Manukau has the write stuff
Tuesday 23 June 2009, 1:10PM
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New writers and storytellers in Manukau will have the chance to ‘see themselves right’ with free workshops.
The series, called Write around Manukau, is an innovative mix of traditional genres along with alternative opportunities for people to learn to tell their own stories in their own way.
The workshop topics are:
· storytelling
· writing for children and teenagers
· life writing (memoir)
· self publishing and blogging
· writing for the screen
· poetry
· short story writing.
The main purpose of these workshops is to develop Manukau’s writing and storytelling talent and to broaden the base of writers and potential writers in our community. The workshops build on the successful earlier collaborations between Manukau Libraries and the NZ Society of Authors, such as the Writer in Manukau Libraries (WIML) and the First Chapters - Ng Whanga Tuatahi coaching programmes.
Talented, experienced teachers and facilitators will lead the Write around Manukau workshops. One will be the award-winning James George, who was the highly regarded writer-in-residence for the 2008 First Chapters - Ng Whanga Tuatahi programme. James, a short-story writer, storyteller and novelist of Ngapuhi, English and Irish descent, is the author of several novels including Ocean Roads and Hummingbird. James will be leading the storytelling workshop, which will focus beyond the written word. He says, “Everyone has a voice, everyone has a story. We need to fit storytelling to people, not try and re-engineer people into the narrowly defined stream of writers.”
More information about the free Write around Manukau workshops is available at Manukau Libraries website http://www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz. Places are limited and restricted to adults or high school students living in Manukau city, or those who hold a Manukau library card. Bookings are essential and can be made to the NZ Society of Authors Manukau contact: Jocelyn Watkin on 027 493 9851 or email firstchapters@clear.net.nz
Write around Manukau is presented by Manukau Libraries in partnership with the New Zealand Society of Authors and funded by both Manukau Libraries and the Creative Communities Manukau City scheme.
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Summary: Write around Manukau workshops
Full information about all workshops is available from:
All Manukau Libraries: www.manukau-libraries.govt.nz
All bookings to:
Jocelyn Watkin, ph 027 493 9851 or email: firstchapters@clear.net.nz
The Write Around Manukau workshops are presented by Manukau Libraries and the NZ Society of Authors, and are funded by Manukau Libraries and the Creative Communities NZ Manukau City Scheme.
Introduction to Life Writing
This workshop is suitable for adults and senior high school students, who are new to writing or have some experience, and are interested in writing about their lives. Preference will be given to those living in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 11 July, 9.15am – 12.30pm
Venue : Manukau Central Research Library, 15A Ronwood Ave, Wiri
Bookings : Workshop now full up.
Information about the workshop facilitator:
Dr Deborah Shepard is a biographer and the author of reframing women: a history of New Zealand film and editor of Between the Lives: Partners in Art. She studied Life Writing at the City Literary Institute in London and teaches a popular series of Life Writing courses at the Centre for Continuing Education at Auckland University.
Her new book Her Life’s Work: Conversations with Five New Zealand Women (Auckland University Press) is due for release in October 2009.
Short story writing
This workshop is an opportunity for adults and high school students, who have written one or just a few short stories and want to strengthen their skills in this genre. Preference will be given to those living in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 18 July, 9.45am – 2.00pm
Venue : Howick Room, Howick Library, 25 Uxbridge Road, Howick
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by 6 July
Information about the workshop facilitator:
Short stories are James George’s first love in writing and his stories have won awards and are showcased in anthologies both in New Zealand and France.
He was the popular and inspirational writer-in-residence/coach for the 2008 First Chapters - Ng Whanga Tuatahi programme, a coaching opportunity for beginning writers, which has successfully operated for four years in the Manukau area. His short story Woman Descending a Staircase is featured in Unfurled, a collection of writing from the First Chapters programme.
James George is also a novelist, biographer, storyteller and creative writing tutor. His novels Hummingbird and Ocean Roads were short-listed for several major awards.
