• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Escape to a beautiful place where you can free your imagination and let your writing off the leash. Our residential creative writing courses span a wide range of genres and are tutored by acclaimed authors. You’ll have time and space to write, and the support of your fellow writers. Grants are available to help with the course fee. For me, Arvon isn’t just about teaching craft or technique. The essential part is truly connecting with the writers to help them unlock what’s driving their writing, what they’re really writing about. An Arvon week seems to cram a month into five days. The breakthroughs are rewarding – for the tutors as well as the writers. —Monica Ali HOME OF CREATIVE WRITING 2019 The Arvon Foundation Limited is a charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with company number 1086582, registered charity number 306694 and VAT number 287 COURSES AND RETREATS 2019 9329 41. Its registered office address is Free Word Centre, 60 Farringdon Road London EC1R 3GA. About Arvon 5 Courses & Retreats Welcome 6 Starting to Write 30 The Arvon week 8 Fiction 38 Short courses 10 Poetry 75 Choosing a course 12 Non-Fiction 97 Centre facilities 14 Writing for Our centres 18–23 Children/YA 111 Course fees 24 Playwriting/TV/ How to book 26 Film/Radio 119 Grants 26–27 Other 130 Retreats 138 More about Arvon 142–153 Course Index 162 3 Terms and –165 conditions 154–161 ARVON Step into an Arvon writers’ house and experience the transformative power of community, creative support and freedom to write. Arvon has been inspiring generations of writers for 50 years as the UK’s home of creative writing. We have three centres in the beautiful rural landscapes of Devon, Shropshire and Yorkshire. Our residential courses and retreats, led by highly acclaimed writers, span poetry to playwriting, song to screenplay, fact to fiction, starting to finishing – and we offer grants to help with course fees for those who need it. 4 Each year, over 40 of our courses are with vulnerable 5 groups and schools, from young people who have “It’s been the most experienced bullying to adults recovering from an productive writing addiction. We also work closely with teachers to support their professional development. We rely on donations week of my life.“ from charitable trusts and individuals to ensure our doors stay open to all. If you’d like to support Arvon, —Iain Rowan please see page 149. We provide a space where anyone, regardless of writing experience, can break away from their normal routine, immerse themselves in the creative process, be inspired by experienced writers and release their imaginative potential. WELCOME TO ARVON’S 2019 COURSE PROGRAMME Ruth Borthwick, Chief Executive and Artistic Director Arvon is always thinking of new ways to support writers We often hear how valuable writers find the one-to- developing their craft and we are proud to say that one tutorials on our courses. So we are excited to be this year’s programme is the most varied we have ever launching Arvon 1-1: online tutorials where you can offered. get personal feedback from an Arvon tutor on your writing, delivered via Skype – see p.143 We have 92 courses and retreats to spark you to write and keep you writing. Our backbone of fiction, poetry And if you’d like more time to focus on your own and playwriting is always well represented, and, with writing, The Clockhouse at The Hurst offers comfortable, our fingers on the pulse, we have several new courses expansive space for up to four writers to work to their 6 this year: Folk Fiction, Hybrid Writing, Creative Writing own schedule. 7 and Wellbeing, and two courses for those Preparing for Publication. Arvon offers much more of course, for 2018 was Arvon’s 50th birthday, and the wonderful example, writing for young adults, film, TV comedy and anthology The Golden Book is full of inspiring stories radio, as well as support for beginner writers with our and poems from Arvon tutors and alumni. See p.11 for famous Starting to Write weeks, and Work-in-Progress details on how you can buy the book – all proceeds go courses in many genres for those of you who are further to support Arvon’s charitable work. down the track. Whichever variety of Arvon you choose, you will find If you can’t wait for spring, we have our Winter Warmers a warm welcome at the home of creative writing. short season in January, February and March with five courses to kick-start your new year. We are also expanding our Short Course programme, with six courses running at Lumb Bank and The Hurst. The Short Course offers you the chance to come to Arvon