BOOK A WRITER / Our programmes

Notes

* Workshops marked with an asterisk are eligible for the Tote Board Arts Grant Subsidy. Do contact us if you have any questions regarding the Subsidy.

(i) Prose & Playwriting

(NEW) MAD AT DISNEY: WRITING HEARTBREAK FICTION
For: junior college, tertiary; 5-25 pax
Waited all your life for a fairytale high school relationship that never came? Spend your nights regretting a missed connection that could've been something more? Going through a painful breakup? This workshop is for anyone who has a bone to pick with capital-R-Romance. Through a crash course on heartbreak-related tropes and specially curated writing prompts, participants will learn new ways to turn the quintessential tale of heartbreak on its head. 

(NEW) HOW TO WRITE A FAST, FUN STORY
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Best-selling author Neil Humphreys is trained to write quickly and coherently. More importantly, he knows how to write entertainingly. How do you combine the two? Is it possible to write a fun and fast story? Humphreys will show students how it’s possible, with an entertaining workshop on flash fiction. Using examples from his own books, Humphreys will offer clear and concise tips on developing and producing short stories that engage with readers. He will then invite students to write their own flash fiction, which he will read and provide positive, constructive feedback for.

A NOVEL IDEA
For: secondary; junior college; 10-15 pax
For the student with the burning hunger to write something more than just a simple short story, but is still trying to find their way to something larger. ‘A Novel Idea’ aims to excite students with the dance and rhythm of words, and give them a chance to bloom into great writers.

A WORD PAINTS A THOUSAND PICTURES
For: secondary; junior college; 10-20 pax
Students will be introduced to how stories are made and will be given the opportunity to turn them into comics, and will be introduced to comic book panel dynamics.

“AND NOW WE FIGHT TO THE DEATH!”: WRITING ACTION
For: all students; 5–25 pax
Unlearn the tedious “And-then” approach to writing action sequences, and learn to focus on the narrative, character and emotion in writing action sequences.

ARCHIVES TO ANECDOTES: CAN YOU “READ” THIS PICTURE?
For: all students; 5 - 20 pax
Using images from the public archives, Tina Sim teaches you how to decode. visuals of the Singapore river. Learn technique to “read” visual materials, and how to construct stories from then, while also learning more about the Singapore River’s vibrant past.

BETTER THAN NORMAL
For: secondary; junior college; available for small group or assembly talks
From Star Wars to Godzilla, the best fantasy and sci-fi stories aren’t just about laser guns, spaceships and dragons. The best sci-fi offers something deeper and more personal for a child, a connection that lasts deep into adulthood. “Better Than Normal” aims to showcase why these stories resonate and how they are able to talk about sensitive, heavy issues by magnifying our innermost feelings on an epic, sweeping scale.

BREAKING AND ENTERING: SHAPING SETTING AROUND CHARACTERS
For: primary, secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Wondering what it’s like to live in a characters’ world? Let Rachel Tey help you uncover the deeper curiosities of your characters with this workshop; Learn ways to invite readers into the characters’ personal and private worlds—as viewed through the characters’ eyes.

BREVITY: AN INTRODUCTION TO FLASH FICTION
For: secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Wanting to write fiction, but don’t know how to start? This workshop will guide you on how to handle characterisation, conflict, story arc and pace to effectively engage your readers within a tight word count.

BUILDING BETTER PLOTS
For: teachers only; 15-25 pax.
Designed as an introduction to plot creation, this 6-hour workshop will equip teachers with a deeper understanding of story structure that can help their students develop an awareness of interesting and effective choices they can make in their compositions under exam conditions.

CHARACTER STUDY: A MONOLOGUE FOR SWORN ENEMIES
For: upper sec, junior college; 5–15 pax
Write a dramatic monologue for a character who you love to hate, using tools to help you write compelling characters.

CREATIVE NON-FICTION: INTRODUCTION TO THE PERSONAL ESSAY For: all students; 8 - 25 pax
The memoir in creative non-fiction is autobiographical but focuses on one aspect, one period or one incident. Participants will learn the basics of writing a personal essay about an incident they have experienced.

CREATING FICTIONAL LANGUAGES
For: upper secondary / junior college; 8 - 25 pax In this workshop, participants will be introduced to fictional languages, their origins and use in the works of fiction that they have been featured in, and how these languages would often draw inspiration from existing ones in our world today.

CRAFTING CREDIBLE DIALOGUE *
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-20 pax
Learn how to craft authentic and credible dialogue that propels your story forward. Workshops may be geared toward either fiction or playwriting.

DESCRIPTIVE WRITING*
For: teachers only; 15-25 pax.
This 6-hour workshop is designed to help teachers enhance the way they teach descriptive writing. Through hands-on activities and writing exercises, teachers will learn techniques and strategies that can improve the descriptive writing skills of their students.

DETECTIVES, DEDUCTION AND DECEIT
For: upper / lower pri; 5-30 pax
Create intriguing (or just plain devious!) characters, mysterious settings, and intricate plots for your detective stories.

FANFICTION: A HISTORY AND ITS LESSONS
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-25 pax
Why do people write fanfiction? Why should we stop treating it like a secret shameful hobby? In this lecture-workshop, Natalie Wang takes you through the historical context of fanfiction and its contributions to the literary canon. Explore the unique writing conventions fanfiction has to offer to how one may integrate them into short fiction writing.

