A Family Affair — explore and interrogate what family might mean for us in our poems.
In this generative poetry workshop, we'll explore and interrogate what family might mean for us in our poems. How can we use this relationship to expand our understanding of communal and individual experiences? What unique and formative language did we learn from our family of origin that we can employ in our work? In this workshop we’ll read and study a wide range of poems from traditional and contemporary poets around this subject and write poems that speak to the most formative relationship we will ever experience.
Format
This is a hybrid workshop with a focus on craft; it will be held in-person at State Library of Queensland and live streamed to an online audience via Zoom. This workshop is suitable for poets of all levels and backgrounds.
Learning outcomes
You will hone writing and editing skillset through practical exercises, group discussions, critique sessions, and homework in the key areas listed below:
An understanding of what structural editing entails.
Specific tools for writers to undertake a structural edit of their own work following a step-by-step approach
Familiarisation with synopsis writing as a development tool.
Strategies for chapter and scene outlines.
An appreciation of the emotional ups and downs of manuscript development.
Course dates
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 8 July 2025
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 22 July 2025
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 5 August 2025
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 19 August 2025
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 2 September 2025
5:30pm – 8:30pm, Tuesday 16 September 2025
All times Brisbane time, AEST.
About Laurel
Laurel Cohn is a book editor passionate about communication and the power of stories in our lives. As a developmental editor and writing coach she has been helping writers prepare their work for publication for over three decades, and is a popular workshop presenter. Laurel has a PhD in literary and cultural studies.
For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info