Writing Adaptations with Hilary Bell

Use the bones of myths and classics to create a fresh, original story for a novel, short story, play or screenplay.

Did you know that the film ‘Clueless’ is based on Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’, or that the ‘50s sci-fi ‘Forbidden Planet’ is inspired by Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’? Many classic tales provide the bones for original plays, films, novels and short stories. In this course, writers will take an archetypal story as their foundation, and through close analysis of its characters, stakes, emotions and atmosphere, create a fresh new story. Along the way, we’ll dig into the elements of storytelling through practical exercises.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will:

• Look at how other writers have moved from source material to a fresh new story.

• Understand the elements of story, such as character, conflict, setting, stakes, plot and structure.

• Brainstorm new ways of telling classic stories.

• Walk away with the outline of a brand new work.

Format

This is an online workshop with a focus on craft; it will be hosted via Zoom. This workshop is suitable for fiction writers of all levels, all forms (i.e. prose, screen, stage) and all writing backgrounds.
      

About Hilary

Hilary Bell is a multi-award-winning playwright and lyricist. Her plays, musicals, song cycles and operas have been produced nationally by the major theatre companies including Black Swan, STCSA and STC, and internationally - Atlantic, Steppenwolf, London's National, Edinburgh Fringe. She was the 2003-04 Tennessee Williams Fellow in Creative Writing at Tennessee’s University of the South, and 2012’s Patrick White Playwriting Fellow. She is a graduate of the Juilliard Playwrights’ Studio, NIDA and AFTRS and the author of several picture books, including best-seller Alphabetical Sydney. Her musical adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' recently premiered Off-Broadway.

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