Writing Complicated Relationships with Maame Blue

Learn how to develop authentic, multi-layered interactions between memorable characters

Join Maame Blue, author of the award-winning novel Bad Love, in this self-paced course on how to write authentic, multi-layered and complex relationships.

We all enjoy reading about messy romantic entanglements, fraught family interactions, and the multi-layered relationship with self. This course will explore how to craft these authentic, believable relationships within your own writing to create dynamic interactions between memorable characters. Through close readings of contemporary fiction and literary discussion, as well as numerous writing exercises, you will develop techniques on how to best plan, write and rewrite more complicated relationships into your own fiction and non-fiction work, all of which will leave a lasting impression on your readers.

You'll learn:

  • How to create complex characters using examples of contemporary fiction and non-fiction
  • How to create complex but realistic relationship stories
  • How to use setting and backstory as extra layers in your complicated relationship pieces
  • Different ways to use dialogue to tell a relationship story
  • How to elevate your own complicated relationships and shape them into stories

The course is designed to take you 5-6 hours in total, and can be completed in short stages at your convenience. Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.

KYD Members receive a 10% discount on this course and all other KYD online courses throughout the year. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.

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


Your Instructor


Maame Blue
Maame Blue

Maame Blue is a Ghanaian-Londoner, recipient of the 2022 Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship, and author of the novel Bad Love, which won the 2021 Betty Trask Award. Her short stories have appeared in Not Quite Right For Us and New Australian Fiction 2020. Her writing will also appear in the upcoming children’s anthology Joyful, Joyful. She is currently working on another novel.


Course Curriculum


  Welcome
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  Part One: Crafting Complex Characters
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  Part Two: The Relationship Narrative
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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/
How do I access my course?
All our online courses are hosted at workshops.killyourdarlings.com.au, via the Teachable platform. You can access your course 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 $169'. 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!