World-building for genre writers (May 2026)

Masterclass:

Mean streets & high towers

May 16, 2026

Join us to learn how to bring your fictional worlds to life on the page.

We’ll look at how to research and recreate real places and eras, as well as how to completely imagine new worlds, planets, moments or societies.

This full-day masterclass is designed for writers of speculative fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, historical romance or crime – any genre that involves either accurately presented realist settings, or imagined places, futures or pasts.

What you’ll learn:

• The importance of place
• How setting supports story
• Steps to create an entire universe or society
• How to research historical or distant settings
• How to include findings (or not!)
• How to put into words what you see in your mind
• Tropes and reader expectations of key genres.

We’ll also make time for:

• Exercises and tips to use in your writing
• Questions and discussion.

It will include teaching, writing exercises, conversation, bad jokes, and possibly Tim Tams.

 Fiction depends for its life on place. In other words, if you could set your story anywhere else, you haven’t given your story a strong enough sense of place.

 – Eudora Welty

Who’s it for?

This masterclass is for emerging writers, people in the early stages of their writing careers, or any writers who are interested in creating vivid settings or imagined worlds. That includes people writing any genres for middle-grade, young adult or adult readers. If you’re an experienced writer, but looking to write genre fiction for the first time, you’re very welcome, too.

It will work best for people with an existing project or concrete idea to which you can apply what you learn.

Details

Date and times: 

Saturday, 16 May, 2026

9.30am to 4.30pm

Where:  The beautiful new community centre at Balam Balam Place, 15 Phoenix St, Brunswick

Here’s a map to help you find it.

Cost: $215 or $195 concession.

This includes all tuition, morning and afternoon tea, handouts and resources. You’ll also become part of our writing community, with events, writing sessions, challenges and regular resource updates.

You need to book in advance for this class – tickets are available until booked out, or a week prior.

This class is designed for small group learning, so group size and ticket numbers are limited. Don’t miss out.

Your teacher

I’m Kelly Gardiner, and I’ve published 12 books – most set in the past – and numerous short stories and feature articles. I write crime, science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction for readers of all ages. I taught writing at university level for many years, and now teach in community settings and run my own writing retreats and masterclasses.

You can read more about my writing and about my teaching here.

I look forward to working with you.

 It’s place that interests me—and the social and economic situation in a place—how people live, how they make their living, the culture—but the story comes from place.

 ― Annie Proulx