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A ten week group for women who have never written before or want to get started again. Each session is made up of on-the-spot exercises to stimulate ideas. Handouts are given to support various themes each week and generate discussion. Work is normally shared from the first session but only as much as you feel ready to read out. There is a small amount of homework.

All you need is a commitment to write. You will be asked to draw on your imagination, senses, experiences and memories. What is important is the process of freeing yourself up to write, not worrying about grammar, punctuation, form, or spelling. Initial fragments can be shaped into something more polished if you wish to develop your writing further. The purpose of the writing sessions is not to interpret or analyse your work, it is to rekindle lost creativity, to free up your voice and get the words onto the page.

COURSE PROGRAMME
The course will be made up of:

• an introductory session from 6.30pm-9pm at Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff
• 4 weekly sessions at Chapter 7-9pm
• an all day workshop to be held on a Saturday or Sunday
  either at St Fagans Museum in Cardiff or another suitable venue
• a final 2 hour session at Chapter 7-9pm

The course will focus on: how to get started; freeing up your voice; working with your senses; autobiographical writing; working with photographs & images; developing a sense of place and setting for your work; developing characters; the importance of reading and the relationship between other writers' work and your own-finding your writing family; exploring different forms of writing to include work with more fragmented experimental texts; the importance of research; we will also look at outlets for your work, courses, competitions, publishing; dreaming up your book and developing a writing plan and project/s

10 week writers’ workshop
(7-9pm)

A follow on group for those who have completed the 10 week Beginners’ Course. The emphasis is on sharing your work and ideas, and receiving written and verbal feedback from the group. There will also be an on-the-spot exercise each week to generate new writing.

Weekend Workshops

Usually for those who have completed the Beginners Course or have some writing experience. I have run several writing weekends and 10 week day courses from St Fagans.

Also several weekend workshops at St Donats, Atlantic College; The National Museum of Wales, Cardiff; The Old Library-The Museum Of The Moment- part of "The Arcades Project: A 3D Documentary" by Jennie Savage.

Also at Belle Vue Park, Newport and Cardiff Bay Art Gallery working with artist Mary Husted.

Work with Individuals

Those who have a body of work they wish to shape and prepare for publication, or who wish to use creative writing in a more exploratory way.

Online & Postal Facility

For those who may be too busy to see me personally or cannot find time to attend the groups. The one to one working can be tailor made to your needs. Please email or telephone to discuss. Please note: this does not include a copy editing service

Sessions for Groups of Professionals or Organisations

For those who wish to know more about creative writing, either to work with their clients in this way or to reflect on difficult issues associated with their own work.

I have run a variety of writing groups for organizations such as Mind, The Women Safety Unit, Age Concern, Occupational Therapy Dept, and University Hospital of Wales.

Ten women who have attended the writing courses have gone on to complete Masters Programmes in creative writing, several of whom are now teaching creative writing themselves.