Writing Technique Descriptors

Boundary Riding: Different Forms for Young Readers

10.30am Saturday 30 August
Kate De Goldi

Writing and publishing for children most often settles around familiar forms – stories, novels, poetry, educational non-fiction, and comics. But what about the personal essay, flash non-fiction, multi-modal narratives, personal art responses, narrative board games, language adventures that are not quite poetry or prose? This workshop will explore the imaginative extension possible for both writer and young reader when traditional forms are pushed, prodded, and sometimes abandoned…

Senses and Setting

1pm Saturday 30 August
Catherine Chidgey

Drawing on the senses can be a powerful means of both building a believable narrator and evoking a three-dimensional setting. Novelist Catherine Chidgey shares some examples of short stories that demonstrate this skill, before leading a series of bespoke exercises for beginner to intermediate level writers. Participants will leave with a wealth of new material to be shaped into a short story – or even a piece of creative non-fiction.

Creative Non-fiction: People and Place

3pm Saturday 30 August
Harry Ricketts

We all have people and places that are special to us, that preoccupy us, lift us, puzzle us, haunt us. This class encourages you to write about people and places special to you through a combination of discussion, short exercises and workshopping.

Self-editing and Revision for Writers

10am Sunday 1 September
Simon Minto

This session looks at ways to polish writing and identify and remove empty text. Using a published story, it will explore ways to keep sentences active and make the language sparkle in the mind of the reader.

The Young Eye: Voice and Perspective

11.30am Sunday 1 September
Kate De Goldi

‘Children are new, though we are not,’ wrote the legendary children’s publisher, Ursula Nordstrum, and much of the great children’s fiction has at its heart a watchful child, scoping the wonder, puzzle, and absurdity of the new – adult driven – world they find themselves in. This workshop will explore the fictional child’s point-of-view and the business of ‘voice’, a mysterious alchemy of subject matter, point-of-view, tone, rhythm, and language.

Plotting for a Great Story

2pm Sunday 1 September
Leeanna Morgan

Do you have an awesome idea but don’t know how to transform it into a great story? Join Leeanna Morgan as she combines Michael Hauge’s six-stage plot structure with a grid board and sticky notes to create the perfect visual journey of where your story is going. Suitable for all levels and forms of writing.

Writing Techniques Presenters

The Writing Technique stream caters for a range of writers. There are sessions on writing for children, non-fiction, fiction writing and self-editing.

Kate De Goldi

Kate De Goldi writes fiction for all ages. She has been a recipient of the Michael King Writer’s Fellowship and twice winner of New Zealand Post Children’s Book of the Year. Her most recent novel, From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle, won the Esther Glen Award in 2016.Kate teaches creative writing at schools throughout New Zealand and in 2019 will begin teaching a new course at Massey University, Writing for Children.  She is co-editor, with Susan Paris, of ANNUAL and ANNUAL 2, literary miscellanies for 9-13 year olds. In 2018, Kate and Susan, in association with Massey University Press, established the children’s imprint Annual Ink, which this year produced its first novel for children, Hazel and the Snails by Nan Blanchard.
Kate will be presenting two sessions on writing for children. She will also present the keynote speech on Saturday morning and will represent Annual Ink on the publishing panel.

Catherine Chidgey

Catherine Chidgey will be presenting a session on senses and setting. Catherine’s bio is here.

Photo credit: Helen Mayall

Harry Ricketts

Harry Ricketts will be presenting a session on creative nonfiction. Harry’s bio is here.

Simon Minto

Simon Minto will be presenting a session on self-editing. Simon’s bio is here.

Leeanna Morgan

Leeanna Morgan will be presenting a session on plot. She will also be presenting a number of publishing sessions. Leeanna’s bio is available here.

Publishing Presenters

The publishing stream focuses on information about publishing, with ebook publishing covered on Saturday and print publishing on Sunday.

Jim Azevedo

Jim Azevedo is the marketing director at Smashwords, the largest distributor of self-published ebooks. Since 2008, Smashwords has helped more than 140,000 authors, publishers and literary agents around the world release over 500,00 titles and distribute their work globally to top ebook retailers, subscription services and public libraries. Jim, a convert from Silicon Valley’s tech industry, brings a unique perspective to Smashwords’ indie ethos cultivated from his 17 years drumming, recording and touring with a local punk/metal/hard rock band.  Twitter:  @Smashwords or @jazzervedo. Jim will be joining us from San Diego via the powers of technology. He will present a webinar on current ebook trends.

Leeanna Morgan

Leeanna Morgan’s debut novel was published in 2014. Since then, she has published 32 contemporary romance novels and become a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys the creative and business side of writing and, as an indie-author, looks forward to growing an even more successful writing career. With more than $1 million dollars in sales, self-publishing has given Leeanna opportunities she never thought possible. Sharing what she has learned with other writers adds value to her life and makes her feel proud to be a New Zealand author. For more information visit: www.leeannamorgan.com Leeanna will present two sessions on preparing and uploading ebooks, as well as a session on print on demand. She will also present a session on plot in the writing techniques stream.

Eboni Waitere

Eboni Waitere’s iwi affiliations are Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangitāne. She is the Executive Director at HUIA Publishers. HUIA strives to contribute to the awareness, education and understanding of Māori perspectives. Eboni will present a session on traditional publishing, as well as a conversation about cultural considerations in writing. She will also represent HUIA publishers on the publishing panel.