FICTION 101: UNDERSTANDING STORY AND PLOT
For: secondary, junior college; 10-25 pax
Understand the important functions of a story and plot within any literary work. In this workshop, Daryl Qilin Yam equips you with tools to start writing stories of your own.

FICTION 101: ASSEMBLING A NARRATIVE
For: secondary, junior college; 10-25 pax
Learn the basics of narrative building through this crash course on reading and writing fiction. In this workshop, Daryl Qilin Yam takes you through the dual nature of description, evoking setting and imagery, and the use of dialogue in fiction writing.

FINDING DRAMA IN CURRENT AFFAIRS
For: upper sec, junior college; 5–25 pax
Participants will learn to look at current affairs from different perspectives and find dramatic and narrative value within such events.

FLOURISH: WRITING CREATIVELY ABOUT SINGAPORE’S FLORA & FAUNA
For: secondary, junior college; 5- 25 pax
In Singapore, we are surrounded by greenery and have ready access to parks and nature reserves where we can interact with plants, and sometimes, native wild animals. This workshop will help students express their personal experiences and thoughts about local flora and fauna in words, styles and techniques that are beyond the usual scope of argumentative essays typically taught as part of the school curriculum. Hence this workshop is an introduction on how to approach creative non-fiction writing using Singapore’s natural ecosystem as a subject matter.

THE HERO'S JOURNEY
For: all students; 10-25 pax
A workshop based on mythologist Joseph Campbell’s work on extracting the essence of a hero’s stages through a story – craft and analyse plots with The Hero's Journey!

HISTORY THROUGH CREATIVE ILLUSTRATION AND FICTION
For:lower sec, upper sec, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
In this 2hr workshop with comic writers Alan Bay and Aydeel Djoeharie, take inspiration from history to create a fictional script and discover how to express your storyline visually with comic panels and characters.

HORROR AND METAMORPHOSIS
For: all students; 5 - 25 pax
In this workshop, join poet Natalie Wang as she discusses horror in movies and literature, unpacking all the reasons why they make us afraid. Learn how to draw inspiration from local folklore and mythology to write poetry and short stories to haunt your readers and leave them wanting more.

HOW I BECAME A LIAR
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Learn how news reporting and copyediting can inform one's approach to writing short stories. Try your hand at interview skills and writing exercises.

HOW TO BAKE A PLOT
For: all students; 5-15 pax
Get a taster of plots drawn from the literary canon and bestseller fiction. Try your hand at baking their own plots, giving rise to much suspense and tension.

HOW TO CREATE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS
For: all students; 5-15 pax
How do writers create characters? Learn to create memorable characters by applying your understanding of human nature, imagination, and language skills.

HOW TO DELIVER GREAT STORYTELLING
For: all students ; min. 15 - 25 pax
Identify the elements of how to write a good story and use these elements to write a short story, and then later identify the elements to performing a story and use these elements to devise a short reading of their story.

HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL
For: all students, 10-25 pax
How do you start writing a novel? In this workshop you will learn about the Snowflake Method, in which you start with a one-sentence summary of your plot, expand it to five sentences, expand five sentences to five paragraphs, expand five paragraphs to five scenes, etc etc until you get a whole story! This workshop teaches writers how to get started on writing a complex and satisfying plot for their novel.

HOW TO WRITE A SHORT STORY
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Providing techniques for turning your notes, ideas and fragments into a story by focusing on character, setting and other features of narrative fiction.

HOW TO WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY (1) (2)
For: junior college; max. 20 pax
Learn how writing elements are involved to bring your story to life; shape your words to make personal incidents become relevant and interesting for others.

HOW TO WRITE FUNNY (AND GET AWAY WITH IT!) *
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Best-selling author Neil Humphreys gets asked two questions more than any others. First, how do you write a best-seller? And second, how do you write funny? In an entertaining and informative workshop, Humphreys will address both questions. Combining funny stories with examples from his own work, Humphreys will offer clear and concise tips on developing witty, engaging narratives. He will then invite students to write their own entertaining short stories and snippets, which he will read and provide positive, constructive feedback for. 

IMAGINED REALITIES (1) (2)
For: all students, 8–25 pax
How do you create fantastical worlds that are believable and compelling? Learn the basics of worldbuilding in this workshop.

INTRODUCTION TO FLASH FICTION
For: all students; 5 -25 pax
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the history, characteristics, and conventions of flash fiction as a genre.

LETS TALK ABOUT DIALOGUE
For: all students; 5–25 pax
Learn to use dialogue to elevate character and plot. A unique scenarios-based hands-on component will help students craft a page of dialogue.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, GO BEHIND-THE-SCENES!
For: upper pri.; lower sec.; suitable for assembly programmes or classrooms
A behind-the-scenes look at the book to screen adaptation process for TV, beginning with the latest, Whoopie’s World Season 4. Featuring a follow-up two-part workshop on circus tricks by the trainers of Circus in Motion!

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SUPERSCRIBE!
For: upper pri, lower sec; 25-30 pax
With role playing and dramatised readings, learn the elements of a screenplay including scene, action, character and dialogue and conflict resolution.

LIVE IT, TELL IT: HOW TO WRITE CREATIVE NON-FICTION
For: lower sec, upper sec, junior college; 10-25 pax
Just as there is an art to living, there is also an art to the telling of true-life stories. This course will show you the tools and processes of this art-form.

