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.
Editing Your Own Work with Amanda Curtin
Suitable for writers of fiction and creative forms of non-fiction. Not suitable for poets, essayists, academic/scholarly writers. As a masterclass assumes participants have some writing experience (although they might not as yet be published), it is probably of limited value for those taking their first steps.
This masterclass is designed for writers attempting the challenging task of editing their own manuscript. If you are fortunate enough to have your manuscript accepted by a reputable publisher, you will see that work undergo a further editing stage, or stages, by professional editors, but the masterclass will help you make your manuscript the best it can be prior to submission. Similarly, if you are planning to self-publish, it makes sense for you to get your manuscript into the best shape possible before employing a professional editor to prepare it for publication.
Some of the topics that may be included in the four-hour masterclass are:
approaches to editing
the big picture: structure, point of view, characterisation, temporal context
line by line: language, dialogue conventions, accuracy, parallelism, the gremlins (punctuation, grammar, spelling)
legal and ethical issues
You are encouraged to bring in general questions relating to your work in progress, as questions and discussion are an excellent way of acquiring greater understanding of writing and editing. However, there will not be time to do hands-on work with participants’ manuscripts.
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.
Dr Amanda Curtin has worked as an editor for more than 30 years and is accredited (AE) by the Institute of Professional Editors. She took part in working groups that developed Australian Standards for Editing Practice and the accreditation scheme for Australian editors. She has a PhD in Writing and is the author of two novels, a short story collection and, most recently, Kathleen O’Connor of Paris, a work of narrative non-fiction.
Please note, due to limited seating we do not offer ticket refunds.
We’re on a mission to create a diverse, inclusive, and cohesive society through the art of storytelling. Join us in supporting emerging artists and sharing powerful stories from across our community.
We wish to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land the Centre for Stories is located on, the Whadjuk people. We respect their culture and the continuing contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.