The Great Write Inn

The Great Write Inn was originally a Weekend for Writers held 16-17 October 2021

All of the Masterclasses were filmed and are now available at the Great Write Inn On-line Classroom. 

Please copy this link into your browser: 

https://the-great-write-inn.te...

Looking for some inspiration to ignite your passion as a story teller?

If you have always wanted to write "something" but didn't know where to start, come with us on a Writer's Adventure. 

This event is designed to be safely enjoyed at Level 2+ (with less than 30 attendees) with adequate room for personal space and comfort. 

Introducing the Writer's Matrix

Explore an exquisitely preserved Edwardian Home. This building was gifted to the people of Dunedin by the Theomin Family and is an inspirational place of music, art and now literature. 

Take a special Guided Writer's Tour of Olveston Historic Home in Dunedin, New Zealand - only 10 guests/per tour will be allowed. 

Be enchanted by the fabrics, wallpapers, customs, objects and daily life of those living in the Edwardian Era (1901 - 1914) in Dunedin, New Zealand. 

Take photos or notes and capture moments of brilliance to get those creative juices flowing.

The Great Write Inn is designed for Level 2+, to ensure we can go ahead.

This event will only be post-poned if we are at Level 3 or Level 4.

Video and images kindly provided by Olveston Historic Home, Dunedin

Choose a Room, create a Character and involve an Object
Inspired by the Mystery Game Cluedo, entering our Writer's Matrix focuses your imagination on this beautiful building as a unique setting for a story. 

We'll guide you through the process of choosing a Room, creating a Character and involving an Object to create a unique story in any genre. 

Learn how to craft a Short Story from our Experienced Tutors
Learn tips from experienced and seasoned professionals who will guide you through your writer's journey. 

Our weekend of learning kicks off with the vibrant and alluring Amy Scott who will guide you through creating compelling and authentic characters.

Our next guest Tutor, Fiona Farrell will help bring rooms to life to craft a realistic setting for your story.

The morning's session concludes with master story teller Catherine Chidgey, who will teach you how to give power to objects in the Edwardian Era.

For the entire two-day Great Write Inn programme, we have hand-picked some of New Zealand's best creative writing tutors and inspirational speakers to take your writing to the next level. 

                                  [Scroll down for Speaker profiles]

Saturday 16 October 2021 - Morning Programme Details

Saturday 16 October 2021 - Afternoon and Evening Programme 
After leaving Olveston at 1 pm, we'll drive/walk 2 km down the hill and re-convene nearby in another one of Dunedin's Heritage Buildings - 8 Stafford Street. 

Once a tannery, now transformed into a collaborative workspace for Dunedin's creative community - this is an inspiring place for writers to converge and write. 

Starting on the ground floor in the beautiful Lantern Room, participants will enjoy lunch and networking at Level 1. Or if we are at Level 2, the number of guests will be restricted so we can be seated at small, individual tables and served all beverages and meals. 

The afternoon session starts with Master Story Teller Diane Brown on how to plot your 1500 - 2000 word short-story, script, poem or graphic novel to engage your readers in an immersive story. 

Diane is a creative writing legend of Dunedin's Literary Community and this is a rare chance to spend time with a fantastic teacher. We have released a few individual tickets as well. 

Let 'The Great Write Inn' begin! 

On Saturday afternoon, after expert advice from Diane, settle in with your fellow writers for a couple of hours of writing bliss. 

Enliven your writing senses, tune into the uplifting vibe of a creative writer's community but most importantly write, write and then write some more!

Enjoy the excitement of planning and creating a gripping story using the Character, Room and Object(s) you have chosen from your immersion in Edwardian Historic Home. 

Listen to the unique and happy sounds of the Great Write Inn, where for a few brief hours, the entire Petridish Building will vibrate with pens scratching on paper and the clickity-click-clack of fresh, inspired, creative writing.

The Great Write Inn is perfect for beginner writers or experienced authors needing some fresh inspiration, motivation and upskilling.

Prepare to be buoyed by the collective power of an engaged writer's community - the magic of a small live event! 

Saturday 16 October Evening Programme: Eat. Meet. Laugh. Stay. 

EAT & MEET - SAFELY AT LEVEL 2+

For the lucky few live Event attendees - we will enjoy Southern Hospitality.

This is a social function, hosted at Level 2.

