Once Upon a Page: The Joy of Writing Middle Grade Fiction with Deborah Abela

Learn about the craft and joy of writing middle grade books from the author of 30 award-winning internationally published books.

Writing is one big gamble. A gamble that the idea is any good, that we can make it work, that publishers will contract it and readers love it. But we do it, like drivers heading off into a foggy night.

Join Deborah Abela, author of 30 kids’ books, as she shares her experience of untangling those ideas. She'll take you through a series of activities to help your writing shine and get you to create compelling stories and characters that middle grade readers will love.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will learn:

• How to create characters who feel and sound real.

• How to build tension by raising the stakes.

• How to ensure you have the three main ingredients to build an engaging, page-turning story.

• The special considerations you have to make when writing a novel for middle grade readers.

Format

This is an online workshop with a focus on craft; it will be hosted via Zoom. This workshop is suitable for middle grade writers of all levels and writing backgrounds.
      

About Deborah

Deborah is a trained teacher and internationally published, award-winning author of 30 children’s books. Her latest novels are CBCA Notables The Book of Wondrous Possibilities and The Kindness Project, and her newest picture book is No More Room in the Bed. She is the current recipient of the Lady Cutler Award for Distinguished Services to Children’s Literature 2026-2027.

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