Just back from a lovely trip to the Big Island of Hawaii, with a brief couple of days in our old stomping ground, Oahu, too, and suffering all kinds of jet lag. Feels like the world has moved on and I’m still on holiday.

Here’s me pretending to write while staring at the Pacific Ocean:

However, according to all reports, it’s 2019, which means I’m a year older, as are you (spoiler alert), and it also means I’ll be doing more things near you than I did last year.

Which is good, right? Right?

First up, on January 17 in The Wheeler Centre, Melbourne, I’ll be running a workshop at Writers Victoria on the idea of ‘Show Don’t Tell’. It’s a line you hear a lot as a writer, but is it always right? What does it mean, anyway?

I’ll answer all these questions and more, as well as offering strategies for how to write dynamic scenes, and applying the power of specificity. Exercises, drills, and some learning. What more could you want?

For a brief intro into what I mean, I wrote about it here:

https://writersvictoria.org.au/writing-life/on-writing/the-more-you-write-the-better-you-get

To book the workshop, go here:

https://writersvictoria.org.au/writing-life/on-writing/the-more-you-write-the-better-you-get

On February 9 to 10, I’ll be running a weekend workshop with the lovely folk at Australian Writers Centre, in the gorgeous, inspiring Abbotsford Convent in inner Melbourne. This is an intensive introductory course into Creative Writing, and the perfect way to kickstart your writing for 2019.

Details here:

Creative Writing Stage 1

But wait! There’s more…

There are Many Things happening in 2019 for me — lots of exciting publishing news to announce, plus other opportunities — but will save that for when I’m allowed to go public. (And when my body clock has returned to the Southern Hemisphere.)

Hope 2019 is outstanding for you all, and I look forward to hearing from you via Twitter or Facebook – or even Insta – whenever you feel the inexplicable urge.

Talk soon!

Nicole

I’m doing a bunch of workshops and festivals in Melbourne and Geelong in the coming months. Here are the pending ones:

Saturday, November 17: Holding Our Ground – Word 4 Word Literary Festival — Geelong Library and Heritage Centre: 4pm to 5pm

Sunday, November 18: Moving Your Story Forward — [un]titled Literary Festival – Malvern Library: 10.15am to 12.45pm.

Sunday, November 18: Panel: Listen Up! Podcasts and Podcasting — [un]titled Literary Festival –Toorak/South Yarra Library, South Yarra: 2pm to 3pm.

Saturday & Sunday, December 1-2: AWC Introduction to Creative Writing Weekend Workshop — Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford: 10am to 4pm.

Follow links to book and I hope to see you there!

I have some unexpected gaps in my calendar coming up for anyone looking for feedback or an assessment on their manuscripts. I can provide developmental notes, structural feedback, and/or manuscript assessments, depending on your needs. Happy to chat first to establish what would suit you best.

Email me for more information on availability, services offered, guidance on what you need and rates: nicolehayesbooks at gmail.com. Or you can contact me via Twitter: @nichmelbourne or Facebook: Nicole Hayes – Books and Writing.

For a taste of what you can expect, here’s me talking about process, themes and structure of my latest novel, A Shadow’s Breath with the fabulous Dani from Words and Nerds.

Listen here: Words and Nerds with Nicole Hayes                                          Photo Credit, Dani_Vee

Well, this was more than a bit exciting. Thanks to librarian extraordinaire and eagle eye Neighbours fan, Sue Osborne, I discovered that my most recent novel A Shadow’s Breath was used as a prop and given a lovely wrap on an episode of Neighbours. “Piper” was the bearer of good tidings and the book itself, generously recommending A Shadow’s Breath to the ailing “Xanthe”.

But, enough from me. Here’s the clip, and it’s a little bit special:

GET WRITING! Writing Workshop for Emerging Writers – Fiction

In this all day workshop, the focus is on getting story foundations right – checking in with the conventions of storytelling to be sure they’re working for you and your genre. But also, it’s about getting some writing done. I’ll offer guided exercises and one-on-one support and instruction in a small group environment. Lots of hands-on help, but also time to write for yourselves. Drawing on more than ten years’ experience running writing workshops and with five published books behind me, I can help with craft and technique, plus publishing and editing advice within a group of fellow emerging writers. All this and lunch!

DATE: Sat. 2 June 2018             TIME: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm  

VENUE: Phoenix Park Training Room 

ADDRESS: 22 Rob Roy Road, Malvern East, VIC 3145

On the day you will need writing instruments – either notebook, pens and/or laptop. If you’ve got some ideas or have started to write, you might want to bring that too. Everything else will be provided.

Early Bird price $200.00 – FULL PAYMENT by April 20.

Regular price $225.00 – PAYMENT from April 21 and thereafter. 

 For further information or to book, email me: nicolehayesbooks@gmail.com 

Workshop fees include morning tea, lunch, and workshop handouts. 

PLEASE NOTE: Cancellation policy — An administration fee of $50 will be charged if a participant cancels before April 30. There will be no refunds after May 20. In the case of insufficient registrations, I reserve the right to cancel the event, in which case a full refund will be provided.

About your instructor:
Nicole Hayes is an author, podcaster and public speaker. Her books include award winning fiction for Young Adults, a non-fiction book for children, and a collection of essays she co-edited for adults featuring Australia’s most prominent thinkers and writers. Recently, she has written for The Guardian, The Griffith Review, Lifted Brow, and The Wheeler Centre, among others, and runs a range of writing programs for adults and young people. She is a #LoveOzYA advocate, a Stella Prize in Schools Ambassador, and is one-sixth of the groundbreaking AFL podcast and radio show, The Outer Sanctum (on the ABC).

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