Our 2025 Penang Writers Workshop is a series of six writing workshops + a writing retreat for emerging writers in Penang and the Northern region of Peninsular Malaysia. The weekly workshops aim to equip writers with the skills and confidence to write creatively in both standard and Malaysian English—and share their work with the public.
The workshops will culminate in a public reading session of selected work produced (one per participant). The selected pieces will also be published in a commemorative zine. Participants from or based in Penang are invited to submit to our annual NutMag zine.
The workshops will culminate in a public reading session of selected work produced (one per participant). The selected pieces will also be published in a commemorative zine. Participants from or based in Penang are invited to submit to our annual NutMag zine.
Quick Details
Workshops: 19 April to 24 May 2025 (Saturdays) from 1 to 5pm
Retreat: 30 May to 2 June 2025 (Friday evening to Monday* noon)
Showcase: June/July (TBC)
Venue: Residency Space, Hin Bus Depot, 41 Jalan Kampung Jawa Lama, 10150 George Town, Penang
Fees: Full course: RM400 inclusive of retreat (50% off for Society members)
Individual workshops: RM50 per workshop (50% off for Society members)
Retreat only: RM200 (Limited spaces)
*YDPA’s birthday (public Holiday)
What to expect
The Penang Writers Workshops aims to lead you from the start of a new writing project all the way to finishing it, and getting it published. Each week's workshop starts with a 2-hour lesson, followed by a 2-hour critique session of work from the previous week.
Participants for the course are carefully curated to ensure that their works are of a suitable level and they are able work together as a cohort. You'll also be expected to showcase the best of your work at Readings@Tanjong.
You can also register for individual workshop sessions. These only include the 2-hour lesson and do not include participation in the critique sessions.
Limited spaces may be available for the writing retreat. The fee covers only accommodation, and does NOT include meals or transportation. Participants on the retreat are expected to follow the full schedule.
Funding!
We'd like to thank MABECs for their sponsorship, which allows us to drop our fees by 50%! Full scholarships are also available - apply in the form.
Retreat: 30 May to 2 June 2025 (Friday evening to Monday* noon)
Showcase: June/July (TBC)
Venue: Residency Space, Hin Bus Depot, 41 Jalan Kampung Jawa Lama, 10150 George Town, Penang
Fees: Full course: RM400 inclusive of retreat (50% off for Society members)
Individual workshops: RM50 per workshop (50% off for Society members)
Retreat only: RM200 (Limited spaces)
*YDPA’s birthday (public Holiday)
What to expect
The Penang Writers Workshops aims to lead you from the start of a new writing project all the way to finishing it, and getting it published. Each week's workshop starts with a 2-hour lesson, followed by a 2-hour critique session of work from the previous week.
Participants for the course are carefully curated to ensure that their works are of a suitable level and they are able work together as a cohort. You'll also be expected to showcase the best of your work at Readings@Tanjong.
You can also register for individual workshop sessions. These only include the 2-hour lesson and do not include participation in the critique sessions.
Limited spaces may be available for the writing retreat. The fee covers only accommodation, and does NOT include meals or transportation. Participants on the retreat are expected to follow the full schedule.
Funding!
We'd like to thank MABECs for their sponsorship, which allows us to drop our fees by 50%! Full scholarships are also available - apply in the form.
2025 Course Outline:
19 April: Introduction: Writing as a Personal Journey
This introductory session will set out the “rules of the game” in writing, the philosophy behind artistic expression, and help writers discover their own process. It sets the tone for the next big four elements in writing: voice, setting, plot, character.
26 April: Who's telling the story?
First person? Second person? Third person? Who's actually telling this story? In this session, we'll look at voice and point of view and how that makes a difference in the way a story is told.
3 May: Writing believable settings
Have you ever been transported to a different world when reading a story? We’ll discuss how a strong setting makes a story believable and authentic, and how the specificities of a place can open up wider, more universal themes. Participants can expect to partake in short writing exercises to learn how to set the mood, tone and atmosphere of their story simply by using their words.
10 May: Weaving Compelling Plots
When asked what makes a good story, agents and publishers often repeat the same few buzzwords. Narrative hooks! Conflict! Stakes! This workshop will examine what that means for your plot and studies the difference between stories that sell and stories that compel.
17 May: Character D&D
Dungeons & Dragons? No. Dynamics and Development? Yes. This session takes a deep dive into character dynamics and its role in shaping believable character arcs. Participants will be asked to do a short writing exercise at the beginning of the workshop and revise it afterwards based on what they’ve learned.
24 May: Is it done yet?
When do you know when the story is done? How can you make sure it’s as good as it can be before sending it out? In this final session, participants will be taught how to edit their own work by reviewing voice and word choices, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and story development.
30 May–2 June: Writer's Retreat
This year's retreat focuses on editing and critiquing the work selected for the showcase.
