Power Into 2026 with Zoom Craft Clinics (and do this writing exercise!)

A new year, a new focus! If you’re ready to lift your writing to the next level, join me for The Art of Writing 2026 Craft Clinics. Once-a-month starting from January 17, we will run full-on, total drill-down sessions that focus on what can elevate your writing NOW.

These live Zoom workshops are dynamic, practical and creative. Whether you’re working on a memoir, novel or short story, each two-hour session gives you clear techniques, hands-on exercises, and sharp insights you can apply to your pages straight away.

Think of it as your Writing Plan for 2026. Four focused sessions to strengthen your writing, scene by scene.

Your 2026 Writing Plan, One Clinic at a Time

Tuesday, 17 February 2026
The Art of Scene – Crafting Vivid, Emotionally Charged Moments
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Sydney (AEDT) | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM London (GMT) | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Central Europe (CET)
Learn how to build scenes and how to balance showing and telling. 

Cost: $120 AUD per participant
Early Bird: $99 AUD if booked two weeks in advance

Tuesday, 17 March 2026
Memory into Memoir – Shaping Real Experience into Compelling Narrative
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Sydney (AEDT) | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM London (GMT) | 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Central Europe (CET)
Is there honesty in memoir? Find meaning and emotional honesty in your story.

Cost: $120 AUD per participant
Early Bird: $99 AUD if booked two weeks in advance

Tuesday, 14 April 2026
The Major Dramatic Question
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Sydney (AEST) | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM London (BST) | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Central Europe (CEST)
Every great story asks a question. What’s yours?

Cost: $120 AUD per participant
Early Bird: $99 AUD if booked two weeks in advance

Tuesday, 12 May 2026
Character and Conflict What Does Your Characters Want? And What Stands in Their Way?
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Sydney (AEST) | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM London (BST) | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Central Europe (CEST)
Desire and opposition create drama. Raise the stakes and write conflict that feels real.

Cost: $120 AUD per participant
Early Bird: $99 AUD if booked two weeks in advance

How It Works

Each live online class runs for 2 hours via Zoom, with practical exercises, live Q&A, and capped attendance to ensure personal attention.
Every participant also receives a downloadable bonus resource before each session.

OR! 

Join all four of The Art of Writing Craft Clinic Zoom classes and deepen your writing practice across every key element of story: scene, memory, structure, and character.

Included Workshops:

1. The Art of Scene – Tuesday, 17 February 2026
2. Memory into Memoir – Tuesday, 17 March 2026
3. The Major Dramatic Question – Tuesday, 14 April 2026
4. Character and Conflict – Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Each class includes a downloadable bonus resource and capped attendance.

Individual classes: $120 AUD each
Total value: $480 AUD 

🌟 Bundle Price: $399 AUD for all four sessions
(Save $81 AUD — nearly 20% off)

Early Bird Bundle: $360 AUD if booked by 31 January 2026

Investing in the full Craft Clinic series is the best way to build momentum and see progress in your writing. Each class focuses on one essential skill, but together they create a great toolkit. By joining all four sessions, you’ll not only save money but also stay connected to your creative practice across the first half of 2026, guided step by step. It’s the perfect commitment to your writing. And to yourself as a writer!

Bring your notebook and work-in-progress!

Something for you to work on in the Meantime: Find Your Story!

This is soooooo what I see being a problem with even some of the most fantastic stories that come across my desk. Every great story, from Jane Eyre to Fleabag, hangs on one clear question. It’s not a theme or a plot summary. It’s the Major Dramatic Question (MDQ). The tension that keeps readers fully engaged.

The MDQ is usually simple, emotional, and personal:

• Will she find her freedom?
• Can he tell the truth before it’s too late?
• Will they ever forgive each other?

If your reader doesn’t subconsciously ask a question like this as they read, your story can start to drift.

Tip: You don’t always need to state the question. But you should feel it always there in every scene.

Ask yourself:

‘What do I want my reader to be desperate to find out?’

That’s your Major Dramatic Question.

Quick Writing Exercise

Step 1:
Write your story’s current premise in one sentence.

e.g. A young woman returns to her hometown to care for her estranged mother.

Step 2:
Now turn it into a question that makes you want to read on.

Can she heal old wounds before her mother dies?

Will she finally confront the truth about why she left?

Step 3:
Choose one. Put it at the top of your page while you write.

As you revise, ask yourself after every scene:

Did I move my character closer to, or further from, the answer?’

Grazie! And ciao for now! I take my leave of you until next weekend when we can debrief about the Dialogue Craft Clinic on Tuesday night. Am really excited about those 2 hours dedicated to talking about talking.

Tuesday nights are generally so boring. Let's do something meaningful with them!