Talks/Workshops
Since the publication of my novel The Good Daughter I have had the opportunity to develop my public speaking portfolio and conduct school visits, deliver talks and workshops, be an Artist in Residence, as well as appear at festivals and other events. On this page you will find an overview of my public speaking experience and feedback from teachers/students. To book me view my contacts page.
Writer in Residence
2012 Gisborne Secondary College (funded by Artists in Schools)
2011 Keilor Downs Secondary College (funded by Artists in Schools)
2009 St Albans Secondary College (funded by Artists in Schools)
2009 Sunshine Secondary College (funded by Smith Family)
2011 Conducted ESL writing workshop at Caroline Springs Library as part of Melton Literary Festival
2011, 2010, 2009 Conducted workshop at AMES as part of Brimbank Literary Festival
2011, 2010, 2009 Delivered Industry Overview talks to Professional Writing and Editing students at Victoria University
2011 Hume Youth Services writing workshop at Broadmeadows Shopping Centre
2011 Brimbank Literary Festival panel on ‘ What a Muslim Woman Looks Like’
2011 Carnegie Library Reading Circle on ‘A Migrant Perspective’
2011 Appeared at VicTESOL Conference on panel ‘Literature Perspectives: Growing up multicultural’
2010 Appeared at Melbourne Writer’s Festival
2010 Wheeler Centre Debut Mondays Panel
2009 Reading Matters Conference Panel
2009 State Library of Victoria panel ‘View from the Outside: Migrant Stories’
2009 Williamstown Literary Festival
Short story workshop feedback
“Amra Pajalic ran a creative writing workshop for us during the school holidays. The target audience was young people and we set up tables and chairs in a shopping centre where young people met us for an hour and a half of writing instruction which included developing story lines using random snippets or prompts, such as name and age of main character, a challenge or a conflict to overcome, a place where the story would begin etc.
The workshop was great and the young people were truly engaged with the concepts and challenges of creating their own story using the prompts given them by Amra. You could see that participants were right into it, especially when amidst the shopping mall with all it’s noises and distractions, they were heads bowed and pens racing across paper to get their ideas out. Amra worked well with the group, listening to their ideas and offering positive feedback. I was impressed that by the end of our time together the young people had all begun a story, developed believable characters and seemed inspired to go home and continue with their work.”
Rosemary Brown
Hume City Council Youth Services
Writer in Residence feedback
Anthology foreword written by the Project Manager St Albans Secondary College:
“When Amra Pajalic, an ex-student and published young adult writer, asked for support to work with students as an Artist in Residence, I was happy to participate in a project which seemed to be a natural extension of the process of exciting students about writing. The result, this collection of short stories, has exceeded my expectations, and would not have been possible without the grant from Arts Victoria. Amra conducted workshops with these and many other Year 9 students, and also was a regular participant in the Literary Lunch Club during the term she worked at the school, helping other budding writers with advice and editing tips. She has had a significant influence in encouraging students to become more accomplished writers. The production of polished, finished work is a powerful stimulus and will surely inspire these young authors to greater efforts in the future.
I thank Amra, on behalf of the students and the school, for her generosity and enthusiasm, and her dedication to giving students the support and opportunity to participate in such a stimulating and rewarding experience.”
Jo Harris, Library Manager, St Albans Secondary College
From the teacher’s perspective at St Albans Secondary College:
“Students eagerly awaited their turn to participate in a small group to work with Amra Pajalic. They were excited about the fact that they had access to a published writer who was also a local resident. They were encouraged and supported to complete their narratives and developed self-reflection and drafting and editing skills along the way to develop cohesion in their stories. Students met the demands of the task incorporating strategies to improve their writing and address purpose and audience.
From observations of the group at work, they were thoroughly engaged in the process and the students are richer for the experience.”
Mary Adamou, English teacher & KLA Leader SASC
Teacher feedback from Sunshine Secondary College:
“Throughout the creating writing workshops organised by the Smith Family, students from Ardeer were thoroughly engaged in the tasks set out by Amra. It was a delight to see students taking such a serious attitude towards their work and completing their stories with such pride. Once their stories were collated into booklet form their joy at having achieved something beyond their expectations was evident in the way they were proudly showing their work to other students.
The students related really well with Amra and respected her experience as a novelist. They gained confidence in their work and acknowledged all that Amra wanted to achieve with them. This was most certainly a really worthwhile experience.”
Silvana Bonanno, Teacher, Sunshine College
Feedback from students at Sunshine Secondary College:
“It was great to work with a professional. Amra was fantastic.’
“I really enjoyed the workshop and think it brought out my creative side.”