James lives in Auckland and is of Maori (iwi - Ngapuhi), English and Irish descent.
3. Writing for children and teenagers - a recipe for success
This workshop is ideal for beginner writers (high school aged and adults) who are new to or relatively inexperienced in writing for children or teenagers. Preference will be given to those living in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 15 August, 12.15pm – 3.30 pm
Venue : Howick Room, Howick Library, 25 Uxbridge Road, Howick
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by 1 Aug
Information about the workshop facilitators:
The four workshop presenters, all Manukau City residents, were participants of the inaugural WIML – Writer in Manukau Libraries programme (2005). They have all subsequently had books published with mainstream local and international publishers.
Christine Hurst’s first picture book, The Boy Who Bounced Around New Zealand, was published by Reed NZ Ltd in 2007. The sequel is due out in 2010. She has also published a book and an article for an educational publisher in the American market and a short story in Australia. Christine is a school librarian and writes children’s book reviews for Kiwi Write4Kidz.
Clare Scott had two junior novels (The Great Shave and Egghead) published with Walker Books Australia last year, and 40 educational readers in print throughout the world. She also has stories and poems for children in anthologies with Random House and Reed. She teaches with ESOL students at a local primary school.
Dawn Grant’s first young adult (teenage) novel, In Too Deep (written as D C Grant) was published in 2007 and won a Notable Book Award in 2008.
Tania Mills’ novel, Don’t Call Me Jojo, was published last year with Scholastic. She has also published 6 educational readers and 3 teacher’s resource books. She teaches at a local primary school.
4. Storytelling / Storywriting
This workshop is for anyone with a story to tell. Free to high school students and adults who live in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 29 August, 12.15pm – 3.30pm
Venue : Te Matariki Clendon library, Palmers Road, Clendon, Manurewa
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by
21 August. (Please note that this workshop will be repeated on
17 October. There is no need to attend both workshops.)
Workshop themes:
How to tell your own stories - whether fishing stories (the one that got away), sporting stories - the greatest game ever played and the goals that were scored; stories about our kids, our cousins, our partners or our pets; the best thing that happened to us or the worst; funny stories, sad stories, just because sort of stories; tales of our favourite car, or swimming hole, or best summer; stories we never told our mothers; stories that happened only yesterday or maybe years ago.
Information about the workshop teacher/facilitator:
With both Irish and Maori (Ngapuhi) whakapapa, James George was born to storytelling.
He was the popular and inspirational writer-in-residence/coach for the 2008 First Chapters - Ng Whanga Tuatahi programme, a coaching opportunity for beginning writers, which has successfully operated for four years in the Manukau area
James is a novelist, short story writer, biographer, and creative writing tutor. His second novel Hummingbird was short-listed for both the Deutz Medal for Fiction at the New Zealand Book awards and for the Tasmania Pacific Fiction prize. His third novel, Ocean Roads was short-listed for both the Deutz medal and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Asia Pacific section.) His short stories have appeared in anthologies both in New Zealand and France and have won awards in New Zealand.
5. Self publishing – perils, pitfalls and profits
This workshop is suitable for adults and senior high school students, who want to learn more about self-publishing and how blogging can help with promotion. This workshop is best suited to those wanting to write non-fiction, but fiction writers are welcome to attend.
Date : Saturday 12 September, 12.15pm – 3.30pm
Venue : Manurewa Library, Hill Road, Manurewa
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by
1 September
Information about the workshop facilitators:
Jocelyn Watkin is a writer, blogger, freelance journalist and lecturer.
She and co-author Kim Gabites both live in South Auckland and manage the writing, self-publishing and promotion of their books Keeping the Faith – Travel the World and Faith Speaks Money Talks.
Jocelyn is the programme manager for First Chapters – Ng Whanga Tuatahi, a coaching opportunity for beginning writers, which has successfully operated for four years in the Manukau area (was known as the Writer in Manukau Libraries programme). She arranged the publishing for the two collections of writing from this programme.
