The Autumn Resident Deborah Shepard has written a blog about her time at the Michael King Writers' Centre, when she worked on her book about writing memoir. Her blog includes an extract from her journal Writing Your Heart Out.

 

The Michael King Writers' Centre is Aotearoa New Zealand’s first national writers’ facility and literary centre. Our mission is to support New Zealand writers and promote the development of high-quality New Zealand literature.

The centre is based in the historic Signalman's House on the slopes of Takarunga Mt Victoria in Devonport, Auckland. 

We have a programme of supported residencies for New Zealand authors and low-cost accommodation for visiting writers. We also offer specialist workshops and occasional literary events. We are building a collection of resources for writers, both on-line and in the centre’s library.

Our current writer-in-residence is Judith Bryers Holloway, who holds the Maori Writer's Residency, supported by Te Waka Toi. We also have our first international supported residency, the Rewi Alley Fellowship, which is held by Huo Yan from Beijing. This fellowship was offered with the support of the NZ China Friendship Society. 

Musician, composer, song writer and lyricist Don McGlashan held the Summer Residency earlier in the year. Deborah Shepard held the Autumn Residency and Sarah Laing has been selected for the six-month fellowship offered in partnership with The University of Auckland.

Sign up for our quarterly newsletter for information about residencies, workshops and activities. The centre is run by a charitable trust registered with the Charities Commission. Donations are welcome. Right: View of the MKWC from the Waitemata harbour (photo by Sue Perkins)

This web site was initially developed with the support the ASB Community Trust and has been upgraded with the support of Creative New Zealand.