Nouvelle Espionage: A Creative Writing Course
Comma Press and Creative Industries Trafford are joining forces to provide a series of three creative writing workshops, led by the critically-acclaimed author, Sarah Schofield.
Where: Waterside Arts Centre, £30.00, BOOK YOUR PLACE
What you will learn:
Over the course of three workshops, you will get the chance to have your writing professionally and peer critiqued, develop your craft and storytelling techniques and explore new genres and approaches. We will try some writing activities and share our ideas in a relaxed, fun, inclusive and positive way. All who have an interest in creative writing are welcome, no matter how much or little writing experience you have.
You will have the opportunity to develop a piece of fiction for submission to a new writers showcase anthology with Comma Press, La Nouvelle Espionage. The anthology will present a unique kind of challenge to emerging and previously unpublished writers to write a short story centring on espionage, breathing new, contemporary life into a genre which is increasingly blighted by clichés and stereotypes.
Course Structure:
3rd November (6:30 – 9): Structure, Shape and Plot
We will explore the shape and structure of short fiction, specifically the ways in which spy and espionage stories can be told in fresh and contemporary ways. We will look at examples of differently structured stories to inspire our own practice and try some writing activities to spark new creative ideas. There will be an opportunity for participants to submit work for the next session for peer and professional critique and workshop.
24th November (6:30 – 9): Character and Setting
We will spend some time workshopping submitted participant work. Through examples and writing exercises, we will investigate character and setting in short fiction; how to write believable and resonant characters and how to use place and landscape to bring a nouvelle espionage narrative to life.
15th December (6:30 – 9): Keeping The Tension
The thriller and spy genre relies on tension and suspense. We will explore ways of creating this through examples and writing activities. We will spend some time workshopping writing submitted by participants. We will also discuss how to continue to develop your writing and learn how to prepare a manuscript for submission.
What might come of the course?
Perhaps you want to sign up so that you can perfect your style; perhaps you’re already coming to the end of short story and you need a final push; perhaps you just love writing and this sounds like fun! Whatever your reason may be, these courses have been tried and tested and they provide a nurturing and supportive environment for all writers. Comma are keen to seek out new talent in writers across the UK and we are bringing out a new writers anthology. The deadline for this is 8th January 2016. Perfectly timed for when you create your wonderful stories on the wonderful short story course, hey?
About Sarah Schofield:
Sarah Schofield is a freelance writer living in Lancashire. Her short stories have been published in Lemistry, Bio Punk, Thought X and Beta Life (all Comma Press), The Spilling Ink Flash Fiction Anthology, Back and Beyond Lancaster’s Arts Publication, Litfest’s Flax #030: The Language of Footprints, Synaesthesia Magazine and various other literary publications. Sarah won the Calderdale Short Story Competition, and was shortlisted for The Bridport Prize and The Guardian Travel Writing Prize. She writes fiction for women’s magazines such as Woman’s Weekly and runs writing workshops in school and community settings. An excerpt from her story ‘The Bactogarden’ was read on BBC Radio 4’s Open Book. Sarah is working on her debut collection of short stories.
Read more about Sarah on her website
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