TAF2024 | FULL TIMETABLE
WRITERS' RETREATS | CRITIQUE GROUPS | MASTERCLASSES | PUBLISHING SALONS
Events from Sunday 3 to Friday 8 November,
Travel Days on Saturday 2 and 9 November
Franklin, Tasmania
Links to:
the week’s program leaders;
the Tasmanian Chapter of Sisters in Crime Australia Mysterious Women of Crime Trivia Night; and
FRANKLIN, home to TAF2024, is on the banks of the HUON RIVER
ST. JOHN’S CHURCH in FRANKLIN, home of TAF2024, is on a hill overlooking the Huon River
FRANK’s CIDERHOUSE AND CAFE, at the bottom of the hill from the church, offers coffee, cakes, lunch and refreshing ciders
LOCATION
All writers’ retreat sessions, classes and salons will be held at St John’s Church in Franklin.
Please note, contrary to Google maps, the church driveway is accessed via the Frank’s Ciderhouse and Cafe car park, not on Church St.
Please turn into Frank’s when headed to the church and drive up to the church slowly. Please ensure you talk to us early about any physical accessibility needs - while a ramp for the church is planned, it currently has front stairs only.
Saturday 2 November 2024
Travel day
A travel day to reach accommodation near Franklin to participate in writers’ retreats or masterclasses.
Sunday 3 November 2024
Morning
First dedicated writing session for those on retreat, with a suggested 3 hours of writing.
Afternoon
Attend classes, or suggested 3 hours of writing, before the first Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 1: Basic Instincts – How to Get Started on Your Novel, with Poppy Gee, 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
You have the perfect idea for a story. You can see it in your mind’s eye. But how do you start writing your novel?
Publishing Salon 1: Lessons from Vanda Symon’s Journey to Publication, with the internationally successful author of the Sam Shephard series, 4 pm to 5 pm
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 1, 5.15 pm to 7 pm
Welcome! Meet your fellow retreaters at your first daily group check-in session. Includes a Welcome to Country with members of the local palawa/Tasmanian Aboriginal community, with a Q&A (questions submitted anonymously ahead of time).
Writer’s Retreat Extension Activity – Live critique and edit of sample text
Sometimes the best explanation is an example. So your retreat organisers are putting some of their own work on the line.
Dinner
A group table at a local restaurant will be organised for dinner, to include some of the masterclass presenters. Retreaters may join if they wish.
Monday 4 November 2024 (TAS Recreation Day)
Morning
Attend class, or third writing session for a suggested 3 hours.
Masterclass 2: Getting Published: Your Best Line, with Poppy Gee, 10.30 am to 12.30 pm
Hook a reader or a publisher with a one sentence description of your story.
This is THE sentence - the 'elevator pitch' - used by you, agents, publishers, booksellers and others to sell your book to readers.
Join Poppy Gee, author of Bay of Fires, and internationally successful Tasmanian-born author to workshop your pitch line.
This is an intense masterclass with exercises. You need to submit a draft line ahead of time (one short, simple form) and be prepared to work on and share your line in the class.
Afternoon
Attend classes, or suggested 3 hours of writing, before the Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 3: Characters – How to Write Your Protagonist, with Vanda Symon, 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
How do you convey your main character’s motivation, inner conflict and place in life without exposition?
Publishing Salon 2: Lessons from Poppy Gee’s Journey to Publication, with the internationally successful author of Bay of Fires, 4 pm to 5 pm
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 2, 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm
Writer’s Retreat Extension Activity – Critique Group Check-in, 6.15 pm – 6.30 pm
Free night
Retreaters will be put in contact with each other ahead of time if they would like to organise a group booking for dinner.
Tuesday 5 November 2024 (Melbourne Cup Day)
Morning and Afternoon
Attend class, or suggested 6 hours total of writing, before Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 4 (and 5): How to Write Fight and Action Scenes, Alan Baxter, 10 am to 4 pm
What makes a fight or other physical action scene read as realistic, pacey and engaging?
Join martial arts master and internationally-renowned author Alan Baxter for this full day workshop to find out. Learn how to write physicality, bodies moving through space and your own unforgettable fight scenes.
By looking at the various factors that go into a real fight and real action, paying attention to the things that we train for when we learn to fight, we can write scenes that stay exciting without breaking the rules of realism that shatter believability.
You do not need to submit work ahead of time but be prepared for things to turn practical if New Zealand fencing champion Vanda Symon clashes with martial arts master Alan over the origins of pavolva.
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 3, 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm
Your daily group check-in session to report on your progress or key learning that day, and confirm your goal for the following day. With L.J. Owen, Vanda Symon, Poppy Gee and others.