[MALAY] THE MAGIC IN THE MUNDANE: DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM EVERYDAY LIFE | SEINDAH BIASA: INSPIRASI KEHIDUPAN SEHARI-HARI
For: Malay-language students - secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Students will learn how to examine their surroundings, relations and memories to find and draw magic from their own everyday experiences, and how then to inject them into compelling stories through writing techniques. [This workshop is conducted in Malay]

MANUSCRIPT RETREAT: WRITE AND ILLUSTRATE A SHORT STORY IN THREE HOURS
For: primary, secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
This word-and-art jamming workshop invites participants to create original works in a safe space that is free of judgement and comparisons—with the professional guidance of a published author and illustrator.

MYTH AND MODERNITY
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-25 pax
Discover writing techniques within storytelling through the examination of myths, folklore and urban legends. Learn what about these stories allow them to persist in the modern age and how you can write your own timeless short story.

PANELS & FRAMES
For: upper pri., lower sec., upper sec.; 5-25 pax
Break down the ABCs of storytelling with comic artist Alan Bay. In this 2-hour workshop, students will learn every step of the process involved in the creation of a comic book, from composition, frames, and storyboarding to lettering.

“PEOPLE, NOT CHARACTERS”: CRAFTING REALISTIC HUMANS IN FICTION
For: primary, secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Write believable characters that readers can empathise with and relate to. In this workshop, participants will learn to create character profiles, craft convincing dialogue, build believable backstories, and understand various narrative viewpoints.

PINAFORES AND POISON
For: primary, secondary; 5-25 pax
In this workshop, Ng Ziqin shows you how to turn the mundanity of the school grounds into a playground for setting different kinds of plots. Learn how to harness common school-related character tropes to build three-dimensional characters and how to inject meaningful commentary on broader social issues into a story set in school. 

THE POWER OF THE ANECDOTE
For: secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Learn to identify elements of anecdotal stories that make them compelling. In this workshop, Jenny Mak draws from the anecdote as a form of storytelling to teach students how to make stories more memorable.

THE PRACTICE OF FICTION
For: all students; max. 12 pax
A valuable opportunity to learn how to craft character, shape a story, hone a voice, and have their work read in a stimulating environment.

ROLL WITH IT: STORIES GET DICEY!
For: upper / lower pri, 5-25 pax
Create characters with more sides than a die and use them to develop stories with prompts that roll your way. No previous role-playing-game (RPG) experience is required.

THE SCIENCE IN ART
For: secondary, junior college ; assembly programme
Identify key historical figures who combined science and art in their work, recognise local writers and artists that use science and technology in their creative practices and examine how the sciences and arts can complement each other.

SETTING AND CHARACTER EMOTION IN STORYTELLING
For: secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
This workshops draws from multiple genres to reflect the connection between the inner and outer worlds; students will learn how to utilise setting effectively to convey character emotion.

STARTLE YOUR READER BACK INTO LIFE!
For: upper / lower sec, junior college; max. 20 pax
Discuss the various elements of story and structure; release your creative genie and find your own unique literary voice with Josephine Chia.

STEPPING INTO CHARACTER: CRAFTING CHARACTERS THAT COME TO LIFE
For: upper sec, junior college; 5- 25 pax
This workshop will explore the art of crafting unique and memorable characters that can resonate with readers. Drawing on the techniques of theatre and drama, students will step into the shoes of their characters and embody their actions and emotions, gaining a deeper understanding of their motivations and fears and how these traits can be conveyed through body language, voice modulation, and facial expressions. Students will also learn how to translate these characteristics onto paper through descriptive writing techniques and exercises. By the end of the workshop, students will be able to create three-dimensional and believable characters which are not only memorable but also capable of evoking strong emotions in their readers.

TELLING STORIES WITH (ART)EFACTS
For: upper pri, lower/upper sec; 5-20 pax
Using an art work or artefact, students will craft and develop a piece of flash fiction (1000-1500 words long) based on any chosen theme.

TERRITORY: CHARTING OUT SETTINGS IN STORIES
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-20 pax
Gain tips on how to bring alive on paper settings that you are familiar with, but also some pointers on how to venture into the unknown and develop imaginary or historical settings that are beyond your everyday experience.

UNDER THE RED RIDING HOOD
For: primary; secondary; 10-20 pax
Using the example of the popular fable ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, students will be given pen and paper to flex their creativity and create their own versions of this tale.

USING CONTRAST TO MAKE YOUR STORIES BETTER
For: secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Drawing from multiple disciplines - including novels, speeches, plays and photography, students will learn how contrast works in various forms of storytelling and art, and how then to utilise this technique in their writing.

WHO BEFORE WHAT: SHAPING PLOT AROUND CHARACTERS
For: primary, secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
Learn how to build believable characters whose actions and adventures give rise to a storyline that reveals more about the who and why rather than the how and what.

WHY ZIG WHEN YOU CAN ZAG: HOW TO SUBVERT AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR STORY
For: upper sec, junior college; 5- 25 pax
It’s been said that there are no original stories anymore; the same old cliches, tropes and narrative conventions seem to pop up everywhere we turn. But cliches are cliches because they work – and it is up to the writer to make them work in fresh, creative and oftentimes unexpected ways that respect the audiences’ intelligence. This workshop challenges students to take the hoariest, most tired cliches, and spin new narrative gold from them through thought-provoking writing exercises, intense brainstorming sessions that encourage out-of-the-box thinking, and detailed critiques from the instructor.

