Want to improve your creative writing and get your stories published?

 
 

Want to improve your creative writing and get your stories published?

Want to improve your creative writing and get your stories published?

Workshops for Kids

Karen is a fabulous teacher! Our boy loved every moment of these workshops. He had so much fun and no idea was ever seen as a bad one. His handwriting and writing skills improved tremendously. His imagination and ability to describe and create have developed alongside his confidence. Thank you for a fantastic year!

Lani Jacobs

Karen is a fabulous teacher! Our boy loved every moment of these workshops. He had so much fun and no idea was ever seen as a bad one. His handwriting and writing skills improved tremendously. His imagination and ability to describe and create have developed alongside his confidence. Thank you for a fantastic year!

Lani Jacobs

Holiday Fun in our Maitland Studio and on Zoom

Turbo-charge your creative writing this school holidays with our popular creative writing workshops, Animal Magic, Superhero School and Mad Scientist. Woo hoo! Kalika Magic author Karen Hughes will be presenting these fantastic 3-hour workshops for kids aged 8-13. Join us from anywhere for a morning of fun and inspiration.

WHERE: 248 High St. Maitland OR join us on Zoom

WHEN: 16-18 January 2023

TIME: 10am-1pm

School Holiday Info

Join our 2023 Talented Kids Program

Weekly Workshops in Maitland

Weekly one hour sessions for kids aged 9+ with author Karen Hughes every Thursday at our magical studio with afternoon tea provided. At the end of the year, we will publish our own book of wild and wonderful stories.

WHERE: 248 High St. Maitland

WHEN:  Thursday 4pm-5pm

Learn More
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Inspiration for Schools

We offer an exciting full term program for schools and community groups with at least 10 participants. The program consists of weekly one hour writing sessions with author Karen Hughes at your school, at our studio or on Zoom, and is aimed at sparking creativity and improving writing skills.

At the end of the term, we'll publish an anthology of student stories.

Alternatively, talk to us about a half or whole day of creative writing workshops, either live or on Zoom.

School Writing Programs

Young Authors Online Club

For kids aged 10+

10 weekly video/activity modules, each with a different story challenge, and one (1) live Zoom session with author Karen Hughes.

Try exciting writing challenges, learn new tips and techniques, and have lots of fun exploring all kinds of different worlds. Submit your stories for publication in our new book.

WHERE: In your own home!

WHEN: Self-paced. Join at any time. New lessons available each week.

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Join the Club
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Learn More

Weekly Zoom Sessions

For kids who have completed or are currently enrolled in our Young Authors Club who want to take their writing even further. Weekly one hour sessions with author Karen Hughes every Monday. Get creative. Explore all kinds of genres and learn new writing techniques. Submit your stories for publication on our website and in our annual anthology.

WHERE:  At home on Zoom.

WHEN:  Monday 5pm-6pm

Our Writing Studio

We acknowledge the Wonnarua people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we gather in the Hunter Valley, and pay our respects to their Elders, past and present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the Hunter Valley today. Anikanya!

Holiday Fun in our Maitland studio and on Zoom!

Turbo-charge your creative writing this school holidays with our popular creative writing workshops, Animal Magic, Superhero School and Mad Scientist. Woo hoo! Kalika Magic author Karen Hughes will be presenting these fantastic 3-hour workshops for kids aged 8-13. Join us for a morning of fun and inspiration.

WHERE: 248 High St. Maitland or join us on Zoom

WHEN: 16-18 January 2023

TIME: 10am-1pm

Learn More
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Join our 2023 Talented Kids Program

Weekly Workshops in Maitland

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Weekly one hour sessions for kids aged 9+ with Kalika Magic author Karen Hughes every Wednesday at our brand new studio with afternoon tea provided. At the end of the year, we will publish our own book of wild and wonderful stories.

WHERE: 248 High St. Maitland

WHEN:  Wednesday 4pm-5pm

Learn More

Inspiration for Schools

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We offer an exciting full term program for schools and community groups with at least 10 participants. The program consists of weekly one hour writing sessions with author Karen Hughes at your school, at our Maitland studio or on Zoom, and is aimed at sparking creativity and improving writing skills.

