cover poetry and short story writing with Sue focusing on contemporary poetry and character and James focusing on workshopping participants’ pieces.
For more information about any of the Foundation’s activities and to register for any of these workshops please contact the Dan Davin Literary Foundation Co-ordinator Becs on 027 2252 664 or dandavin@xtra.co.nz.
The student workshops are designed for those students with an interest in creative writing and include two sessions each for Years 9-11 and Years 12-13. The first block is being tutored by Sue Wootton at Northern Southland College. The second block will be held in Invercargill and tutored by James Brown. Students are encouraged to attend both days if possible so they can gain valuable insight into the craft of creative writing. Spaces are limited so register your interest early.
Four adult workshops will be held over two weekends. The first weekend tutored by Sue Wootton and the second by James Brown. These workshops cost $35 each or people can attend all four for $120. As with the student workshops, these sessions will cover poetry and short story writing with Sue focusing on contemporary poetry and character and James focusing on workshopping participants’ pieces.
For more information about any of the Foundation’s activities and to register for any of these workshops please contact the Dan Davin Literary Foundation Co-ordinator Becs on 027 2252 664 or dandavin@xtra.co.nz.
Adult Workshops
Sat 13th 10-4.30 - Adult Poetry Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
But why doesn’t it rhyme?
This is a workshop designed to appeal to anyone interested in reading or writing poetry. Where have all the rhymes gone in modern poetry? We’ll look at some contemporary poems to find out, and then use our findings to write some work of our own.
A short reading list will be provided before the workshop.
Sun 14th 10-4.30 - Adult Short Story with Sue Wootton
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Getting your characters walking and talking
Love a good story? Admire a graceful writing style? Wish your own writing was as elegant? Then this workshop is for you!
We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse.
A short reading list will be provided before the workshop.
Sat 20th 10-4.30 - Adult Poetry with James Brown
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon Tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Poetry Session Adults
There will be some in-class writing, but most of the session will involve a group discussion of the poems people bring to share. There will be two poetry writing exercises for people to work on before the workshop, but people can also bring along copies of another of their poems to share with the group. Depending on numbers, there should be time for everyone to share two poems.
Sun 21st 10-4.30 - Adult Short Story with James Brown
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon Tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Short Fiction Adults
The session will involve a group discussion of the piece of short fiction people bring to share with the group. There will be a short fiction exercise for people to work on before the workshop. People are also welcome to bring along another piece of short fiction to share, but it should be no longer than two pages and there is no guarantee that time will permit us to workshop both pieces.
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
But why doesn’t it rhyme?
This is a workshop designed to appeal to anyone interested in reading or writing poetry. Where have all the rhymes gone in modern poetry? We’ll look at some contemporary poems to find out, and then use our findings to write some work of our own.
A short reading list will be provided before the workshop.
Sun 14th 10-4.30 - Adult Short Story with Sue Wootton
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Getting your characters walking and talking
Love a good story? Admire a graceful writing style? Wish your own writing was as elegant? Then this workshop is for you!
We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse.
A short reading list will be provided before the workshop.
Sat 20th 10-4.30 - Adult Poetry with James Brown
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon Tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Poetry Session Adults
There will be some in-class writing, but most of the session will involve a group discussion of the poems people bring to share. There will be two poetry writing exercises for people to work on before the workshop, but people can also bring along copies of another of their poems to share with the group. Depending on numbers, there should be time for everyone to share two poems.
Sun 21st 10-4.30 - Adult Short Story with James Brown
Cost - $35; Invercargill Public Library – Meeting room; Morning & afternoon Tea provided; Bring your own lunch.
Short Fiction Adults
The session will involve a group discussion of the piece of short fiction people bring to share with the group. There will be a short fiction exercise for people to work on before the workshop. People are also welcome to bring along another piece of short fiction to share, but it should be no longer than two pages and there is no guarantee that time will permit us to workshop both pieces.
Student Workshops
Mon 15th 9-12 - Junior Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
“Charming it crazy”
What makes a poem really sing? We’ll look at some weird and wonderful poems to understand their magic. Then we’ll use our findings to write some work of our own.
This is a fun, stimulating workshop, suitable for anyone interested in the power of words. Whether you’ve written many poems, or you’ve written none but would like to try, this is a great way to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional poet.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Mon 15th 1-4pm - Senior Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
“Charming it crazy”
What makes a poem really sing? We’ll look at some weird and wonderful poems to understand their magic. Then we’ll use our findings to write some work of our own.
