Click HERE to book a seat!

Author Talks for Writing Groups, Book Groups, Schools or Libraries

Upon request in person or via Zoom. Writers are compelled to collect that which is in danger of being lost or forgotten. If we seek to capture the truth and transformations within the human condition that might otherwise evade expression, we too, are changed by the act of writing. With imagination, we frame our experiences and questions and allow readers to explore even the most harrowing of adversaries from a safe distance.

Meet Lauren Elise Daniels, author of Serpent’s Wake: A Tale for the Bitten, editor of 100+ published titles, and Aurealis Award winning co-editor for an informal chat about writing and gathering our wisdom into story. Lauren is a literary judge [IP Picks, Hawkeye Publishing] and co-author of the bestselling Winning Short Story Competitions: Essential Tools for the Serious Writer. She’d love to join your group to discuss a genre/topic of your choice, a judge’s perspective on competitions, what to expect from editors and the publishing industry, and how to write with power, authenticity, and resonance.

2023 Courses

Bunya House courses from $239 and held at 1167 South Pine Road, Arana Hills, QLD, AUSTRALIA.

Queensland Writers Centre and Moreton Bay Regional Council courses vary in fees and location.

Schedule changes subject to demand.

Full refunds for cancellations 21 days prior to course date. Transfers 7 days prior incur $99 fee.

For writers experiencing financial difficulty, email scholarships@brisbanewriters.com

Fiction Blitz: A Crash Course with 3 Published & Awarded Authors [SOLD OUT]

Sunday, 12 March: 10am-4pm, Bunya House, Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to Book. If you’re polishing short stories or a novel, we can help. Our Fiction Blitz gets rave reviews for its practical approach on what makes fiction stand up in today’s market. Our acclaimed team of published authors–Lauren Daniels, Gene Flynn, & Pamela Jeffs–will tackle:

• Anatomy of openers and scenes.
• Lifting your game with literary devices.
• World building with texture and purpose.
• Conflict, character, and dialogue that drive story.
• Water-tight narratives.
• Enhancing your self-editing practice.
• Working with editors.
• Professional formats and submission opportunities.
• Dealing with publishers and tips on contracts.

Join us for lively discussions and energising writing exercises. Pack a lunch for outdoor dining.

Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror: Otherworldly Writing [SOLD OUT]

Sunday, 26 March: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Cost: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. This unique course is homegrown for aspiring writers of sci fi, horror, fantasy, superhero and supernatural fiction. While ‘speculative fiction’ has gone more mainstream, let’s help you meet your readers’ expectations. Our course is intensive and delivers a survey of the crucial elements you’ll need for this genre. We unpack:

• The history & styles of spec fic.
• Psychology, motivation & character arcs.
• Killer opening lines, world building & kick butt fight scenes.
• Tropes & clichés…heroes & villains.
• Myths & legends as inspiration.
• Writer’s resources & markets.

If you need some support from savvy editor/authors who love this genre as much as you do, join Lauren Daniels & Geneve Flynn for this fantastic workshop.

Seriously Short: Short Fiction Workshop [5 SEATS LEFT]

Sunday, 16 April: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. “I would also suggest that any aspiring writer begin with short stories. These days, I meet far too many young writers who try to start off with a novel right off, or a trilogy, or even a nine-book series. That’s like starting in at rock climbing by tackling Everest. Short stories help you learn your craft.” ~George R.R. Martin

Martin says precisely what editors and publishers are thinking. Practice. Start small. Observe the nuance of literary technique. In this course, join editor/best-selling author/short story comp. judge, Lauren Daniels and acclaimed author Pamela Jeffs, whose short fiction shortlisted for multiple awards, including the Aurealis and Ditmas. We examine the elements of taut narrative and sharp characterisation and trace the literary pattern of rising action to climax to falling action so we can do it beautifully ourselves. We will cover:

• Basic critique on your working draft.
• Conventions from flash fiction to novella.
• Why writing short fic first is key to long-term success.
• What makes short fic great: citing amateurish errors & rising above the average.
• What calls characters alive & how structure makes a plot rock.
• Writing exercises & sample critique.
• Writer’s resources: markets, submission guidelines, industry formatting, comps & publishing.
• Self editing & finding good writing groups.

Find out more about good techniques for short stories. Bring your lunch for outdoor dining.

