Mastering Emotional Honesty with Lee Kofman

Learn strategies to hone your emotional honesty in fiction and memoir

Emotional honesty is a must-have for writers of both fiction and memoir, but such writing can be challenging and uncomfortable. Emotional honesty matters from the very beginning – when we decide what story to tell. It is also crucial in fine-tuning our writer’s voice, in capturing, vividly, the complexity of human emotions. Through a series of writing exercises and insights, this workshop will teach you how to ensure emotional honesty in your storytelling.

You will learn:

  • About the concept of emotional honesty in writing
  • To hone an emotionally honest writer’s voice
  • Strategies to avoid moralising, sentimentality and nostalgia
  • How to write authentic characters who ring emotionally true
  • To describe complex emotions in concrete terms

Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.

"Lee is a wonderful teacher. I found the exercises in this workshop very useful and will be applying a lot of the principles to my characters."

KYD Members receive a 10% discount on all other KYD workshops. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.

Want to buy a workshop for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.


Your Instructor


Lee Kofman
Lee Kofman

Dr Lee Kofman is an Israeli-Australian author of three fiction books and two memoirs: Imperfect (Affirm Press, 2019), which was shortlisted for Nib Literary Award 2019, and The Dangerous Bride (Melbourne University Press, 2014). She is the co-editor of Rebellious Daughters (Ventura Press, 2016) and the editor of Split (2019, Ventura Press) which was longlisted for ABIA Awards 2020 – anthologies of personal essays by prominent Australian authors. Her short works have been widely published in Australia, the US, UK, Scotland, Israel and Canada. Her blog about writing was a finalist for Best Australian Blogs 2014.

Since 2006, Lee has been teaching fiction and creative non-fiction workshops and courses all around Australia, as well as mentoring writers, particularly those working in the genres of creative non-fiction and literary fiction. She is currently working on a book about emotionally honest writing practice to be published in 2021 via Ventura Press.


Course Curriculum


  Welcome!
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  Emotional Honesty in Writing
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  Finding Your Subject and Voice
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Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. We encourage you to approach this material not just as lessons to be finished once and for all, but also as a collection of resources to which you can return time and again.
How long do I have access to the course?
Forever! After enrolling, you have unlimited lifetime access to this course - across any and all devices you own.
Does the teacher provide feedback?
No. If you are interested in receiving feedback on your project, we encourage you to check out KYD's Manuscript Assessment Service: https://killyourdarlings.com.au/shop/manuscript-assessments/
What if I decide the course isn’t right for me?
We offer a 30 day money-back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.
How do I access my course?
All our online workshops are hosted at workshops.killyourdarlings.com.au, via the Teachable platform. You can access your workshop by logging in at that link, or by following the link in your welcome email when you enrol. Please note that as the Teachable platform is a separate website to KYD you will need to create a new account, and will not be able to use your KYD login details.
I'm a KYD member. How do I receive my 10% discount?
Click on 'Enrol in course for $149'. Enter the coupon code that was emailed to you when you became a KYD member at checkout, underneath the tutor's photo.
What if I have another question?
You can email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help!

Get started now!