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Bruce McLeod - Writing Realism in Crime

Local Word Writers Festival

In this engaging two-hour workshop, author Bruce McLeod explores how to transform real-life experience into powerful, authentic storytelling.

Writing Realism: Turning Lived Experience into Compelling Crime Fiction

What makes crime fiction feel real? Drawing from a career in corrections and his Justifying series, Bruce will guide participants through techniques to sharpen narrative voice, reduce over-description, and build psychological tension through character and internal conflict.

Through practical exercises and discussion, writers will learn how to create gripping, believable scenes that resonate with readers. Ideal for aspiring and emerging writers looking to bring realism, depth, and emotional impact to their work.

This workshop is available for up to 20 people aged 18+. Best suited to aspiring writers looking to develop their craft; emerging authors working on crime, thriller, or character-driven fiction; and general writers interested in improving narrative voice, realism, and emotional depth. As participants will be asked to write short examples of scenes during the workshop, please bring along a pen and notebook.

Ticket prices: $40 or $20 for concession holders. 

Bruce McLeod is the author of the psychological crime thriller Justifying The Means, a gritty, first-person novel set within the Australian prison system. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in corrections, his writing delivers a rare level of authenticity, capturing the tension, violence, and moral complexity of life behind the wire. Justifying The Means follows senior prison officer Jacob Daniels as he grapples with grief, guilt, and the psychological fallout of a brutal loss. What begins as a story of survival slowly shifts into a darker exploration of justice, as Jacob is forced to confront how far he is willing to go—and what he is prepared to become. Bruce is currently working on the sequel, Justifying The Silence, continuing Jacob’s story into the aftermath of violence and the cost of living with its consequences.
X (Twitter) @AuthorBruceMcL
www.instagram.com/bruce.mcleod.author

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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