Sue Orr and Kirsten McDougall join IIML teaching staff
The two will convene undergraduate creative writing courses from 2021.
Sue will co-convene the International Institute of Modern Letters' CREW 254 Short Fiction | He Kōrero Paki with William Brandt, while Kirsten will convene CREW 354 Long-form Fiction.
Both workshops were previously convened by Pip Adam. Short Fiction co-convenor William Brandt will continue to teach this workshop in the second half of the year.
Sue is a novelist, short fiction writer and teacher, and a 2011 Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellow. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, and completed her PhD in 2016. Read more.
She says, I'm delighted to be convening and teaching CREW 254 in 2021. My own creative writing journey began with this course in 2005, with my brilliant fellow convenor William Brandt teaching it. It's not an exaggeration to say that it changed my life — sparking an enduring love of the short story form and nudging me onto writing and publication. I can't wait to meet the next cohort of short fiction writers embarking on this exciting venture.’
Kirsten is the author of a collection of interconnected short stories and a novella. Her work has been awarded the Creative NZ Louis Johnson New Writers Bursary and a Michael King Writers Residency. She completed an MA in Creative Writing at the IIML in 2004. Read more.
She says, 'I adore long stories and novellas — they're a form that allows the short fiction writer to stick their elbows out and play with narrative possibilities that aren’t possible in shorter forms. I can't wait to sit in a room with twelve keen students and get nerdy about stuff like point of view, tense and time.'
IIML Director, Damien Wilkins says, 'Both Sue and Kirsten are terrific writers with strong connections to the IIML as well as deep knowledge of the world of books. They will be wonderful teachers and mentors for our students. They are also replacing the irreplaceable Pip Adam, who is stepping away from her teaching role at the IIML, where she has made a massive contribution. We will miss Pip a great deal but, at least next year she will be back in Bill Manhire House as our 2021 Writer in Residence.'
Read more about CREW 254, CREW 354 and our other undergraduate creative writing workshops at the IIML.