Liana Joy Christensen is the author of Deadly Beautiful — Vanishing Killers of the Animal Kingdom and two poetry anthologies Wild Familiars and Unnatural History. Her short stories, essays and poems have been widely published in Australian and international literary journals. She has won several writing awards, and been shortlisted for major prizes, including the Newcastle Poetry Prize in 2014.
As well as being a practising writer, Liana has extensive experience teaching writing at all levels from absolute beginners to postgraduate students. She has created and delivered workshops for FAWWA and the Peter Cowan Writers Centre. Most recently she was invited to be one of the presenters for the PCWC Advanced Poetry Workshops. Beginning in the 1980s, Liana has taught writing and other skills at Murdoch University, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME?
I love writing. It’s a central passion of my life, as might be guessed by the fact that I have three degrees in writing, including a doctorate. They are all of great value to me, but I continue to attend The Writing Connection courses because they provide a unique approach, one that benefits all writers, whatever the level of their experience. I call it ‘going to the gym for my imagination’: it keeps me fit for creative work and play.
I love teaching. I’m patient with students and impatient with people who think knowledge is only reserved for special elites. Communicating is in our DNA. Everyone can write, and everyone can keep getting better at writing.
I love being in nature and writing about nature, in that order. Many of my works, both poetic and creative non-fiction have animal themes.
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Jennifer Kornberger is a published poet, writer and educator. Her work has appeared in national literary journals and has attracted awards in the Tom Collins Poetry Prize and prestigious Newcastle Poetry Prize. Her first collection of poetry, I could be rain, was published by Sunline Press in 2007.
She is the recipient of an Australia Council Literature Grant to develop a second collection of poetry.
Jennifer was co-founder of the Goethean Studies Programme in Perth which brought the scientific work of J.W. Goethe into the creative writing arena.
She is currently co-director of The Writing Connection, where she supports the creative process of numerous writers.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME?
I've spent a lot of time leading groups into artistic processes, whether it is drama, creative wriitng or, in my earlier days as a teacher of painting. Groups of writers generate a lot of positive charge, I've seen people unfold their writing voice in community and it's a powerful and very fulfilling role to facilitate such events.
My own writing practice is vital for my health. Having a flow of images, even a gentle flow, is important. The commitment to crafting, to refining those images becomes a joy and a necessity. Sharing that joy, encouraging others to find it, is one of my aims in life. I'm excited by the opportunities that the online course and online projects (still to come) have to offer.