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$60 per guest
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Our mission is to improve mental wellbeing through our workshops and experiences. We curate our teachers and hosts carefully to ensure that they are of high quality.
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* We may choose to limit our refund per customer at $1000. In some rare cases, we may also require you to show us your photo ID before we process the refund.
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You'll be in good hands. This teacher is rated 4.9 out of 5, from 129 reviews
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ClassBento money-back guarantee
Our mission is to improve mental wellbeing through our workshops and experiences. We curate our teachers and hosts carefully to ensure that they are of high quality.
That's why we provide a money-back guarantee*: If you're unsatisfied with this experience, just leave it at least 20 minutes before it ends, and tell us (the ClassBento team) the reason for your dissatisfaction within 4 hours of that time, and we'll provide you with a refund.
* We may choose to limit our refund per customer at $1000. In some rare cases, we may also require you to show us your photo ID before we process the refund.
How can we help?
Q: What's the cancellation policy?
A: Free to cancel or reschedule up until 3 days before the class
Q: How long does the class run for, and what's the price?
A: 2.5 hours, $60 per guest
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within a few hours
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Need a thoughtful gift idea?
card_giftcard Gift an experiencePoetry Writing Workshop for Beginners
Discover the joy of poetry at a beginner's workshop in West Footscray!
ClassBento donates
with every booking to
2.5 hours
1 to 17 guests
$60
(Afterpay available)
What you'll do
Join Bad Writers Club and esteemed Wathaurong-based poet, Nathan Curnow, for this immersive workshop at The Chestnut Tree Bookshop. Designed for those who are developing an interest in reading and writing poetry, this 2.5-hour session offers the perfect blend of lecture and workshop.We will begin by covering the basics and providing a comprehensive introduction to poetry and its history. You will then engage in a variety of enjoyable and straightforward writing exercises aimed at sparking creativity and building confidence.The atmosphere will be relaxed and laid-back, encouraging a stress-free environment where you can explore your poetic potential and connect with like-minded people. Snacks, drinks, great conversation and good times guaranteed!
What you'll get
- Custom workshop materials: workbook, worksheets, pens and stationery
- Snacks and drinks
- One-on-one assistance
- Fully accessible venue
- A safe, welcoming and inspiring space
Knowledge required
Beginner-friendly.
What to bring
Anything that makes you feel more comfortable in this kind of environment. Laptops aren't necessary but if you prefer to use one, please bring it along.
Verified
reviews
Recent reviews of Poetry Writing Workshop for Beginners
- 5/5 from Anastasia Panayiotidis, attended Jul 2026: I loved Emily’s poetry workshop, Emily guided our group gently, inspired us and got us to be interactive as well as write our own poetry. Stimulating, sensory and fun. Donita of Bad Writers Club, provided tasty nibbles and a glass or two of wine. Highly recommended for lovers of poetry and would be poets.
- 5/5 from Jacky Ayton, attended Jul 2026: The teacher was knowledgeable and I enjoyed her style teaching. A creative atmosphere, which I always find at all of the bad writing Club workshops. I enjoyed sitting with creative minded people thinking outside the box walking away with my head full of ideas.
- 5/5 from Fiona L Scott-Norman, attended Jul 2026: A warm and valuable workshop. Emilie is an accomplished poet and generous with the attendees.
- 5/5 from Susan Menzies, attended Jul 2026: This class was really inspiring. When I walked into the room, I had felt quite a bit of trepidation. I hadn't written poetry since my school days and although I had liked writing it, I hadn't pursued it. Emily structured the class so we were invited into experimenting, playing with words. Having fun with words. Moving into structure and finding sense of poetry and enjoying the tightness of the prose. Each person was able to contribute their own sense of the work, where they felt comfortable and we were able to develop a perception of how many levels poetry can be viewed at. And we got to write our own Haikus and Sonnets. Such fun! Emily was great - she allowed us to contribute when we wanted to but didn't push anyone where they didn't want to go. The structure of the class meant that by the end, we had written things that I'm sure many of us wouldn't have believed we'd have thought possible. Thank you!
- 5/5 from Gabrielle Lethlean, attended Jul 2026: It was a really lovely class, well facilitated and an interesting exploration of words and the play of poetry. Would definitely do something like this class again!
- 5/5 from Rina Chia, attended Jul 2026: A fun evening with like-minded people learning from one of my favourite writers. Poetry is much harder than people think!
