This course, First Seed to First Draft: Turning Ideas into Stories with Anna Downes, will be held at Writing NSW, in Sydney.

Every story starts with an idea, but it’s often hard to tell which ones are worth pursuing. Sometimes we hit the creative jackpot, other times we’ll tussle with a concept for months before running out of steam. And that’s normal – not all that glitters is gold, and often the only way to tell the difference is to give it a go. But wouldn’t it be nice to save time? What if we could be sure that an idea has enough gas in the tank before we start?

In this one-day workshop with internationally bestselling author Anna Downes, we’ll look at the difference between a story and a situation. Working both individually and as a group, we’ll put our ideas to the test by building storytelling frameworks, interrogating the needs of our protagonists and uniquely tailoring our stories accordingly. We’ll chart a rough course from beginning to end to identify how much mileage the idea really has, stretching its potential while also keeping it tethered to certain crucial foundations. And by the end of the course, we’ll have a structurally solid starting point from which we can confidently take that idea from first seed to first draft.

Expected learning outcomes

Participants will:

1. Learn how to more effectively identify story potential and develop the first seeds of inspiration into a workable idea.
2. Deepen their understanding of overall plot and structure as it specifically relates to character arc.
3. Work both individually and as a group to apply storytelling techniques to their own ideas, and gain insider knowledge on the importance of prioritising hook, pitch and marketability from the very beginning.

Participant requirements

Paper and pen and/or a fully charged device.

Please read our FAQ> before enrolling. If you have questions about this course, please contact us.

Reviews about Anna

‘I was struggling and stuck with my work-in-progress when Anna Downes gave me her plot doctor treatment. After an hour of clear explanations, diagrams, lightbulb moments about story structure and then sharing a generous, thoughtful and clever brainstorm of ideas, I walked away buzzing with energy and a clear sense of how my plot problem might be fixed. I sat down and wrote for three hours straight and came out with a totally revamped plot structure and renewed enthusiasm for my project. Anna Downes is a plot doctor genius!’ – KATE MILDENHALL, author of THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT and THE MOTHER FAULT

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