Intro to Creative Writing: Light My Fire [4 Seats Left]

Sunday, 30 April: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. Grow your skills with this small-group course presented by Lauren Daniels. A popular starter or a writing refresher, this workshop is suitable for budding writers across all genres: poetry, short stories, novels, memoir, travel writing, even ‘how to’ and personal development articles. We welcome beginners but don’t treat you like one. Our topics aim to lift your awareness around your strengths, invite freshness into your technique, and bolster your knowledge. We will:

• Practice literary techniques/devices through writing exercises.
• Explore common issues like ‘purple prose’ and ‘show don’t tell’ as we sharpen our authentic voices.
• Discuss focus & perspective.
• Unwrap theme & character & models for structure & plot.
• Discuss why all the great writers study fiction & poetry.
• Deconstruct a classic working story.

Developed for those with a desire to push ideas into drafts, this course provides the fuel. Bring your lunch for outdoor undercover dining.

The Character Arc: Conflict, Flaws, Psychology & the Hero’s & Heroine’s Journey [5 SEATS LEFT]

Sunday, 7 May 2023: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. In both fiction or non-fiction, characters are the pillars of a good story. Together, we explore where literature and psychology converge through Joseph Campbell, Ann Davin, Maureen Murdock, Caroline Myss, Carl Jung, and K.M. Weiland. We examine transformation and how personalities imbue your story with life and humanity. We contrast archetypes with clichés and stereotypes and use psychological models to track how characters integrate or disintegrate through a story arc. Join us as we:

• Experiment with character styles.
• Trace the arcs of the hero & heroine’s journeys.
• Consider how flaws and weaknesses make our cast human.
• Explore what it means to act ‘in character’ for authentic plot points & transformations.
• Track defense mechanisms, healthy integration & unhealthy disintegration patterns.
• Examine what makes good characters great.
• BONUS MATERIAL: the literary Enneagram. Use this outstanding model to enhance character motivation, authentic response stress, and organic development.

Join author/editor Lauren Daniels for lively discussions, writing exercises, morning and afternoon teas. Please pack a lunch. You can read Lauren’s blog post for the course HERE.

ONLINE SPECIAL: Family Ties & Life Stories: Exploring Memoir

Three Consecutive Saturdays, 20, 27 May and 3 June via Zoom: 9am-11am Brisbane Time. Course Fee: $149. Click HERE to book! Everyone has stories to tell. The secret’s in using the literary techniques of good fiction along with focus and intention.  Join Lauren Elise Daniels and Emma Rennison to explore ways to frame your journeys. Through readings, discussions and writing exercises, we:

• Transform memories into memoirs through an array of literary devices & structures.
• Explore broader contexts to frame personal meaning within universal themes.
• Reflect upon integrity, emotional truth, subjectivity & the unreliability of memory.
• Cite the differences between a diary entry & personal essay; autobiography & memoir.
• Cultivate trust between reader & speaker.
• Trace the path to grow short works into longer ones through research & reconstruction.
• Enjoy freewriting exercises that practice technique & pan for gold.
• Emphasise focus as the key to good memoir & strengthen the central theme of our stories.

Join Lauren Elise Daniels and Emma Rennison, for three sessions of lively exploration via Zoom.

Writing for Children & Young People: Picture Books to YA with Industry Professionals [5 SEATS LEFT]

Sunday, 21 May: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. Meet with author/editor, Lauren Daniels, awarded author and children’s editor/author, Anna Bartlett to glean tips on what children’s and young adult [YA] publishers seek and how to prepare professional submissions. We welcome beginners but don’t treat you like one as we cover a range of topics to open new doors, invite freshness to your technique, and bolster your knowledge. We will:

• Unpack industry standards & publishing trends of picture books & YA novels.
• Review the best literary techniques that engage & delight young readers.
• Take on some writing exercises to test our strengths.
• Examine conflict & tension as opportunities in good fiction.
• Cover developmental psychology models & the insights they offer into the motivation, capacity & existential exploration across age groups.
• Discuss why children are the toughest audiences & how to win them over.
• Q&A with editor/author Anna Bartlett as she offers tips on how to make the best impression with editors & publishers.
• Q&A and industry insight with author, editor and educator, Charmaine Clancy.

Find out more about good storytelling techniques for young readers and how to earn the regard of your audience. Bring your lunch for outdoor, covered dining.

