Bernard Cohen's The Writing Workshop runs after-school, school holiday, online and in-school creative writing workshops and activities for children and young people.

Our writing workshops and programs help young writers build confidence, take pride in work, develop creativity, improve literacy, increase general braininess and have a lot of fun.

New: In-service courses for primary and secondary school teachers.

July holiday workshops

Kids in the Park holiday workshops for ages 6-9 and 10-14. As part of the Kids in the Park program, our creative writing workshops will take place 21st-23rd July 2009 in the spectacular Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Invent your own country, travel in time, invent wild new machines (and use them). Create world-changing events, and write superbly serious or hilarious stories and poems - all in your own brilliant literary style. $145 inc GST. Click here to book. Places available.

One-day Intensive Workshop for Teenagers (13-17) and one-day "Write Your Own Book" workshop for 8-12 year-olds. How to set, plan, build and finish your own extended story. Creating atmospheric settings, memorable characters and gripping plots. This full day (bring your own picnic lunch) will give you all the skills and inspiration you need to write your own book. As part of the Kids in the Park program, this creative writing workshop will take place Monday 20th July 10am-3.30pm (8-12 year-olds) or Saturday 25th July 11am-4.30pm (13-17 year-olds) in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Click on dates for booking forms: PDF, opens in new window. Places available in both groups.

Participant comment: "The best day I have had this year." Oliver, aged 8, on one-day workshop, April 2009.

Selective High Schools Placement Test intensive writing workshop. This three-hour workshop is directed towards year 5 students sitting the NSW Selective High Schools Placement Test to be held early in 2010. The workshop will take place Friday 24th July in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. The workshop will cover skills for the test's creative writing component, including scenario development, planning and test practice. Please contact Bernard via this form for further information or click here for a booking form. Places available.

Parent emails:

"Jade (aged 13) has really, really been enjoying your class. Thanks for putting on such a stimulating course that progresses through the term toward Jade and the other children feeling they are achieving great things with what they love to do (and do best). Although the journey is always what keeps the cogs in motion, it's the end product often that 'glows' as the big reward for the time and effort spent. Jade has definitely felt a sense of pride and achievement in what you have guided her toward and taught her." JS, April 2009.

News: Congratulations to Darcy, aged 8, March 2009 Kids' Editor of Burke's Backyard magazine.

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After-school workshops

Bookings now open for Term 3, 2009 after-school workshops — workshops now in Parramatta, Summer Hill and Annandale!

Mondays at University of Western Sydney Parramatta campus (campus map). Commences 3rd August. Years 1-2 from 3.30 to 4.25 pm; years 3-4 from 4.30-5.25 pm; years 5/6 from 5.30 to 6.25 pm. Click here to book (enrolment forms in PDF) for years 1-6. Or please contact us for further details. Try-outs welcome!

Tuesdays at Summer Hill Public School, Moonbie Street, Summer Hill. Commences 28th July. Years K-2 from 3.15 to 4pm; years 3-4 from 4.05 to 5 pm; years 5-6 from 5.05-6pm. Click here for years 3-6 (enrolment forms in PDF). Years 1-2, please click here. Or please contact us for further details.

Thursdays at Annandale North Primary School, Johnston St, Annandale. Commences 30th July. Years K-2 from 3.05 to 4 pm; years 3-4 from 4.05-5 pm; years 5-6 from 5.05 to 6 pm. Click here to book. Or please contact us for further details.

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News: Congratulations to all those who participated in the 2008 ICAS/UNSW Writing Competition. Especially well done to Maddie A and Alethea with high distinctions (Maddie's was the highest mark ever achieved at her school), and to Ella, Nicholas A, Annie K, Isabelle, Anooj, Ciara, Umi, Holly, Claire O, Pola and all others with distinctions. Thank you to those who contacted me with news of your superb results. Bernard

News: Congratulations to Willem Proos, runner-up in the 2008 Sun-Herald's "The Ultimate Story" competition. Kay (Willem's Mum) writes: "Willem had a great time at your course and learnt a lot." The competition attracted over 1000 entries this year. More info in the Herald Education site here.

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Online Workshops

Too far to travel to current venues? Try Online Creative Writing Workshops. The Writing Workshop's internet creative writing workshops take place in a password-protected blog. The workshops involve regular writing exercises and mentor feedback. Minimum age is 10. Requires internet access from home and possibly some parental supervision/encouragement. Please click here for more information, or email Bernard via this form. Click here for an enrolment form (new window, pdf).

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School programs

TWW offers schools high-quality workshops and courses ranging from a single session to term-length residencies. Bernard also offers high-quality in-service and planning days.

