As part of the 2013 CRUSH festival, the Brisbane Writers Festival’s Write Across Queensland program would like to invite any interested writers to the following workshop:

 “Darkness and Light” – Writing YA with author Karen Foxlee

 Ever wanted to write for young adults?  This 3 hour workshop will show you how to develop compelling and complex teen characters, how to find a voice for them and how to keep your readers hooked through plot and structure.

After a brief overview of what Young Adult Fiction is, workshop attendees will get practical and hands-on, focussing on the following three important components of writing YA.

1.    Creating believable and compelling young adult characters:  Character basics / what matters to your character / embracing your inner teen / using emotion in your writing (writing activity)

2.    Finding your voice:  Matters of POV/ voice /dialogue (writing activity)

3.    Keeping  them keen: Conflict, plotting and structure.  How to keep your story/novel moving and how to ensure your YA reader stays with you.  (writing activity)

This 3 hour workshop explores some basics of writing for Young Adults

Expected Learning Outcomes:

The workshop attendee will gain a basic knowledge of YA fiction and the YA fiction market, as well as practical writing tools for character development, finding a voice and story structuring.

Karen Foxlee is the author of The Anatomy of Wings (UQP 2007) and The Midnight Dress (UQP 2013). The Anatomy of Wings won the Queensland Premiers Literary Award for Emerging Queensland author in 2006, the Commonwealth Writers Prize Best First Book 2008 (South Asia/Pacific) and the Dobbie Award 2008. Both novels are published internationally. Her first children’s book, Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy, is set to be published in the US/UK in 2014. Karen lives and writes in Gympie, Queensland.

The workshop will be held in the ground floor, front room of the U3A building, on Saturday 19 October at 10.30am from 2.00pm. as part of the Bundaberg Writers’ Club monthly meeting activities. This is a free event, morning tea will be provided but please bring your own lunch.

Karen Foxlee