Wednesday, 29 February 2012

FREE CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP WITH IAN CLAYTON

Attended this workshop today at the library in Wakefield and it was really good, but at only two hours it felt just a bit short.  Part of the workshop dealt with imagery through metaphor and similie and some great advice was given on always keeping a 'listening ear for accents.'  An exercise that Ian Clayton set the attendees involved the answers to the following questions (from a memory using one of the seven ages of wo/man) in order to get a 'word horde':

A piece of furniture
Clothing
An entertainment
Colour
Food
Book
Song/music
Something overheard
Something tender
A talisman
Something precious
Something understood
A friend
A means of moving on

Using where this memory took place and your 'word horde' write a piece inspired by them, because as Mr Clayton said, objects are nothing without the memories that are attached to it.  This was a very stimulating exercise and everyone wrote a piece following the discussion, including the addition of several other 'if this was a ... what would it be?' questions by the attendees.  I wrote the beginning of a poem using this exercise and when it is finished, I will share it on the blog.

It was also lovely to spend the workshop with Paul who used to come to the Writers Group and he wrote a fantastic short story using the above technique that I hope he shares on his blog.

Drury Lane Library are running several Creative Writing Sessions:

Thursday 1 March 4-5pm for young people aged 12+
Conrad Burdekin, Writer, storyteller and poet

Saturday 3 March 10-12noon
Michael Yates, Author of the Bronte Boy

Saturday 10 March 10-12noon Creative Writing session for families (for children 5 and over)
Irene Lofthouse, All aboard the ark!

Satruday 24 March 10-12noon
Michael Yates, Author of the Bronte Boy

For tickets and further information contact Liz on 01924 305376 or email: ewhitworth@wakefield.gov.uk

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