KEEP TAPPING AWAY!

Keep tapping away!

I have been thinking about what to write  for this blog post. I was concerned that maybe I didn't have enough to say, that there wasn't one main 'news story' since the last post. Then I remembered all the steps I have been taking and all of the work that goes on behind the scenes. Today I invite you  to reflect on your achievements over the past couple of weeks and to celebrate the small stuff! Stay true to what you believe and keep tapping away. 

Much more has happened recently than I first realised... The project management for the Museum of London - Docklands/ScreenDeep audio piece continues, with two more recording dates confirmed. I have been invited to deliver another Creative Writes workshop for TFL employees later this month. The previous workshops proved to be popular and very enjoyable.

The fantastic Charlotte Murray hair salon, Muswell Hill, N10

I have also been asked to return to my local hair salon 'Charlotte Murray' for another guest workshop on the evening of Monday 10th June (it may even be themed around hair stories again, it was great fun last time)! Please let me know know if you are interested in this. The workshop will be free to attend, with the opportunity to donate to one of the charities that the salon supports. They hold regular events for the local community.

I belong to a local networking group in Muswell Hill - SBN (Small Business Network) and will deliver a talk and mini workshop at the next meeting on Monday 20th May (12.30-2.30pm), focussing on the creative element of blogging. You are welcome to attend as a guest, please drop me a line if you are interested and I will send details.

I am also a professional member of Lapidus - Words for Wellbeing. Lapidus believes that words used creatively can be a powerful tool for health and personal, community and world development. On Saturday, I met with some London Lapidus members in a Notting Hill cafe as one of our members who lives in San Fransico was visitng. She delivers poetry and journaling retreats in stunning landscapes across California. There was talk of travelling to Arizona for a poetry conference next Spring - watch this space!

Alongside the partnerships and guest workshops, the daily work continues. This includes recruitment for the next Creative Writes Themed Workshop 'Love Writes' on Wednesday 15th May and the Sutton House Summer Saturdays which begin again 1st June at this wonderful National Trust property in Hackney. There is also ongoing planning for the Creative Writes children's workshops in Crouch End (Pickled Pepper Books) & Muswell Hill. Full details and booking for workshops can be found here: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html

In the midst of all this - I received an unexpected message on LinkedIn from somebody on my mailing list: "I really enjoy reading your blog. It has inspired me as you share much of the same sentiments as me when it comes to writing. I have facilitated a few writing workshops... although haven't for a few years after having a baby but I am eager to set more sessions up now. I just wanted to say thank you for the inspiration. You are doing lots of interesting things!" It is good to hear that the hard work pays off and there are people out there benefiting from what you do.

So try some free flow writing to celebrate and reflect on your achievements. The exercises 'I Remember' 'What I really want to say is...', 'I am Thinking of' and 'I Want' are all good to stay in touch with where we are going and the steps we have taken to arrive at each point. Set your clock for ten minutes and go! Try not to think or edit...

THE SPICE OF LIFE

Hello and welcome to another varied week in the life of a Workshop Leader! 

The past week week has included the return of our themed workshops with 'Playing with Poetry & Words'. It was held on the day of Margaret Thatcher's funeral and I had been thinking about Ritual and Rites of Passage. We did some work around this, mining our own memories and taking inspiration from the powerful poetry of a contrasting, inspirational woman  - Maya Angelou. We wrote prose & poetry and shared our work.

On Monday, I found myself in a recording studio for the first time. We were tucked away in an East End studio with two actors, who were reading the main parts from 'The Conversations' script (for our ScreenDeep/Museum of London, Docklands project). The characters 'Florrie' & 'John' really came alive and it was incredibly exciting to be involved! We are now focussing on recording with the women from our creative writing workshops at the Museum. Many of the words in the script have come from the women's writing. I will keep you updated on this. 

Yesterday took me to The October Gallery in Central London to deliver a Taster Creative Writes Workshop, in collaboration with Nina Simoes from the Fragments of Parenthood Project. The group of mothers wrote about their experience of being a parent and how this has affected the different areas in their lives. I felt honoured to listen to the range of stories the women shared. We hope to return to the gallery and deliver a regular series of workshops for parents of children aged 0-5 so that their stories can be shared in this global project. Do contact me if you would like to be involved. Please see below for some of the photos from yesterday.

I am looking forward to the new Creative Writes workshops for adults at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End, which start on Tuesday 30 April. Our Sutton House Workshops have an Early Bird offer until Tuesday too! Please see our bookings page for further info: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html

The October Gallery: Writing the free flow - 'Since Becoming A Parent I...'

The October Gallery: Multi-tasking mum!

The October Gallery: I am thinking of...

SAY YES!

Music Hall Programme

It looks like Spring is trying to break through at last..this is good reason to celebrate! 

I have been thinking about unexpected challenges. I accepted a freelance role recently that was beyond my comfort zone. 

