World Building 101

The Katharine Susannah Prichard (KSP) Writers’ Centre, affectionately known as KSP or Katharine's Place, is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to encouraging authors and running writing development activities in the former home of celebrated Australian writer, Katharine Susannah Prichard (1883-1969), author ofCoonardoo, Working BullocksandThe Goldfields Trilogy.The KSP Writers’ Centre is located in the beautiful Perth Hills region. It is a community space which is open all year round for visitors to be inspired by a walk through the heritage-listed gardens.The Centre boasts a premiere Writer-in-Residence program and unique Youth Program. In addition, annual activities include workshops, courses, writing groups, author talks, retreats, fellowships, manuscript assessments, mentoring, competitions, and an annual line-up of fun social events. The current literary program is brought to you with thanks to the substantial support of the Shire of Mundaring.‘The ambience of the place, and the encouraging attitude of all those concerned with it, can do nothing but further enhance and nurture a writer's career.’ Susan Laura Sullivan, poet, novelist and former KSP Writer-in-Residence

KSP Writers' Centre

Writing workshop with Lee Battersby, KSP 2017 Established Writer-in-Residence 
Saturday 22 July 2017, 1.00-4.00pm
$35 KSP and WAWU members, $50 others
 
World Building 101
The creation of fantasy worlds is a balancing act. Worlds must be recognisable enough that the reader can identify the commonalities necessary to engage with the narrative, while containing enough fantastical material to continually reinforce the suspension of disbelief. Too fantastical, and the reader may lost contact with the narrative. Too mundane, and the fantastic elements seem out of place and arbitrary.  
The workshop will introduce participants to methods of world-building that combine verisimilitude with the creation of realistic, logical and understandable secondary fantasy elements that work within a sustained and coherent narrative. 
Participants will discuss the introduction of fantasy elements into realistic settings, and vice versa; the biological and physical constraints of fantastical creatures and settings; the creation of realistic weather patterns, geology, and landscape; and social constructs such as politics, religion and community. Writing exercise will reinforce discussion and give participants an opportunity to practice concepts while building material in a second world setting. 
It is intended that participants will be writers with a reasonable understanding of the speculative fiction genre but wish to improve their skills in writing saleable stories. It is expected that each participant bring sufficient pens and paper for written exercises.
 
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
It is expected that participants will leave the workshop with a working knowledge of the factors required to build a believable second word setting, as well as the materials necessary to construct a narrative within that world. Participants will have a minimum of four to five pieces of writing that reinforce the lesson and constitute the beginnings of stories within the world construct.
 
About the Facilitator
Lee Battersby is the multiple-award winning author of the novels 'The Corpse-Rat King' and 'Marching Dead' (Angry Robot, 2012, 2013) as well as the children's novel 'Magrit' (Walker Books, 2016) and over 70 short stories, many of which are collected in 'Through Soft Air' (Prime Books 2006). He has appeared in markets as diverse as Year's Best Fantasy & Horror Volume 20; Year's Best Australian F&SF Year's Best Australian Fantasy & Horror vol. 3; and Dr Who: Destination Prague. His work has been praised for its consistent attention to voice and narrative muscle, and has resulted in a number of awards including the Aurealis, Australian Shadows and Australian SF ‘Ditmar' gongs. He was the 6th Australian, and 1st Western Australian, winner in the international 'Writers of the Future' competition in 2001. Lee lives in Rockingham, Western Australia, with his wife, writer Lyn Battersby and an increasingly weird mob of kids. He is sadly obsessed with Lego, Nottingham Forest football club, dinosaurs and Daleks. 
 
FAQs What are my transport/parking options getting to the event? There is a bus stop directly outside the Centre on Old York Road. The Centre is located on a residential street and looks like any other house: look for the 'Katharine’s Place' wooden plaque sign and bright green letterbox out front. Parking is available in the brick driveway and in front of the hedge, also on the upper gravel level (to the right of the house) and along the street. Overflow parking can be found down the gravel driveway to the immediate left of the house (look for the No Thoroughfare sign); please drive down here slowly. What should I bring to the event? Bring an exercise book and pen or pencil, and water bottle if desired. Laptops/tablets also welcome. Where can I contact the organiser with any questions? Phone the KSP Writers' Centre office 08 9294 1872 or email kspf@iinet.net.au Is my registration/ticket transferrable? Sorry, tickets cannot be transferred.  Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? No. Check your name off at the door. What is the cancellation and refund policy? Please visit the KSP Writers' Centre website to view the Cancellation Policy: <A HREF="http://www.kspwriterscentre.com/workshops" TARGET="_blank" DATA-MSYS-CLICKTRACK="0" REL="nofollow noopener noreferrer">http://www.kspwriterscentre.com/workshops </A>

World Building 101

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