Writer’s Retreat Extension Activity – Chapter Critique Check-in, 6.15 pm – 6.30 pm
A check-in for anyone participating in critiquing - questions, clarification etc.
Tuesday Dinner
A group table at a local restaurant will be organised for dinner, to include some of the masterclass presenters. Retreaters may join if they wish.
Wednesday 6 November 2024
Morning
Writing session for those on retreat, with a suggested 3 hours total of writing.
Afternoon
Attend classes, or suggested 3 hours total of writing, before Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 6: Setting – How to Draw Your Reader In, with Vanda Symon, 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
A well-realised storyworld is essential in any novel, but how do you convey the landscape and the human geography of your setting without exposition?
Join Vanda Symon, TARWF’s (returning) 2024 New Zealand Guest of Honour, author of the internationally best-selling Sam Shepherd series and President of the New Zealand Society of Authors, for this intense masterclass with exercises. You do not need to submit work ahead of time but you will need to come prepared with a character to work on in the class.
Publishing Salon 3: Lessons from Angela Meyer’s Journey to Publication, 4 pm to 5 pm
With the internationally successful author of A Superior Spectre, editor of work such as Emma Vickic’s Resurrection Bay, and RMIT lecturer in post graduate fiction.
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 5, 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm
Writers’ Retreat Session 4: Your daily group check-in session to report on your progress or key learning that day, and confirm your goal for the following day. With L.J. Owen, Vanda Symon, Angela Meyer, Poppy Gee and others.
Writer’s Retreat Extension Activity – Chapter Critique Check-in, 6.15 pm – 6.30 pm
A check-in for anyone participating in critiquing - questions, clarification etc.
Free night
Retreaters will be put in contact with each other ahead of time if they would like to organise a group booking for dinner.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Morning
Writing session for those on retreat, with a suggested 3 hours total of writing.
Afternoon
Attend classes, or suggested 3 hours total of writing, before Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 7: Getting Published: Your Blurb, with Angela Meyer, 3 pm to 5 pm
You've hooked a publisher with your elevator pitch (Masterclass 6, Your Best Line).
They read on to the 200 word summary of the book for the back cover.
With a defined structure and composition, your blurb will either convince an agent, publisher, bookseller and others to read the first page of your book, or it won't.
Join Angela Meyer, internationally successful author of A Superior Spectre, former publisher at Echo Publishing and RMIT lecturer in postgraduate creative fiction, and learn how to optimise your chances in this intense masterclass.
You will have an opportunity to submit work ahead of time (one short, simple form) and should be prepared to work on and share your blurb in the class.
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 5, 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm
Your daily group check-in session to report on your progress or key learning that day, and confirm your goal for the following day. With L.J. Owen, Angela Meyer, Poppy Gee and others.
Trivia Night
MYSTERIOUS WOMEN OF CRIME TRIVIA NIGHT
7 to 9 pm, Frank’s Ciderhouse and Cafe, tickets are $20.
Join all four masterclass leaders – Sulari Gentill, Vanda Symon, Poppy Gee and Angela Meyer – for a fast and furious evening event hosted by the Convenor of the Tasmanian Chapter of Sisters in Crime Australia, L.J. Owen.
TARWF is pleased to support this Tasmanian Chapter of Sisters in Crime Australia event.
Friday 8 November 2024
Morning
Writing session for those on retreat, with a suggested 3 hours total of writing.
Afternoon
Attend classes, or suggested 3 hours total of writing, before Writers’ Retreat Session at 5.15 pm.
Masterclass 8: Getting Published: Your First Page, with Angela Meyer, 3 pm to 5 pm
You've hooked a publisher with your elevator pitch (Masterclass 6, Your Best Line). Your back cover blurb has convinced them to turn to the first page (Masterclass 7, Your Blurb). Will they turn to page two?
Learn how to assess your first page to ensure it includes critical elements of your novel. A practical session, you must submit a draft page ahead of class.
Late Afternoon
Writers’ Retreat Session 6, 5.15 pm to 6.15 pm
Final check-in to assess your progress this week, top three things learned, review the outcomes of the critique groups and make a plan for when you return home.
Free night
Retreaters will be put in contact with each other ahead of time if they would like to organise a group booking for dinner.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Travel day
We wish you a safe journey home.
Links to:
the week’s program leaders;
the Tasmanian Chapter of Sisters in Crime Australia Mysterious Women of Crime Trivia Night; and
Stay up to date on what’s happening at the festival.
Sign-up for #TARWF Updates
Terror Australis Readers and Writers Festival would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which our festival is held, the Melukerdee People of the South East Nation, and pay our respects to Elders past and present.
TARWF’s 2024 professional development program is made possible by partner Frank’s Bar and Ciderhouse and TARWF’s 2024 masterclass series is supported by the Tasmanian Government.
