Next poetry workshop at Winchester Discovery Centre

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Learn the ‘Rules’ of Poetry Writing

Winchester Discovery Centre, Saturday 26th May

10am-4pm, £25 (£17.50 concessions)

As a person and as a poet, I like to try things out: exploring new places, learning about new ideas, trying out a new approach in a poem. But sometimes it’s good to go back to the tried and tested: things that you know you will enjoy, that will work, that will be good. That’s the way poetic form works for me: I know that, by going back to that age-old tussle between what I ‘want’ to say, and what a particular form pushes me into saying, I will give my poem more power and edge.

So for my next workshop at Winchester Discovery Centre, I am going back: back to teaching form, and back to a workshop that I ran there with great success two years ago. Learn the Rules is a day devoted to covering as much of the topic of form in poetry as I can fit into a single day. It will cover traditional rhyme and metre, but also less well-known ways of shaping and honing which you might find just as useful. And don’t be put off by the ‘Rules’ in the title: while I will be explaining what the rules are, I will be showing you how to take a flexible approach to them, making sure that they are working for you, not dominating you.

I strongly believe that form can help any poet strengthen their ideas and write better poems, so I hope that you will join me on the 26th. The day is ideally suited to anyone from complete beginners, to those who don’t feel they fully ‘get’ form yet, to poets who’ve been using traditional forms for a while but would like to learn about other kinds. If you have any questions about whether it’s suitable for you, please email me.

Booking is via Winchester Discovery Centre Online Box Office, or call 01962 873603. Or call in person at the Discovery Centre.

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Summer term Children’s Creative Writing at Wells Bookshop: starts Thursday 19th April

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Next week is a new term, and that means another chance for children aged from 7 to 12 to join my  Creative Writing course at P&G Wells Booksellers, Winchester. In an atmospheric classroom at the top of winding, creaking stairs, with a view of the cathedral and a cardboard Gruffalo looking on from the corner, I will be taking a small group of children through another whirlwind of stories, poetry, and fun. It’s a chance for children who love to write to do more of it, learning some new tools and tips along the way, and getting feedback on how to do it better and better.

Here are the details:

  • It starts on Thursday 19th April (though it will be possible for children to join later if there’s space)
  • It’s for children aged between 7 and 12
  • It’s a 10-week course (excluding half term)
  • Classes run from 5 to 6.30pm on Thursdays
  • The cost is £105.

At the end of the course the children choose their favourite pieces and prepare them to go into a professionally-printed book. This gives them a lasting record of their work, as well as a real author’s experience of the pride of being published. The book is included in the course fee.

Although the classes are not mainly about helping children with school, I do know that the classes have had an impact on their writing for school. Children have had awards from school for poems they have written in my groups, and teachers have told parents how their children’s writing has improved.

Above all, I make the classes fun: creativity should be a joy, and I want the children to feel that writing is a pleasure that they can keep going all their lives.

Some comments from parents:

‘The classes are proving highly beneficial so please keep up the great work Brian!’

‘I have just returned from my son’s parents evening. Not usually a highlight of the term. This time however was different……. My son has apparently ‘jumped’ two sub levels in his writing in just over a term. He is thrilled that he can now ‘do’ writing. I am thrilled that someone has found his ‘on switch’ – a switch that was well and truly off until he joined your course.’

‘[Our daughter] is getting a lot out of these classes and she is a bright imaginative little girl and just needs encouragement and inspiration which your classes are providing.’

‘[Our son] has really loved his classes with you – I can’t thank you enough for your input.’

Booking

All booking is handled by P&G Wells. You can email them or call them on 01962 852016 to reserve places. The groups are limited to 12 children.

If you have any questions, please email me and I’ll do my best to help.

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Writing Hampshire Sneak Preview…

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Last time I said I’d be writing my fastest ever blog post, but I lied (at least in terms of overall length – in terms of words per minute it was pretty darn impressive). This time I’m not lying: in 30 minutes I’m going to be on Radio Solent again, being interviewed by the very nice Steve Harris, and he’s going to ask me about my Writing Hampshire Project and direct people to my website. So there had better be a post here for you good people to look at! And here it is –  earlier than planned, hence the hurry and no image!

Writing Hampshire is going to be the flagship project of my Hampshire Poet year. I want to get the people of Hampshire writing poems about the places that matter to them, and then sending them to me for public presentation. That means not just the pretty parts, but the whole county; and not just the people who already write poetry, but people of all ages, from all walks of life, whether they think they’re poets or not. I want to get a kind of poetry map of anywhere we live, work, learn, play, eat, or have fun – recording in poetic form what happens in our county, what we think of it, how we imagine it.

Details are still being worked out, but I hope there will be a competition, and then an anthology or website of the best work.

I’m looking to work with different groups of people from across the county to write these poems. If you know of an organisation that might like to consider getting involved, please get in touch by emailing me.

Right, better get on the bike!

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