Make 'em laugh, make 'em cry - put a zing in your story and make it memorable!

Adding warmth and vibrancy to your writing is a skill you can learn. In this workshop, author and poet Tess Rowley will help you paint a picture with words. If you're thinking of writing your life story, she'll get you started and show how to add colour to your life experiences.

Tess will discuss different styles of writing to touch hearts and minds. Your words can have a lasting effect on future readers, whether it's your family or a wider audience.

Thanks to generous donations, a number of places in this workshop will be made available at partial or full subsidy via Queensland Writers Centre's Fellowship & Access Fund, which supports members from diverse backgrounds and financially disadvantaged situations to access programs and services. To apply, please contact Queensland Writers Centre at admin@qldwriters.org.au for further information.

Learning outcomes

In this workshop, senior writers both experienced and new will learn more about:

creating imagery in writing
exploring words to add warmth and colour
increasing emotional connection with your audience

Format

This is an in-person workshop with a focus on craft; it will be held in-person at Queensland Writers Centre, State Library of Queensland. As a Level 1 workshop, it is suitable for all writers.

About Tess

Tess has written poems and stories since she was ‘knee high to a grasshopper’. She was the poet in residence at Brisbane Expo and has appeared at the Woodford Folk Festival, Queensland. In 2019 she received an award in the National Hope Literary Prize, (Brotherhood of St Laurence), with her short-story, ‘The Girl Who Wanted To Paint The Moon.’

Her lifelong work in the area of child and family support has been a guiding focus for her writing of many children’s books for Government / nongovernment organisations. With previous book titles such as, ‘I Feel Scared When Mum & Dad Fight', ‘My Friend Gordon,’ ‘Touches and Feelings’ and the award winning, ‘Everyone’s Got A Bottom’, Tess gives voice and acceptance to ‘hard to talk about’ subjects. She received a Lord Mayor’s Australia Day Achievement Award in 2019 for ‘services in the community --children’s author’, and was the recipient of the Queensland Writers Centre Johnno Award, 2022, for ‘outstanding contribution to the writing culture in Queensland.’.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info