People often talk about deepening character.

In this masterclass Bryan Walpert, author of the Ockham NZ Book Awards longlisted novel Empathy, will describe how to go deep by digging sideways into character – doing so organically so that you discover who your character is as you write, surprising even yourself.

Walpert, whose work has been noted for “the rigorous internality of each character”, will offer a technique founded on the principle that as the writer you are in complete control of time.

You’ll practise moving in a single passage from a snippet of dialogue or seemingly minor detail into an empathetic understanding of what motivates your character - and move your character from idea to flesh and blood.