The power in fiction, and even non-fiction, often comes from the potency of what we don’t know rather than what we do know. We can only be open to the little unintended miracles that occur in writing when we avoid over controlling material.

But how do we allow ourselves to fall into that abyss? And what happens if we go there? How much planning is needed in a novel, short story or non-fiction story, really?

In this masterclass, Ockham NZ Book Awards shortlisted Tina Makereti (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore, Pākehā) will discuss the wisdom of writers who openly proclaim they don’t know what they’re doing, the miracles and discoveries in her own work, and a few ways to approach being open to the unknown in your own work, through taking part in writing exercises.