Being part of Catherine’s masterclass was one of the best things I did for myself. Surrounded by like-minded people, I reconnected with my enjoyment of writing and sharing stories. As well as building the confidence to write, it inspired me to continue pursuing creative and meaningful projects. This class is for anyone with a love for writing, storytelling and life.

Biheng Zhang

I signed up for this master class because I lack direction and motivation, my skills at procrastination and excuse making are quite supreme.

In the master class, Catherine shared her own experiences, both personal and professional in a way that was inspirational, creative, insightful and very useful. She demonstrated how to ‘just write, put words on the paper’ and the value of using life and all of it’s surprises as a valuable source of inspiration.

Coming away, I felt like I had had a total overhaul, I felt very motivated and my reasons for ‘not writing’ seemed less complex and somewhat lifted. Catherine is a beam of bright sunshine and activity.  She is charismatic and fascinating, I could just listen to her talking for months and months! 

She was such a great highlight – as it was her class hey,  and I thought, for such a hugely successful writer and thinker, it was incredibly generous of her to sit in a room with myself and 10 others for 6+ hours and talk to us, listen to us and be in the moment with us in such a sincere and interested way.  She is a treasure and I think so much of her.

La Luna was a fantastic location, the room was small, intimate and perfect – I felt very connected with everyone.  The food was bloody amazing, I can’t wait to go back for more!!

Mishelle Predika

I had eight weeks to write my eighth show and it was twenty one years since I had written my first. So rather than falling in love with my creativity, I needed to liven up a very long marriage. Catherine’s uplifting pedagogy gave me the time to reflect upon my identity as a writer and the space to find out that I’ve still got it. Most importantly, I realised that I’d never congratulated myself for writing eight shows, which have taken me around the country, created work for artists and given me both money and pleasure. So when this show is written, I’m putting away my laptop and I’m buying a surfboard. Writing is important, but not as important as me.

Michael Dailey

I gave myself a birthday present for a spot in one of Catherine Deveny’s Writers Masterclasses. Having never done any writers course before I felt alittle less adequate at my lack of formal education on the subject. Wrong assumption. Catherine was awesome. Providing tools for every kind of procrastination, keys on unlocking creativity, and slashings of laughter dispelling all notions of not being good enough, we were left focused and prepared, for writing! All that with lashings of divine food by La Luna Bistro, and the gorgeous people in the group, made a perfect day of realisation that yes, ‘you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf’  – thnx Dev for the surfboards, and pearls of wisdom.

Anthea Sidiropoulos

The masterclass was phenoms. Have written every day since.  You are a fucking inspiration. Thankyou for your energy and generosity of spirit to us Gunnas.  I will be a writer and I have you to thank.

Monique Bowley

Hi Catherine, I loved doing the course today. You’re an inspiring woman and I feel huge gratitude for the thoughtful ideas and open-ness you shared with us. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to have shared the day with other interesting and inspiring people.

You’ve demystified a lot of the fog which gets in the way of committing my words to paper. And you’ve shown me that the value of my writing is only as rich as the effort and commitment I deposit. Thank you.

You’re awesome. Now off to eat some frogs.

Miriam Ercole

Catherine radiated much appreciated personal and professional warmth from the start of the day. She gave lashes of encouragement and inspiration at every turn during the workshop, which, it has to be said, was  presented under unpredictably debilitating conditions in the searing Brisbane heat. The writing class gig itself was, however, definitely not debilitating. It sizzled along, crackling with her energy and creativity, and whenever we seemed as though we were flagging in the heat, Catherine acted cool and in control,  helping us reach for new creative heights, both emotionally and intellectually.  How Catherine sustained her boundless energy and enthusiasm throughout was a wonder to behold. She also personalised aspects very astutely for various individual members of the group, at the same time conveying very relevant, more general points where appropriate as well. Thus the enlightenment which  resonated all day was  that ‘In the particular lies the universal’ in some form – often mysteriously so, where writing is concerned.

Helen Yeates

Being a masterclass repeater I was really impressed with more things I had to learn, particularly about getting unstuck and positive habits to cultivate to get writing done. Food n company fabulous, writing tasks clear and simple and very effective. It was every bit what you said it would be, a writing enema, and then some. 

Caitlin McGrath

Just got home from Deveny’s Gunnas Masterclass at La Luna. Great food, terrific camaraderie, and best of all, motivation up the wazoo. Get onto the Dev, she’ll get you writing, thinking, asking, writing. Thanks for the brilliant day, Catherine, you are ACE

Nicky Read

I loved every minute of today’s class it’s a really great way to run a class – heaps of useful & practical information, the right amount of writing practice time, a warm-friendly-non-confronting environment, and all set in a lovely cafe with great food & people. Thanks again

Steve Ellen.