Start to Write: Young Adult

online

Start to Write: Young Adult

w/ Tobias Madden

Young Adult fiction is read widely by both teens and adults – but how do you start writing it? Start to Write: Young Adult is the course designed to cover the basics of the genre, while you set out to generate ideas and start getting words on the page. This is your chance to start writing in one of Australia’s most popular genres.

6.30 – 8.30pm (AEDT)
Tuesday 8, Wednesday 9, Thursday 10 November 2022

$ 175/$ 148.75 alumni

This is a past course.

Over three nights, you’ll get the hands-on teaching you need to start writing Young Adult fiction with Tobias Madden, author of Anything But Fine. Working with Tobias and your fellow classmates you will:

• Discover the tools you need to start writing
• Overcome common problems shared by emerging writers
• Understand some of the key fundamentals of writing for Young Adults
• Meet other aspiring writers starting out in a welcoming, supportive online classroom

This course is designed to help you foster ideas, play with structure and techniques, and get your words going – plus practical advice on ‘where to next’. Interactivity is encouraged throughout, and there will be space for questions and answers during each session.

Your course includes:

A complimentary copy of a recent A&U publication
On completion of the course, alumni discounts on future Faber Writing Academy courses and books from the Allen & Unwin website.

Writers you'll be working with:

Tobias Madden

Originally from Ballarat, Tobias Madden worked for ten years as a dancer, touring Australia and New Zealand with musicals such as Mary Poppins, CATS, Singin’ in the Rain and Guys and Dolls. He now lives in Sydney with his husband, Daniel, and their cavoodle, Ollie. In 2019, Tobias edited and published Underdog: #LoveOzYA Short Stories….

Course outline

Session 1: Tuesday 8 November

· Ideas – where they come from and how to build on them
· Making sure YA is the best fit for your story
· Where to start – plotter or pantser (or plantser)?
· The ‘stupendously imperfect’ first draft

Session 2: Wednesday 9 November

· Basics of storytelling and the three-act structure
· Objectives and obstacles – writing an active protagonist
· Character, POV and tense in YA
· The challenges of teenage protagonists
· Research (it’s more fun than it sounds)

Session 3: Thursday 10 November

· Writing realistic dialogue
· Adding tension and stakes to your story
· Common mistakes and how to avoid them
· How do you know when to stop writing? Redrafting and self-editing
· I finished my manuscript… now what? Practical advice

How to Book

This is a past course.