CREATIVE WRITING in Brighton and London

Since my last post was about the arguments regarding whether creative writing can be taught, I suppose it's not surprising that I should be thinking about the courses that I will be running in Brighton and Central London in the autumn - although I haven't actually been away this summer yet.
Courses take a lot of planing and ideas for new exercises and new approaches to familiar subjects come from a diverse range of sources - a chance remark, a photograph, an article in Sunday supplement.
Last night after a dinner party I suddenly saw how I could use titles from Philip K. Dick's books to spark new and original writing and went straight to my laptop to plan a lesson instead of heading for the kitchen sink and the washing up...can't think why. What's else on offer next term?
Halloween and all things ghoulish, creating believable baddies, discovering how being in the moment can aid description and two entirely new courses - nature writing on the edge of the Sussex Downs and a lunch hour course in central London for busy writers who just want/need to go home after work.
I am also very glad to be running a course on writing the biography of your family again. There's nothing as interesting as people and I meet some fascinating characters in the classroom - the fact that some of them have been dead a couple of hundred years doesn't make any difference.
While the course is aimed at anyone who wants to put flesh on the bare bones of family history - a list of dates of births, deaths and marriages reveals very little by itself - it is also suitable for students who want to write the life story of a parent or grandparent.
Get in touch if you'd like to find out more. 

BRIGHTON

Creative Writing – an introduction MONDAY MORNINGS

It doesn’t matter if you haven’t written since school - come along and discover the writer within on this confidence-building 10 week course starting on October 1^st 2012
South Portslade Community Centre

www.portslade.org 01273 422632 or email comed@paca.uk.com

Creative Writing – advanced THURSDAY MORNING or AFTERNOON

An imaginative 10 week course designed to offer support and inspiration to the emerging writer. Morning and afternoon sessions available  starting on  October 4^th 2012
South Portslade Community Centre

www.portslade.org 01273 422632 or email comed@paca.uk.com

Writing from Nature at Foredown Tower SIX WEEK COURSE

Take inspiration from the natural world, and look at the familiar in new ways at this unique site on the edge of the South Downs. This is a short Wednesday morning course starting on November 7^th 2012

www.portslade.org 01273 422632 or email comed@paca.uk.com

Help! I Want To Be Published!  FIVE WEEK COURSE

A short course for aspiring fiction and non fiction writers that combines practical guidance on the nitty gritty of getting published with advice on how to make your writing stand out for all the right reasons.

Starting on November 6^th at the Friends Centre, near Brighton Station.

www.friendscentre.org 01273 810210

CENTRAL LONDON

The 60-minute Writer  GRAB A SANDWICH & A DOSE OF CREATIVITY

Fit creative writing into your busy day in central London. A relaxed, informal rolling programme for writers of all levels of experience who enjoy being thrown new ideas and experimenting with poetry and prose. This Friday lunchtime class starts on September 28th 2012 at City Lit in Holborn.

http://www.citylit.ac.uk 020 7831 7831

Writing Your Family Biography

A non-fiction course for students who want to learn how to use writing techniques to transform the bare bones of family history into a gripping read.

This Friday afternoon course starts on September 14^th  2012 at City Lit in Holborn.

http://www.citylit.ac.uk 020 7831 7831

Ways into Creative Writing

An imaginative and supportive course covering prose writing and poetry -suitable for the beginner

This Friday evening course starts on September 14 2012 at City Lit in Holborn.

http://www.citylit.ac.uk 020 7831 7831

Can creative writing be taught?

No one wonders why an aspiring artist should want to go to art school or thinks there is anything strange about a musician taking lessons, but 80+ years after the first university creative writing programme was launched the debate about whether creative writing can be taught still rages on.
Author and editor Louis Menand writing in the New Yorker in 2009 questioned the way creative writing is taught

Creative-writing programs are designed on the theory that students who have never published a poem can teach other students who have never published a poem how to write a publishable poem.

 

British screenwriter and author Hanif Kureishi - of My Beautiful Laundrette and The Buddha of Suburbia fame - seems to find very little of value in any creative writing course. His observations are much ruder and considerably less funny. I can't help wondering how the post grad creative writing students he supervises  at Kingston University feel about his assertion that such courses only attract the mad.
I've put the other side of the argument (surprise, surprise) in the latest issue of What the Dickens creative writing magazine. You can download it for free at http://wtd-magazine.com/

Or buy it for your kindle at £1.53 or $2.99

There's lots more to read in the summer sunflower issue - from author interviews to reviews and craft articles. Plus a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes at a new writing website that offers intriguing against-the-clock writing exercises.

