Write the Perfect Crime with Jack Heath
Calling all crime and thriller writers! Are you constantly thinking about ways to get away with murder? Are you frustrated, because if your scheme works, you'll never get the credit for it? Would you like a safe outlet for your evil genius?
Applications will open in May 2025
Dates: 7pm - 9pm AEST, Tuesdays 2 September - 7 October 2025
Fees: $995 or $900 for Varuna Alumni, negotiable if you cannot pay upfront
Applications close: 5pm, 15 July 2025
Places: 8 participants will be selected
Who should apply: Emerging or established writers are welcome to apply
Dive deep into the world of crime fiction with Jack Heath, the Ned Kelly-shortlisted and Number 1 bestselling author of Hangman, Kill Your Husbands and 40 other books.
This 6-week course is designed to help you refine the elements of crime and thriller writing and finish your novel, with discussions of key writing techniques and feedback on your work, from your peers as well as Jack.
You'll meet with like-minded writers and create:
Flawed detectives and sinister perpetrators
Richly textured settings
Twists that leave readers gasping
Stylish, economical prose.
By the end of the course, you'll have a collection of writing samples and all the skills to turn them into a novel, or finish your work-in-progress.
PROGRAM OUTLINE
2 September, Session 1: Modus Operandi
Structure and language in crime and thriller genre fiction
Never wasting a moment of your reader's attention
Finding the right voice for your novel
9 September, Session 2: Planning the crime
Creating a premise that will hook potential readers
Writing a blurb with just enough left out
Building an outline to avoid structural problems
16 September, Session 3: The police line-up
Making a skilled, flawed and sympathetic detective
Establishing a perpetrator who can seem both innocent and sinister
Fleshing out decoy suspects, who can add flair and humour
23 September, Session 4: Casing the joint
Keeping your locations varied and interesting
Making sure everything happens on the same level of plausibility
Connecting the scenery to the character's emotional state
30 September, Session 5: Crime scene cleanup
Fixing your (inevitably flawed) ending
Working out which characters should be combined or deleted
Letting go of your original intentions, and looking out for narrative opportunities
7 October, Session 6: Out with good behaviour
Finding an agent or a publisher
Promoting your book, on and offline
Living as a writer, short and long-term
ABOUT JACK HEATH
Jack Heath is the #1 bestselling author of over 40 books, translated into 10 languages. His teen murder mystery If You Tell Anyone, You're Next was a Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book, his Texas noir Hangmanseries was voted into the Better Reading Top 100, and his claustrophobic crime novel Kill Your Brother was shortlisted for a Ned Kelly award. The sequel, Kill Your Husbands, was one of the top 10 bestselling books of 2023 on Audible, and has since been optioned for the screen. Jack lives on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country in Canberra, Australia.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications will open in May 2025
Entry to this course is by application. Writers will be selected based on the creative potential of their work, commitment to craft, openness to collaborating with peers and the balance in the group.
Course fees are $995 or $995 for Varuna alumni. Payment terms are negotiable if you cannot pay the whole fee upfront.
Feel free to call 02 4782 5674 or email amy@varuna.com.au to discuss your application.
TESTIMONIALS
“The masterclass was full of ready-to-apply tips and learnings, highly tailored to our individual work, and a whole lot of fun! Jack set up a open, safe and curious group atmosphere from day one, and continued to deliver valuable insights and collaborative facilitation in each module. ”
“Being around Jack, with his infectious enthusiasm for novel craft and his incredible work ethic, helped demystify the book writing process and gave me just the boost of confidence I needed. Jack provided invaluable candid anecdotes, expertly curated content, and incisive writing exercises that expanded my understanding of my own work and process.”
“Jack Heath knows the crime genre inside out.”
“From even the slightest conversation with Jack Heath, you can tell he lives and breathes story. Jack was able to immediately drill down and identify both a problem (‘this emotional beat isn’t landing like it should’) and its cause (‘because the character motivation back here isn’t clear enough’). Most importantly, everything he said was practical and actionable, balancing broader story mechanics with character-level emotionality. And all of this was delivered with his trademark warmth, consideration and humility. For anyone wanting to learn the ins and outs of the crime genre, Jack’s guidance would be a gift!”
UPCOMING COURSES, FELLOWSHIPS AND EVENTS
