Library of Literary Techniques, Ideas & Devices
Every Tuesday, writers from around the world meet online to explore a literary topic, creative challenge, concept or device together. Each week, the community votes on what we’ll explore, and the session becomes part of a growing learning library of creative writing lessons, exercises and resources that members can return to in their own time.
There are a few ways to participate:
Drop into a LIVE Tuesday Session via Zoom.
Or, subscribe to the Learning Library and work through the weekly material asynchronously.
You can also combine LIVE group and self-directed learning for the full Tuesday Session experience.
Whether you join us every week or dip in when a topic catches your attention, there’s a place for you in the community. Email: tanika@hatuakali-storytelling.org for membership access and LIVE call links.
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Tuesday Session #12 "Storyboarding for Graphic Novels"
This week’s Tuesday Session explored how graphic novels create a more holistic view of a story by playing with the dissonance between what is said and unsaid, visible and invisible.
This week’s Tuesday Session explored how graphic novels create a more holistic view of a story by playing with the dissonance between what is said and unsaid, visible and invisible.
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Tuesday Session #14 "Story Architecture"
Using the metaphor of a house, this tutorial explores the architecture beneath a story—from its ideological foundations and plot framework to character movement, style and resolution. You’ll learn to deconstruct an existing story’s structure and use it to create something new.
Using the metaphor of a house, this tutorial explores the architecture beneath a story—from its ideological foundations and plot framework to character movement, style and resolution. You’ll learn to deconstruct an existing story’s structure and use it to create something new.
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Tuesday Session #15 "When Reality Becomes Strange: Magical Realism & Surrealism"
Explore how magical realism and surrealism use strange events, altered time and shifting realities to reveal emotional, spiritual and political truths.
Explore how magical realism and surrealism use strange events, altered time and shifting realities to reveal emotional, spiritual and political truths.
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Tuesday Session #16 "When Science Becomes Human"
In this lesson, we explore science fiction as a narrative mode that brings scientific possibility into contact with human experience. Using Interstellar as a case study, we examine how one speculative disruption can place an intimate relationship under pressure, revealing how scientific change reshapes our relationships, choices and understanding of ourselves.
In this lesson, we explore science fiction as a narrative mode that brings scientific possibility into contact with human experience. Using Interstellar as a case study, we examine how one speculative disruption can place an intimate relationship under pressure, revealing how scientific change reshapes our relationships, choices and understanding of ourselves.
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Tuesday Session #17 "The Heroine's Journey: Writing Internal Transformation"
What does a story look like when its central journey leads inward? Explore the Heroine’s Journey as a cycle of separation, descent, transformation and return. Learn how perspective, bodily sensation and subtle choices can make internal change visible on the page, even when a character returns to the same situation she left.
What does a story look like when its central journey leads inward? Explore the Heroine’s Journey as a cycle of separation, descent, transformation and return. Learn how perspective, bodily sensation and subtle choices can make internal change visible on the page, even when a character returns to the same situation she left.
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Tuesday Session #18 "The Examined Life: Writing Philosophy through Character"
How can a character’s beliefs bring a story to life? Drawing on J. M. Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello, this session explores how to weave philosophy into dialogue. Practise revealing values, tensions and relationship stakes through characters who share a root need but hold opposing beliefs.
How can a character’s beliefs bring a story to life? Drawing on J. M. Coetzee’s Elizabeth Costello, this session explores how to weave philosophy into dialogue. Practise revealing values, tensions and relationship stakes through characters who share a root need but hold opposing beliefs.
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Tuesday Session #19 "Introduction to Playwriting: Write a 10-Minute Play"
What changes when a story moves from the page to the stage? This introduction to playwriting explores how dialogue, physical action, silence and the presence of an audience bring a story to life. Learn a simple four-part structure for a ten-minute play, then practise writing a short dramatic encounter around a character with an urgent desire, an obstacle and something to lose.
What changes when a story moves from the page to the stage? This introduction to playwriting explores how dialogue, physical action, silence and the presence of an audience bring a story to life. Learn a simple four-part structure for a ten-minute play, then practise writing a short dramatic encounter around a character with an urgent desire, an obstacle and something to lose.
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Tuesday Session #22 "World Building in Storytelling and Creative Fiction"
How do we create a world that others can enter? Drawing inspiration from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Pangea’s festival design, this session explores world building in literature and physical reality. We consider how environments, histories, inhabitants, rules, resources and customs work together to shape a world—and generate possibilities for character and plot. A guided writing exercise invites you to begin building your own.
How do we create a world that others can enter? Drawing inspiration from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Pangea’s festival design, this session explores world building in literature and physical reality. We consider how environments, histories, inhabitants, rules, resources and customs work together to shape a world—and generate possibilities for character and plot. A guided writing exercise invites you to begin building your own.
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Let’s create something meaningful together.
