An intensive three-part course that will help you survive the next draft of your work-in-progress.

Over 3 full-day in-person workshops across December 2024 - February 2025, join established editor, Laurel Cohn, as she guides you through a structural edit of your work-in-progress. Laurel takes participants through her five-step approach to structural editing, providing strategies and tools to facilitate the process, and exploring the challenging inner terrain that underlies critical engagement with your own work.

The course is designed with time between sessions to practice the concepts covered. Committing to the process will reward you with deeper insight into your manuscript and clarity about how to approach the next draft.

Payment plans are available for this course. Please contact Queensland Writers Centre at admin@qldwriters.org.au or call (07) 3842 9922.

Thanks to generous donations, a select number of places in the course 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

You will hone writing and editing skillset through practical exercises, group discussions, critique sessions, and homework in the key areas listed below:

An understanding of what structural editing entails.
Specific tools for writers to undertake a structural edit of their own work following a step-by-step approach.
Familiarisation with synopsis writing as a development tool.
Strategies for chapter and scene outlines.
An appreciation of the emotional ups and downs of manuscript development.

Dates/Times

10:30am – 4:30pm, Saturday 14 December 2024
10:30am – 4:30pm, Saturday 18 January 2025
10:30am – 4:30pm, Saturday 15 February 2025

Format

This is a 3-part course with a focus on craft and sustainability; it will be held in-person at Queensland Writers Centre, State Library of Queensland. This course is suitable for intermediate writers and above, who have completed at least one draft of their work-in-progress.

About Laurel

Laurel Cohn is a book editor passionate about communication and the power of stories in our lives. As a developmental editor and writing coach she has been helping writers prepare their work for publication for over three decades, and is a popular workshop presenter. Laurel has a PhD in literary and cultural studies.

Queensland Writers Centre membership

Consider becoming a member of Queensland Writers Centre (worth $79 / year) to save up to 30% across our Program of workshops, courses and events - including up to $105 savings on your ticket to The Next Draft. Queensland Writers Centre membership includes a host of benefits:

Belong to a vibrant community of Queensland writing
Discounts of up to 30% across our Program, services, and competitions
Print subscription to the quarterly WQ magazine
Priority access to writing advice from our experienced team
Recognition for your writing achievements in our Member Milestones
Access to Writer's Consults, the Writer's Surgery program and other members only services
Access to member benefits of other state writers' centres in the National Writers Centre Network

Find more information on our website or get in touch with the team today.

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

The Next Draft 2024/25 with Laurel Cohn

Choose your tickets

Donations