My sister bumped into her neighbour the other day, who was writing in a cafe. She discovered that he was a script writer. She said that if he felt that his writing needed freeing, he should contact me! When she told me, I thanked her. I wasn’t only thanking her for spreading the word and her constant support but for reminding me of how discovering free flow writing all of those years ago – really did free up my own writing. And this of course sowed the seeds for Creative Writes many years later.
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| A quick reminder about Creative Writes Gift Vouchers! |
Through the emphasis being on the process of writing itself and less on the critique, my writing took flight and I feel the same excitement every time I facilitate a workshop and am able to pass this on.
Here are the highlights of the past week in the world of Creative Writes – where I hope I have been helping to free up writers. It was difficult to decide what to include here…it has been a very busy week!
– I returned to the C&C sheltered housing scheme in Teddington for our third session in another block of six creative writing workshops. This term, we have been focussing on the theme of Winter. We were delighted to be visited last week by a staff member from the charity, who recorded my group while they read out their writing on memories of snow. These recordings can be listened to on the new C&C digital Advent Calendar! Find out more about C&C here: http://www.ccht.org.uk/
Try this: Write a memory of snow. Set your clock for ten minutes. Try not to think too much!
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| Poem & comments from C&C Read Aloud Workshop |
-I facilitated another of the pilot Read Aloud workshops, at a C&C day centre in Colliers Wood. It was fantastic to see the Seamus Heaney poem ‘Digging’ and some of the comments from our October group, displayed on the wall of the day centre. The staff are really supportive and I always have a large, engaged group. We decided to pilot Read Aloud after a series of creative writing workshops at the day centre and care homes during the summer. I noticed that the poems we read out during these sessions, provoked a very powerful response. Many of the participants – some of whom have dementia, are unable to physically write. By reading to them, I found a way of engaging & triggering memories. We have also been creating a social setting for them to relax and enjoy themselves.
– Last week also saw the return of our Themed Creative Writes Creating Character Workshop back on home ground in Muswell Hill, N10. I guided the group through a series of fast paced writes, which used a range of resources and techniques to trigger three dimensional characters. Here are some comments from the workshop participants:
“I’m glad I travelled all this way!”
“I liked the progression of exercises…”
“…useful to reconstruct, forced me to look at the miniature.”
– At the weekend, I was taking minutes and attending the AGM for London Lapidus – the Writing for Wellbeing Organisation: http://www.lapidus.org.uk/ I have been a member of Lapidus, which is a National Organisation – for a few years now and I am really proud to be a part of it. It was a wonderful turn out on Saturday and the discussion was, as ever – incredibly stimulating. The group includes writers, therapists and facilitators and the range of skills and interests is mind boggling! We were also treated to an Internal Critic Writing Workshop with Charmaine Pollard: www.charmainepollardcounselling.co.uk
– I found some time to return to my beloved Sutton House – the National Trust property in Hackney, where I used to project mange adult learning workshops. I have also returned in the last couple of years to run Creative Writes workshops there and to write alone (a kind of mini writing residency!), inspired by the rich stories of the house. So, it was really exciting to be in the audience for the theatre performace of ‘Olaudah Equiano, The Enslaved African’ by Total Insight Theatre – which was part of Black History Season and took part in the old hops cellar. It was an intense, unique production and wonderful to see the house used in this way.
Quick Creative Writes dates for your diary…!
– Our last block of three Creative Writes workshops for 2014 begins this Wednesday 3rd December, 7.30-9.30pm in Muswell Hill, N10.
– The next Creative Writes Themed Workshop is ‘Winter’ on Wednesday 28th January 2015, 7.30-9.30pm in Muswell Hill, N10.
– As the photo above demonstrates, our Creative Writes Gift Vouchers are available! The vouchers can be purchased at any time of year, either for the full cost of a workshop/block of workshops or part payment. This includes one to one Masterclasses & Skype workshops. Here is a quote from a recipient of a Creative Writes gift voucher:
“I was gifted one of Nichola’s courses by someone that wanted to give me a kick up the backside to get writing again as my creative block was in danger of driving both of us up the wall. They could not have chosen a better person to do it, I have them both to thank for having not stopped writing since.“
I am currently programming additional dates for the New Year and will be in touch. Details & booking for our current workshop programme are here:
https://www.creativewrites.co.uk/p/bookings-workshop-info-how-to-book.html
Please email info@creativewrites.co.uk with any questions, to join our mailing list, or to enquire about Creative Writes Gift Vouchers.