This means all guests need to be seated at their tables and will be individually served drinks and meals. Because we love fresh and local, all meals are cooked and delivered on-site by Kate, Jess and the crew from The Dish Cafe and Bar.

This social time is beneficial to help writer's share their voice and their stories in a safe and fun space, by writer's for writers. 

Saturday lunch and dinner meals are sold separately so we can cater for exact numbers and preferences and deliver meals to a named seating plan.

Being Level 2 ready means we can be highly responsive and have sufficient staff to look after you in a timely manner. 

Catering for gluten free, vegetarian and other dietary options will be available if advised when booking. 

A cash cafe and bar is on site for purchasing cafe-style coffees, milk-shakes, sweet treats, beer, wine and other refreshments from the crew @The Dish.  

Sunday 17 October 2021: Day 2 Theme PublishMe

Session 1: Looking after 'me' as a writer

Start the day with our FREE Self-Care programme for Writers, with Dr Julia Anne. 

She'll share tips and tricks for tuning into the writer you were born to be, how to stay motivated, focused and productive. 

This is designed as a nurturing, supportive session for writer's who want to re-discover their own authentic voice.

This session will be live-streamed, for free, direct on to our You Tube Channel, so that writers from all over New Zealand can join in. 

If you would like to join in from home, you must register so we can email you the Great Write Inn's private You Tube Channel. This opens at 7.55 - and closes about 8.55 am Sunday 17 October 2021.

Live in The Lantern Room, there is the option for 10 writers to share excerpts from your story so far in our Open Mic session. This session is free for writers who have plunged The Matrix. 

Session 2: PublishMe: Edit, Format, Publish, Market and sell your books.

Writing a book is hard, but marketing and selling it are even harder and many authors give up, after their first book.

This next session is for writer's who may have already self-published but are looking for the "what next?"

Join our Community Session on Editing, Formatting, Publishing, Marketing and selling your books. 

If you're serious about taking a short-cut to understand the steps you need to take to see your words in print and selling to the readers you intended them for - then this session is for you!

Meet and our panel of expert authors, publishers, editors, promoters and booksellers - they provide the latest intel on the publishing industry and how reach your audiences and make money from your craft. 

Individual tickets are available separately for this event.  

Session 3: Words and Works Walk About: Modified for Level 2 comfort and safety

Beverly Martens from Dunedin Literary Walking Tours, will give you all the Highlights of Dunedin's Words and Works.

She will share all the hot spots in Dunedin for creative inspiration. Featuring sites, stories, street art and monuments.

Hear stories about well-known New Zealand writers; discover key sites in Dunedin’s rich literary history and see some of the quirky new ways how we are celebrating our UNESCO City of Literature status through Words and Works. 

You'll get maps, information and gifts to encourage you to go on your own walking tour to discover the Words and Works of Dunedin - includes street art plus literary moments within walking distance of Stafford Street.

Speaker Profiles

The Great Write Inn is designed by writers for writers. We have carefully selected some of New Zealand's expert facilitators, writing tutors, authors, publishers and book sellers. 

We make every effort to deliver this programme with the best tutors as listed, most of whom, live locally in Dunedin. In the event one of our speakers becomes unavailable, or unable to travel on the day as scheduled, we have back-up plans to pre-record to ensure the deliver a certain quality of education to our guests. We will update the programme and will ensure all of our events comply with the appropriate Alert Level at the time of the event. 

The Great Write Inn presents our Guest Tutors: 

Need more?

Of course you do!

We all do and it's ok, we've got you covered. 

Your "Great Write Inn" Experience continues after the event, so your ticket gives you weeks of @Home Entertainment. 

All attendees are invited to write and submit a 1500 - 2000 word story, in your favourite genre.

This is not compulsory but a fun way to savour your experience and test your motivation. Authors have 21 days to submit their story. 

Introducing ''One Home. Many Stories''. 

If you are interested in the publication process, we'll invite you to join a publishing programme, where we collaborate on a story collection, called One Home. Many Stories. 

This is a joint venture between the selected authors and the publishing company, with shared rights, ownership and sales - designed for new authors, wanting to dip their toes into the publishing process in a trusted writer's community. 

This is a collaborative writing project, managed by publishing professionals, for the enjoyment of readers, to help them connect with stories from Dunedin.

This event has been generously supported by the writer's community of Dunedin, Creative NZ Funding and the Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature. 