At the end of the term, we'll publish an anthology of student stories.

Alternatively, talk to us about a half or whole day of creative writing workshops, either live or on Zoom.

School Writing Programs

Young Authors Club

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Join our Self-Paced Online Course for kids aged 10+

Introducing Young Authors Club, our exciting online creative writing program. 10 weekly video modules, each with a different story challenge. The modules are available for 12 months. During this time, kids will have the opportunity to meet author Karen Hughes on Zoom and to submit stories for publication. 

Try exciting writing challenges, learn new tips and techniques, and have lots of fun exploring all kinds of different worlds.

WHERE: In your own home!

WHEN: Self-paced. Join at any time. New lessons available each week.

Learn More

Weekly Zoom Sessions

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For kids who have completed or are currently enrolled in our Young Authors Club who want to take their writing even further. Weekly one hour sessions with author Karen Hughes every Monday. Get creative. Explore all kinds of genres and learn new writing techniques. Submit your stories for publication on our website and in our annual anthology.

WHERE:  At home on Zoom

WHEN:  Monday 5pm-6pm

Learn More

Breaking News

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    Our book launch on Sunday 23 October in Sun Street was heaps of fun! Thanks for coming along to celebrate with our Adventure Unlocked authors. Our Mythical Magical Creative Writing Workshop afterwards was fully booked and everyone had a great time eating jam drop cookies and writing brilliant stories. You can check out the photos here.
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    Congratulation to the Talented Kids at Central West Leadership Academy in Dubbo!
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    Get your copy now
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    Happy Publication Day!

    Visit our bookshop
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    Adventure Unlocked

    Unlock a world of adventure with this wild and wonderful collection of stories written and edited by our talented kids – with a little help from author Karen Hughes. From time travel to space diaries, dragon quests to friendly zombies, there’s something in here for everyone!

    ‘I wish I had an imagination like this.’ – Lewis Carroll

    Our new anthology is here. Woo hoo! Congratulations to all the young writers who worked so hard to make this possible. Nice work, gang!

    Read Our Stories

    Featured image for “The Goblin-Monkey”

    The Goblin-Monkey

    by Anushka Iyengar Gorch stomped his heavy, green, warty feet. Children all scattered as he came near; animals ran to…
    Featured image for “Who You Really Are”

    Who You Really Are

    By Sienna Hardy PAGE 1 The wind swirled around the town and whipped Jade’s hair into her face. Her mother…
    Featured image for “Welcome to the first edition of our newspaper”

    Welcome to the first edition of our newspaper

    Our Talented Kids are not only fabulous story writers, playwrights and poets, they are also professional journalists with a nose…
    Featured image for “Air”

    Air

    by Chloe Patron Wind whistles through my hair,as we play in the yard.The flying kite freezes midair,when the wind catches…
    Featured image for “The Lantern”

    The Lantern

    By Evie Burns The lantern flickered as the boys sat there in the dark. The wind howled fiercely, and snow…
    Featured image for “The Green Amulet”

    The Green Amulet

    By Marley Krishnan I’ve always marvelled at my pet. But my pet is not a cat or a dog, it’s…
    Read Arthur and the Dead, The Time Machine, Flip, and more!

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    Sharing the magic of words

    Dr Karen Hughes is the author of Kalika Magic series for kids 9+, exploring themes of courage, adventure, and the power of the imagination. Karen grew up on a cattle station on the Liverpool Plains, where she spent her childhood climbing trees, riding horses, and reading Narnia books. She attended a primary school with only six pupils, before being packed off to boarding school at age twelve. Karen was a lawyer in Canberra for almost 10 years, but has now thankfully recovered. She is currently writing her fifth Kalika Magic book and working on a speculative fiction novel for adults.

    BA(Asian Studies)/Bachelor of Laws/Grad.Dip Legal Practice/Adv.Dip Classical Herbal Medicine/PhD English/Children's Book Council of Australia/Australian Society of Authors/International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts/Speculative Literature Foundation

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    Now on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge!

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    Now on the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge!

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    Visit our bookshop
    Visit our bookshop
    Supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.