WORK THE ROOM: COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING & YOU
For: upper sec, junior college; 5- 20 pax
Behind every successful TV series is a brain trust known as the writers’ room. Using the key principles that run through every writers’ room, students will be guided through a unique and creatively fulfilling form of collaborative story-crafting that focuses on three core tenets of great writing: character creation and development; plot and subplots; and worldbuilding.

(ii) Poetry

(NEW) THIS POEM IS ABOUT ME: HOW TO PERFORM POETRY
For: all students; 5-25 pax
This workshop provides an introduction to spoken-word poetry: what it is, how it differs from page poetry, and why it is a powerful and popular tool for self-expression. Participants will be guided to write and share a short piece about themselves. It can be conducted over one or two sessions—for the latter, session one will focus on writing, and session two on performing. The depth and complexity will be tailored to the students’ ages. For older students, the workshop will also briefly cover the history and culture of spoken word events in Singapore.

(NEW) POETRY VIBE CHECK: HOW TO GIVE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK
For: secondary school and above; 5-20 pax
While students are typically trained in criticism (analysing language and literary techniques), this workshop goes a step beyond and covers personal context (why did I write this poem; what was I responding to?) and affect (what did I feel, and what do I want my readers to feel?). Students will bring their poems (of any quality) to this workshop, and be guided to create a safe space for giving and receiving holistic feedback. They will learn to be curious about their friends’ writing, and to talk about their own writing in a human and authentic way, and gain an appreciation for how these skills are valuable in sustaining the practice of writing in adulthood, and other spheres of life.

(NEW) EXPERIMENTS IN POETRY
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
In this workshop, Crispin Rodrigues invites students to approach poetry with a curious mind and experiment produce new ways of constructing poems that invite readers to inquire and push the limits of the form.

(NEW) THE SECRET LIFE OF LINES: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY WRITING EXPERIENCE
For: secondary, junior college; 5-25 pax
We all understand lines in writing, but lines are also variable paths of possibility. Where do they come from, where do they go? How can we look at lines in life through our words? Through this workshop we will think about different kinds of lines and how they operate as visual and kinetic stories.

(NEW) SPOKEN WORD: DEEP DIVE
For: all students; 5-25 pax
Spoken word is a complex and layered genre, incorporating both writing and performance. Too often, the focus is on writing, with performance thrown in at the end. This small-group workshop is a focused look at two different approaches to writing spoken word, dedicating a full session as well to the art of performance.

THE ART OF ERASURE
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 20 pax
In this 2-hour erasure poetry workshop, students will be: (un)covering poems in the most unlikely of places with Erasure Poetry, saying more with less words. They will also explore the process behind erasure poetry, and try out various techniques which can be employed to create the form.

THE ART OF PERSUASION IN POETRY
For: lower sec, upper sec, junior college; 5-20 pax
Look at examples of poetry about political and social issues; understand how poets use words and body language convince audiences of their beliefs.

A WOMAN'S VOICE IN POETRY
For: all students, 10-25 pax
A brief history of women's writing will precede a close reading of poems and a writing exercise, prompting students' to examine their identity and experience of gender.

CONFESSING IN SPOKEN WORD
For: all students, 8-20 pax
Attain a better understanding of confessional poetry and connect with your inner self in this workshop. What are the universal themes in your own story?

CONTEMPORARY POETRY: SINGING THE CONCRETE WORLD
For: French / French-language students; 5-10 pax
Learn through poetry how to find beauty in the modern world – not the “official” beauty seen by tourists, but a more personal and strange beauty that appears in modernity. 

EDITING THE PERSONAL IN POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 5–15 pax
Look at popular confessional poetry about identity and selfhood, and gain an understanding of how one might shape or edit a poem.

THE EKPHRASTIC, OR, ART IN POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 10–20 pax
Explore the way art and poetry can intersect, and how one might go about writing an ekphrastic poem.

EXPRESS YOURSELF: EMOJI POETRY
For: upper primary, secondary; 8-25 pax
Merge the charm of traditional poetry with the appeal of digital emojis! students will dive into a creative session, using emojis to spark poetic creativity and tell their unique stories.

GROUP POETRY 101
For: secondary, junior college; 5-20 pax
In this workshop, students will write and prepare a group poem for performance in alignment with a theme derived through discussion with the class beforehand. This is a basic poetry workshop that will help the students to both write and perform individually and in inter-personal formations.

GROW A POEM: FINDING WORDS IN NATURE
For: all students; 8-25 pax
Be inspired by nature and our environment: learn how to use your five senses to capture the awe-inspiring sunset, or the resilience of weeds growing in concrete.

HISTORY AND POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 15-25 pax
History seems to be the domain of fact, while poetry is the domain of subjective perception, emotion and feeling. Where then, do they productively meet?

HISTORY AND POETRY: A GUIDED FIELD TRIP TO REFLECTIONS @ BUKIT CHANDU
For: upper sec, junior college; 15-25 pax; learning journey
Take a journey to the Reflections at Bukit Chandu museum, which commemorates the bravery and actions of the Malay Regiment in the Battle of Pasir Panjang during the Second World War in Singapore.

HORROR AND METAMORPHOSIS
For: all students; 5 - 25 pax
In this workshop, join poet Natalie Wang as she discusses horror in movies and literature, unpacking all the reasons why they make us afraid. Learn how to draw inspiration from local folklore and mythology to write poetry and short stories to haunt your readers and leave them wanting more.