 

Have a peek at my article and then come back here. I'd love to know what you think, especially if you've ever been on a creative writing course (including one of mine!)
Did it boost your writing self confidence or undermine it? Did you pick up new skills and have you written more since going on the course?
(Gulp!) Could Hanif be right?

Thinking of joining a creative writing course? Read on...

I was browsing and re-discovered an interview I did last year with a Canadian website (ok, ok, I googled my name. I had a ton of other things to do but somehow I just found my newly French polished nails tripping over the keyboard.)

Anyway....here's an extract especially for anyone thinking of jumping into a creative writing course in the new year. (Get in touch if you want to come to one of mine - London and Brighton. I don't have much to do with the admin side but I gather there has been a flurry of enrollments so sooner rather than later is my advice....)

For the full interview go to The Literary Project

You also work as a creative writing tutor. There is a lot of debate as to whether writing is a natural ability or a skill that you can learn. What’s your opinion on this? Do you think anyone has the potential to be a successful author?

No one thinks it odd that an artist should want to go to Art School. Or questions why a musician thinks lessons would be a good idea…There is a craft to writing that can be taught and natural talent can be nurtured and supported. I don’t believe in the tough love method of teaching. That doesn’t mean I pat everyone on the head and murmur very good, but I do believe in the importance of encouragement.

Not everyone can be a successful writer but nearly everyone can get real pleasure from writing with imagination. In much the same way I love drawing but I will never have an exhibition in Bond Street. I would just like to be good enough to go on a learn-how-to-paint holiday without embarrassment…

I want creative writing to be recognized for what it is: the ultimate vocational skill. There is no job, no area of life, where using language with greater precision, thought and effectiveness is not an asset. And perhaps it really comes into its own when faced with the most daunting blank page of all (the one that comes after the list of past jobs and before the address of a referee) where you have to sell yourself to a could-be, might-be employer. English language classes give you the tools: creative writing show you how to use them.

There are so many different types of writing courses out there; from short, online tasters up to Masters degrees. What should aspiring writers take into consideration when deciding what level and type of study is right / most beneficial for them?

First, I think you need to be realistic about the kind of learner you are – can you work on your own or is the social interaction of a class important to you? There’s a big drop out rate from online and correspondence courses – you have to very committed to keep going but they work very well for some students.

Studying for a Masters was important to me. I left school at 16 with a couple of exams. My first degree (in history) was hard won. I studied part time while working full time and bringing up a family so I getting another qualification meant something. It also opened the door to teaching – a career change that I hadn’t even considered ten years ago.

However, if your priority is writing then I would whole heartily recommend adult education. It’s flexible, has high standards and well qualified tutors. I teach on several adult education classes and I love the mix of students, their energy and ability.

What are the most common mistakes you see in the work of students hoping to be published?
1) Too many words. Everything should be on a need to know basis. Does a reader really need to be aware that a character was popular at school or has blue eyes? The writer might need to know all that (and more) but does the reader?

2) Too few words. Often a story takes places in a vague vacuum. Everything happens somewhere and a couple of sentences may be all that is needed to ground a story in urban America or rural England or where ever, but without a sense of place there can be an unsatisfying detached quality. The aim should be to allow the reader to feel what it is like to be there: wherever there is…

3) Too cardboard. If the characters don’t live for the writer they aren’t going to live for anyone else. I once asked a student to tell me something that their main character wouldn’t what anyone else to know. The reply: that he’s a jerk. That answer told me straight away that the story would be flat, lifeless…. Because a jerk doesn’t think he is a jerk.

And finally, can you sum up a key piece of advice for aspiring writers in one sentence?
Write a lot and read a lot and don’t be defeated when you get it wrong: writing is an art not a science, so accept you’ll never stand back and say hmmm, no one could express that better.

Summer Creative Writing Courses

Two new creative writing courses starting in May

CREATIVE WRITING – an introduction

Always wanted to write? Join a Monday evening course that will stretch your imagination.

In a gentle and supportive atmosphere we will experiment with different genres and styles of writing, finding inspiration and new ways to defeat the blank page along the way. Absolute beginners very welcome.

Where? Portslade Community College in Chalky Road on the western edge of Brighton – on the 1 and 1a bus route and there’s lots of car parking space too.

