creative writing group nz

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Have you always dreamed of writing a book, are you ready to start your creative journey, do you want to connect with your writing community, join our writing community for support and inspiration at every step of your writing journey.

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Hone your writing skills and learn how to write an unputdownable novel

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Strengthen your manuscript, from first feedback through to polished masterpiece

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“If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”

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• Fully immersive - held over three to five nights so you get at least two full days (and up to four full days) to learn, explore, experiment with and polish your writing
• Stunning environments - high quality accommodation venues in awe-inspiring locations
• Intimate - the optimal number of participants is 12 (with a maximum of 15 when venue size permits)
• Focus on wellbeing - a scrumptious organic menu and yoga sessions designed to provide holistic support and nurture your creativity.
• Plant the Seed with Jesse Blackadder
• Find Your Way Forward with Elizabeth Knox
• Find Your Way Forward II with Elizabeth Knox
• Cultivate: A Writing Retreat with Jesse Blackadder
• Write Your Life with Kerry Sunderland
• Breathe Life into Your Writing with Kerry Sunderland at Maruia River Retreat
• Find Your Way Forward III with Elizabeth Knox
• 2022 Writing Retreat with Elizabeth Knox - a five-day retreat at Abel Tasman Lodge from 8-13 December 2022
• 2023 Writing Retreat with Elizabeth Knox - a five-day retreat at Abel Tasman Lodge from 14-19 September 2023
• 2024 Autumn Writing Retreat with Elizabeth Knox - a five-day retreat at Abel Tasman Lodge from 23-28 May 2024
• 2024 Spring Writing Retreat with Elizabeth Knox - a five-day retreat at Abel Tasman Lodge from 19-24 September 2024
• Kerry Sunderland Founder & Convenor FIND OUT MORE
• Elizabeth Knox Facilitator/teacher FIND OUT MORE
• Noa Parker Yoga teacher FIND OUT MORE
• David McNatty Tour guide FIND OUT MORE

Enrolments are now open

• Creative Writing & Publishing
• Study Programmes

Study Creative Writing & Publishing

Script Writing (Micro-credential)

Love films? If you want to write for the screen, this micro-credential is a great place to start. It provides an introduction to the craft of visual writing and the process of developing a screenplay. You'll create your own script outline, and write a short film script – a good starting point into writing for the film industry.

Writing for Children (Micro-credential)

Have you always wanted to write for children? Teaching material from renowned children's author, Joy Cowley, forms the core of this module, which guides you through the requirements of writing for young people and introduces you to the landscape of Aotearoa/New Zealand’s children’s authors. The course’s main focus is on writing chapter books and short stories for children, but you will also have the opportunity to explore myth, folktales and fairy stories, children’s non-fiction, and writing a picture book text.

Writing Poetry (Micro-credential)

Are you interested in poetry? This course will take you through varied forms of writing poetry and introduce you to the Aotearoa/New Zealand poetry community. By the end of the course, you'll have explored different ways of seeing, created a portfolio of your own work, and gained a good understanding of what makes poetry work and how to critique it.

• 8 weeks, part-time

Writing Short Fiction (Micro-credential)

Are you interested in writing original short stories? This course will take you through the many varied forms of applying techniques for writing original short stories and developing critiquing skills in this genre.

Graduate Diploma in Publishing (Applied)

Learn the publishing process by working on real books with real publishing clients. Work as a publishing team as you gain skills in editing, project management, typesetting and publicity for print and digital media. Benefit from regular industry speakers and complete two work placements in publishing companies.

New Zealand Diploma in Writing for Creative Industries

Learn the craft of writing through exercises, workshops, course reading, regular feedback, but most of all through writing itself. Develop skills in genres including short fiction, non-fiction, scriptwriting and poetry. This online programme offers flexibility through eight-week block courses, which means you can study around other commitments.

• 1 year, full-time, part-time (study options)

Grammar and Punctuation (Micro-credential)

Delve into the world of grammar and punctuation with this micro-credential. Expand your knowledge of how language is structured. Study flexibly by allowing this course to fit around your other commitments.

Copy-Editing 1 (Micro-credential)

Get copy-editing skills that are highly valuable in print-based and digital workplaces. Study flexibly by allowing this course to fit around your other commitments.

There are no programmes available for your selection. Please try selecting another campus location.

Give yourself credit

Use the knowledge and skills you already have to fast-track your qualification with minimum cost. Workplace-learning, volunteering, professional development, other provider qualifications and online courses or units can be recognised as prior learning and put towards your future diploma or degree.

