A conversation between Paula Morris and Witi Ihimaera on point of view
This recording explores the art and craft of writing short first-person narratives – either true stories (creative nonfiction) or invented ones (fiction) through a conversation between Paula Morris and Witi Ihimaera.
We discussed excerpts from the work of various Māori writers to inform the way we shape stories and evoke character, setting and situation. The focus is the first-person point of view – the ‘I’ of the story – and its opportunities and challenges.
Module Content
By the end of this module, you will understand:
- What point of view is
- How it impacts on a story
- Subconscious and conscious stories.
Learning Level
This module is part of our BrainFood series and designed for anyone working on prose whether fiction or non-fiction.
Paula Morris
Paula Morris MNZM (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Whātua) is an award-winning novelist, short story writer and essayist. Director of the Master of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland, she is the founder of the Academy of New Zealand Literature; Wharerangi, the Māori literature hub; and the online Aotearoa NZ Review of Books. She edited the 2023 anthology Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories.
First Person Overview
We anticipate the workshop will take two hours to watch. You will need internet access and writing materials ready (pen/paper or document open).