18 Best Creative Writing Classes in Sydney

In this writing workshop with author and editor Melanie Saward, we will discuss the rules of writing romance: the structure, tropes, and different subgenres. Then we’ll break down the tropes and explore how to use them along with structure to plan an on-trend Australian romance novel.

In this course, internationally best-selling author Hayley Scrivenor will guide you through voice and point of view with readings, practical exercises and space for reflection, all with the aim of strengthening narrative voice to craft compelling fiction.

In this online writing course, author Belinda Murrell will provide feedback on your writing for children, enabling you to hone your skills over five months. Feedback will vary depending on each submission, but it may focus on areas such as storytelling, plot, structure, characterisation, theme or voice.

Put simply, life experience, combined with a desire to write, qualifies you to tell your own story. Our experiences shape us and inform our world view, and nobody navigates life without struggle. Our personal circumstances, our observations of the world, and our personalities make us all unique individuals, and therefore the narratives of our lives are just as unique.

This highly creative, yet totally practical writing course provides you with a step-by-step process that breaks the writing of your novel or screenplay into manageable weekly tasks and is designed for people working full time.

Writing a memoir can venture into emotional depths, raising questions about truth and selective storytelling. This workshop is designed for those wanting to pen their life stories or aspiring authors seeking publication, offering guidance on navigating these complex decisions.

What makes stories work effectively? Story and narrative structure is much more important in the overall success of a work than many writers realize. This four-week course will teach you many of the narrative structures and story patterns that lie beneath the surface of successful stories.

This online course with Tiffany Tsao will help you prepare for the next stage in your writing journey: finding a suitable publisher or literary agent and getting them interested in your work.

This 2-week online workshop facilitates writing ‘literary trauma testimony’ – writing that uses creative strategies to testify to traumatic experience. It features close readings of selected texts and explores the ethics and potential dangers of writing trauma.

This week-long workshop is open to writers of all levels and focuses on fiction, memoir, and poetry. It includes writing exercises, sharing sessions, and exploration of creativity, style, and editing. Participants will learn to target different genres and markets, with the goal of developing a sustainable creative writing practice. The course is held at the University of Sydney and emphasizes growing beginnings toward completed works suitable for publication​.

Led by Sydney writer Elizabeth Gascoigne Rosa, this one-day workshop teaches crafting short stories from life experiences. Ideal for beginners and those with some experience in creative writing, it encourages participants to explore themes like family, nature, and passion, transforming these into creative nonfiction. Scheduled for April 6, 2024, the workshop is a six-hour session.

Starting on September 7, 2024, this 10-month course at the Bronte Studio, Sydney, offers a comprehensive process for writing a novel or screenplay. It includes structured monthly workshops and weekend intensives, focusing on story structure, character development, and the art of storytelling. The course is designed for full-time workers and aims to guide participants in creating their best first draft.