Writers on the Road

Writers on the Road: The Summer program 2022

The Holiday Break Program is designed to provide regional young people (12–24 years old) with access to recreational and social activities that are responsive, free, and local, so their creativity, imagination, self-confidence, and self-efficacy is enhanced, as well as their physical, social, cognitive and emotional development skills.

Over the school holidays from Winter 2022 to Summer 2023 we are providing young and emerging writers in Orange and Broken Hill with creative writing workshops. Further to theses series of workshops we are providing in term opportunities for these young writers to access to our wider activities through our online Creative Kids eligible after-school writing classes, writing groups and online resources. Publications and podcasts will be developed out of the programs to showcase and share their work.

Headspace Broken Hill, one of the hosting venues for the workshops, have highlighted the therapeutic benefits of creative writing for these cohorts, as it allows participants to explore subject matters pertinent to them and their experience, in a creative and fun way.

Below are details of the workshops on offer. If you would like to participate please contact WestWords on admin@westwords.com.au

The WestWords Writers on the Road are part of the Holiday Break program supported by the Office for Regional Youth in partnership with Create NSW.

This Summer WestWords is returning to Broken Hill! Working with Big Sky Stories and Headspace Broken Hill, we will be delivering 2 x 3-days creative writing workshops for young people.

When: Jan 30th, 31st and Feb 1st
Where: Headspace: 231 Blende St, Broken Hill NSW 2880
Big Sky Stories: Shop 3, 360 Argent St Broken Hill NSW 2880 www.bigskystories.org.au

This time the creative writing workshops will have an RPG and scriptwriting feel, as our two professional writers hosting the workshops are Glenn Fraser and Amelia Foxton.

Over thirty years, Glenn‘s films have won recognition at the Sydney Film Festival, Tropfest, Sundance and Edinburgh Film Festivals. He has written and directed dozens of hours of animation, television and documentary and created well-reviewed theatre pieces both in Sydney and in London. He has worked as Creative Director for the groundbreaking transmedia company Transmedia Entertainment and pioneered virtual reality technology for a number of applications.

Amelia is a multi-award winning filmmaker. She has performed the roles of screenwriter, director, editor, 1st AD and producer for a number of film and television projects. Amelia was recently awarded a funding grant by Creative Art Central to create her film ‘Mother Tongue’, which she is producing in collaboration with 9th Circle Entertainment and Eris Entertainment.

Previous Holiday Breaks

Writers on the Road: The Spring program

These spring holidays, WestWords was back on the Road! We returned to both Orange and Broken Hill.

In Broken Hill
Two cohorts – young people aged 12-15 looking to engage their creative spark, and older teens with a love for all things science-fiction and fantasy – had the opportunity to learn from two industry professionals, Catherine Jinks and Alex Eldridge.

Born in 1963, Catherine Jinks is the multi-award-winning author of more than fifty books for all ages, in a wide range of genres, published in a dozen countries. In 2001 she was presented with a Centenary Medal for her contribution to Australian Children’s Literature. Catherine’s father was born in Broken Hill, and her 2004 thriller ‘The Road’ is set in that area.

Always fascinated with space, fantasy and all things weird and fantastical, Alex got his start as a teen writing for music magazines and quickly progressed to writing short stories, then to full-length novels. Currently he has written two, and has recently released his first short story collection, Golden Hour.

Throughout the school term 3, Alex Eldridge has been hosting weekly zooms with the older cohort, improving their creativity and storytelling skills through a DnD campaign!

Dates: 26th, 27th, 28th September
Where: Headspace: 231 Blende St, Broken Hill NSW 2880
Big Sky Stories: Shop 3, 360 Argent St Broken Hill NSW 2880 www.bigskystories.org.au

In Orange
Two writers, 16-24 participants aged between 12 to 18 undertook free creative writing workshops over three days in person in Orange in regional NSW during the first week of the July School Holidays. These young people will be developing their writing, editing, interviewing skills with award-winning writer James Roy and Charmaine Ledden-Lewis.

Dates: 4th, 5th 6th October
Where: 42 Dalton St, Orange NSW 2800

Presented in partnership with Orange Aboriginal Lands Council.

Writers on the Road: The Winter program

During the winter holidays we packed our bags and went west!

The WestWords Writers on the Road are part of the Holiday Break program supported by the Office for Regional Youth in partnership with Create NSW.

In Orange
Two writers, 16-24 participants aged between 12 to 18 will undertake free creative writing workshops over three days in person in Orange in regional NSW during the first week of the July School Holidays. These young people will be developing their writing, editing, interviewing skills with award-winning writer James Roy and Charmaine Ledden-Lewis.

Dates: 6th, 7th 8th July
Where: 42 Dalton St, Orange NSW 2800

Presented in partnership with Orange Aboriginal Lands Council.

In Broken Hill
Two cohorts – young people aged 12-15 looking to engage their creative spark, and older teens with a love for all things science-fiction and fantasy – will have the opportunity to learn from two industry professionals, Ben Peek, a speculative-fiction author, and Claudia Chinyere Akole, a graphic artist & writer, to develop their storytelling skills, explore quest and journey themes, pen their ideas and creations, and ultimately boost their confidence to do so.

Ben Peek is a critically acclaimed speculative fiction writer, best known for his works, The Godless and Leviathan’s Blood. Peek’s short stories have been published in a variety of genre magazines, including Fantasy Magazine and Aurealis. He holds a doctorate in literature and splits his time between teaching and writing.

Claudia Chinyere Akole is an exhibiting artist, illustrator, cartoonist, designer and animator. Claudia has taught design, comics, and animation workshops at various levels including high school, university, and professional settings. She’s taught comic-making workshops to high school students from migrant and refugee backgrounds through the NSW organization STARTTS.

Dates: 13th ,14th 15th July
Where: Headspace: 231 Blende St, Broken Hill NSW 2880
Big Sky Stories: Shop 3, 360 Argent St Broken Hill NSW 2880 www.bigskystories.org.au

Presented in partnership with
NSW Government through Create NSW and Office for Regional Youth, Orange Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) and the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service.