Story master headlines writers conference
Screenwriting legend Michael Hauge is coming to Auckland in August to deliver his Story Mastery workshop to dozens of
authors at New Zealand’s largest writers’ conference.
Hauge, a story expert, author and lecturer who works with writers and filmmakers in Hollywood and around the world,
presents his highly sought-after one-day workshop on the Friday of the Romance Writers of New Zealand annual conference
which runs from 12 to 14 August.
To secure a writing coach of Hauge’s status is an absolute highlight of an information-packed conference according to
RWNZ president Bernadette Doube.
“Michael Hauge’s Story Mastery workshop has been taken by tens of thousands of novelists and screenwriters around the
world, so to have Michael join us in New Zealand in August offers Kiwi writers an incredible opportunity to learn from
one of the world’s best,” says Mrs Doube.
Registrations have just opened for the 2016 RWNZ annual conference, the 23rd event of its kind for the organisation
which was founded in 1990 by a group of Auckland romance writers and currently has in excess of 250 members right around
New Zealand and internationally.
With Michael Hauge’s one-day workshop filling Friday’s timetable, this year’s conference also features New York Times
bestselling paranormal and urban fantasy author Keri Arthur from Melbourne, Australia and NYT and USA Today bestselling
author Heather Graham, from Miami, USA, who has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category romance,
romantic suspense, historical romance and vampire fiction.
Mrs Doube says: “This year’s conference programme is even more chock-full than usual with fabulous speakers and
workshops on writing craft, forging a career as an author, self-publishing and more to offer something for everyone –
from novice writers to multi-published authors, for those of us who write romance, sci-fi, fantasy or virtually any kind
of fiction.
“We are delighted to also welcome New Zealand writer, tutor and script consultant Kathryn Burnett, popular Australian
author Rachel Bailey who’s also a USA Today bestseller, and well-known New Zealand historical author Deborah Challinor
among the dozen or so writers we have coaching our attendees through workshops and keynote presentations over the
weekend.”
Conference attendees have the opportunity to pitch their completed manuscripts to literary agents Sarah Younger of the
Nancy Yost Literary Agency and Courtney Miller-Callihan of the Handspun Literary Agency, while senior editors from the
world’s largest publisher of romance, Harlequin, will also be looking for promising romance authors.
“We work hard to make sure writers of all genres and experience levels are made to feel very welcome!” adds Mrs Doube.
“There is always so much to learn at one of our conferences, no matter what sort of novel you are writing or aspire to
write. And with a writing coach of Michael Hauge’s calibre, we’re looking forward to a fantastic turnout for what is set
to be one of the best ever RWNZ conferences.”
The 2016 RWNZ annual conference, ‘All you need is love…and a great story’, takes place at Auckland’s Waipuna Conference
and Events Centre from 12 to 14 August. More information is available via the website www.romancewriters.co.nz. Earlybird conference registration prices apply until 12 July and conference bookings closemidnight 8 August 2016
unless sold out prior.
ENDS/