Sarah Ayoub
Sarah Ayoub is a journalist, bestselling author and academic with a PhD in migrant Australian YA literature. Her work has been published in The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney Review of Books, Meanjin and more.
Sarah is a Stella Schools Program ambassador, has mentored the youth curators of The Sydney Writers' Festival YA program, contributed to the anthology Arab, Australian, Other: Stories on Race and Identity and most recently been a judge for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. Sarah was elected to the board of the Australian Society of Authors in 2021 and is currently working on her first novel for adults as the writer-in-residence of Sweatshop Literacy Movement.
Sarah is an advocate for education and Australian stories, appearing at schools and festivals where she promotes her YA novels Hate is Such a Strong Word, The Yearbook Committee and the Cult of Romance as well as her picture books, How to be a Friend, The Love that Grew and Nice and Slow.
Talk and Workshop details
Talk: Writing Love & Belonging into Picture Books (Yrs 4-6)
This talk will take students through the inspirations for writing my picture books, exploring the various way we can love and be loved in our families and friendship circles, and how we can take little steps to be more conscious of our own behaviours and choices and be more accepting of others at school. - Sarah Ayoub
Thurs 22 Feb : 9.30am - 10.15am
Fri 23 Feb : 11am - 11.45am
Talk: Coming to Voice (Yrs 8-12)
Drawing on bell hooks' concept of Coming to Voice and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie's concept of the dangers of a single story, this talk takes students through some examples of how literature has the power to exclude and include people, and why it is important to read and think critically, and to feel empowered to share our own stories.
Thurs 22 Feb : 12.30pm - 1.15pm
Fri 23 Feb : 12.30pm - 1.15pm
Workshop: Quick Tips on Writing (Yrs 7-12)
Sarah will take students through some express tips on crafting character, writing descriptive dialogue, showing not telling and using setting in stories to write more robust creative pieces.
Thurs 22 Feb : 11am - 12pm
Fri 23 Feb : 9.30am - 10.30am