OUR TEAM
HEATHER MCQUILLAN
Director, PD Provider, Tutor
Adv Dip Tchg, B.Ed, Master of Creative Writing with distinction
Heather is an award-winning writer of novels for young people, short stories and flash fiction.
GAIL INGRAM
Tutor, Editor
BA, Dip Tchg( secondary), RSA Dip TEFLA, Master of Creative Writing with distinction.
Gail is an award-winning writer, and an editor of poetry and short story.
JOSIAH MORGAN
Tutor
Bachelor of Arts (Anthropology & English with a minor in History).
Josiah Morgan (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) is a 23-year-old artist and an Ōtautahi local. He is the author of five books so far and can be regularly seen on stages and screens across the country.
CLAIRE WRIGHT
Tutor
CL
Bachelor in Creative Writing, Substitute teacher certificate ( Cal)
By day, Claire writes guidance documents. By night, she writes funky horror, fantasy, and sci-fi stories, with a splash of romance. Currently, she is working on two projects: a new urban fantasy novel and an interactive fiction novel.
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DESNA WALLACE
Tutor
BA English, Dip Children's Lit, Dip ILS, NZ Certificate in Library and Information Services for Children and Teens.
Desna is a poet, blogger and children's book writer (Canterbury Quake my NZ Story). She wins awards in both micro and flash fiction.
Annabel Wilson
Tutor
Annabel Wilson is a writer from Wānaka, currently living in Waitaha Canterbury. Her work has been published in journals in New Zealand and overseas and her first book, Aspiring Daybook: The diary of Elsie Winslow was longlisted for the Ockhams (2019). Annabel has a PhD in Creative Writing from Massey University, in which she investigated hybrid forms of writing.
PHILOMENA JOHNSON
Tutor
BA DipEd (Hons)
Philomena is a graduate of Hagley Writers’ Institute. She is a writer of poetry and is currently working on a verse novel for younger readers.
SHELLEY ROBINSON
Tutor
Shelley is a former journalist, deputy editor and editor. She was nominated for three Canon Media Awards, including Best Investigation for a story that saw her squat in abandoned earthquake-damaged buildings for a year with the homeless community and street sex workers. Before journalism, she worked in Alternative Education, and with ‘at-risk’ young people. Shelley has finished her first poetry book with a fantasy book hot on its heels. She mentors writers and teaches well-being courses to participants from around the world.
Elizabeth Steel
Tutor
Elizabeth grew up with Write On and returned as a tutor in 2024.
Elizabeth has been studying Biological Sciences at UC and is keen to resume her creative writing.
PADDY BOYLAN
Online Tutor
Paddy is a writer, editor and proofreader. He is working on his first novel and was just awarded an NZSA mentorship.
Paddy looks after our Saturday Online class.
Ray Shipley
Ray Shipley is an Ōtautahi-based comedian, poet, marriage celebrant, and writing tutor. In 2019, Ray was nominated for the Billy T Award, the biggest award for the rising stars of comedy in Aotearoa. Ray has won the Christchurch Poetry Slam four times, and placed third nationally in 2018. Their poetry can be found in the anthologies Solid Air (UQP, 2019), and in Out Here (AUP, 2021), among others. Since 2020, Ray has been running Late Night Poetry Hour - a celebration of poetry and feelings and staying up past bedtime - monthly at Little Andromeda Theatre.