Courses/Workshops

Poetry Workshop
Saturday, 18^th September 2010

If you've always wanted to write poetry and don't know where to start, or already write it but want to improve, come to the workshop by Jeremy Duffield.

Jeremy is a poet, playwright and short story writer. He has had two poetry collections published, poems in numerous anthologies and has won several national poetry competitions. He is the Chair of the Nottingham Poetry Society.

The day will be divided into the following topics.

• Looking at poems from the well known to contemporary poets, looking at the different forms.
• Writing exercises to get the imagination flowing.
• Developing the writing into poems.
• A reading and discussion session.
• Following the reading and discussion session there will be time to rework and redraft the poems.
• There will be a more in depth look at poetic forms.
• Advice on marketing, how to assemble a collection, how to find out about/enter competitions and what pitfalls to look out for.
• Information on performing and performance poetry.

The day will be a very full one with an hour's break for lunch. Please book early using the booking form.

Please return your completed booking form, payment, and a stamped addressed envelope to:

Nottingham Writers' Club
c/o 3 Gisburn Close
Nottingham
NG11 7EX.

Workshop on Sci Fi and Fantasy,
Saturday, 16^th October

If you're inspired by writers such as Terry Pratchett and JK Rowling, and think to yourself 'if they can do it, so can I!', come to this workshop to see how it's done.

The tutor will be Steve Bowkett. Steve began writing for pleasure when he was 13. He taught secondary English for 20 years and became a full time writer in 1994. He has written Sci Fi and Fantasy for children and (as Ben Leech) a trilogy of Horror novels for adults.

More recently his work has been in the educational field with books on literacy, creativity and thinking skills, emotional resourcefulness and spirituality. His latest book, Developing Literacy and Creative Writing Through Storymaking, is his 53^rd published title.

Website address is www.stevebowkett.co.uk.

The workshop will be held at The Mechanics on Saturday 16^th October from 10 am to 4 pm with a break for lunch and will include:

• Defining Sci Fi and Fantasy in terms of conventions and motifs.
• Applying 'the universal narrative template' in genre writing.
• A note about writing genre stories for children.
• How to have ideas for stories using a genre grid.
• Focussed use of the imagination to draw out more detail.
• Q and A. Tips on submitting work, etc.

The workshop itself is free but there is a booking fee of £10 (£7 if you book more than one course at a time).

Please return your completed booking form, payment, and a stamped addressed envelope to:

Nottingham Writers' Club
c/o 3 Gisburn Close
Nottingham
NG11 7EX.