Creative Writing Workshops
“There is no perfect time to write. There is only now.” ~ Barbara Kingsolver
About the workshops
Chantal Stewart and Máire Fisher offer a series of creative writing workshops. These take place on Saturday mornings from 9h00 to 13h00 and are suitable for beginner and experienced writers.
Whether you long to start writing or need regular writing practice, these workshops help keep you writing. The workshops consist of facilitated writing exercises designed to shake loose ideas, get stories started, germinate ideas for a poem …
Writing takes place in a safe space which is nurturing and kind. You will have the chance to share your writing if you wish to and to hear what others have written.
I was recently asked this question: Please can you send me a short description of the format of your meeting.
Here’s the answer:
We choose a different theme every month, but always use a variety of freewriting writing exercises which help writers to generate material if they have writing projects on the go, or relax into creativity if they are there to test the waters or simply see what arrives through freewriting.
The emphasis is very much on writing, not talking about writing. There is time for writers to read aloud in small groups,but there is no critical feedback on very new and tender writing. It’s more a case of hearing what others have done with the same prompt, often a very liberating experience.
By the end of the morning you’ll have two or three(sometimes more) short pieces which might then be used to fashion the beginnings of a poem, and one, possibly two, longer pieces, where you’ll have written for 25-30 minutes, through a series of guided freewrites.
I always do Chantal’s workshops and use them to generate material for whatever it is I am working on. Because the prompts are generally open-ended and non-prescriptive, I find the three hours or so that we spend writing to be invaluable.
There’s always a break for a good tea!
It is important as a writer to write regularly. In this busy world with our busy lives this does not always happen. These monthly writing workshops provide motivation, inspiration and the sense of belonging to a community of writers. All you need to bring with you is your favourite pen and a notebook.
While many writers will find this useful for regular writing practice, it is also fine to attend single workshops as they are all stand-alone. It is not necessary to have attended a previous workshop to benefit. Some of the workshops will be facilitated by Chantal and some by Máire.
IF you would like to attend a workshop please contact Maire Fisher