HOW TO WRITE AN ECO-POEM (INDOOR/OUTDOOR)
For: upper pri, sec, junior college; min. 15 - 25 pax; suitable as a learning journey or in classrooms
Analyse pieces of eco-poetry, recognise the definition of an eco-poem and be offered the opportunity to craft an eco-poem..

HOW TO READ AND WRITE CONFESSIONAL POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 10-30 pax
Learn about different confessional poems and find out how to apply practical criticism to this poetic style. Students will also get the chance to draw inspiration from their memories to pen their own poems.

HOW TO SPEND TIME WITH A POEM
For: all students; 10-15 pax
Providing students with essential skills to develop their appreciation of poetry, and step-by-step advice on the art of writing essays.

HOW TO WRITE POETRY?
For: all students; min. 5 pax
What is a poem? Why write poetry? This exploratory workshop deals with finding a personal connection to your work and generative writing strategies. 

IMAGERY IN POETRY
For: all students; pax. various
A crash course in how to identify, analyse and talk about one of the toughest topics in literature, with exposure to work written over the 20th century.

INSTAGRAM POETRY*
For: all students; 8-25 pax
Learn how to consider content, community and visual culture through the lense of Instagram poetry.

INTRODUCTION TO SPOKEN WORD (1) (2)
For: all students; 5-30 pax
Learn the basics of poetic devices, understand the difference between written poetry and spoken word, and practice basic performance skills in this hands-on workshop.

MY CITY, MY WORDS
For: all students, 5-15 pax
What does it mean to live in such a city? Be introduced to urban poetry and learn to write about urban life.

MY ISLAND, MY CANVAS*
For: all students; 10–25 pax
Students will explore their landscape – internal and external – searching for metaphors unique to their sense of home. 

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE: POETRY IN AN AGE OF MOVEMENT
For: all students, 5-25 pax
Consider how words, ideas, and stories have moved with people over time and space to find new homes.

PLAYING WITH WORDS
For: all students, 5–20 pax
Fun – serious fun with language – is at the heart of poetry. Play improvisational word-games, collaborative writing, and get fascinated by the workings of the human brain.

POETIC REVISION AND WORKSHOPPING
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-12 pax
An introduction to the principles of poetic revision, as well as a taste of the workshopping process; an opportunity to hone and refine existing work.

POETRY 101: UNDERSTANDING IMAGERY
For: secondary, junior college; 10-25 pax
Ever struggled with what imagery is, or what it even entails? In this workshop, learn all the tools to identify, analyse and differentiate the effects of similes, metaphors and symbols within a poetic work.

POETRY 101: ASSEMBLING POETIC FORM
For: secondary, junior college; 10-25 pax
Learn to identify, analyse and appreciate the functions of meter, rhyme and form within a poetic work to generate melodic pieces of your own.

POETRY AS HONESTY
For: all students; min. 10 pax
How can we write poetry that is honest and relevant? How do we find the vital link between authenticity and believability when editing our own work?

POETRY JAM!
For: primary, secondary, junior college; 5 - 20 pax
In this jamming workshop, students will be getting hands-on with Magnetic Poetry Kits, exploring the use of poetic tools such as Metaphor Dice and Oblique Strategies cards, and creating a collaborative visual piece which can be displayed in the school.

POETRY PLATTER*
For: upper primary; lower secondary; 8-25 pax
Must a poem rhyme to be considered a poem? This workshop introduces participants to different types of poems and poetic devices. Based on what they have learnt, participants will get the opportunity to create their own poems individually and/or in a groups.

PROTEST / POETRY
For: all students; 10–25 pax
A multi-disciplinary journey into poetry as a socio-cultural and civic activity; this workshop touches on contemporary poetry both local and international.

READING SOCIAL MESSAGES IN POETRY
For: lower sec, upper sec; min. 10 pax
Look forward to engaging with poems on the basis of their social messages and discuss how they inform, and are informed by their own lived experiences.

READING TO WRITE, WRITING TO READ (1) (2)
For: upper sec, junior college; 10-15 pax
Are you afraid of the unknown? Tackle the "unseen", experiment with form, and equip students with the tools to read and interpret poetry.

(RE-)WRITING HISTORIES: THE PERSONAL AND THE POLITICAL
For: secondary, junior college; 10 - 25 pax
How do we write our histories, individually and as a collective? This workshop will explore the writing of historical narratives through poetry - from personal history and family history, to the history of the political events which we inherit or bear witness to. This workshop will also incorporate Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategies as a springboard for ideas and a tool in the editing process.

SOUNDTRACK OF MY LIFE: LYRIC POETRY
For: upper primary; secondary; 8-25 pax
Unlock the poetic magic in your favourite songs! This workshop encourages students to explore the lyrics of beloved tracks, transforming them into personalised poetic masterpieces.

SPEAKING UP: PERFORMANCE POETRY
For: all students; min. 10 pax
An introduction to the fundamental elements of spoken word. What makes it different from poetry found on the page? What does it mean to perform?

SPOKEN WORD CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
For: all students; suitable for assemblies
During this assembly talk, ArunDitha shares some of her original spoken word poetry, as well as her inspiring story which led her to be the writer and performer she is today. She leaves the students with 5 ways spoken word will change their worlds, if they choose to dance with it and let the words change them first.

TACKLING BODY IMAGE IN POETRY
For: all female students; min. 10 pax
An females-only workshop positing poetry as a vehicle through which young women can examine issues of confidence, belonging and self acceptance.

