Dashing Into the Woods: Short Stories for Competitive Writers

There are plenty of wonderful local writing competitions, such as the upcoming Golden Point Award and the All-In! Snack Fiction Anthology, that young budding writers can participate in. If you've ever thought of submitting a piece for these competitions but don't know where to start, Academia can help you strengthen your creative core.

This June, we're holding a short story writing workshop to help young writers from ages 9 to 16 develop an original short story masterpiece. We will read several astonishing and magical literary texts to understand their techniques before establishing five main elements – setting, character, plot, conflict and theme. Students will receive close feedback from the facilitators, both of whom are professional writers.

During the first half of the workshop, students will be eased into the world of story writing by discussing the vital role stories play today and reflecting on their own impulse to write stories. They will  be guided through a five-step process, structured according to the five main elements of a story mentioned earlier: setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme. For each element, students will be given a balanced mix of reading and writing exercises to complete. By the end of the first half, students will have enough material to build an effective first draft of their short story.

The second half of the programme is a traditional writing and peer review workshop. Students will bring their first drafts to class and will undergo a session of peer review. Through reading other students’ stories, students will be helped to concretise their own ideas. Drafts will be read and feedback will be given, alongside one-on-one consultation slots with the facilitators.

Come down and hone your writing craft as we travel through the forest of your imagination into your mind-palace. Achieve self-understanding as you create a short story that could be used to apply to writing competitions - both local and overseas. Alternatively, simply run with that story and develop it into a novel, if that is your calling. Either way, it's going to be a beautiful journey.

Monday 5 June -  Thursday 8 June

12 - 2 pm

Upper Primary & Secondary