Allow readers to witness another’s pain and learn from it.

In this workshop, you will learn techniques and strategies for writing traumatic stories and traumatised characters for memoir, biography and fiction in an authentic and engaging way. Understand the neuroscience of trauma to develop realistic character fight/flight/freeze responses, mimic the effects of trauma in your narrative structure, develop a Hero’s Journey post-traumatic growth arc, interview trauma survivors and avoid pitfalls by exercising ethics and self-care.

Unavailable to make it in person? The Queensland Writers Centre also offers the opportunity to watch this workshop via online live stream. Tickets and further information are available here.

Learning Outcomes:

You will learn to represent trauma in an authentic and engaging way in fiction and non-fiction through practical exercises and group discussions in the key areas listed below:

– Understand the neuroscience of trauma (fight/flight/freeze responses)
– Represent authentic character actions/reactions
– Use the Hero’s Journey story arc for post-traumatic growth stories
– Understand key narrative techniques and strategies to represent trauma in writing
– Learn strategies for interviewing trauma survivors
– Ethical considerations – whose story is it?
– Self-care to avoid re-traumatisation and vicarious traumatisation