Showcase
It's time to show off what you've accomplished! Participants who have completed the entire workshop series will present their work to family, friends, and the public! One selected work per participant will be printed in a zine.
This introductory session will set out the “rules of the game” in writing, the philosophy behind artistic expression, and help writers discover their own process. It sets the tone for the next big four elements in writing: voice, setting, plot, character.
26 April: Who's telling the story?
First person? Second person? Third person? Who's actually telling this story? In this session, we'll look at voice and point of view and how that makes a difference in the way a story is told.
3 May: Writing believable settings
Have you ever been transported to a different world when reading a story? We’ll discuss how a strong setting makes a story believable and authentic, and how the specificities of a place can open up wider, more universal themes. Participants can expect to partake in short writing exercises to learn how to set the mood, tone and atmosphere of their story simply by using their words.
10 May: Weaving Compelling Plots
When asked what makes a good story, agents and publishers often repeat the same few buzzwords. Narrative hooks! Conflict! Stakes! This workshop will examine what that means for your plot and studies the difference between stories that sell and stories that compel.
17 May: Character D&D
Dungeons & Dragons? No. Dynamics and Development? Yes. This session takes a deep dive into character dynamics and its role in shaping believable character arcs. Participants will be asked to do a short writing exercise at the beginning of the workshop and revise it afterwards based on what they’ve learned.
24 May: Is it done yet?
When do you know when the story is done? How can you make sure it’s as good as it can be before sending it out? In this final session, participants will be taught how to edit their own work by reviewing voice and word choices, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, and story development.
30 May–2 June: Writer's Retreat
This year's retreat focuses on editing and critiquing the work selected for the showcase.
Showcase
It's time to show off what you've accomplished! Participants who have completed the entire workshop series will present their work to family, friends, and the public! One selected work per participant will be printed in a zine.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
By the end of the course, all participants should have written between one to five new stories, one of which will be selected for the showcase performance.
organised By:
Malaysian Writers Society (MYWriters) was established in September 2016 to facilitate activities and programmes related to Malaysian writing and publishing. MYWriters is an inclusive and non-profit initiative, providing a platform for Malaysian writers that transcends genre, language, function, medium, and experience levels.
Supported by:
As Malaysia’s leading education agencies, MABECS Malaysia and MABECS Global counsel students through every step of their journey – from their initial search, applications, to successful placement – absolutely free of charge. Through our student-led and holistic counselling approach, we have helped over 50,000 Malaysian students successfully enrol into top institutions in countries such as the UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand.
VENUE PARTNER:
Hin Bus Depot is a creative community hub nestled in the heart of George Town. Once a derelict bus depot, it has been thoughtfully reimagined into a vibrant, multifaceted space that brings together an exhibition space, artist studios, startups, restaurants, cafes, and retail shops. In addition to its creative and entrepreneurial offerings, Hin Bus Depot hosts a weekend creative market that nurtures and supports small businesses, contributing to the lively pulse of the local community.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
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Anna TanAnna Tan writes fantasy stories and fairy tales, and has short stories included in various anthologies. She helps people publish books at Teaspoon Publishing, which includes yelling at HTML for epub reasons.
She has an MA in Creative Writing: The Novel from Brunel University London and is interested in Malay/Nusantara and Chinese legends and folklore in exploring the intersection of language, culture, and faith. She can be found tweeting as @natzers and forgetting to update annatsp.com. |
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wAN PHING LIMWan Phing Lim was born to Malaysian parents in 1986 in Butterworth, Penang. Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines and anthologies in UK, USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. She lives in Penang and has two collections of short stories: Two Figures in a Car (2021) and Adorable (2025) by Penguin SEA.
Wan Phing is the current fiction editor at NutMag. |
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JY TAnJY Tan was born in Penang to parents who encouraged a reading habit, but did not expect her to devote her life to studying and writing stories. She mostly writes short stories for NutMag and novels for an audience she has yet to find, but also dabbles in poetry and playwriting.
Currently, JY splits her time between her family on Penang Island and her extended family on the mainland. When she isn’t working her day job to feed her oyen son, she is reminding herself that outlining detailed plots for cool ideas is not the same thing as writing. JY is the current Treasurer of the Malaysian Writers Society. |
PROJECT MANAGER
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SWARNA RAJAGOPALSwarna Rajagopal was born and raised in Penang. She had hoped to be a public policy researcher when she forayed into the arts. She spent seven editions as the Festival Manager of the award-winning George Town Literary Festival, shaping conversations and curating literary experiences.
Today, she is an arts manager passionate about storytelling, cultural exchange, and the written word. She is now exploring new creative directions beyond festival management, to explore writing, research, and projects that connect literature, and culture. She reads and occasionally writes but her writings are mostly kept secret. |
