Writers don’t always think ahead to potentially performing their work when they’re going through the difficult writing process. But knowing how to perform and speak your words is essential, both in terms of marketing and professional development, but also for building your confidence in the public arena.

With 18 years of professional experience, the award-winning founder of Australian Poetry Slam, Miles Merill, will present this hands-on and practical workshop to look at ways of using stories and poetry to get your message across: from holding a microphone, to expressing vulnerability, to editing your text for a live presentation.

This ‘wordshop’ uses one of the primary characteristics of poetry—say more with less—to assist participants to perform their writing more effectively.

Part 1: Writing

Writing with Impact

1. Perspectives and tenses
2. Painting with words
3. Cutting unnecessary words
4. Using narrative to convey a message
5. Characters

Exercises

1. Free Write
2. Five Words Five Minutes
3. Pick a Moment
4. Cleaning up

Part 2: Performing

Basics of Performing

1. Enjoying the Process
2. Breathing Techniques
3. Being Physical
4. Sincerity, vulnerability and emotion
5. Experimenting with voices and rhythms

Performing your writing

1. Strategies in advance of presentation
2. Strategies just before the presentation.
3. Strategies when the program begins

Technically Speaking

1. Presenting with Music
2. Using Visuals
3. Microphone Techniques

Exercises

1. Physical Warm-up
2. Names
3. Aliens
4. Gibberish
5. Sales Pitch
6. Characters

Participant Requirements

Pen and paper or preferred device for writing. Please ensure your device is charged.