Creative Writing Courses & Workshops

10 October 2026

Join non-fiction writer, novelist and creative writing teacher Sophie Cunningham to explore what it means to write about nature, and how to do it well.

30 October 2026

In this full-day workshop, explore how objects, artefacts and talismans reveal character, using examples from fiction and non-fiction. Experienced teacher Eleanor Limprecht guides writing exercises and offers opportunities to share work in a supportive environment.

14 November 2026

Join this in-person weekend workshop with award-winning poet Felicity Plunkett. Learn new techniques, hone your craft, and find a community of fellow poets ready to read, write and develop poetry together.

1 November 2026

Whether you're a novelist, memoirist, playwright or screenwriter, finding your character's unique arc is vital to understanding your story's heart. Join BAFTA-award-winning writer Anthony Mullins for a full-day workshop on crafting an authentic arc for your story.

28 November 2026

Experiment with form and process in poetic workshops with three of the most exciting poets in the country, Jazz Money, Luke Patterson and Anne-Marie Te Whiu. Sign up for one workshop, or more, then join us for readings and reflections at the end of the day.

28 November 2026

Join Australian-Māori (Te Rarawa) poet, weaver, editor, producer and educator Anne-Marie Te Whiu in a workshop of exchange and ideas. Discover what happens when we let go of creative silos and let one art form spark another.

28 November 2026

Join Wiradjuri poet Jazz Money to explore how poetry can reveal the world around us in exciting and surprising ways. A workshop for anyone seeking to write with more attention, more intention, and more connection.

28 November 2026

Join Luke Patterson in this workshop that raids the living archive of stories, rituals, songs, sayings and everyday objects, asking what becomes possible when words are treated less as property than as part of a commonwealth.

30 November 2026

A five-day intensive workshop with Benjamin Law for writers who are ready to share their life story, outside of friends and family.

Applications open Dec 2026

Commit to your writing and make 2027 the year you finish your memoir. In this in-depth online masterclass, award-winning author Kris Kneen will lead a small group of writers over 9-months, with structured exercises, readings and feedback designed to help you finish a draft of your memoir. 

Applications open early 2027

This six-session intensive masterclass offers the opportunity to get started on a new writing project or breathe life into a project you have abandoned or are struggling with.

Applications open early 2027

Designed for writers of all levels, genres and narrative art forms, this 16-session masterclass with BAFTA award-winning screenwriter and author Anthony Mullins will show you how to craft an authentic and powerful narrative structure.

Applications open early 2027

A deep-dive writer development program designed for writers with a manuscript substantially underway, or with a draft completed, this 5-month masterclass provides a unique opportunity to receive feedback on your manuscript and the guidance and support to take it to the next level.

Applications open mid 2027

In this five-week masterclass you’ll have the opportunity to read a lot, write a lot, receive written and verbal feedback, explore a trove of original prompts and diverse forms, explore and enhance aspects of your creative practice and have a one-to-one consultation about your work.

Applications now closed

Energise your writing and deepen your critical reading with Emily Maguire. This 10-week course will develop your writing craft through close reading and applied writing practice.

Applications open mid 2027

A memoir doesn’t need to go from A to B in a timeline that marches with a calendar. In this innovative workshop, Kris Kneen will take you through a different process of structuring your memoir, weaving different stories across multiple timelines, organised by a unifying theme.

Applications now closed

This 6-week course with Jack Heath is designed to help you refine the elements of crime and thriller writing and finish your novel, with discussions of key writing techniques and feedback on your work.

Applications now closed

This 6-week course with Anthony Mullins will introduce you to the power of story outlines, be it for planning, problem solving, analysis or pitching. Whether you're writing a novel, a screenplay, or a play, an outline can give you the ability to see the big picture and remember why you wanted to write this story in the first place. 

Applications now closed

In this 8-week online workshop series Kris Kneen will lead a small group of writers with the aim of learning to write about sensuality and sexuality with ease.

Applications now closed

For over 20 years, Conor Kostick has been teaching his popular 10-week Finish Your Novel course at the Irish Writers Centre and Varuna are delighted to offer it in Australia and New Zealand.

Applications now closed

This 10-week course is designed to help you strengthen the fundamentals that aspiring authors often overlook, hone your approach to revising stories for submission, and work towards writing your own knockout short-story collection.

Applications now closed

This 8-week online program drills down deeply into how to craft dialogue on the page, ensuring that each of your character’s voices is unique, shaping their distinct speech patterns, and working on questions about who speaks, and when.

Applications now closed

Scenes are the building blocks of novels, plays, screenplays, short stories, and even works of creative non-fiction. This 8-week program with Brooke Robinson will sharpen your writing to create truly powerful scenes.

Applications now closed

This eight-session masterclass for writers in any genre will develop your skills in positioning yourself as an observer, and bringing nuance and humour to the story you would most like to tell.