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Setting & Landscape James McKenzie Watson Saturday 21 March 2026
Setting is far more than just a backdrop to narrative – vividly rendered external worlds have the power to enrich character and enhance story in powerful and unexpected ways. This is especially true in a country like Australia, where our dramatic landscapes are so often integral to our stories.
In this workshop with award-winning author James McKenzie Watson, you will explore the role setting plays in character development and practice crafting landscapes that speak to your narratives. Drawing on his own experiences describing rural NSW in his novel Denizen, James will explore the importance of introspection in landscape description and identify what makes good descriptive language work.
This workshop includes practical advice, techniques and examples, in-class exercises, and resources to take home.
Target audience: Aspiring, emerging and developing writers.
Commencing at 10am and concluding at 4pm, James' workshop will be held at Dormie House, 38 Arthur Street, Moss Vale. Bring along a packed lunch or purchase it along with coffee and snacks from Dormie House. Participants are asked to bring writing materials (pen/pencil & paper or fully charged device). Tickets on sale January 2026.
Bio:
James McKenzie Watson writes fiction with a focus on health and rural Australia. His novel Denizen won the 2021 Penguin Literary Prize, was shortlisted for Best Debut in the 2023 Ned Kelly Awards, and was named a best book of 2022 by multiple Australian publications.
James has written for The Guardian, Meanjin and Kill Your Darlings. He has appeared at events including the Sydney Writers Festival, Newcastle Writers Festival and BAD Crime Sydney, and taught creative writing for organisations including Writing NSW. He co-hosts the writing and health podcast James and Ashley Stay at Home and works as a nurse.
James McKenzie Watson
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