- 5/5 from Kate Sloane, attended Sep 2025: This workshop was so much fun. Emilie was engaging and attentive and created an environment where you genuinely felt like there were no wrong answers. I have come away with more confidence in my writing and an increased appreciation for poetry.
- 5/5 from Carlie Bradley, attended Sep 2025: I had such a positive experience at this poetry workshop. From the very beginning, Emilie created an open and encouraging atmosphere that made it easy to share my thoughts without hesitation. I not only learnt new techniques and approaches to writing, but also discovered fresh ways of expressing myself and connecting with language. What stood out most was how Emilie balanced structure with creativity, making sure every voice felt heard and valued. I came away not just with practical skills, but also with a genuine boost of confidence in my own writing. Inspiring, welcoming, and thought-provoking — I’d recommend this workshop to anyone curious about poetry, whether you’re starting out or looking to deepen your craft.
- 5/5 from Derek McCormack, attended Sep 2025: Great. Inspiring. Great get me started on a new practice. I’d do it again any time.
- 5/5 from Amanda Falson, attended Jul 2024: Adore this cosy bookshop, LOVE the Bad Writer’s Club - every event they put on is high quality with the most welcoming community feel. The tutor for this event, poet Nathan Curnow, was a delight. A true pro, passionate and engaging. The snacks and drinks were delicious. I just didn’t want it to end and wish it could be a weekly thing!
- 5/5 from Ruth Cosgrove, attended Jul 2024: This class was brilliant. Nathan was inspiring and engaging and the session was well timed and paced. I haven't written poetry for a while and Nathan's workshop inspired me with ideas, so thank you! The Chestnut Tree bookshop is such a lovely place to be, too. Thank you to everyone involved in this, what a wonderful session!
- 5/5 from Priyanka Krishnan d'Souza, attended Jul 2024: A great class for anyone interested in reading and writing poetry. Nathan is a great teacher and provided lots of helpful examples and exercises. It was a lovely way to spend an evening!
- 5/5 from Mimmalisa Trifilo, attended Jul 2024: This class gave me the confidence to try different forms of poetry in an informal and comfortable environment. There were opportunities to do a little bit of sharing and we were encouraged to ask questions. It was also great to be introduced to poems and poets that I hadn’t heard of before. The teacher had a friendly demeanour and readily engaged the class. I like that we were able to do brief activities that introduced us to poetry but challenged me too.
Your teacher
Nathan Curnow
5.0 (13)
Nathan Curnow lives and works on the traditional lands of the Wathaurong people in Ballarat. He is a poet, spoken word performer, and past editor of Going Down Swinging. His books include The Ghost Poetry Project, RADAR, The Right Wrong Notes, and The Apocalypse Awards. For over twenty years, he has been widely published in leading journals, with his work featuring in the Best Australian Poems series (Black Inc), the Anthology of Australian Prose Poetry (MUP), and Solid Air (UQP).
He is a recipient of three grants from Creative Australia, and his prizes include the Josephine Ulrick, the Woorilla, and the Vox Bendigo Fyffe Award for Poetry. He is also a two-time winner of the Martha Richardson Poetry Prize. As a judge, he has adjudicated for the Newcastle Poetry Prize (2018), the Woorilla Poetry Prize (2019-2021), and the MUP International Poetry Prize (2022). He has taught creative writing at Federation University and toured Europe in 2018, opening the Heidelberg Literary Days Festival in Germany. His new collection A Hill to Die On is forthcoming in August with Liquid Amber Press.
Your host
WRITING & EDITING WORKSHOPS & EVENTSRidiculously funUnashamedly lowbrowNaarm (Footscray)BWC was born out of a desire to write with freedom and wild abandon … to write and create with no limitations, judgement, or self-imposed barriers.We all have the right to suck … in fact, we MUST suck on the way to becoming GOOD! It takes bravery to keep going when it feels like everything that comes out is utter rubbish … but there’s a reason we call it a writing PRACTICE. Good writing comes with time and repetition, but it can be a really hard and lonely experience, so we created BWC. A place for all kinds of writers to be together, try things, make mistakes, learn stuff, and have a massive amount of fun in the process.BWC is more than a writing club. It’s a place to suck in safety, while growing, stretching yourself to be better, and surrounding yourself with folks who get it.
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