TEACHING UNSEEN POETRY
For: upper sec only; 10–40 pax
Using Sense and Sensitivity: A Guide to Unseen Poetry for the GCE 'O' and 'N' Level Exam (2018), enrich one’s understanding of poetry as it is tested.

THE WITNESS OF POETRY: EMOTIONS, TRAUMA & HEALING
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-25 pax
Understand the relevance and importance of poetry as witness; identify particular personal struggles as opportunities for new writing; learn about poetry as a healing art; adopt various literary techniques to edit such personal poems for polish.

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX: FORM IN POETRY*
For: upper sec, junior college; min. 10 pax
"Think outside the box" is good and all – but this workshop will teach students the delights of constraint and limitation, form, meter and rhyme, equipping them with the knowledge to write and analyse various forms of poetry.

THIS PLACE, DISPLACED: WRITING THE CITY WITH POETRY
For: all students; 5-25 pax
How has our city changed - visually, architecturally, socially and psychologically? Where do people gather, remember, and make meaning? 

TRENDS IN CONTEMPORARY POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-25 pax
What does the landscape of contemporary poetry look like? What are the latest trends? Explore various techniques that will help you explore the limits of language, experimenting with structure and voice.

WALKING ON WATER: POEMS ALONG THE SINGAPORE RIVER
For: all students; 5-25 pax; suitable as a learning journey
What exactly is it about the river that 'brings us life'? Do different stretches of the river have different histories and different stories?

WAXING LYRICAL: LEARNING POETIC DEVICES WITH POP MUSIC
For: secondary; 5 - 25 pax
Is pop music so irrelevant from literature? This introductory workshop reframes the fundamentals and application of poetic devices in a fun and engaging way that relooks the traditional way of studying literature. Students will learn to internalise and apply the basics of poetic devices by analysing their effect in pop music from some of the world’s biggest pop stars.

WHAT IS POETIC FORM?
For: upper sec, junior college; 5-20 pax
This workshop will expand your idea of form in the arts and poetry, and introduce you to local poetry written in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

WHAT IS SINGAPORE POETRY?
For: upper sec, junior college; 15-25 pax
Critically examine the boundaries of what constitutes "Singapore poetry", both through a Socratic discussion and also through the reading of various "Singapore" poems, historical and current.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD POEM?
For: lower sec, upper sec, junior college; 5-25 pax
Almost anyone nowadays can dash off a few lines, and call themselves a poet. What is the difference between a good poem and an unconsidered poem? What kind of deliberate intelligence goes into the crafting of a poem of literary merit, something that might measure up against award-winning writers of our time?

WRITING FAMILY HISTORIES
For: secondary, junior college; 5-15 pax
Nearly every person living in Singapore is the result of unique and varied migrations, whether regional or international. In this workshop, Jonathan Chan will guide students into the complexities of their family histories, and consider the depth of experience of their forebears; students will understand the use of personal narrative and historical sources in writing poetry.

WRITING THE PERSONAL
For: secondary, junior college; 5-15 pax
This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to engage with introspective approaches to writing, while also engaging with how poets have historically drawn from the depth of their life experiences in crafting poetry.

(iii) Creativity & Careers

(NEW) HOW DO WE SING “SINGAPORE”? SECRETS OF OUR NDP SONGS
For: all students; ideal for assembly talks
[Please note that this assembly talk will be available for booking for dates from May 2025 onwards]
Singapore now has enough National Day Parade songs that they have become their own musical and literary sub-genre. This quirky and insightful talk looks at how songwriters have approached the challenge of writing about the same thing (Singapore) in the same way (I love my country and it’s awesome) over and over for decades. For older cohorts, the talk will also address the question “How Do We Sing ‘Singapore’” literally, by looking at how the word ‘Singapore’ itself is sung in numerous NDP songs, thereby offering an introduction to the concept of prosody in songwriting.

(NEW) PROSODY: SONGWRITING’S SECRET SAUCE
For: secondary school and above; 5-25 pax
In this workshop, students will be introduced to the concept of prosody—the patterns of stress, intonation and rhythm that give additional meaning to words when they are spoken. They will be shown how songwriters have employed prosody to write effective melodies and hit songs. They will then have the opportunity to write lyrics to match given melodies, as well as ‘improve’ the melodies of given lyrics. Students will get to suggest which songs to discuss ahead of the workshop, as long as they are in English (sorry K-pop stans), and not offensive. No music theory is required!

(NEW) THE HISTORY OF SINGAPORE THROUGH SING LIT
For: secondary, junior college
Using major works of Singapore Literature, Crispin Rodrigues will demonstrate how Singapore writing captures major historical periods through a survey of these works and their place in the nation’s narrative.

(NEW) DESIGN YOUR OWN LITERARY TOUR
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
In this workshop, Crispin Rodrigues will teach participants to design and organise their own literary tour, whether it is within their neighbourhood, school or any other location through writing about place and the phenomena that surrounds them.

(NEW) HOW TO CREATE A UNIQUE VOICE IN THE AGE OF AI
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Best-selling author Neil Humphreys is known for his quirky, unique voice. But is it something that can be taught? Neil believes that not only is a unique voice achievable, but it's also essential for writers to survive in any AI-assisted workplace. Can a writer really take on Chat GPT and win? Through a single talk or a more detailed, hands-on workshop, Humphreys will show students how it's done. Using examples from his own books, Humphreys will offer clear and concise tips on developing and enhancing a writing style that appeals to all audiences. Students of all ages will leave with a greater appreciation of their most important asset: their voice.