Lifestyle & Travel Writing: Our Experiences in Blogs, Articles & Books [5 SEATS LEFT]

Sunday, 4 June 2023: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. With seasoned author/editor, Lauren Daniels as your guide, join this expedition into one most the most popular and elastic approaches to writing. Whether you want to start a travel/lifestyle blog, compile your experiences into a cohesive draft, or pitch articles to magazines, take our workshop with you.  From blogs to books & across commercial articles, the writing skills are universal and set out to captivate your readers. We:

•  Strengthen our voices & match our writing to an audience.
• Explore how to do & earn more with your professional, personal & travel experiences.
• Unpack inspiration & the truth about writer’s block.
• Examine strong openers, strategic details, & killer angles.
• Try out structural & stylistic variations to enhance our stories.
• See portraits & interviews as pivotal as we capture characters with economy.
• Review publishing myths & realities & offer a word on photos.

Bloggers seeking more clout and authenticity are encouraged to join us. Absolute beginners to advanced writers create our supportive atmosphere. Pack a lunch for outdoor dining.

Beyond Beginnings: Short Story Clinic for Works-in-Progress [Max. of 6 Attendees]

Sunday, Date T.B.D 2023: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. 

Practice. Start small. Observe the nuance of literary technique. In this course, join editor/best-selling author/short story competition judge, Lauren Daniels as we examine the elements of taut narrative and sharp characterisation and trace the literary pattern of rising action to climax to falling action so we can do it beautifully ourselves. You’ll need a working short story [fiction only] draft under 2000 words to workshop with attendees. We will cover:

• Basic critique on your working draft.
• Conventions from flash fiction to novella.
• Why writing short fic first is key to long-term success.
• What makes short fic great: citing amateurish errors & rising above the average.
• What calls characters alive & how structure makes a plot rock.
• Writing exercises & sample critique.
• Writer’s resources: markets, submission guidelines, industry formatting, comps & publishing.
• Self editing & finding good writing groups.

Find out more about good techniques for short stories. Pack your lunch for outdoor, covered dining.

Family Ties & Life Stories: Exploring Memoir In-Person Workshop

Sunday, DATE T.B.D.: 10am-4pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to book! Everyone has stories to tell. The secret’s in using the literary techniques of good fiction along with focus and intention. Like Ariadne’s golden thread guiding us through the labyrinth, one core theme can structure the wealth of our memories into a cohesive story. Join us to explore ways to connect and frame your journeys. Through readings, discussions and writing exercises, we:

• Transform memories into memoirs through an array of literary devices & structures.
• Explore broader contexts to frame personal meaning within universal themes.
• Reflect upon integrity, emotional truth, subjectivity & the unreliability of memory.
• Cite the differences between a diary entry & personal essay; autobiography & memoir.
• Cultivate trust between reader & speaker.
• Trace the path to grow short works into longer ones through research & reconstruction.
• Enjoy freewriting exercises that practice technique & pan for gold.
• Emphasise focus as the key to good memoir & strengthen the central theme of our stories.

Join seasoned author/editor, Lauren Daniels for a day of exploration and experimentation. Pack a lunch for outdoor dining.

ONLINE SPECIAL: Creating Characters with L.E. Daniels: 3 HOUR MASTERCLASS

2023: 9am-12pm. Via Zoom. Course Fee: $99. To win our audience, the characters populating our stories must rise through our words and come alive. In solid fiction and creative non-fiction (like memoirs and historical recreation), character and narrative arcs cooperate to create a seamless gravity that draws readers into our dream. This course provides opportunities to craft, revise, and amplify our character ideas and working drafts.

Through practical exercises and discussion, we will:

• Use models and brainstorming to revive formative or stalled characters.
• Link positive, negative, and flat character arcs with the movement of our narrative arc.
• Chart the degree of our character’s needs, wants, turning points, obstacles and transformation.
• Unleash the power of character flaws and well-crafted dialogue as story drivers.

ONLINE SPECIAL: Magic Realism for Rebels with L.E. Daniels

2023: 9am-12pm. Via Zoom. Course Fee: $99. Is your writing…different? Are you drawn to social issues and extraordinary ways to explore them? Magic realism is something Salman Rushdie calls “a newish name for a very old thing”. We’re talking Kafka, Woolf, Márquez, and Murakami. Linked with Latin American writers of the ‘50s, magic realism has deep roots for storytellers. Launched at the ‘19 Whistler Writer’s Festival to a full house and online in ’20 with the Queensland Writers Centre, this course is for writers on a mission. Through some swift writing sessions, we’ll investigate this very special genre in the following ways:

• Magic realism explores gender, diversity and power disparities. What voices do we hear that need to be shared through our stories and how can we capture them?
• Magic realism is a way to tell the truth, when truth is drowned out by force. We’ll explore point of view as an intrinsic and fluid aspect of this genre’s structure.
• Like myths, fables, folk and fairy tales, these naturalistic stories are grounded in reality and threaded with fantastic elements to convey visions that may be confrontational. How do we balance such forces in our writing?
• Transforming the wisdom of our experience into cohesive prose is a mean feat. How does our place of origin and the events that have grown us translate into stories readers will care about, and even see playing out in their own struggles?

