October's Writing Workshops

Description

This month's workshops cover a number of diverse topics and can be booked individually or as a group.

Join Vicky Brewster, editor, writer, and academic, for a series of workshops on a variety of creative writing subjects. There's something here for everyone at every stage of the writing process. Whether you're working on your first draft, or preparing to query or self-publish, Vicky's practical and fun workshops will help you through the process with good humour and realistic advice.

All workshops are an hour and a half long, starting at 6 p.m. BST. Workshops are £15 individually, or £50 to attend all four.

Devastating Dialogue -- 18th October

This workshop will cover the nuts and bolts of writing dialogue. Starting with punctuating correctly (one of the most frequent errors I encounter as an editor), we will then move on to finding your characters' voice, making dialogue sound natural, and dos and don'ts for handling accents and dialects. This workshop is great for any fiction writers or anyone who frequently uses dialogue in their writing.

Five Top Editing Blunders -- 20th October

In this workshop, Vicky will take you through the top five most frequent blunders she encounters as an editor, and how to fix them quickly and efficiently. This session will include tips for revising your own work, and making re-reads more effective to help you improve your own manuscript. This workshop is great for writers of fiction or non-fiction -- everyone should get something out of this session.

The Uncanny and How to Use It -- 25th October

The uncanny, or unheimlich, was first coined by Sigmund Freud, but it has taken quite the journey since 1919. This workshop charts the origins of the uncanny, the ways in which the theory has developed, and how it is applicable to the world we live in now and our near-future. From looking in the mirror and seeing an unfamiliar reflection, to androids who look nearly but not quite human, the uncanny is everywhere in fiction. This workshop shows you how to use the theory effectively in your writing, and is suitable for writers of fiction -- particularly stories with a creepy or speculative slant.

Collaborative Storytelling -- 27th October

Writing can be a very isolating experience but becomes so much easier when we include others. In this session, Vicky explores several ways in which writers can involve others -- from critique partners and beta readers, to collaborative and team writing, to tabletop gaming and roleplay -- to ignite the creative juices, clear blocks, and solve plot holes. This session is suitable for writers of fiction or non-fiction but will lean towards fiction.