6. Storytelling / Storywriting
This workshop is for anyone with a story to tell. This is a second chance to attend this workshop, which was first held on 29 August at Te Matariki Clendon library. (There is no need to attend both workshops).
Free to high school students and adults who live in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 17 October, 12.45pm – 4.00pm
Venue : Mangere East Library, 370 Massey Road, Mangere East
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by
10 October.
Workshop themes:
How to tell your own stories - whether fishing stories (the one that got away), sporting stories - the greatest game ever played and the goals that were scored; stories about our kids, our cousins, our partners or our pets; the best thing that happened to us or the worst; funny stories, sad stories, just because sort of stories; tales of our favourite car, or swimming hole, or best summer; stories we never told our mothers; stories that happened only yesterday or maybe years ago.
Information about the workshop teacher/facilitator:
With both Irish and Maori (Ngapuhi) whakapapa, James George was born to storytelling.
He was the popular and inspirational writer-in-residence/coach for the 2008 First Chapters - Ng Whanga Tuatahi programme, a coaching opportunity for beginning writers, which has successfully operated for four years in the Manukau area
James is a novelist, short story writer, biographer, and creative writing tutor. His second novel Hummingbird was short-listed for both the Deutz Medal for Fiction at the New Zealand Book awards and for the Tasmania Pacific Fiction prize. His third novel, Ocean Roads was short-listed for both the Deutz medal and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Asia Pacific section.) His short stories have appeared in anthologies both in New Zealand and France and have won awards in New Zealand.
7. Poetry – urban, natural and personal landscapes
This will be a great workshop for high school students and adults who are new to or relatively inexperienced in writing poetry. Preference will be given to those living in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 31 October, 9.45am – 1pm
Venue : Manukau Central Research Library, 15A Ronwood Ave, Wiri
Bookings : Free but limited to 16 places, which need to be reserved by 17
October.
Information about the workshop facilitator:
Serie (Cherie) Barford performed with Polynation at the Queensland Poetry Festival and the Going West Books and Writers Festival in 2008. She also performed Spoken Word at the British Council’s 2009 The Living Room art project.
Her poetry collection Tapa Talk was published by Huia in 2007. She has published poetry and short stories in various print anthologies including Whetu Moana, Poetry NZ, Niu Voices: Contemporary Pacific Fiction; Landfall, Writing the Pacific: An Anthology, Dreadlocks, and NZ Poets In Performance. Her poem, Migration, was directed by Ian Mune for Poets Corner on Artsville. Her work also appears in electronic publications such as BMP, Snorkel, Tinfish, and Best NZ Poems.
8. Introduction to Screenwriting
This introductory workshop in writing drama for the screen is intended for absolute beginners, who are completely new to the art and craft of screenwriting. Preference will be given to those living in Manukau city or who have a Manukau Libraries card.
Date : Saturday 14 November, 9.45am – 1pm
Venue : Howick Room, Howick Library, 25 Uxbridge Road, Howick
Bookings : Free but limited to 20 places, which need to be reserved by
1 November
Information about the workshop facilitator:
Michael Bennett (Te Arawa) graduated from the Australian Film Television and Radio School and has written several award-winning short films and many dozens of hours of produced television drama.
Michael Bennett's award-winning no-dialogue short film Cow was invited to the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. He followed it with the Mori rite-of-passage tale Kerosene Creek, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival. He has also written the feature Jubilee, starring Cliff Curtis, directed episodes of Outrageous Fortune and mock-doco The Pretender.
Over recent years Michael has either won or been a finalist at the NZ Film and Television Awards in the categories of Screenwriting (Feature Film), Screenwriting (Short Film), Screenwriting (Television), Directing (TV Drama) and Directing (TV Non-Drama). He has a number of features in development. Refer to Michael’s Screenography for more details.