Hub of creation | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

Voyager Maritime Museum, home to New Zealand's waterborne origins, will soon also host a creative writing centre, reports Kate Jarvis.

Jeannie McLean knows the daunting feeling of having her writing work scrutinised. Although a published author five times over, the business manager at Waitakere College considers herself a beginner writer.

Little surprise then that she is a fan of a new centre in downtown Auckland which  puts the work of fledgling writers to experienced authors for peer-review.

"It's extremely useful because the group are all like-minded, very motivated. It's quite useful to show people who are experienced writers and know how to critique," she says.

John Cranna, the man responsible for the waterfront writing nest, says: "I've always had this vision of a centre in Auckland run entirely by professional writers for the next generation of writers."

He realised his vision simply by asking. "I've approached many of the top Auckland writers and they were all delighted to join in and run workshops. Not a single one has turned me down."

The Creative Hub opens on September 6 with a 30-week course in fiction writing (12 members) and a six-week course (15 members) in travel writing.

"The group size works so well," says Mrs McLean, a dedicated weekend writer who enjoys creating "whodunnit" literature.

She's undertaken the hub's prototype course on advanced fiction and says it is empowering and mentally stimulating. She hopes to have her latest manuscript ready to publish by the end of the course. "I really benefit from the reflecting process that critiquing gets you to do."

Mr Cranna agrees. "You don't want people to feel like sausages coming out of a machine, but like active and inspirational members of a group."

Mr Cranna credits literary figurehead Bill Manhire for paving the way with a similar creative writing institute in Wellington. "Bill has always been an inspiration to me and has given me advice."

Auckland's Creative Hub mirrors Manhire's model in class size and belief in continual, consistent support. Here, however, students have access to professional and published authors, rather than to academics.

Independence from a university body also allows the Creative Hub a greater variety of courses, without the pressure of big overheads.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to work more freely. The university was a great place, but it has certain restrictions and it forces you to charge quite high fees," Mr Cranna says. "At the Creative Hub we are able to be more flexible so we can orient our courses more towards publishable writing and we can charge students less," Mr Cranna continues.

Fees range from $562.50 for a six-week travel writing course to $4725 for fiction, running over 30 weeks. "This will bridge the gap between the lonely business of learning to write and becoming publishable. And it really is a grim and lonely business.

"We match every one of our students to an established writer to hold their hand for a good portion of the course."

Mr Cranna remains perfectly straight-faced as he relates necessary hub rules: "No abuse, name-calling or viciousness. No personal attacks, no vitriol."

Perhaps it is wise not to underestimate a creative temper.

More info, see www.thecreativehub.net.nz or email: enquiries@thecreativehub.net.nz