(NEW) LYRIC WRITING 101 - A STUDY OF MUSIC AND LYRICS
For: secondary, junior college; no music experience is required for this workshop
Not everyone can play an instrument, but everyone can write a song! In this workshop, singer-songwriter Vivien Yap will take participants through the basics of putting word to music. With over two million streams on Spotify and having written music for various ad campaigns, learn about the nuances of lyric-writing across various genres of music with Vivien Yap. Perfect for music-lovers, pick the minds of your favourite song writers from the vaults of Taylor Swift to the sparkly world of K-Pop and more.

THE ART OF CREATIVE COLLABORATION
For: secondary, junior college; assembly programme
This talk aims to encourage students to take on creative collaborations across disciplines; offering tips on how to work collaboratively in a constructive manner, drawing on the speaker’s personal experience with multi-disciplinary collaborations.

THE AUTHOR’S JOURNEY: FROM IDEA TO BOOK
For: secondary, junior college; assembly programme
Ever wondered what it would be like to be an author? Thinking of publishing a work of your own? In this talk, author Desmond Kon shares tips, habits and industry secrets that will help drive students from writerly inspiration to developing a career as a professional writer.

AN AUTHOR AT 20
For: secondary; assembly programme
Waiting till you’re older to pursue a career in writing? Wait not! In this talk, Ng Ziqin shares her tips and tricks on how she became a published author at the tender age of 20! Learn about the different programmes available for students, the various paths to publishing a novel in Singapore, and tips on how to juggle writing and being in school.

A WALK BY THE SINGAPORE RIVER
For: all students; 5 - 20 pax; learning journey
The Singapore river has been called a vital artery of trade and the lifeblood of the nation, but how much do we really know about the river? In this walk, travel back in time to a day in the 60s/70s, learning how the various parts of the river worked, meet the people who worked along the river through stories and connect to the river in a way you’ve never done before!

BE YOUR OWN INSPIRATION: HOW TO HARNESS LIFE EXPERIENCES FOR CREATIVE WRITING
For: secondary, junior college; assembly programme
In this talk, Jenny Mak offers tips on how students might identify and activate their individual life experiences, encouraging students to harness their unique life experiences for creative writing.

BEING A COMIC CREATOR IN SINGAPORE
For: lower sec., upper sec., junior college; 10–25 pax
In this 1-hour talk, Alan Bay will share his thoughts and experiences with comic drawing and working with fellow creators in Singapore.

BETWEEN GENRES: WRITING ACROSS FICTION, POETRY & NONFICTION*
For: lower sec, upper sec, junior college; >5 pax
In this talk, participants hear the author share his insights on the serious fun when one frees oneself from genre categories, and attempts such delightful language play.

BUILDING A CAREER IN STORIES
For: secondary / tertiary; available for classroom sessions or assembly talks
How do you turn your love for stories into a career? Join authors Adan and Felicia as they share their journey to becoming and sustaining careers as authors of a long-running book series while maintain full-time jobs!

DEVELOPING EMPATHY*
For: lower sec, upper sec junior college; 10-25 pax
In this close reading workshop, students will learn that the study of literature provides essential grounding in human understanding, and thus fosters empathy. Lessons gleaned will be applied to real-life situations.

DRAWING & ERASING: A JOURNEY
For: all students; min. 5 pax
A talk by Sonny Liew about his journey from reading comics to drawing and writing them; learn what it means to thrive in a competitive creative industry.

[MALAY] EBOOK CREATION: MAKING NARRATIVE WRITING FUN! | JOM BUAT EBOOK: SERONOKNYA MENULIS!
For: Malay-language students - secondary, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
Are you still on Team Physical Books? Let us change your mind! In this workshop, Nirrosette utilises the eBook format to allow students to imagine the wider potential and relevance of Malay language in the evolving literary scene.

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE, I LEARNED FROM THE MOVIES
For: secondary, junior college; small group talk / assembly programme
Using clips and scenes taken from some of the most distinctive (for better and sometimes for worse) films ever made, Joseph Tan shares lessons about storytelling, writing and the creative process gleamed from two decades as a cinephile, television writer, teacher and film practitioner. Regardless of medium, there will be insights here for every fledgling writer or burgeoning creative type in this fast-paced, funny and hopefully thought-provoking talk.

FROM ANCIENT CHINA TO MODERN EUROPE
For: Mandarin-language students; 10-20 pax
In this translation workshop, students will take a single Shijing poem and build, step by step, a translation written in French or English.

GIRLHOOD ARCHIVES
For: secondary (girls; but can be tailored for boys/co-ed audiences)
This talk will dive into the archives, exploring portrayals of girlhood in poetry, writing and popular culture. This talk aims to define girlhood as a category distinct from childhood and womanhood, a formative phase and a wider cultural moment. From Wollstonecraft to Barbie, from Ellen Bass to Olivia Rodrigo, this talk is a celebration of girlhood as much as it is a vindication.

HOW TO BE A SPOKEN WORD POET
For: all students; min. 10 pax
A talk by Stephanie Dogfoot about a poet’s journey from being a shy reader to an award-winning, internationally-touring writer and performer, interspersed with poetry performances.

HOW TO BE A WRITER (1) (2)
For: all students; min. 10 pax
The journey from first draft to publication. The attitude, processes & techniques to be a writer. The challenges of being a writer in Singapore.