What I want to share with you is this - if something scares you yet excites you, say yes! 

Once you have pushed through the boundaries and acquired new skills - you will then find yourself actively seeking further challenges. The decision to say yes and leap into the unknown can change your future path. 

I am now in the final stages of the project for ScreenDeep, where we have been working in partnership with The Museum of London - Docklands. In 2015, our audio piece 'Conversations' will be permanently installed in the newly extended 'Many East Ends Gallery' at the Museum. My roles for this project are Script Writer, Project Manager and Workshop Leader. I worked for seven weeks with a new group, in a new setting, and  we focussed on an area that I knew very little about when we started. I therefore became a researcher into East End Music Hall and other related topics! I am still writing the script -  using the voices of the women in our group, which is giving it strength and authenticity. I am working with a fantastic team and between us, we have communicated with relatives of the Suffragettes, found voice-over artists whose voices fit perfectly with our lead characters and arranged to record some of the piece at the wonderful Wilton's Music Hall. It has indeed been a journey into the unknown but I am so pleased I said "Yes!" 

I will blog more soon about the next phases of the project...

Try this:
If you are unsure about where you want to go next, which steps you may want to take - try a ten minutes free flow writing exercise; 'I want', 'I am thinking of' or  'What I really want to say is...' I am sure you will find this helpful. With free flow writing - try to think as little as possible and you will be surprised at what pours onto the page. Try not to edit or worry!

 I am also busy planning the next set of Creative Writes workshops - which includes a new set of Tuesday evenings for adults at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End, London, N8 where I also run the Blotted Ink Children's Workshops. The workshops will begin on 30 April, 7-9pm. I am also delighted to be returning to Sutton House in June for four Saturdays. Sutton House is the wonderful National Trust property in Hackney, where I used to work. We will take writing inspiration from this house with so many stories. The workshops begin on 1 June, 2-4pm. 

In other news - our Themed Workshops return on 17 April with Playing with Poetry & Words and there is a Free Creative Writes Taster Workshop for parents of children aged 0-5 at the October Gallery in central London on 24 April, with Fragments of Parenthood (advance booking only - we are already half full).

Please contact me for details on all new workshops and see our Bookings Page: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html

The stage at Wilton's Music Hall

Music Hall Programme

MUSIC HALL & MUSEUMS

Over the past few weeks, I have been fortunate enough to continue being immersed in the museums of London and some of the stories they hold. 

Wilton's Music Hall

I was also able to finally pay a visit to Wilton's Music Hall, as part of the project I have been working on for ScreenDeep with the great team at the Museum of London - Docklands. I have been facilitating creative writing workshops for a group of older women from a Poplar Housing Association. I am using the group's writing to shape a script for an audio piece, which will be installed in The Many East Ends Gallery at the Museum. It was wonderful to visit Wiltons - where so many Music Hall stars performed. It was impossible not to be inspired. The beautiful layers of time remain undisturbed there. You can close your eyes and hear the performances from the past. We hope to record a performer at Wiltons for our audio piece. The Suffragettes also feature in our story and you may be lucky enough to hear their voices, interwoven with Music Hall songs.

I am planning to visit the V&A where they just so happen to have a Music Hall exhibition, including Walter Sickert paintings, which inspired us during the workshops: http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/w/walter-sickert-and-the-bedford-music-hall/

William Morris Gallery

I paid another visit to the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow with its picturesque house, surrounding gardens and park. Aside from the compelling designs, it is really fascinating learning about William Morris as a radical Victorian campaigner. He also loved words and books.

Sutton House Courtyard

The first series of Creative Writes Workshops at Sutton House have now ended and we will be returning in June. We will hopefully be able to write in the courtyard...This place provides endless inspiration and fantastic cake!

If you are searching for creative inspiration and to learn more about London, do go and visit one of these treasures (don't forget your notebook!). 

Please take a look at the Creative Writes booking page to find out more about the new Spring/Summer workshops in Muswell Hill, Crouch End & Hackney: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html We look forward to seeing you.

PRACTICING WHAT I PREACH

Select your tools and begin to write...

During my workshop at Sutton House today, I announced to the group that my next blog post was going to be entitled 'Practicing What I Preach.' I have been thinking a lot lately about the fact that I run creative writing workshops which have been formed around a particular philosophy of 'just writing' and not worrying about it. The focus is primarily on the process and I remind participants that we never quite know where our words can lead - it is a process full of surprises. So it is interesting that this week, I have found myself needing to write creatively for a project. There is an end product with a deadline but the process remains the same. I write free flow exercises on a regular basis and have become used to moving the pen across the page and allowing the words to happen. I get immense joy from this - which is why I love teaching this technique. Yet this week, I found myself resisting getting started - being concerned about getting the tone right, whether it would flow and thinking about how it would be received. I found myself on 'the other side.' And then I stopped and reminded myself of how much beauty can come from this form and how all I had to do was trust this and move the pen. I hid in a cafe, armed only with my notebook and pen - no laptop. I set myself some basic writing topics and within minutes, I found myself writing and smiling. I was having a great time. The words flowed and when I sent the writing to my colleagues, I was aware of the foundation that I have built up over the years - that gives me the confidence to share my work and know that it will be ok.