If you want to write with purpose, imagination and true grit, tune in with awarded author/editor, Lauren Elise Daniels for some wild writing sessions.

Exploring Character: FREE Workshop for Seniors

Join awarded author/editor, Lauren Daniels to develop your characters for fiction and creative non-fiction work. Senior residents aged 60 and over and Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander residents aged 50 or over can participate.

IN PERSON 2023: POSTPONED DATE T.B.D.: 10am-1.15pm @ Able Australia, 56 Cascade Street, Raceview. Lunch provided.

CONTACT: Jessy Byrnes, Community Project Manager, Able Australia on 07.5600.0733 or email alps@ableaustralia.org.au

Our characters make our stories come alive. In fiction (from children’s stories to novels) and creative non-fiction (like memoirs and historical recreation), characters create a sense of gravity that draws readers into our world. This short workshop course provides opportunities to explore and amplify our character ideas and working drafts. Through practical exercises and discussion, we will:
• Use models to enhance our characters.
• Review character arcs in cooperation with our plot.
• Cite character transformation as the seed of a good story.
• Unleash the power of character flaws and well-crafted dialogue as story drivers.

Lunch provided. Space is limited. Bookings essential.

Polish & Publish: Guided Critique Session for 4 Speculative Fiction Writers, 4 General Fiction Writers, or 4 Memoir Writers

Bunya House, 2023. Small group of 4. Seeking four writers of specified genres with a work-in-progress to join a supportive, one-day critique. Short stories or novel excerpts welcome.

Submit up to 3000 words of your writing to collect constructive and supportive feedback, discover your strengths, define opportunities for improvement, and get the inside scoop on publishing. We will:

Enhance your writing with our passionate editor/authors and join the ranks of writers who take our workshops and get published. Submissions must be vetted to ensure a good match for the group.

Person & Place: Character & World Building: 2.5 Hour Workshop

2023. For fiction and non-fiction, characters are the pillars of a good story. Through discussion and writing exercises, we explore where literature and psychology converge. Drawing from Joseph Campbell, Caroline Myss, and Carl Jung, join Lauren Daniels to examine how transformation and character arcs drive a story. We:

• Trace the arcs of the hero & heroine’s journeys.
• Consider ‘hubris’ and the power of character flaws.
• Contrast archetypes with stereotypes.
• Examine psychological models as character blueprints.

Self Editing for Creative Writers with Two Industry Professionals

Date T.B.A.: 10am-1.30pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. As you may know, first contact with an editor can point you to publication. A vetting process often begins as editors consider suitable publishers, so you want your manuscript to shine. Sometimes, however, writers expect editors to teach them the basics, but it’s just not their role. Manuscripts littered with common mistakes also communicate that writers haven’t educated themselves and look daunting to industry professionals. This course teaches you what you need to know before spending a cent on editors or assessments. Our qualified, experienced author/editors show you how to:

• Apply the editing cycle from structural editing right down through copyediting & proofreading.
• Establish & access a style sheet, the most essential tool for your proofreaders.
• Resolve common errors considered ‘earmarks of the amateurs’.
• Professionally format your work for submission.
• Compile a market savvy synopsis that gives the editor & publishers precisely what they want.
• Hone your expectations of an editor to get the best return.
• Read, manipulate, accept/reject & apply ‘Track Changes’ left on your draft by an editor.
• Access top resources like style manuals, etc.

Join author/editors, Lauren Daniels & Gene Flynn for this informative roundtable. Pack a lunch for outdoor undercover dining.

Editorially Savvy with Two Professional Editors

DATE T.B.A., 10am-1.30pm, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. With seasoned pros Lauren Elise Daniels and Geneve Flynn, learn what to expect when navigating the editing world, including how to format your work, contrasting your original draft with editorial suggestions, how to negotiate editorial advice and invent organic solutions alongside critique, and much more. A powerful workshop for emerging authors trying to understand what they have to do and how to do it, and how to tell a good editor from a dodgy one. Our qualified, experienced author/editors show you how to:

• Cite the differences between mentors & editors.
• Navigate the editorial loop from developmental editing through line editing, copy editing & proofreading.
• Define the scope of your manuscript & what you as an author need.
• Explore the different publishing paths available to authors today.
• Spot the hard & soft skills that make a good editor.
• Gauge current rates of pay for professional editors.
• Find a good editor & converse with them professionally.
• Navigate copyright & non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
• Keep your voice & writing goals during & after the edits.
• Tap into publishing resources, social media networks, convention links & writers’ groups.

