Book A Writer / Natalie Wang

ABOUT

Natalie Wang is the author of the poetry collection ‘The Woman Who Turned Into a Vending Machine’ (Math Paper Press, 2018). She has been published in numerous local and international anthologies and literary journals, including Cordite Poetry, Fairy Tale Review, Strange Horizons, and Quarterly Literary Review Singapore. She has read her writing at Singapore Writer’s Festival, Melbourne Writer’s Festival, and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has also taught classes on debate, public speaking, drama, and creative writing. 

WORKSHOPS

THE SINGAPOREAN GOTHIC
For: all students; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 - 3 hours per session (workshop), 1hr per session (assembly talk); single session
Description: What would the Singaporean Gothic look like? This workshop/talk will cover the history of Gothic literature and its contemporary evolutions, and why this genre continues to remain relevant today. It will ask: what places could be haunted in Singapore, and by who, and what.
Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will explore key themes in Gothic literature, including ghosts, hauntings and madness, and examine how they reflect societal fears and concerns.

2. Students will learn how to create atmosphere and suspense in horror writing through literary devices such as pathetic fallacy, imagery and descriptive language.

3. Students will analyse how supernatural elements function as metaphors for social and political commentary in literature.

HORROR AND METAMORPHOSIS
For: all students; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 - 3 hours per session (workshop format), 1hr per session (assembly talk format); single session
Description: In this workshop, join poet Natalie Wang as she discusses horror in movies and literature, unpacking all the reasons why they make us afraid. Learn how to draw inspiration from local folklore and mythology to write poetry and short stories to haunt your readers and leave them wanting more.
Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will explore ghosts and supernatural creatures in folklore and mythology, examining their cultural origins and roles in horror storytelling.

2. Students will analyse how supernatural beings are portrayed in literature, film and video games, and identify the techniques used to evoke fear and suspense.

3. Students will learn how literary devices such as rhyme, rhythm and imagery can be used to create atmosphere, tension and dread in horror writing.

MYTH AND MODERNITY
For: upper sec, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 hours per session; single session
Description: What are myths and why are they retold? This workshop will examine myth, folklore and urban legends, and discuss their place in the modern age. The workshop will cover writing techniques used within storytelling, examine the points of tension between original myths and their modern retellings, and explore the ways values are embedded and critiqued within stories.
Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will understand the differences between folklore and mythology, and examine the narrative structures and storytelling conventions used in each.

2. Students will identify and analyse techniques writers use to subvert audience expectations when retelling traditional myths and folktales.

3. Students will apply these storytelling techniques to write their own original short stories inspired by folklore and mythology.

FANFICTION: A HISTORY AND ITS LESSONS
For: upper sec, junior college; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 hours per session; single session / multiple sessions
Description: Why do people write fanfiction? Why should we stop treating it like a secret shameful hobby? This is a lecture-style workshop in which participants will be introduced to the history of fanfiction and how it has evolved in the age of the internet. Participants will also be introduced to common fanfiction tropes, writing exercises and will write their short fiction. [This workshop can also be converted to a talk.]
Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will explore the historical development of fanfiction and examine its contributions to the literary canon.

2. Students will understand the history of censorship in fanfiction and examine the role of fan communities in shaping its development.

3. Students will explore fanfiction as a creative writing tool, identifying how it can be used to experiment with characters, narratives and storytelling techniques.