Are you looking for professional support and a strong peer network to help you finish your book or refine your first draft? If you're working on a first draft or a draft that just isn't working, Writers SA's First Draft program can help you shape your manuscript and stay on track.

*Please note: this course has now closed for registrations. Please view our current workshops here.*

Fortnightly online group meetings, access to quarterly workshops, feedback and consultations, and group support will get you another step closer to completing your book. Facilitator Patrick Mullins will also offer expert advice on structure, research and storytelling techniques for non-fiction writing.

This program is suitable for anyone working on a long-form non-fiction writing project of any style; from creative non-fiction, to first-person memoir, essays, reportage, histories or biography.

Fortnightly meetings will cover:

• Approaches to research and ethical considerations when telling true stories
• Key considerations for writing and publishing non-fiction stories
• Critiquing your own work to determine its audience and commercial potential
• Finding the right publisher or agent, and tips for pitching your work
• Networking, self-promotion, and building opportunities
• Insider tips from Patrick's real-world experiences as a published author.

First Draft with Patrick Mullins includes:

• Eight fortnightly group meetings (dates are below)
• Access to a wide selection of workshops with six credits to use across our online and in-person events. (T&Cs apply)
• One in-depth consultation about your writing project with a Writers SA staff member
• An expert critical reading of your first three chapters plus one page of feedback
• One Work Space writing intensive day
• Access to a private online space to share work and ideas with your peers.

Meeting dates: Wednesdays 7pm – 8pm (Adelaide time), August 10 & 24, September 7 & 21, October 5 & 19, November 2 & 16
 

About Patrick Mullins

Patrick Mullins is a Canberra-based writer. He is the author of three books, including Tiberius with a Telephone: the life and stories of William McMahon (2018), which won the 2020 National Biography Award and 2020 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Non-Fiction.

Members $890* / Non-members $1390

This program will be held online via Zoom. Instructions will be emailed to you, please be sure to check your spam folder.

*Payment plans are available to members for this program with a $300 deposit and fortnightly repayments of $150. Please email [email protected] to discuss options.

—Writers SA members must be logged in to receive the member discount.

Program Terms and Conditions

-The six workshops refer to both digital and in-person sessions and include: 3 1.5-hour workshops, two 3-hour workshops and one 6-hour workshop. The workshops may be selected of your choice or by recommendation from Writers SA. You must use these credits in 2022. Outstanding credits will not be held over. These cannot be exchanged for any other service or refunded. There will be a maximum of two credit-holders at each event until a minimum number of paid participants is reached and will be on a first-come-first-served basis after emailing [email protected] to lodge your request. If the workshop is at capacity for credit-holders, you can opt to pay for the workshop or join a wait-list until the event reaches the minimum number of paid participants.

-Participation in this series does not guarantee publication.

-In depth consultations and First Feedback will be carried out by a relevant staff member of Writers SA