I remember learning about the original Gunnas Masterclass. It appealed because at the time, I was the very definition of a gunna. I enjoyed writing and playing around with words and found joy in the way that others strung them together. But I didn’t make time in my life for it or many other creative pursuits – I saw it as an indulgence that I shouldn’t waste time on. (Judgmental much?! Quite the achievement to use ‘indulgent’, ‘shouldn’t’ and ‘waste’ in such a short sentence! But it shows where I was pre Gunnas Masterclass.)

I leapt at the chance to find a way not to let my music die inside me. Desperate times called for desperate measures and even the promise of a creative enema appealed! If nothing else, I thought, at least I’ll be in the presence of Catherine Deveny herself, who is someone who strings words together in ways that bring joy, belly laughs and truth. Crippling self-doubt made me slightly nervous that I’d be busted as a fraud, as a Non Writer who wouldn’t even be allowed into the class, but I did my best to squash that thought while I waited for the day of the class to arrive.

Looking back at how much I changed the way I was in the world since spending the day on the back verandah at Brisbane’s Avid Reader Bookshop for the Gunnas Masterclass, I’m in awe. I went from a Gunna to a Doer. Creative enema achieved and music freed from within and playing out loud! I write almost daily now and enjoy getting lost in it. I have a blog and a commitment to do what I love.

When the chance to do an advanced version appeared, I was in. It was an instinctive response of ‘why not?!’ when I saw an email a few days before the big day. So on the Wednesday before a Saturday class, I booked flights and got my ticket – this is what life is like as a doer rather than a gunna. All I had to squash down this time was the to urge to squeal and do a happy dance worthy of a five year old with a sugar rush (lest I lost focus and accidentally booked a flight to Perth or Wellington instead of Melbourne). I was bursting with curiosity to see what a Gunnas Advanced would do, be, encourage, extract. I was excited by the challenges I knew the day would bring.

It was a collection of interesting and inspirational people gathered around Dev’s table upstairs at La Luna for the inaugural Gunnas Advanced where she wove her magic. She is so much more than merely a regular or reasonable story teller and her observations and tales of adventure got us going. She brought us together and lead us to amazing places, certainly to places I never thought I’d go.

We each came with our own stories, experiences, beliefs and backgrounds and there was a palpable buzz in the room that grew over the course of the day as we were challenged to write in new ways on all manner of subjects. The bar was lifted from the Gunnas to the Gunnas Advanced but it was a case of pushing myself to work to meet the expectations. And I’m unbelievably grateful that I did it. A day after and more than 1700kms away, I’m still buzzing after the Advanced Gunnas and I have a feeling it’s going to linger for a while longer. If you’ve done a Gunnas and have the opportunity to do a Gunnas Advanced – do it, do it, do it. Remember what you loved and what changed as a result of doing the first one and bask in the possibilities of where a Gunnas Advanced could take you next.

Emily Petering

The Gunnas Advanced is more than a writing class. It’s an opportunity to feel solidarity and connection with people who share in your love of writing. Come prepared to write and to take some risks as you explore different approaches and genres that you may never have before. And walk away feeling inspired, enthused and ready to write a whole lot more.

Miriam Ercole

Just when you think Dev’s Gunnas Writing Workshops couldn’t get any better – great food, inspiring people and writing activities, and Dev’s indomitable blend of humour, wit and focus – she’s taken them to another level, ‘roided up. Hello Gunnas Advanced Workshop. Beautiful food, inspiring people, and a whole new level of writing tasks, approaches and inspirations. You never know where the writing tasks will take you, one of the gems of the Gunnas Advanced. And people’s stories of getting to their creativity continue to inspire. Dev sets up more activities to explore more styles, more adventure, awe-inspiring stories lots of fresh approaches to what you love to do…write, talk and eat.

I loved it, yesterday. Wrote all the way home on the train. You’re an awesome teacher / facilitator. Keep doing this shit. It’s fab and, at it;s heart, life-changing. Like Clare Bowditch’s Big Hearted Business, you set up a situation where people can genuinely explore their creative desires….

Caitlin McGrath