Recent or current school days and workshop series include Bourke Street Public School (Term 2, 2009), Athelstane Public School (in-service + Term 2, 2009), Malek Fahd Islamic School (HSC workshop: "Belonging" ), Matraville Sports High, Penrith Anglican College Enrichment Day (PACED), the Whitlam Institute (UWS) "What Matters!" school workshops, Gardeners Road Public School, Glebe Public School (Years 2-6 - click for information and writing), Marrickville Intensive English Centre, La Perouse Public School, Marrickville Public School, St Peters Public School, Summer Hill Public School. Castle Cove Public School, St Fiacre's School, Croydon Park PS kindergarten groups, Annandale North PS (K-3), Marrickville West Public School, Pittwater High, MET Meadowbank (years 11 and 12) and Tempe High (Year 8). Our senior high school lessons address creative writing elements of the NSW HSC English curriculum, with particular focus on recent markers' comments. Recent library workshops for teenagers include Blacktown, Leichhardt and Pittwater Public Libraries.

School organisers please click here for more information on school programs, or contact us by clicking here.

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In-Service Courses for Primary and Secondary School Teachers

The Writing Workshop now offers planning days and in-service courses for teachers of all school levels from K to 12. The Writing Workshop in-service courses focus on planning term-length creative writing programs. These are practical days requiring teachers to access and apply their own creative skills. No PowerPoint!

School organisers please contact The Writing Workshop for more information by clicking here. You may also contact Bernard directly on 0418 246 396.

Recent In-Service Courses: April 2009, Athelstane Public School Planning Day for all school teaching staff, K-6 plus IM . Participant comments:

"Great ideas to make children's creative ideas flow."

"I found the workshop very valuable. It was great to learn in more depth how to really plan a story, how to develop character and keep a narrative going and facilitate this in students' writing. The practical activities were excellent... This sort of teaching is much more practical and helpful than other courses that simply teach a macrostructure or checklist to include in a narrative. Thanks."

"Very engaging - hands on... Lots of useful ideas and tips for writing with children."

"A very informative day. Presented in a clear, simple and practical manner."

November 2008 Gifted and Talented Creative Writing Planning Day at Penrith Anglican College and invited nearby schools. Participant comments:

"I found the ideas to be very helpful. I am keen to try them in the class ASAP. Bernard is passionate about writing and made me feel that I would succeed as a teacher. Bernard is an excellent facilitator."

"I've taken some new ideas to share with my colleagues. Presentation was relaxed and informative. It was great that you didn't use PowerPoint and you talked to us."

"Well presented, interesting writing strategies I can see myself incorporating into my classroom writing program next year. You have inspired me to write!"

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News: In 2008, The Writing Workshop further contributed to "Priority Schools". Bernard Cohen was once again visiting author at four "priority schools" under the NSW Education Department's Priority Schools Program. The schools were Alexandria Park Community School, Matraville Sports High School, Gardeners Road Public School and Athelstane Public School. Priority Schools are defined by high levels of community welfare dependence and need. In 2007, Bernard presented term-length workshop series at Marrickville Intensive English Centre, Marrickville PS, Glebe PS and St Peters PS.

News: Bernard was keynote speaker at the Primary Principals Association (Port Jackson & Bondi areas) Annual Conference in mid-June. The conference theme was "Magic Happens".

News: Writers Talk, a resource developed by the NSW Department of Education's Centre for Learning Innovation for Sydney Writers Festival 2008, now features an interview with Bernard Cohen. Other interview subjects include Deborah Abela, Ursula Dubosarsky and Emily Rodda. Further interviews are still to be added — as is Bernard's masterclass with year 8 at Tempe High School, in which students transformed the school library into a museum.

More parent emails:

"I thought I might just drop you this note to really say thank you, and to let you know what a great job we think you do.

"It is rare in our kids' overly full and ordered lives to get real opportunity to be lateral and creative in their writing. It suits our daughter down to the ground, and makes her feel special and validated. At the beginning of the term kids always wants to do lots of out-of-school activities, however this is the only one which independently motivates her every week.

"Kids have such great imaginations. Sometimes I think school unlearns some of this. We are fortunate to have an outlet to boost it back up again." — KC

"After attending your writing workshop last October, my daughter Olivia (now year 2) can't wait to come back to the workshop to work on one of her favourite areas - writing."

"Nick and Jorgie were buzzing after their first class on Thursday and are looking forward to next week. Jim and I were really impressed with their first writing task. Nick said he received loads of constructive criticism which is great, thank you."
More feedback from children and parents.

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Congratulations to Holly (year 5) and Nicholas (kindergarten) from TWW who won junior and senior sections respectively of the Annandale North Short Story competition. Claudia and Laine also won prizes, and Ella was highly commended. Congratulations to Alex from Drummoyne PS who won a school award for his story writing. Read Holly's truly remarkable story here.

News: "TellTales" awarded Australia Council development funding. "TellTales," TWW's proposed interactive multimedia story-telling project for 8-13 year olds, has been awarded development funding under the Literature Board of the Australia Council's "Story of the Future" program. Australia Council Press Release.