In the weeks following the event, you can step through the process of writing, editing and publishing a story in One Home. Many Stories. 

PLAY

Dunedin is New Zealand's only UNESCO City of Literature so it's where writers come to read, write, learn, eat, play and stay.

We warmly welcome inter-regional guests, if alert levels allow. 

Come to Dunedin, it's easy to get to by plane or vehicle or public transport. 

October is springtime in Dunedin -  a beautiful time to visit this vibrant, modern, creative city.  

Re-kindle your passion for writing and allow the creative process to unfurl at The Great Write Inn. 

Listen to this beautiful poem describing Dunedin, with a gorgeous video clip: 

If you plan to stay a few days either side of the Great Write Inn, we'll share our locals secrets of the most stunning beaches, endearing wildlife, historical architecture, fantastic bookshops or shopping/dining precinct.  

STAY
Need to stay? 

No problem. Look After Me will look after you. 

We're both an Events and Accommodation Network, so we' know safe, warm and comfy places to stay in Dunedin.

We know it's a bit nerve-wracking planning trips and travel right now, so we offer full refunds on accommodation bookings or proviso to transfer our Look After Me Accommodation voucher to another part of New Zealand. 

Make a note in the comments and we'll send you separate information about Bed and Breakfasts, Homestays, Self-contained units, Holiday Houses or Lodges suitable for writers coming to this event.  

Choose the whole event or select only the sessions that interest you

With Covid-19 levels fluctuating, we are only releasing 22 tickets to guarantee the comfort and safety of our writers. 

Or build your own itinerary by selecting individual tickets for only the events and meals you're interested in.

After a rough couple of years with events, we can't wait to bring The Great Write Inn to life. This Edwardian Historic Home will offer inspiration for writers of adventure, romance, historical fiction/non-fiction, thriller or poetry.

Please make a donation to support a local writer or give a Grandparent a night out

Let's face it, some people have done it tougher than others during Covid-19. We are lucky to be able to travel and attend events in New Zealand, compared to most parts in the world. 

To keep it safe, this is a local, community event, by writers, for writers and we've tried to keep costs really low.

If you can afford it, please make a donation. We will use this to support local writers, to enter The Writer's Matrix, attend The Great Write Inn or the Publishing and Marketing sessions. 

We'd also love to buy tickets to a night of laughter with Emily Write's for Grandparents who would appreciate a night off, in association with Grandparents raising Grandchildren, our chosen charity for this event. 

Covid-19 - this event is designed to safely operate at both Level 1 and Level 2+

We know the Covid-19 is a changing situation and we will follow all recommended guidelines at all Alert Levels, so you can have the confidence to book now, knowing Look After Me (Ltd) will look after you. 

We are keeping this event very small.

Both Olveston Historic Home and The Dish have Covid-19 have safely run events at Alert Level 2.

Plan A: Level 2 (safe provision for 22 writers)

Plan B: Level 1 (safe provision for up to 44 writers)

Level 3 and Level 4. All public venues are closed. 

Acknowledging our Supporters, Suppliers and Funding

This Great Write Inn is only possible because of the work of many people, working right throughout the entertainment, tourism, events, creative writing and publishing industries.

We all work together to deliver a memorable experience for our guests for the weekend itself and beyond.

We are grateful to all the tutors, individuals, organisations and businesses who have supported this event with funding, logistics, risk-management, catering, venues, photography, marketing, either in-kind or as cash contributions or sponsorship. 

Special thanks to our major funder, Look After Me Ltd's cornerstone investor, Colin MacPhee who funded all the market research, product design, development and project management for The Great Write Inn.  

We appreciate the funding awarded by Creative NZ Communities for funding speaker fees and printing costs for the Community Publishing Event on Sunday. 

We would like to acknowledge the original working group who created the Great Write Inn Concept: Especially Toni Gordon for programme design; Eleanor Girven for artistic expression; Helene Dupres and Gracie Mackenzie inspirational creative assistance, Julie Lawrence for marketing, event logistics, risk management and health and safety, Locke Doebler for software and asset management and Julia Anne for project and relationship management, funding, sponsorship, logistics and Creative direction.  

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

The Great Write Inn is presented by locally owned Events and Accommodation Network, Look After Me Ltd.

Look After Me loves creating, hosting or being involved in memorable, enjoyable events in New Zealand communities. Here are other events we have supported as a Sponsor, Festival Director or Guest speaker.