So when you next sit down to write, simply start to move the pen and trust that the truth will follow. All Creative Writes workshops are built on this belief. I look forward to writing with you: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings.html

LONDON'S SECRET WORDS

Edible Words

Historic Words

February is a month of research and inspiring projects for Creative Writes...

On Saturday, I returned to Sutton House - which will always be special to me. It was the first of a new series of four Creative Writes workshops. Before the workshops began, I sat in the window seat of the stunning Linenfold Parlor and wrote 'I see' for ten minutes. As I wrote - looking out of the window onto the entrance of the house & the busy Homerton High Street and then inside the room, I was very aware of the unbelievable changes over time. I imagined Ralph Sadleir - the man who had the house built as a country retreat in 1535, visiting today and looking around him. Would he share my wonderment? When the group arrived, it was really stimulating to explore the house together - to ponder what was behind locked doors, to absorb the sights and sounds of this house which holds so many stories. 

I have been very fortunate to be introduced to the world of Music Hall through a new ScreenDeep Project at Museum of London, Docklands. The weekly workshops with our wonderful group are now underway and we have been inspired by another rich chapter in London's history. So far, we have used the prints of Walter Sickert's Music Hall paintings - in which he conjures up this somewhat mysterious & mythical world. We have listened to Music Hall tracks and imagined we were there - working, sitting or waiting. More to come on this engaging project.

My mind has also been turned to edible words! On Friday, I will be delivering an introductory 'Eat Your Words' workshop in Islington for 7-9 year olds with Cynthia Akinsanya from 'Delights By Cynthia.' We have come up with a tasty workshop plan, where the children will explore food through their senses and write poetry & story  - while Cynthia creates magical smells and flavours in the kitchen. The full length workshop will be held on Saturday 6 April in Islington and you can book your child's place here: http://eatyourwords.eventbrite.com/

The Creative Writes Masterclasses have become busy and I am enjoying working with such a range of students, helping them to develop their projects. The Blotted Ink Children's Workshops at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End also start again this Tuesday for 7-9's and 9-11's. The Creative Writes Themed Workshops return in March with 'Myriad of Objects' and 'Playing with Poetry & Words.' Please see the Bookings page of this website for further information on all projects and do contact me if you have any questions: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/

I look forward to sharing more news with you soon.

CHILD'S PLAY

Working with children ...remember to play!

The work that Creative Writes has been doing with children has increased a great deal in the last year. We are now offering regular term time workshops at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End for two different age groups (7-9's & 9-11's) and also private one to one classes & very small groups in Muswell Hill. 

I trained as a teacher many years ago, tutored children privately and worked in a special needs school - so I have a background in working with children and have always enjoyed it very much. 

It does however feel different coming back to working with children while wearing the Creative Writes hat. While I was always keen to focus on the creative element and story writing was often a part of the work - there was more emphasis on academic achievement. There were holes that could be filled with imagination but it didn't seem to form the foundation of the work. These days, I explain to parents that their children may not leave each session with pages of beautifully written literature but they will however leave having been engaged, excited and surprised. Surprised at the ideas that they themselves formulate and the fun that comes from being given permission & time to explore these ideas. They are reminded that pretty much anything goes and this enables them to sometimes travel to an unknown land.

We create Word Banks together that we share as a group through brainstorming and the children take ownership of these words - using them however they wish. We engage our senses. We learn to listen to each other and we enjoy each others ideas. It is too easy for the children to get caught up with the need to spell perfectly etc and keeping up with those around them. As the facilitator, it can be  quite challenging when working with mixed age groups. What I say to the children is if you have an idea - start to write it down if you can and I am here to help you if you would like. Just give it a go  - or if your ideas are too fast for your pen, let's just carry on talking about it. Let's draw it - explore it and laugh about it. Let's keep asking questions. And the following week - guess what? The children remember our discussions and their ideas. They can't wait to continue...because they have been allowed to play. 

Please contact me if you would like to know more about our work with children. Blotted Ink Workshops at Pickled Pepper Books in Crouch End can be directly booked via the shop: www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk. Or you can turn up on a Tuesday afternoon in term time (4-4.45pm for 7-9's & 5-5.45pm for 9-11's). 

We will also be working with Delights by Cynthia during March & April - offering 'Eat Your Words' workshops for children. More info to come soon! 

We are booking for our Blogs Etc adults workshops at the Clissold Arms in East Finchley from 19th February for three Tuesday mornings 10am-12pm, Sutton House Saturdays from 23rd February and our themed workshops in March. Please see the booking page for info:
http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings.html