This course has already taken place. We are running this course again in December 2020 because it was so popular. If you would like to enrol, go here>>

This online nature writing course is ideal for fiction and non-fiction writers at all levels with a passion for the natural world. You’ll focus on techniques for bringing landscapes, flora and fauna to life for your audience, including: evocative description, effective use of emotion, and the importance of story. You’ll also consider issues such as anthropomorphism, culture versus nature, and the challenges faced when writing with an environmental message.

Is this online course right for you? Read our FAQ >

Throughout the course, author Inga Simpson uses a combination of instruction, inspiring examples of nature writing and practical writing exercises, with plenty of opportunity for group discussion. You’ll come away with a stronger understanding of nature writing – past and contemporary, Australian and international – and a practical toolkit for sharing your love of nature on the page.

When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world.

– John Muir

Expected Learning Outcomes

Participants will gain

• A stronger sense of nature writing, its directions, and its leading exponents
• A practical toolkit for evocative description
• Greater familiarity with the ethical issues of environmental writing, including: anthropomorphism, eco-centrism, and writing the whole history of a place
• Techniques for linking story and character to place, and writing persuasively
• Increased confidence and capacity to describe the natural world

We’ve designed this online course to meet your learning needs. You can work through the lesson material, ask questions, and engage with fellow writers at any time throughout the course. Please note, there are no live meetings.

Participant Requirements

Internet access and confidence using basic computer software are essential for this program.

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