Who's the Boss? Status and Characterisation with Helen Marshall

Master the hidden power dynamics that make scenes crackle and transform the way you write characters.

Every scene is a power struggle. Every line of dialogue is a negotiation. In this dynamic workshop, novelist and creative writing academic Helen Marshall draws on Keith Johnstone's influential theory of status in improvisational theatre to show you how to inject tension, conflict, and energy into your character interactions. Through short exercises, readings and group discussion, you'll learn to read status in action and write it into your own scenes with confidence and precision.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will:

• Understand how status operates in character interactions and why it drives reader engagement.

• Identify status signals in dialogue, body language, and action.

• Learn to recognise how status shifts — the "seesaw" — create tension and momentum within a scene.

• Apply status principles to your own writing through guided exercises.

• Develop strategies for revising flat or static scenes using status dynamics.

Format

This is an in-person workshop with a focus on writing craft; it will be held at State Library of Queensland. This workshop is suitable for writers of all levels and backgrounds.

About Helen

Dr Helen Marshall is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Queensland. She has won the World Fantasy Award, the British Fantasy Award and the Shirley Jackson Award for her three collections of short stories. Her debut novel The Migration argued for the need to remain hopeful, even in the worst circumstances. It was one of The Guardian’s top science fiction books of the year. Her second novel The Lady, the Tiger and the Girl who Loved Death was released in 2025.

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