BCA WRITERS WORKSHOP
There is an obvious gap in the literature of Aotearoa, obvious at least to those of us who know that Black folks have been on this whenua for the last fifty if not more years. Propelled by the desire to see more stories written by black writers we held our inaugural short story writers workshop in November 2020 with renowned British-Jamaican author Alex Wheatle.
With support from the MātātuhiFoundation a detailed process was outlined that invited applicants to join a lively workshop session with Alex (held over zoom); complete a draft of a short story and receive feedback from experienced novelists; and then submit to an established literary journal.
This workshop was a first and we hope to continue to offer writing workshops on an annual basis. Applicants who are involved in the workshop then join a dedicated writers group to continue developing skills and share work.
Our next writers lab (pending funding) will be held at the end of this year and a call out will be made in October. Please subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with all our opportunities.
TESTIMONIALS
It was a privilege to be part of the short story workshop with author Alex Wheattle. Open, generous, and accommodating, he took us through how to build a character and story in a light-hearted and engaging way. I loved Alex's warm, friendly and welcoming approach to teaching that allowed the group to ask questions and get feedback in an encouraging atmosphere. He made sure everyone had a voice. As a teacher Alex was one of the best I had. The workshop offered me the opportunity to gain confidence and insight into the creation of my characters and their world and it left me excited to continue my writing journey.
Bareeka Vrede