When? Monday evenings 7 pm to 9 pm for ten weeks starting on May 9

Find out more: Call 01273 422632 to enrol by phone, pop into the College or visit the website at http://www.pcc-web.com/com-ed/index.asp

TOWARDS PUBLICATION

For writers with some experience. A short summer course on Friday mornings in Central Brighton.
Explore different areas of imaginative writing - including non fiction - and produce work that's ready to be published

Where? The Friends’ Centre in New England Street, a minute from Brighton Station

When? Friday mornings 10am – 12 noon for six week starting on May 6

Find out more: Friends Centre 01273 810210 info@friendscentre.org or look at the website www.friendscentre.com

A Writing Retreat for Women (better than a week in the Canaries...)

New Writing South is one of my favourite organisations, partly because it sometimes employs me (and I am biased towards any organisation that has the great good sense to do that), but mostly because it does so many interesting things and never ever rests on past glories. It's based in Brighton but serves writers, emerging writers and want-to-be writers throughout the south east region from Oxford to Kent. 

I've just heard that they are about to launch a special three-day writing retreat for women. It will take place in September in rural Sussex and it will be led by Vanessa Gebbie. I know Vanessa and I have no doubt it will be an empowering expereince. She is not only a highly original and exciting short story writer (winner of numerous competitions) but also an excellent writing tutor. Her first novel is out later this year and I recommend her guide to the art of short story writing, Short Circuit published by Salt. 

Find out more about the autumn retreat by visiting New Writing South's website (click the title of this post). You can register your interest by emailing

admin@newwritingsouth.com

DISCOVER THE WRITER WITHIN --- join me on a Creative Writing Course

It's January. It's time to make changes, to make new beginnings, to do things...(and the best writing advice I ever got was "if you do something, something happens...")

If you've always wanted to write come join a supportive and imaginative course this spring.  I also run specialist courses in London and Brighton...if you want to know more or find out if it is suitable for you do get in touch. My email address is softrain AT ntlworld.com. You can also access it by clicking on my profile (see the column on the right). I'd love to hear from you. I'd love to see you in the classroom.

BRIGHTON

TEN WEEK COURSES STARTING IN JANUARY 

CREATIVE WRITING A confidence-building journey of imagination

Monday evenings at Portslade Community College, Chalky Road, Portslade 7pm - 9pm

Cost: £50.00 £30.00 concessions

Thursday mornings 9.45 am to 11.45 am South Portslade Community Centre, Church Road

Cost: £50.00 £30.00 concessions

Tel: 01273 422 632 email

http://www.pcc-web.com/

TOWARDS PUBLICATION

Friday mornings at The Friends Centre at Brighton Junction (just by Brighton Station)

10 am - 12 noon

 Cost: £80.00 concession £48.00

Tel: 01273 810210 

http://www.friendscentre.org/

LONDON

My spring courses at City Lit in Convent Garden, Central London are full but the summer term starts at the end of April.

WRITING YOUR FAMILY BIOGRAPHY

Friday Afternoon 3.45 pm to 5.45  

WAYS INTO CREATIVE WRITING - an introductory course 

Friday evening 6 pm to 8 pm

Cost: £105 concessions £32

I'll also be running a week long summer school with very, very good concessionary rates

http://www.citylit.ac.uk

ONE DAY WORKSHOPS  
Ready Steady Write – A Toolkit for Fiction

SATURDAY Feb 12 at the Friends Centre

Character and Dialogue

10 am - 4 pm

Cost: £30.00 (each workshop)

SATURDAY FEB 19

Description and Point of View

10 am - 4 pm

Cost: £30.00 (each workshop)

SATURDAY MARCH 19

 Plots and Ideas

10 am - 4 pm
Cost: £30.00 (each workshop)

  

Heritage Funded Local History workshops

INSPIRED BY HISTORY

 Monday February 7 10.30 am --- 3 pm

Using the material produced by the oral history project to kickstart ideas,  we will weave stories about the people who once lived and worked in the Tarner area of Brighton. 

Cost: free

INSPIRED BY WOMEN

Monday March 7 10.30 am – 3 pm

2011 marks the centenary of International Women’s Day which this year is on Tuesday March 8. To mark this special occasion we are running a workshop the day before to focus on the lives of Tarner women, turning history into herstory. Through the resources produced by the Tarner History Project we will  explore the struggles, concerns and achievements of local women of previous generations. Everyone – male and female, experience writers and absolute beginners – very welcome.

With the writer’s permission, work from these special workshops may be published on the Tarner Stories website and in printed form in 2012

http://www.tarnerhistory.org/