When most stories have already been told, how do we find the glint of uniqueness that makes our particular take on the world truly worth telling?

What is the lure for a storyteller in exploring the historical or the speculative? What are the things to consider when writing in these genres? What strategies are useful in bringing such stories to the page? And what are the pitfalls to be aware of?

What is voice? What are its key components? What feeds into it? And how do we bring it to the page?

How do we find the right shape for our stories? What are the different images we might bear in mind to help with narrative and emotional build? How do we create a strong sense of structural balance?