Magic Realism for Rebels: Shaking the Tree with L.E. Daniels

Sunday, DATE T.B.A.: 10am-4pm. Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. Is your writing…different? Are you drawn to social issues and extraordinary ways to explore them? Magic realism conjures the imagery of Frida Kahlo and Henri Rousseau and is something Salman Rushdie calls “a newish name for a very old thing”. We’re talking Kafka, Woolf, Márquez, and Murakami. Linked with Latin American writers of the ‘50s, magic realism has deep roots for storytellers. Launched at the ‘19 Whistler Writer’s Festival in Canada to a full house and online in ’20 with the Queensland Writers Centre, Magic Realism for Rebels is designed for fiction writers with a mission. We’ll investigate this very special genre in the following ways:

• Magic realism explores gender, diversity and power disparities. What voices do we hear that need to be shared through our stories and how can we capture them?
• Magic realism is a way to tell the truth, when truth is drowned out by force. We’ll explore point of view as an intrinsic and fluid aspect of this genre’s structure.
• Like myths, fables, folk and fairy tales, these naturalistic stories are grounded in reality and threaded with fantastic elements to convey visions that may be confrontational. How do we balance such forces in our writing?
• Transforming the wisdom of our experience into cohesive prose is a mean feat. How does our place of origin and the events that have grown us translate into stories readers will care about, and even see playing out in their own struggles?

If you want to write with purpose, imagination and true grit, tune in with awarded author/editor, Lauren Elise Daniels and shake the tree. Have your cuppa and lunch on standby and prepare for some wild writing sessions.

ONLINE: Writing Fantasy & Science Fiction for Teens

2023 Dates TBA via ZOOM. Learn the secrets of speculative fiction in this crash course & sharpen your writing skills. If you are an aspiring writer of sci-fi, fantasy, superhero or supernatural fiction, this is for you! Be guided through a range of writing exercises to improve your world building and character development with editor and author, Lauren Daniels. This workshop is hosted on Zoom by Lauren Daniels, in partnership with Moreton Bay Region Libraries.

ONLINE: Writing Memoirs & Family Stories

2023 Dates TBA via ZOOM. Everyone has stories to tell. To make your family and life stories sing, combine elements of fiction with a strong focus. In this 2 hour mini-course, we:

• Frame personal meaning within universal themes.
• Grapple with emotional truth over details and the unreliability of memory.
• Explore research techniques to ground, colour & reconstruct our stories.
• Pan for gold through discussion and a writing exercise.

Seasons & Symbols: Writing the Inner Journey

2023, Bunya House. Course Fee: $239. Click HERE to BOOK. “Spring passes and one remembers one’s innocence. Summer passes and one remembers one’s exuberance. Autumn passes and one remembers one’s reverence. Winter passes and one remembers one’s perseverance.” ~Yoko Ono A weekend for all ages and creative pursuits, we explore our lives through the richness of our stories and experiences. We will:

• Discuss memories and dreams as wellsprings of creativity and insight.
• Draw our stories into form through exercises and gentle exploration.
• Explore the repeating themes, mythologies, and challenges that have served as guideposts for our growth.
• Play with the concept of our lives as allegory, stories lined with symbols and universal truths.

A writing workshop with a gentle but focused approach, this workshop is run by an author/editor, not a counsellor. Bring your desire to write and tap into the wellspring of your experiences. A rewarding course for writers, readers and those seeking a place to reflect on their own emerging stories. Bring your lunch for outdoor, undercover dining.

Creative Writing II

2023, Bunya House. “If it sounds like writing, rewrite it.” ~Elmore Leonard Developed to follow on from Creative Writing I: Light Your Fire, we take things further to keep your passion and insight burning bright. We will:

• Explore & practice advanced literary techniques through writing exercises.
• Deconstruct challenging, layered pieces of fiction, a short story, & non-fiction, a personal essay.
• Demystify narrative & point of view.
• Self-edit with more precision.
• Articulate feedback on another writer’s work citing evidence & technique.
• Undertake & respond to critique of your work professionally.
• Run supportive, respectful, goal-oriented writing groups.

Have some fun. Join author/editors, Lauren Daniels, Geneve Flynn & Pamela Jeffs for this creative writing experience and come away more confident in your knowledge of the craft. Afternoon teas included.