Our Community, Our Stories: Writing for Change

Join us for this exciting opportunity to learn impactful storytelling techniques from award-winning health writer and author Sophie Cousins.

The workshop will be followed at 7pm by an evening of networking with other local writers and the launch of the Planetary Health Writers' Network. Email planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au if you'd like to register for the Writers' Network Launch.

About Sophie Cousins

Sophie Cousins is the author of 'Renewal' and 'A Woman's Worth'. After almost 15 years of working overseas in countries including Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Ethiopia, she’s returned to Australia to settle down in the Blue Mountains with her family.

Her work has been published in the New York Times, London Review of Books, the Guardian, the Lancet, Meanjin and others. She also works as a public health consultant for the World Health Organisation.

About the workshop: Our Community, Our Stories: Writing for Change

Humanity is defined by the stories we tell ourselves and one another. But mainstream media thrives on stories of crisis, tragedy and division – stories that have made us despondent and depressed. In the face of climate change and extreme weather events, the need for new stories that put local communities at the centre, that inspire and empower, and that engender hope, has never been more important.

Good storytelling creates change.

Over the course of three hours, we will discuss the challenges of narrativising climate change and health, learn impactful storytelling techniques, and workshop ideas so you can go home and start writing with confidence and passion.

What will we do? What will you learn?

· We will explore some big questions. What is impactful storytelling? Why is it important? How can it make a difference in our communities?

· Learn writing techniques to write impactful non-fiction stories in your communities

· Workshop story ideas: from big themes to ordinary life

· Learn interview techniques

· Learn how to integrate research/evidence into your stories

· Undertake group and individual writing tasks and receive feedback

For more information contact email planetaryhealth@bmmcc.nsw.gov.au or ring Lis on 0407 437 553.

This workshop is part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.