Fitzroy Method: Writing Course

Next date to be advised

Teaching writing can be challenging.

You’re articulate.

You’re good at grammar.

You read widely.

Yet when it comes to giving students advice, you can wonder what you should say beyond the simple things, like misspelled words, punctuation, and clumsy expressions.

But maybe that isn’t so surprising, for writing is a craft – and a difficult one at that!

Kurt Vonnegut once famously wrote that "When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth."

Ernest Hemingway expressed it like this: "There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."

So if famous writers like these find writing hard, then it is only natural that it is a challenge for the rest of us.

And that is why we created the ‘Fitzroy Method Writing Course’.

Its purpose is to give you a writing roadmap.

A writer’s toolkit.

It will show you concrete ways to examine creative writing, essays, and persuasive arguments so you can give your students easy-to-understand, practical advice for improving their work.

It also delves into some of the best ways to create the optimal psychological environment in which your students can flourish.

It does this in a relaxed workshop format so that what you learn is never abstract. 

Rather, you’ll learn by doing, and this will give you the confidence to teach what you have studied.

In the process, you’ll discover:

•         What people mean when they suggest you 'Show don’t tell', and why this is critical for vivid and entertaining prose. (You also learn the exceptions to this rule!)
•         The art of using all five senses to take writing from 'mono' to 'stereo'.
•         The need for 'concrete writing' (it's not a 'sweet’, it's a 'lollipop'!) and why this will help you create memorable worlds for readers to inhabit.
•         The virtue of using strong verbs and precise nouns (and why this – perhaps more than anything else ­– will elevate the quality of your students’ prose).
•         Why you need to take care with adverbs and adjectives. (As Stephen King once wrote: "The road to hell is paved with adverbs.")
•         Why syntax matters (and how the position of a word can make all the difference to the impression we create for the reader).
•         A simple method for crafting interesting, authentic-sounding, lively dialogue.
•         How to structure/plot a gripping story. In this section, you’ll learn two models: one you can use for young children and the other for more advanced, older students. Here, we will look under the hood of well-known movies to see how these plot structures play out (and your student will delight in recognising them!).

After tackling creative writing, you will also learn simple – yet powerful – techniques for crafting compelling, persuasive arguments and the like.

Here, you will discover:

•         How to brainstorm ideas to find the ‘nuggets’ that will win over your audience.
•         How to effortlessly build an argument, one point after the next.
•         How to work ‘backwards’ to ensure every point is relevant.
•         How to use mind maps to generate ideas and structure essays.

If you want to approach your writing classes with confidence, knowing you have precise tools to give concrete, helpful advice to your students, then you'll love the Fitzroy Method Writing Course.

Course Details 

The presentation will commence at 9:00am AEST/AEDT and run until 3:30pm, with a 45-min break for lunch. There will also be several short breaks throughout the day to keep things fresh. All participants will receive course notes prior to the day, a personalised digital certificate at the end of the course, and free access to the online modules. (Note: the online Advanced Training course has 50% different course content to the in-house Writing Course.)

To secure your place, please make payment 1 week prior to the course date (30 day invoices do not apply). Cancelled places will be offered to those on the waiting list if payment is not received.

Please advise us if you’re unable to attend the course no later than 72 hours before the date, to receive a full refund. Cancellations made within the preceding 72 hours of the PD will not be refunded, unless there are genuine extenuating circumstances.

Certificates will be sent to all attendees after attending the full days’ training.

 For any questions, or to enrol in a course:

• Email   admin@fitzroyreaders.com
• Phone  03 9489 5700
  
• Or enrol and purchase using links at the top of the page.

Course Presenter:

Jeremy O’Carroll is the author of four novels and an Amazon best-selling non-fiction work. He has been writing for 20+ years and will show examples from his own books to help bring his ideas to life. He is also the author of the 11x-20x Fitzroy Readers and is the principal author of The Fitzroy Method Teacher’s Guide.