Vision Australia Library Writing Group

Join the Vision Australian Library Writing Group, where Dr Sian Prior will share tips on the craft of non-fiction storytelling.  Learn how to structure a gripping tale; how to begin and how to end; how to write dialogue and how to engage your reader from the very first sentence. Drawing on many years of experience as a journalist and a published author, Sian creates a supportive and welcoming learning environment where her students can acquire new skills, meet other aspiring writers, receive encouragement and feedback, and share their work.

Who is the Writing Group for?

This Writing Group is for passionate non-fiction writers who are members of the Vision Australia Library. The programme is run online via Zoom and is free for Vision Australia Library members. This writing group is focussed on non-fiction writing, including creative non-fiction. It will be most useful for people who are working on a particular writing project, such as a memoir, family history, or another non-fiction writing project. Your writing project can be a personal project that you plan to share with family and friends - you do not have to be working towards publication.

How it works

Up to 10 participants will meet monthly over 10 sessions to discuss their writing projects and learn more about the craft of writing. Sessions will be hosted on Zoom and participants can join online or via telephone. Each 60 minute session will include 15 minutes on writing craft from Sian Prior, and 45 minutes of feedback. Three participants will have the opportunity to receive feedback in each session, based on extracts of no more than 800 words each, which will be sent to group members by email one week prior to each session. You will have three opportunities through the year to have your writing workshopped by Sian and the rest of the group. All the group members commit to reading the three extracts (approximately 2400 words total) prior to each session. We will have guidelines to help the group offer feedback in a constructive and supportive way. Feedback will only be provided verbally during writing group sessions.

About Dr Sian Prior

Sian Prior is a writer, broadcaster and writing teacher. She is the author of two books: ‘Shy: a memoir’ and ‘Childless: a story of freedom and longing’. She has been teaching creative writing courses for two decades, at RMIT University and for community groups and libraries. She has a Doctorate in Creative Writing from RMIT, and her articles and essays have been published in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Big Issue, The Saturday Paper and Meanjin literary magazine. 

You can learn more at sianprior.com.