My name is Kelly Gardiner, and I offer weekend writing retreats, masterclasses, and short courses on a select range of topics, for writers at different stages of their careers.
I’ve published twelve books, many short stories and poems, and countless feature articles and essays. I taught creative writing at a university for many years, and now I write full-time, and organise and present these events. You can find out more about me, my writing and my teaching experience here, and read what participants say about my retreats and classes.
I’d love you to join us for one or more of these sessions.
Bookings are now open for:
- Writing place & building worlds How to create the world of your story. (17 October 2026, full-day masterclass, in person, in Melbourne)
- How to interview a writer returns! (28 October 2026, one hour, online)
- Writing challenge: Write that book! A weekend retreat to write in community (9-11 April 2027) This retreat is filling fast – half the places are already gone.
- Transform your writing retreat: A three day fiction intensive weekend (11-14 June 2027). Early release bookings are now open.
Bookings now closed:
- Cultivating creativity A weekend retreat of masterclasses and pampering in Hepburn Springs, for women and nonbinary writers (13-15 November 2026). This retreat is booked out for 2026. To put your name on the wait list or find out about next year, get in touch here.
Bookings open soon for…
- Cultivating creativity A weekend retreat of masterclasses and pampering in Hepburn Springs, for women and nonbinary writers (12-14 November 2027). Bookings will open later in 2026.
Note: The weekend retreats normally book out months in advance. If you want to be on a waiting list for a booked-out retreat, or to be informed when new retreats open, please simply contact me and I’ll keep you posted.
Inspiration. Imagination. Transformation. Mastery.
Future events
Planned or often-requested classes include:
- The Writing Habit (full-day on building routines, habits & creative practice)
- Research for writers (online short course)
- Scrivener for beginners (online short course)
- Revising & editing for writers (half-day, hands-on).
Get in touch to be updated on any of these.
Past events
These masterclasses and retreats may be repeated in future:
- How to build a heroine (Full-day, in person)
- Writing unforgettable crime fiction (Full-day, in person)
- Create compelling characters (Four hours, online course). Part of the Fiction Fundamentals series.
- Make history: writing historical fiction (half-day masterclass)
- The writer’s toolbox: building blocks for emerging writers (An online course of four one-hour sessions). Part of the Fiction Fundamentals series.
About the program
New Page masterclasses welcome writers of all cultural identities, genders, abilities, and levels of experience.
This overall learning program aims to be welcoming and inclusive, so some classes are designed specifically for particular cohorts (such as emerging or aspiring authors, or people traditionally marginalised in publishing); some are designed to be inexpensive and more accessible; some will focus on a particular genre or form.
Full- and half-day sessions are held in person at fully accessible inner-Melbourne venues.
Intensive retreats are held over a weekend at a rural guesthouse in Victoria.
Online sessions are held live on Google Meet, with live captioning available.
You can read more about how I approach teaching creative writing here.
