Workshop: Compelling Non-Fiction

Duration: 180 minutes

This workshop will help writers of non-fiction tell the true stories they want to share with the world in a way that will make the world want to read them. Whether short- or long-form journalism or narrative non-fiction (including memoir, history, politics and current affairs) in chapter or book form, Peter Lewis and Phillipa McGuinness will share their own insights as writers, teachers and mentors. They will use their own experience of working together as an author (Lewis) and book publisher (McGuinness) on Webtopia to illuminate the dynamics of the author-publisher relationship as a book evolves and the process of publication. And McGuinness will talk about what she learned when she temporarily stopped being a publisher to write and publish The Year Everything Changed-2001.

During the workshop students will have the opportunity to hone their pitches, to learn how to undertake and manage research - including interviews - and how to grapple with issues around structure and finding a voice. We will discuss how to go about building your profile as a writer, how to present yourself to editors and publishers and how to promote yourself. We will also touch on ethical issues and the challenges of defamation law. Finally, we will talk about ways in which writers can stay motivated when the going gets tough and the deadline gets closer.