Josh Donellan
J.M. DONELLAN is a writer, musician, poet, and teacher. He was almost devoured by a tiger in the jungles of Malaysia, nearly died of a lung collapse in the Nepalese Himalayas and fended off a pack of rabid dogs with a guitar in the mountains of India.
He is the author of the novels A Beginner’s Guide to Dying in India and Killing Adonis (which was nominated for the Kirkus prize). His children’s fantasy novel Zeb and the Great Ruckus was described by one child as ‘the best book ever, but it should have had Dr Who in it.’ He has spoken/performed at the Brisbane Festival, the Sydney Opera House, TEDxBrisbane, World Science Festival, and some very distinguished basements.
Aside from novels and poetry he has also written plays, video games, the internationally admired podcast series Six Cold Feet and the dance performance INTER. His latest novels are the gothic mystery Lenore’s Last Funeral and the surreal thriller Rumors of Her Death, the film version of the latter is currently in development with Continuance Pictures. He’s won numerous awards in a range of artistic fields but refuses to list them all here because no one likes a braggart.
TALKS
Living to tell the tale
Although one young student once commented “An author is a person what’s got none parents”, this is not actually correct. Learn about what an author (this one in particular) actually is in this talk that spans a lifetime of travelling from the Amazon to the Himalayas, narrowly avoiding death in a variety of exotic locales. After surviving various threats to his livelihood, Josh has achieved a dizzyingly varied career in storytelling ranging from novels, poetry, video games, plays, short stories, podcasting, radio, music, journalism, and dance. This talk spans far beyond the autobiographical and looks at the importance of art and storytelling in a multitude of forms and formats.
40 mins – 1 hour
can be tailored to suit grades P-12
any audience size
Poetry performance
A veteran of stages ranging from the Brisbane Powerhouse to the Sydney Opera house, Josh can deliver an hour of poems and stories that range from the hilarious to the heart-breaking. A mix of story-telling, comedy, and poetry featuring works about living in the digital age, almost being crushed by a Russian ultimate fighter, rapping grandmas, and a thorough investigation of the multitudinous reasons why cephalopods are heinously underrated.
40 mins – 1 hour
can be tailored to suit grades 8-12
any audience size
Poetry talk/performance
A comprehensive and entertaining look at the various uses of poetry from its beginnings as spoken word through to modern digital, musical, sculptural and performance incarnations paired with performances of some of Josh’s own work. An excellent way to get students excited about reading and writing poetry.
40 mins – 1 hour
can be tailored to suit grades P-12
any audience size
WORKSHOPS
Wor(l)dplay: creating characters and places
A studied look at developing characters and places that feel real, layered, and complex. We’ll look at ways to give your character depth and emotional connection to your reader, as well as how to treat your story’s setting like a character with a rich and vibrant personality, rather than just a backdrop for your plot.
40 mins – 2 hours
can be tailored to suit grades 3 -12
max. 30 people
Poetry writing and performance
Over the last five years, Josh has worked with thousands of students and adults to help them prepare their poetry for performance and publication. With a slew of slam poetry awards (ranging from gold medals to rubber chickens) under his belt, Josh is well equipped to help poets of all ages find their voice on both the page and the stage. These sessions are highly active, participatory, loud, and fun.
40 – 90mins
can be tailored to suit grades 3 -12
max. 30 people
Testimonials
Organised, prompt, good communication, great presenter, engaging for students!
Logan West Cluster Literacy Days of Excellence - May, 2024Last Monday we had the pleasure of hosting a fantastic writing workshop with author and writing teacher extraordinaire, Josh Donellan. Our students had the opportunity to delve into the craft of writing compelling characters and vivid settings. With engaging exercises and expert guidance, our students learned firsthand how to bring stories to life on the page. A huge thank you to Josh Donellan for sharing his passion and expertise with us.
Cleveland District State High School - May, 2024Josh engaged so strongly with us as organisers and with the students. His speech was fabulous as well. Outstanding contribution to the whole event.
English Teachers Association of QLD - August, 2023Josh did a fantastic job engaging our students with interesting stories and inspired them with his advice and perspective on creativity.
Ipswich State High School - August 2022Josh was incredibly engaging and thoughtful in his presentation. It was well tailored to reflect our objectives and the students spoke very highly of the session. Thank you :)
Mt Gravatt High School - May 2022
Lenore's Last Funeral
Rumors of Her Death
19½ Spells Disguised As Poems
Twelve - Stories from Paintings
Stendhal Syndrome
A Beginner's Guide to Dying in India
Zeb and the Great Ruckus
Killing Adonis
Queensland
Speaker type
- Author
- Poet
- Storyteller / Performer