Chat to us     Find out more

See more about our Creative Writing and Publishing

The highly regarded Whitireia Publishing Programme is New Zealand’s top training course for publishing. It teaches the whole publishing process, from manuscript to bookstore. Developed and run in partnership with publishers, the course is modelled on an apprenticeship. At its heart are practical experience, mentoring and industry contacts.

Our graduates populate the book trade and publishing sector in New Zealand. They have roles in all the major trade publishing houses as publishers, marketing managers, content developers, book editors, publicists and much more. They work for educators, promoters, policymakers and arts organisations. Many run their own businesses.

Perhaps above all, the publishing programme becomes a touchstone for graduates, a challenging and rewarding year during which they make friends for life.

Celebrating 30 years of Publishing

To celebrate 30 years of Publishing education at Whitireia, tutors Odessa Owens and Theresa Crewdson called for contributions from the industry for a one-of-a-kind release: Everything I Know About Books: An insider look at publishing in Aotearoa . 75 writers, many of whom are graduates, contributed to the publication, sharing their wisdom, their tips and typos, and their successes, ambitions and predictions. The book is available to purchase from bookstores across the country, and from the Whitireia and WelTec website from Tuesday 12 October. There are also public author events being held across the motu.

Hear from our graduates and industry publishers

Student projects, the heart of the publishing programme is the apprenticeship experience..

Students on the Diploma in Publishing (Applied) are mentored through a range of publications while they study, putting together books and digital publications with industry partners.

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Scholarships and Support

The publishing programme is involved in various initiatives that support students to undertake the course and help them continue to develop their skills after graduation.

Whitireia and WelTec (Te Pūkenga) launch first micro-credentials for the publishing industry

Pacific educator and author Lisa Fuemana-Foa'i awarded 2022 Māori and Pacific Publishing Scholarship

Whitireia student wins inaugural Māori and Pacific scholarship from publisher Penguin Random House NZ

Newsletters.

November 2023: Launches and panels and parties, oh my!

July 2023: Everything We Know...

November 2022 : Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua | Look back and reflect so you can move forward

August 2022 : Fab jobs, fan moments and fantastic grads

May 2022 : Book yarns and publishing qualms

November 2021 : Parties, publications and pukapuka reviews

August 2021 : Oh, the publishing houses you’ll go (to)

May 2021 : Meet the new faces of publishing

December 2020 : Celebrating te ao pukapuka

September 2020 : Back in class – Good Books and bad landlords…

June 2020 : Studying publishing in the time of Covid-19

November 2019 : The style issue – partying in style and some serious stylish books

August 2019 : Students in the wild and stories from the wild in NZBC lecture

May 2019 : Presidential Q&A, students and a stormtrooper

Meet the Publishing team

Odessa Owens

Senior Tutor

Theresa Crewdson

See all staff profiles

All staff of the publishing programme come directly from industry, where they honed their skills and knowledge. Most are still working for publishers alongside their teaching.

The programme also draws on the expertise of numerous specialist tutors and industry speakers. Many publishing professionals take classes through the year – whether to teach a core part of the curriculum or take a specialist lesson or simply as a visiting speaker.

Publishing Advisory Committee

The publishing programme operates under the guidance of an advisory committee, made up of representatives from industry, the community and the polytechnic, including a student representative.

The committee ensures that the programme is teaching the skills and knowledge that employers see as useful and relevant to the needs of their businesses.

Current members

Alex Collins , Chief Executive,  Lift Education

Sarah Rennie , Marketing Manager, Gecko Press

Chris Murray , Head of Content Management,  LexisNexis NZ Limited

Craig Gamble , Publishing Manager, Te Herenga Waka University Press

Melanie Laville-Moore , Managing Director, Allen & Unwin New Zealand

Pania Tahau-Hodges , Publishing Manager,  Huia Publishers

Chris Tse , Editor and Communications Advisor,  Office of the Auditor-General  (and winner of the Best First Book Award for Poetry at the 2016  Ockham New Zealand Book Awards )

Graduate Success Stories

Claudia's story

Cadence’s story: Publishing graduate at Massey University Press

Follow whitireia publishing, creative writing , meet the creative writing team.

Anna Taylor

Donna Banicevich-Gera

Latest stories.

‘Anything can happen in fantasy’: Infinite possibilities a reality for young Wellington author

Sarah-Kate's story: Creative Writing graduate

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Whitireia and WelTec are part of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology Learn more

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The Creative Writing NZ Short Story Prize 2024

Tom Howard/John H. Reid Fiction & Essay Contest

Wergle flomp humor poetry contest.

