Tuesday 15 September, 10am-12pm
Partner & Social Session
Shut Up and Write!
Writing is often treated as something you do alone. The Wheeler Centre offers an alternative: write alongside others, without comparison or competition.
Over the years, the phrase ‘shut up and write’ has travelled widely. What began as a simple, practical mantra has become a global movement embraced by writers seeking focus, accountability and a sense of shared purpose. At its heart is a straightforward idea: set aside distractions, gather in a welcoming space and dedicate time to the page.
Shut Up and Write! sessions at The Wheeler Centre are open to writers of all kinds – from novelists and poets to academics, journalists and anyone keen to get words on the page. No critiquing and no pressure to share your work. Instead, the emphasis is on carving out protected time to write within a supportive community.
Whether you’re starting something new or returning to a long-awaited draft, these sessions offer structure, camaraderie and the quiet motivation that comes from writing together.
Hosted by Xanthea O’Connor
Click here to learn more on the session.
This event follows the Shut Up & Write!® methodology.
The Wheeler Centre’s Shut Up and Write! sessions do not include read-alouds, feedback or teaching.
This is intentional. Removing critique and instruction keeps the space accessible, especially for writers who are early in a project, returning after time away or working on something personal. The Wheeler Centre will appoint a staff member to host each session and guide the structure. The Wheeler Centre hosts are not writing coaches, editors or evaluators, and cannot provide advice on getting your work published.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to publish your work or advice on other writing-related matters, we recommend reviewing the resources available through Writers Victoria or Australian Society of Authors.
How a session runs:
- •Introductions and housekeeping: 5 minutes
- •Share your writing intentions with neighbours: 5 minutes
- •Writing sprint 1: 25 minutes
- •Break: 5 minutes
- •Writing sprint 2: 25 minutes
- •Break: 5 minutes
- •Writing sprint 3: 25 minutes
- •Break: 5 minutes
- •Writing sprint 4: 25 minutes
- •Debrief and close: 5 minutes
Tea and coffee will be available throughout the session. Quiet background music will play during the writing sprints to help with focus. If you prefer silence, bring headphones or earplugs. Quiet tables will be positioned at the front of the room for those who prefer not to chat between sprints.
Presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre & Writers Victoria
Presented in partnership with
Accessibility
Auslan Interpretation may be available on request, Wheelchair Accessible, Accessible Toilet, Hearing Loop, Quiet Space.
Pay-What-You-Wish/Free
The Wheeler Centre, Performance Space (Level 2, ground level)
176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000
Featuring...
Xanthea O’Connor
Xanthea O’Connor is the Wheeler Centre’s Senior Program and Special Projects Producer.
Xanthea has collaborated on projects as a writer, musician, producer and performer. These collaborations include sound design for Vidya Rajan’s Respawn (Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 2022) and co-creating the metafictional theatre project The Lizard is Present (Melbourne Fringe, 2019).
Xanthea is a graduate of RMIT’s Professional Writing and Editing program, a Melbourne Recital Centre Writer in Residence (2019) and a Glenfern Fellow (2019). She wrote an essay about her cockatiels in the inaugural edition of Loom Literary Journal and is very proud of it.
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