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Dr Tanya Scott - Writing Realistic Illness and Injuries

Local Word Writers Festival

Does your story feature a character with a disability or illness, or someone who sustains an injury? Are you writing about a doctor or healthcare worker?

This interactive workshop with Dr Tanya Scott explores writing about illness, injuries and healthcare realistically and respectfully. There is a mix of information provided, along with individual writing exercises and group discussion. Learn from a published author with real medical experience and approach your writing with confidence and authenticity.

In this workshop, you will:
• Discuss how to write injuries and illnesses realistically
• Explore how to include characters with illness and disability while avoiding ableist language, cliches and stereotypes
• Bring your healthcare professional characters and medical scenes to life
• Find out where to source accurate information when researching

This workshop is for up to 20 people aged 18+, suitable for fiction writers from novice through to established. Workshop length is 3 hours including a short break. Please note we do not provide catering and participants are encouraged to bring their own drinks and snacks.

Tickets: $40 or $20 for concession holders

Tanya Scott is a writer, doctor and medical educator based on the Victorian Surf Coast. Her love of twisty mysteries has made her an ‘accidental’ crime writer. She writes character-driven fiction informed by years of working in mental health care, where patients have taught her more than any textbook – not just about physical and mental health, but about humanity, resilience and the absurdity of life. Tanya’s first novel, Stillwater, was published in 2025, with a second on track for 2027.

www.tanyascott.au
Instagram: @tanyascottauthor

To discover more of our fabulous local writers, visit our Local Authors Fair from 12pm-3pm on Saturday 29 August at Geelong Library & Heritage Centre - free entry and refreshments provided

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