Finding the Poem (Set 1) with Paul Lyalls
Complete beginners to poetry sought! Relative newcomers very welcome! Seasoned poets – come along too! This is a course for anyone who wants to liberate their creativity and immerse themselves in the joy of language. Playful, fun, entertaining, enlightening – explore your word power with Paul Lyalls.
Enjoy this set of 6 workshops, one of 3 separate sets which can be taken in any order.
A note to prose writers: have you ever wondered what it is like to write in the poetic form? Perhaps you write in prose automatically but would like to try to use language in another way. If your fiction needs a lift, if your life-writing needs lilt, if your central characters don’t quite sing (or even if they do!) you can free your writing through poetry.
Monday evenings, 6.45pm to 9.15pm; Feb 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Introduction to Life Writing & Memoir with Giovanna Iozzi
Over 6 weeks, we will explore the concept of writing from life – whether from our own lives or the real lives of others – looking at all the forms we can use to write the stories we want to tell. We will discuss how to shape and structure our work in a compelling and novelistic way. We will learn ways to hook our readers into our story, keep them turning the pages, charm and alarm them with our characters and reveal fascinating, relatable truths about our lives. We will investigate what is meant by a strong voice and understand how stylistic devices like dialogue, scene building, setting description, and suspense creates a vivid world the reader can disappear inside. As well as reading extracts from published memoirists and life-writers, nominated students will have the chance to workshop extracts of their writing each week. All levels welcome.
You can progress to Life Writing & Memoir Workshop in the Summer term.
Tuesday mornings, 10am-12.30pm, Feb 23, March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Prioritise Your Writing with Alison Chandler
Producing a full-length work – whether it’s a novel or novella, a memoir, biography or a collection of stories – requires a love of writing, a willingness to grow as a writer and lots of hard work. Practicing all three in the company of an encouraging, supportive group makes the whole experience a lot more productive and a lot more fun!
Our classes are small and each session is bespoke, tailored to participants’ specific goals. We workshop our words, learning as much from our close reading of others as we do from receiving feedback ourselves, and discuss all aspects of writing craft. If you’re ready to take a leap forward with your project in great company, we’d love to hear from you. And if you’re a regular, you know you’re always welcome back to take your work to the next stage.
Wednesday mornings, 10.30am to 1pm; Feb 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Short Fiction Workshop with Kiare Ladner
Over six weekly sessions, we’ll workshop your own stories, linked stories, flash fiction or even micro fiction. If it’s short, we’re interested in how you can make it as powerful as possible. We’ll also look at a diverse selection of short stories by international writers, such as Irenosen Okojie, Kawabata Yasunari, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Lydia Davis, Rachida el-Charni and others.
We’ll discuss: what works, how it works and why it works. Our examination of the craft will range from the traditional to the experimental, from character-based to thematically driven, from stories that expand a moment to those that cover a lifetime. Come along if you’d like to be inspired, motivated and challenged in your practice. All levels welcome.
Wednesday evenings, 6.30pm-9pm; Feb 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Explore Creative Writing with Sonia Lambert
This course is great for beginners, and also for writers at any level who wish to generate lots of new ideas and material. This fun and playful course will use different creative writing exercises and prompts to get you working, in a friendly and supportive environment. We will set out from a new starting point each week, and experiment with different techniques and ways into prose writing.
Week 1) Place (mental maps and sensory detail); Week 2) People (picture prompts and character sketches); Week 3) Objects; Week 4) Food; Week 5) Gaps (collage and “found text”); Week 6) Journeys
Thursday mornings, 10.30am to 1pm; Feb 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25, April 1