Ages 13-18
Have you always wanted to write but weren’t sure where to start? Good news: every writer begins somewhere – and often, they begin again and again.
Led by Vivian Pham, author of The Coconut Children, this hands-on workshop offers guidance for starting your writing journey. Through playful prompts and guided exercises, you’ll learn how to listen to your instincts, trust your imagination, and get words down on the page.
You’ll experiment across forms, dive into the nuts and bolts of storytelling – character, image, scene and sensation – and explore questions such as:
What sustains you (or your character) through tough times?
What would a day look like if the colour Pea Green were a person?
What would your character write to their future self – and what might this future self write back?
Along the way, you’ll connect with other young writers, hear practical tips for keeping the words flowing, and discover how storytelling can be a form of care. Whether you’re brimming with ideas or just curious to try, this is your invitation to begin.
Vivian Pham is a Vietnamese novelist, essayist, and poet from southwestern Sydney. In high school she wrote a novel called The Coconut Children, which was published in March 2020 by Penguin Random House under the Vintage Literary Imprint. In 2021 she won the Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist Award, and the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year. She’s currently tutoring Postcolonial Literatures and Literary Studies at Western Sydney University, and adapting The Coconut Children for stage with Belvoir Theatre.
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Tickets for this event are free, however, registration is required to manage room capacity.
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This venue is wheelchair accessible.
Please visit our Accessibility page or email hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.auif you have any other accessibility requirements.
Register for this free event
Registration will open at 10:00 am on 9 September, and spaces are strictly limited.