OOTA Creative Writing Class
Dr. Bruce Russell’s prose writing classes are held on the first Friday of each month, between 10am to 12pm, at Mattie Furphy House, Clare Copse, Swanbourne.
2025 Class Dates: 7 Feb, 7 Mar, 4 Apr, 2 May, 6 Jun, 4 Jul, 1 Aug, 5 Sep, 3 Oct, 7 Nov
Cost per session: $25 for OOTA members, $30 for non-members payable in cash at each session.
The focus of the classes is to develop in each participant their WRITING PRACTICE. This refers to:
Daily focus on creative writing (even when you are travelling!).
This practice may target an ongoing project (short story, novel, essay) or simply consist of journal entries as a warm-up to the larger project.
Ideally, writing practice is driven by the urgent need to explore a theme or experience or person or idea the writer has encountered, whether recently or historically.
Writing practice also involves reading like a writer. In other words, dig down into what the creator was doing and how they did it.
As always, creative products – flash fiction, short stories, extracts from novels, literary essays – are dealt with in class. Classes are intended to inspire new writing or consolidate existing writing. Particular challenges (e.g. how to write about characters from other cultures without appropriating their world) are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Finished pieces can be sent to the tutor, who will either encourage the writer to present the piece in class, or to do further work on it.
News about writing competitions and other market opportunities are shared in class.
Bruce Russell is a novelist and biographer. He has published seven novels, four of which are available online at www.brucerussell.com.au. His biographical work has all been done on commission and distributed privately. His first novel, Jacob’s Air, won the 1995 T.A.G. Hungerford Award and was published by Fremantle Press (then Fremantle Arts Centre Press). Bruce has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Queensland. He has appeared at writers’ festivals around Australia and has in-depth experience as a writing tutor both in academia and in the community.
Enquiries about the classes can be sent to brucer@iinet.net.au
POETRY CRITIQUING 2025
These sessions are held on the first Tuesday of the month in between 10am and 12pm in the Seed Room at the Fremantle Arts Centre with Kevin Gillam. The group will hold up to 10 participants who are requested to bring 11 copies of their poem for critique. $10 per session. Please email Kevin if you wish to attend on kgillam63@gmail.com
2025 Dates: February 4th, March 4th, April 1st, May2nd, June 3rd, July1st, August 5th, September 2nd, October 7th, November 4th
Kevin Gillam is a West Australian writer with three books of poetry published, Other Gravities (2003) and Permitted to Fall (2007), both by Sunline Press, and 'Songs sul G' in Two Poets, by Fremantle Press in 2011. He was Director of Music at Christ Church Grammar School in Perth for many years.
LITERARY FRIDAYS 2025
Literary Fridays are on the third Friday of each month between 10am and 12pm in the Seed Room at the Fremantle Arts Centre.
2025 Dates: February 21st, March 21st, April 11th (to avoid Good Friday), May16th, June 20th, July 18th, August 15th, September 19th, October 17th, November 21st
During the course of the year sessions will include writing and discussion for poets and prose writers, readings by members and invited guests.
The March event on Friday 21st March will be facilitated by Marcella Polain.
These sessions are for OOTA members only and a contribution of $10 towards the cost of the room hire will be payable in cash on the day. RSVP to ootawriters@gmail.com if you intend to attend.