This is a fun, stimulating workshop, suitable for anyone interested in the power of words. Whether you’ve written many poems, or you’ve written none but would like to try, this is a great way to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional poet.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Tues 16th 9-12 - Junior Workshop with Sue Wotton
Cost - Free;Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
People are stories
This is a workshop about storytelling. We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse. It’s suitable for anyone interested in the power of language, whether you’ve written lots of stories already, or would like to try. This is a wonderful opportunity to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional writer.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Tues 16th 1-4 - Senior Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumdsen; Refreshments provided
People are stories
This is a workshop about storytelling. We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse. It’s suitable for anyone interested in the power of language, whether you’ve written lots of stories already, or would like to try. This is a wonderful opportunity to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional writer.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Mon 22nd, 9-12 - Junior Workshop with James Brown
Mon 22nd 1-4pm Senior Workshop with James Brown
Tues 23rd 9-12 - Junior Workshop with James Brown
Tues 23rd 1-4pm - Senior Workshop with James Brown
Cost - Free; Invercargill Public Library – Training room; Refreshments provided
Student Sessions
There will be some in-class writing, but both sessions will involve a group discussion of the piece of writing students bring to share. There will be two writing exercises (one poetry and one short fiction) for students to work on before the workshops, but they can also bring along one of their own poems or two pages of short fiction to share with the group if they chose.
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
“Charming it crazy”
What makes a poem really sing? We’ll look at some weird and wonderful poems to understand their magic. Then we’ll use our findings to write some work of our own.
This is a fun, stimulating workshop, suitable for anyone interested in the power of words. Whether you’ve written many poems, or you’ve written none but would like to try, this is a great way to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional poet.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Mon 15th 1-4pm - Senior Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
“Charming it crazy”
What makes a poem really sing? We’ll look at some weird and wonderful poems to understand their magic. Then we’ll use our findings to write some work of our own.
This is a fun, stimulating workshop, suitable for anyone interested in the power of words. Whether you’ve written many poems, or you’ve written none but would like to try, this is a great way to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional poet.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Tues 16th 9-12 - Junior Workshop with Sue Wotton
Cost - Free;Northern Southland College, Lumsden; Refreshments provided
People are stories
This is a workshop about storytelling. We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse. It’s suitable for anyone interested in the power of language, whether you’ve written lots of stories already, or would like to try. This is a wonderful opportunity to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional writer.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Tues 16th 1-4 - Senior Workshop with Sue Wootton
Cost - Free; Northern Southland College, Lumdsen; Refreshments provided
People are stories
This is a workshop about storytelling. We will look at how some of the world’s best authors have handled the portrayal of character. Then we will apply our findings in some writing of our own.
This enjoyable and stimulating workshop will help you find and feed your storytelling muse. It’s suitable for anyone interested in the power of language, whether you’ve written lots of stories already, or would like to try. This is a wonderful opportunity to mix with like-minded others, and get feedback from a professional writer.
Feed your creativity – write!
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
Mon 22nd, 9-12 - Junior Workshop with James Brown
Mon 22nd 1-4pm Senior Workshop with James Brown
Tues 23rd 9-12 - Junior Workshop with James Brown
Tues 23rd 1-4pm - Senior Workshop with James Brown
Cost - Free; Invercargill Public Library – Training room; Refreshments provided
Student Sessions
There will be some in-class writing, but both sessions will involve a group discussion of the piece of writing students bring to share. There will be two writing exercises (one poetry and one short fiction) for students to work on before the workshops, but they can also bring along one of their own poems or two pages of short fiction to share with the group if they chose.
Students are encouraged to attend both sessions.
About Sue Wootton
Sue Wootton is an award-winning poet and writer. Her story ‘Virtuoso’ won selection in the 2008 NZ Book Month ‘Six Pack’ anthology, and she has twice been a finalist in the BNZ Katherine Mansfield short story competition. Her poetry has been won several international poetry competitions including the Inverawe (Australia), Takahe, and NZ Poetry Society competitions. Recently, her poem ‘Wild’ shared second prize in the 2013 International Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine.
In 2008 Sue held the Robert Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago. She was awarded the 2012 NZ Society of Authors Mid-career grant. An experienced creative writing tutor, she has published three collections of poetry, a collection of short stories and a book for children. She is currently writing a novel.
Further information about Sue is available on her website: suewootton.com
In 2008 Sue held the Robert Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago. She was awarded the 2012 NZ Society of Authors Mid-career grant. An experienced creative writing tutor, she has published three collections of poetry, a collection of short stories and a book for children. She is currently writing a novel.
Further information about Sue is available on her website: suewootton.com
About James Brown
James Brown’s five poetry collections are Go Round Power Please (winner of the Jessie Mackay Best First Book of Poetry Award), Lemon, Favourite Monsters, The Year of the Bicycle, and Warm Auditorium. He is the author behind the useful, non-fiction booklet Instructions for Poetry Readings and, in 2005, edited The Nature of Things: Poems from the New Zealand Landscape. He teaches the Poetry Writing workshop at the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University, and is part of the Writing Team at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum.
James’ first two collections were shortlisted in the 2002 Prize in Modern Letters and he has been a finalist in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards three times. He has held the 1994 Louis Johnson New Writers Bursary, a 2000 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship, and was Writer in Residence at Canterbury University in 2001 and Victoria University in 2004. He lives in Wellington with his partner and two children.
James’ first two collections were shortlisted in the 2002 Prize in Modern Letters and he has been a finalist in the Montana New Zealand Book Awards three times. He has held the 1994 Louis Johnson New Writers Bursary, a 2000 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship, and was Writer in Residence at Canterbury University in 2001 and Victoria University in 2004. He lives in Wellington with his partner and two children.