Competition Listings

Creative Writing Ink Short Story Competition 2023

Storylines Trust Awards

Creative Writing Ink Poetry Prize 2023

Creative writing nz january 2022 competition winner, creative writing nz december 2021 competition winner.

Creative Writing NZ Flash Fiction Competition

Recent posts.

• Creative Writing Prompts to Spark Your Creativity May 24, 2024
• Embracing Continuous Improvement in Your Writing Journey May 16, 2024
• Mastering World-Building May 10, 2024
• Exploring Mental Health in Literature May 3, 2024
• How External Factors Can Shape Your Writing April 25, 2024
• Uncategorized

Creative Writing

Why study Creative Writing?

Creative Writing studies will not only build your confidence and improve your story-telling, but will teach you to write interesting and attention-grabbing copy. You will develop a strength in imaginative writing and creative non-fiction, and will learn to write effectively across a range of genres.

Learn to structure your writing clearly, articulate concepts, read and interpret imaginative and other types of writing, and develop an understanding of reader expectations.

Our English Programme is the proud home of  Mayhem , an online literary journal showcasing the creative writing of students, staff and alumni of the University of Waikato.

Complementary subjects of Creative Writing include Creative Practices ,  English ,  History ,  Screen and Media Studies ,  Theatre Studies  and  Writing Studies .

School of Arts

Study creative writing in these qualifications.

• Bachelor of Arts

Subject Requirements

Creative Writing is available as a minor.

To complete a minor in Creative Writing students must complete at least 60 points in papers listed for the minor, including WRITE203 and WRITE300.

For more information about subject requirements please refer to the  catalogue of papers for the most up to date information.

If you have any questions and need more advice contact one of our friendly student advisors phone: 0800 800 145  or  +64 7 838 4080 or email:  [email protected]

Creative Writing papers

Subject links.

• English Programme

Scholarships and prizes

Visit our  Scholarship Finder for information about possible scholarships.

What our students are saying

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Creative Writing

You can take undergraduate courses in creative writing or enrol in the Master of Creative Writing programme.

Subject overview

You can take undergraduate courses in creative writing as part of English , or you can complete your large-scale creative writing project in our Master of Creative Writing programme.

In addition to their classes, our creative writing students enjoy numerous opportunities to engage with Auckland’s vibrant cultural scene, working at the Auckland Writers Festival and on projects for the New Zealand Society of Authors and New Zealand Book Council.

Undergraduate creative writing was first taught at the University of Auckland by C.K. Stead in the 1980s, and our Master of Creative Writing programme was set up in the 1990s by Albert Wendt and Witi Ihimaera.

Where can Creative Writing take you?

A background in Creative Writing can open up opportunities in a broad range of careers, including copywriting, journalism, marketing and public relations, and many more.

Career options with an Arts degree

Explore your study options in Creative Writing

Brain Bunny

Creative writing workshops, treasure hunt holiday programme.

There's treasure in them there hills! This is not our usual creative holiday programme. Kids will work together to solve our treasure hunt, and then create their own in groups! Where: Churton Park Community Centre When: Wednesday 19th April, 1-4pm Cost: $35 per child Ages: This programme is most suitable for ages 7-10. Please enquire if you have a ... more

Holiday Programme

Brain Bunny is back for our first in-person holiday programme in a while. We've partnered with Porirua Libraries to bring you a creative writing class for 7-10 year olds as part of the Imagine This! Summer Festival. Check out the full programme on the Porirua Libraries website or Facebook page. Imagine Brain Bunny Thursday 29th December, 2pmAges 7-10Porirua ... more

Writing Tips

Show don’t tell.

Show don't tell is a phrase you may have heard before. Writing that shows us things about the character gets the reader more involved in the story than writing that tells the same information. Below are some examples of showing vs telling. You could say: “She was sad that he had left.” Or you could show the reader, ... more

Get inspired

Ideas for writing are everywhere – it’s just a matter of noticing them. You might like to try carrying a notebook with you so you can write down ideas as they come to you. You might not use all of them straight away, but you can always come back to them for inspiration when you’re ... more

Testimonals

Maddison (age 9).

"I loved the holiday program and writing is my favourite activity at school. I'm looking forward to seeing you again because you are kind, funny and you're a happy person." more

Megan (mother, age 9)

  "Caoimhe's writing bug has been re-inspired from your class. She is on a roll again and her eyes light up when she talks about her writing. So thank you." more

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If you request a refund after seven days and before 30 days we will charge a 5% administrative fee, as well as any bank fees and tutor fees already incurred.

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