Lesley's Bio
Now Queensland's life stories expert, Lesley began as a secondary school teacher. She continues her involvement in the education of young people but teaching adults is a major focus of her educational work.
Lesley Synge has a Master of Arts in Creative Writing (2001) and a BA and Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland. She has edited and co-ordinated many community-based publications such as Essence of Mind for the Queensland Zen Centre launched in 2009, Nine Lives: Personal Stories of Mental Illness for the Brisbane charity Open Minds (2004), the Black Possum Diaries for the rural town of Maleny, and a Guide to Conversation for Koreans. She was also the book review editor for an academic journal. Through service to the Queensland Writers Centre she has supported Australian writing since the QWC's foundation.
As an individual creator of literary works, she has published Cry Ma Ma to the Moon (Interactive Publications 2002 and Winner of IP Picks Competition), and two collections of poetry: Mountains Belong to the People Who Love Them (Post Pressed 2003 and 2011) and Organic Sister (2005). She has also written an unpublished novel about the Australian icon, Lasseter. The AustLit data base, the resource for Australian literature, includes reference to this and other work, including Lesley’s short stories. Some work is in the name of Lesley Singh. www.austlit.edu.au
Her non-fiction works appear in diverse publications – from the literary to the popular press. She regularly reviews for the Courier-Mail. Lesley founded the Real Life Story Workshop in 1996 and has since helped numerous people to record their lives.
Lesley has added experience in management, leadership, and team-building. Apart from her own small consultancy, Lesley has managed a number of organisations, a learning resource centre, a publishing house, an environment protection campaign, and many other community groups, events and projects, the most recent being the Jubilee of Brisbane's first residential highrise, 2009. Through Zing Stories, she is an advocate for using personal stories to create a sense of community.
More Info? A full cv is available on request. Contact Me.
Wordsworth wrote: I am part of all that I have met.
Once upon a time, a young and adventurous Australian woman travelled the world to find the meaning of life, quite sure it could not be found in her hometown of Brisbane. (Unkind souls once called Brisbane a dull and sleepy place.) During her travels she did foolish but character-forming things such as driving overland to India. (Imagine it – London to Amritsar in a Datsun 200 B.) Now settled in Brisbane, Lesley can be hired to help you use personal stories to achieve your potential or that of your community, organisation or corporation.
What About You? Enjoy the Questionnaire included in information on Real Life Stories in Writing Workshops.