News: TWW participates in LAMP. "TellTales," TWW's proposed interactive multimedia story-telling project for 8-13 year olds, has been accepted for "LAMP: Story of the Future Residential Lab". "TellTales" is directed by Natalie Kershaw, TWW's interactive media specialist (and shortlisted for the 2006 Vogel Literary Award). The "TellTales" team comprises Natalie, Bernard Cohen and designer Daniel Ormella. LAMP (Laboratory for Advanced Media Production), presented by the Australia Council and AFTRS, assessed applications on their innovation, narrative depth and potential for user-generated content.

What the papers say about TWW: "The kids flood into the classroom, bubbling with excitement and comments about previous workshops and stories they've written, and Cohen gets straight down to business…" Read the Sydney Morning Herald article on TWW (SMH, 16/9/2006, opens new browser window - pdf/Acrobat format).

What the children write: click here. Or to download an A4 pdf (Acrobat format) of four great collective poems, click here (opens in new browser window).

What do participants think of Bernard's workshops? This is what they've said.

Click here for The Writing Workshop's approach to learning creative writing: why we do what we do.

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Old news

Sunday 15th March 10am - 3.30pm: One-day intensive "Write Your Own Book" workshop. How to set, plan, build and finish your own extended story. Creating atmospheric settings, memorable characters and gripping plots. This full day (bring your own picnic lunch) will give you all the skills and inspiration you need to write your own book. This creative writing workshop will take place in the spectacular Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Suitable for 8-13 year-olds. Update: BOOKED OUT.

Sunday 1st March 10am - 1pm: Selective Schools test special half-day workshop. This three-hour workshop is directed towards year 6 students sitting the NSW Selective High Schools Placement Test to be held early in 2009. The workshop will take place in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. The workshop will cover skills for the test's creative writing component, including scenario development, planning and test practice. FULL.

October 2008 holiday workshops for ages 6-9 and 10-14. As part of the Kids in the Park program, our creative writing workshops will take place 6th-8th October 2008 in the spectacular Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Click here for booking forms. Update: 6-9 year-old group BOOKED OUT; 10-14 year old group BOOKED OUT .

Selective High Schools Placement Test intensive writing workshop. This three-hour workshop is directed towards year 5 students sitting the NSW Selective High Schools Placement Test to be held early in 2009. The workshop will take place 5th October 2008 in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. The workshop will cover skills for the test's creative writing component, including scenario development, planning and test practice. Please contact Bernard via this form for further information or click here for a booking form. Update: BOOKED OUT

July 2008 holiday workshops for ages 6-9 and 10-14. As part of the Kids in the Park program, our creative writing workshops will take place 16th-18th July 2008 in the spectacular Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Click here for booking forms. Update: 6-9 year-old group full; 10-14 year old group BOOKED OUT. New group for 8-12 year olds, 3pm - 5pm, 16-18 July.

"THE JOURNEY" — HSC English intensive one-day workshop. This workshop is suitable for all senior English students. The workshop will take place 15th July 2008 in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. Please click here or email bernard for further information or click here for booking forms.

Selective High Schools Placement Test intensive writing workshop. This three-hour workshop is directed towards year 5 students sitting the NSW Selective High Schools Placement Test to be held early in 2009. The workshop will take place 14th July 2008 in the Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park. The workshop will cover skills for the test's creative writing component, including scenario development, planning and test practice. Please email bernard @ writingworkshop.com .au for further information or click here for booking form. Update: Full.

April 2008 holiday workshops for ages 6-9 and 10-14 (BOOKED OUT). As part of the Kids in the Park program, our creative writing workshops will take place 16th-18th April 2008 in the spectacular Field Studies Tower, Bicentennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park.

News: Bernard conducted a Children's Book Council Masterclass at Sydney Writers' Festival on Saturday 24th May 2008. Details and bookings at the CBCA (NSW) website. UPDATE: booked out.

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Bernard Cohen

Bernard Cohen is a novelist and picture book writer and director of The Writing Workshop. Bernard's writing has been published around the world and his awards include the 1997 Vogel Prize, 2001 Arts Council of England Writer's Award and a unique three inclusions in the Sydney Morning Herald's Best Young Novelists. Bernard's latest publications for grown-ups: "War against the Ungulates" (short story) published in Heat 17; "Hunter is Writing" (feature) in Australian Author 39/3; "Storm" (poem) published in FourW Nineteen; NEWS: "War against the Ungulates" republished in Best Australian Stories 2008 (ed: Delia Falconer, Black Inc, Melbourne).

Bernard has almost 20 years experience conducting writing workshops for young people, and founded The Writing Workshop in 2006. Please click here to read comments on Bernard's creative writing workshops from participants, parents and teachers.

For more information, please contact The Writing Workshop.

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