K-POP ON! SONGWRITING AND TRANSCREATION
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
Calling all stans! Take your fandoms to the next level in this songwriting workshop, and learn the basics of songwriting through the framework of translating K-Pop songs in varied contexts. Through the analysis and breakdown of music, lyrics, and the K-Pop entertainment industry, students will learn about songwriting within the limits of music, branding and culture, and ultimately have a go at writing and recording/performing their own versions of translated K-Pop hits.

THE MERLION AND THE PONTIANAK: CREATING A UNIQUELY SINGAPOREAN MYTHOLOGY
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
Ng Yi-Sheng explains the fascinating history of Singaporean fantasy, science fiction and horror writing. From its pre-colonial roots in myth and legend to today’s internationally successful novels, writers have used their wildest imaginations to explore our cultural identity, exploring what it means to be from this mixed-up, ever-changing city-state.

ONCE UPON THE SINGAPORE RIVER
For: all students; suitable for assembly programmes
The Singapore river has been called a vital artery of trade and the lifeblood of the nation, but how much do we really know about the river? In this talk, Tina Sim takes you on a journey over 150 years through the retelling of history and stories of the traders that once roamed the bustling free port.

ONCE UPON A SINGAPORE… VANISHING TRADERS
For: upper primary, secondary; min. 5 pax; suitable for assembly programmes
Explore olden Singapore and meet traders who once did roaring trade on the streets of Singapore. This talk is based on Tina Sim’s bestselling book, Once Upon a Singapore… Traders, featured on NLB’s recommended reading list for schools.

PHOTOWRITE
For: all students; min. 10 pax
A multi-disciplinary journey of image making; both as a writer and shutterbug, connecting photography with writing in different genres.

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE TO GETTING PUBLISHED
For: all students; min. 10 pax
How does one become a published author? How do you sell a short story, or find an agent? Learn all this and more in this exclusive session.

RESEARCHING THE LITERARY FIELD
For: junior college; 10-30 pax
As students and scholars-to-be prepare to undertake academic careers in the literary field, Pierre Vinclair will impart tips on how to research any literary text.

SINGAPORE HISTORY IN 10 BOOKS AND 10 FOODS
For: secondary, junior college; 5 - 60 pax (also suitable for assemblies)
Want a crash course on Singapore’s cultural history? In this talk, writer Ng Yi-Sheng brings you on a whirlwind tour of the city’s complex, multi-ethnic past and present, with a focus on books and literature, but also highlighting movements in film, theatre, art, and popular music.

SINGAPORE LITERATURE 101 (1) (2)
For: all students; min. 10 pax
Everything and anything about Singapore literature; all you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask about local writing, in one exciting lecture.

SINGAPORE POETRY 101
For: secondary, junior college; min. 5 pax, suitable for assembly programmes
Take a walk through Singapore’s poetry history with Joshua Ip, who in this talk, will share works from pre-independence to the spoken word and Sing Lit Station. Learn about various schools and styles of writing.

SOCIAL ISSUES IN DUB POETRY
For: upper sec, junior college; 8-20 pax
Explore the complex matters of social injustice and politics in this fun workshop. Get in touch with a genre emerging out of reggae in the 1970s.

SPLIT NARRATIVES
For: all students, 8-15 pax
Learn how to write branching storylines for games, interactive fiction and multimedia experiences. Bring all those “what ifs” to life!

TEXTING THE TANG DYNASTY: THE ART OF TRANSCREATION
For: secondary, junior college; min. 5 pax - some mandarin knowledge preferred, but not necessary
In this workshop, Joshua Ip takes on an unconventional approach to translation, looking at how modern and local metaphors - from technology to COVID, can be used as ways to understand ancient Chinese poems.

TRANSLATING ENGLISH POETRY INTO FRENCH
For: French / French-language students; 10-20 pax
In this translation workshop, experienced poet and translator Pierre Vinclair will guide students in the translation of a 20th century American or French poem.

THE UNDERLANGUAGE OF COMICS
For: all students; mix. 5 pax
A talk by Sonny Liew about what makes comics a unique medium – its "underlanguage" of panels, word balloons, text-image interaction and more.

USING SINGAPOREAN POETRY IN YOUR CLASSROOM
For: all teachers; min. 5 pax
An exclusive teachers-only workshop designed to help educators understand more about incorporating Singaporean poetry into their classrooms.

VISUAL TEXT: A GUIDE TO ART & POETRY
For: all students; 8-25 pax
Learn how to use shape, line, and movement to create your own visual poetry. Gain a better understanding of the relationship between text and images.

WORD! PERFORMING POETRY
For: all students; 10–25 pax
In this lecture-style workshop, students will be introduced to the history of poetry as an oral and performative tradition.

WRITING FOR FUN AND OCCASIONAL PROFIT
For: upper primary; available for classroom sessions or assembly talks
How do you turn your love for stories into a career? Authors Adan Jimenez and Felicia Low-Jimenez will share how they started and sustained a writing career while juggling full-time jobs. They will discuss how and why they started telling stories as kids, their inspirations, how their jobs are almost always story-related, why engaging with stories from various mediums is important, and how they write as a team.

WRITING THE SHORT FILM
For: upper sec, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
This workshop introduces participants to the fundamentals of screenwriting, gives them insight into the art of telling a story through the juxtaposition of sight and sound, and helps them understand the unique strengths – and weaknesses – of the moving image. By the end of the workshop, participants will have the tools they need to write their very own short film.