May 8, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Centre for Stories

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Six award winning writers will offer a series of six Masterclasses that delve deep into the heart of story. These Masterclasses are suitable for emerging and established writers who are committed to focussing on individual aspects of their writing and developing that writing further. Writers of colour, writers living with a disability, and LGBTQIA+ writers are especially encouraged to attend.

Politics and Creative Writing with Susan Midalia

Creative writers concerned with politics – broadly defined as the realm of power imbalances and the struggle for human rights – always run the risk of insulting the reader’s intelligence by lapsing into dogmatism, moral absolutism or self-righteousness. This Masterclass in “writing politics” will equip you with strategies that, instead of lecturing or condescending to readers, will encourage them to reflect on the complex nature and functions of power. To this end, the session will consider the use of affect – an appeal to emotions and sensations – as an ethical category, and the political effects of various narrative genres and techniques. Drawing on examples of overtly political narratives, participants will create their own piece(s) of writing as prompts to get started on more extended projects.

Other Masterclasses

While you are encouraged to attend all six classes, you may also choose to attend individual sessions as each class is run by a different writer, although the whole program has been developed holistically and consultatively.

17 April – The Narrative Landscape with Portland Jones

24 April – The Hybrid (Decolonised) Narrative with Rashida Murphy

1 May – Science in Story and Imagination with Vivienne Glance

22 May – The Researched Imagination with Annamaria Weldon

29 May – Editing Your Own Work with Amanda Curtin

Check out our Masterclasses Value Pack here.

Susan Midalia is the author of three collections of short stories, all shortlisted for major Australian literary awards. Her debut novel The Art of Persuasion was published in 2018, and her second novel will be published by Fremantle Press early in 2021. She is currently enjoying the pleasures of writing micro-fiction. Susan also works as a freelance editor, mentor and workshop facilitator. She has a PhD in contemporary Australian women’s writing, and has published on the subject in national and international literary journals.

Please note, due to limited seating we do not offer ticket refunds.

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  Susan Midalia

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  Susan Midalia grew up in the Western Australian wheatbelt and has lived in Perth for most of her adult life. She is the author of three collections of short stories: A History of the Beanbag, An Unknown Sky, and Feet to the Stars. Her collections have been shortlisted for the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards and twice for the Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards. She retired from teaching in 2007 to become a full-time writer and freelance editor. The Art of Persuasion was her first novel.

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