Author in Residence Program

On Friday, 4th of June, award-winning author Will Kostakis ran an intensive creative writing workshop with Galston High School students. Having written and published several successful books, Will Kostakis shared valuable insights with students and ran activities that allowed them to put creative writing strategies into place then seek feedback.

SOME OF WILL’S TOP TIPS FOR WRITING A SHORT STORY INCLUDED:

• Focusing on a character in a moment of change rather than ļİŘõčë ļĔ ţļ ² č²İݲļõŕÕ ²İË õčļĔ ² ĴñĔİļ ĴļĔİŘʣ ‹ñõĴ ČĔČÕčļ ËĔŁĆÑ be an event that shifts the way they see the world, how they see someone else, or how they see themselves.

• The use of a strong narrative voice by using language that authentically represents the character you’re writing so that your character appears more realistic. For example, if your character is a teenager, it would be more realistic for them to use ñŘĭÕİÊĔĆÕĴ ļĔ İÕŤÕËļ Ĕč ² ĴõļŁ²ļõĔč õčĴļÕ²Ñ Ĕê ²č ÕŗļÕčÑÕÑ ČĔļõêʣ

• \²čõĭŁĆ²ļõčë ļñÕ ļĔčÕ Ĕê ² ĴļĔİŘ ĴĔ ļñ²ļ ļñÕ Ć²čëŁ²ëÕ ţļĴ ļñÕ mood you’re trying to create. A great way to do this is to start with the same scenario and writing with a particular genre in mind.

İÕÕ ĔĆĆõčĴ Ĕê §Õ²İ ʅ Ĵ²õÑʞ ʼEļ Ŗ²Ĵ ² İÕ²ĆĆŘ êŁč ÕŗĭÕİõÕčËÕʞ ²čÑ E love the way Will Kostakis interacted with everyone. I felt I learned so much about descriptive writing and how to create realistic moods and character voices. Will introduced us to writing about a character’s ‘moment of change’ and how this can form a really ÕêêÕËļõŕÕ ĴñĔİļ ĴļĔİŘʣ E êÕÕĆ ļñõĴ ŖõĆĆ ÑÕţčõļÕĆŘ ²ĴĴõĴļ ČÕ õč ČŘ creative writing in the future.”

ƒË²İĆÕļļ ¤Ĕļ²čĔ Ĕê §Õ²İ ʄ ²ÑÑÕÑʞ ʼ‹ñõĴ Ŗ²Ĵ ĔčÕ Ĕê ļñÕ ÊÕĴļ ѲŘĴ I’ve had at school so far. I honestly learned so much, and I feel very inspired to improve the book that I am writing now and write more. Will Kostakis was very funny and friendly, and it was an overall great experience!”

ʼE İÕ²ĆĆŘ ĆĔŕÕÑ ļñÕ ²ļļõļŁÑÕ ļĔŖ²İÑĴ ËİÕ²ļõŕÕ Ŗİõļõčë ļñ²ļ ¥õĆĆ SĔĴļ²ăõĴ ñ²Ĵʞʽ SS S²İăõ Ĕê §Õ²İ ʆ Ĵ²õÑʣ ʼ‹ñõĴ ñÕĆĭÕÑ ČÕ ÑÕŕÕĆĔĭ ² better understanding of creative writing. I enjoyed the exercises as it helped me put to practice what Will taught us. Overall I enjoyed the creative writing workshop and hope to do more like it in the future.”