WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS OR CHILDREN:
Elaine Ouston holds a Master of Letters (MLitt) from Central Queensland University, and is a published author of a number of books for children. She edits and sets up books for self-publishing at Gondor Writer' Centre and organises literary festivals through Australian Literary Festivals and Book Fairs. Visit the website for more information: www.austlitfest.com.
She is an experienced writing tutor, editor and designer, and has had many recommendations from students for her workshops. These workshops can be adjusted to suit any age group and length of time. Turning your idea into a story: Exploring the building blocks that make a compelling story that no one can put down. The course includes, establishing the best point of view for your story, the importance of setting, and much more. Waking your imagination: This workshop will help you turn that idea into a story everyone will want to read by showing you how to add excitement, depth and intrigue. Creating a wondrous setting When we read a novel with a graphic description of the setting, we are transported to that place. If the description is too brief, then we have no idea what physical situation our characters are in and we lose interest. The use of our 5 senses is very important to create a sense of place. In this workshop, you will be given examples of how that is done and exercises on creating a setting that transports us to the place. Creating memorable characters: Developing strong, believable characters that your reader either loves or hates ... depending on your intention, is vital. Many writers make the mistake of having characters who are too similar to each other and not well enough developed. Humans are not the same; we are multidimensional beings. This workshop examines the many personality types we meet and shows you how to portray them effectively. For crime and mystery writers, the character workshop includes an examination of criminal types and what drives them to commit crimes. Plotting your story: This workshop will cover the importance of structure. It doesn’t matter if you are a ‘plotter’ or a ‘pantser’ this workshop will help make sure your story flows and doesn’t go off track. Writing believable dialogue: Making the dialogue suit your character, add depth to the scene, and show emotion is an important part of making your character believable. We will examine ways to do that. Keeping them Hooked: What will make your reader stayed glued to the pages until their eyes can’t stay open anymore? We examine the six key things that will help you achieve that Strengthening your writing: The use of word pictures, metaphors and similes, show not tell, and the ability to create rising tension are all important tools. How to use these tools to create your masterpiece is covered in this workshop. Editing your masterpiece: This 2 day workshop takes you through all the things a publisher’s editor will be looking for and helps you polish the story till it shines. Publishing: We examine all your publishing options and help you create a killer synopsis, perfect pitch and submission letter. Marketing: We cover the importance of having a public profile before you publish and how to achieve that, along with ways to sell your book once it is published. |
WRITING FOR CHILDREN - CHAPTER BOOKS FOR EARLY READERS AND MIDDLE GRADE:
Writing for children requires as much, if not more skill and perception than writing for adults. Many people believe it is easier than writing for adults. This is not so. Early readers: Because the story length for early readers is limited, knowing what to put in and what to leave out is the most important factor. We will look at popular chapter books and explore what makes them the success they are, and examine the plot lines and language needed to excite this group of beginning readers. Middle Grade Fiction: You have more words and can go deeper into the character's profile and the story's theme in your middle grade stories but knowing how to use language they understand and how to excite and intrigue them takes skills and knowledge. We will examine the popular books in this genre, look at what makes them so popular, and explore the plots and language needed to excite these readers and keep them glued to the page. WRITING FOR CHILDREN - PICTURE BOOKS: Many people think writing picture books is easy. After all, they only have a small number of words. But writing an exciting story that will grip the young reader and make them want them to hear more is not as easy as it looks. Like all writing, technical skills are needed. A good picture book text has vivid characters and strong action, just like any good story. The difference is not just that a picture book is shorter than, say, a chapter book, or middle grade novel. The difference is more subtle. We all have a wealth of stories to tell and one of the great joys is to be able to write those stories for others. INTRODUCTION TO SHORT STORY: How do you tell your story in a limited number of words and make it as interesting, exciting, and memorable as a novel? The course will introduce writers to the craft of short fiction. We will be examining the structure that makes a short story powerful. And learning what to leave in and what to take out without spoiling the story. WRITERS' BOOTCAMP - DEVELOPING YOUR STORY INTO A BLOCKBUSTER: We will examine the construction of a few best sellers and learning what it was that made them that way. Bestselling novels and appear in all genres. In the juvenile fiction category, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones come to mind. In the adult category, The Godfather, Gone With the Wind, and The Thorn Birds are just a few. No matter what you are writing, children's fiction, romance, or adult fiction, you have one goal; to write a book that the reader can't stop reading until the end and everyone will want to buy. In this intensive workshop, you will learn how to develop the 7 things that make a bestseller. MEMOIR: We all have a wealth of stories to tell and one of the great joys is to be able to write those stories for others. The challenge is to express those stories with excitement and panache so that our readers can’t put the story down. We also need to know how to research the period to get the facts right. This workshop will examine your research options and the most effective way to use the research to write a story that others will love. Contact Elaine for a firm quote. |