for a more concentrated writing experience either Monday to Thursday, or Friday to Sunday. THE ARVON WEEK On 5-day courses, you’ll be with a group of up to 15 other writers, working with two tutors, from Monday to Saturday. Most Arvon courses follow this structure (although retreats are a little different): • Each morning the tutors • On Tuesday evening lead workshops to help the tutors read from you explore ideas, their own work. forms and techniques. • On Wednesday evening • Afternoons are your the guest speaker joins time for writing and the group. one-to-one tutorials to 8 consider your writing in • On Friday evening 9 depth. You’ll have two everyone gets together tutorials (at least 20 to share and celebrate minutes long), one with their work. each tutor. • The week comes to • On Monday you arrive a close on Saturday between 4.30pm and morning, after 6pm, settle in, enjoy breakfast. Have a tissue dinner and attend the handy – you may shed tutors’ introduction to a farewell tear or two! the week. SHORT RESIDENTIAL WRITING COURSES We have captured all the essential elements that make the Arvon week unique and distilled them into a short course. We offer two types of short courses (3-day or 4-day), where you will be one of 14 writers, each with a single room. There will be two tutors running the course. Significant departures from our classic Arvon week include no midweek guest and no cooking duties, so you can enjoy additional time to write while our centre staff cook delicious meals for you each day. See courses on pages 49, 66, 69, 92, 93 and 101. 10 THE GOLDEN BOOK 11 4-DAY COURSE 3-DAY COURSE In honour of Arvon’s 50th anniversary we are proud to Monday – Thursday Friday – Sunday release The Golden Book, celebrating 50 years as the UK’s home of creative writing. Four-day courses run The long weekend from Monday lunchtime course begins on Friday with departure after lunchtime with departure This landmark anthology brings together stories, poems breakfast on Thursday. mid-afternoon on and memories from just a few of the thousands who have Sunday. come through Arvon’s doors. Contributors include Simon The course includes Armitage, Mark Haddon, Tim Firth, Patience Agbabi, ten hours of workshop- The three days includes Esther Freud and David Almond. based group tuition; eight hours of workshop- each student gets two based tuition; each We’ll be giving a free copy to course participants who one-to-one tutorials and student gets two one-to- come to our centres in 2019. there is a celebratory one tutorials and there reading night on is a short reading to end The Golden Book is available to buy at Wednesday. the course. www.arvon.org/golden-book - all proceeds go towards Arvon’s charitable work. CHOOSING A COURSE Our courses are designed with writers of all levels For the more experienced writer, we recommend: of experience in mind. If you’re unsure which course is right for you, feel free to call our team on Work-in-Progress 020 7324 2554 to discuss possibilities. For writers who already have significant experience and would like to receive project-specific feedback as well as the space and time to write. We have Work-in-Progress Starting to Write courses in several different genres. Work-in-Progress If you have a burning desire to write but feel you have courses include workshops and one-to-one tutorials. little experience – perhaps you are returning to writing after a long time away, have writing experience in one Tutored Retreats field but are keen to explore a new genre, or maybe Like our Work-in-Progress courses above, but without you are a complete beginner – then a Starting to Write morning workshops. Instead you will have more time for course would be ideal. The Starting to Write courses are one-to-one tutorials. We have Tutored Retreats in several designed to build your confidence within a supportive different genres. 12 environment, providing you with the tools to inspire and 13 develop your writing. We offer Starting to Write courses Centre Retreats in specific genres, and more general Starting to Write The time and space to write with a group of up to 15 courses that include fiction and poetry writing. other writers, sharing one of our three historic houses – The Hurst, Lumb Bank or Totleigh Barton. No workshops, Open Courses no tutorials. We also offer retreats with activities, We have a wide range of courses in specific genres such including yoga. as Fiction, Playwriting, and Short Story. Writers of all levels of experience are welcome on these courses. The Writers Retreat at The Clockhouse weeks will all have a focus on generating new writing Choose between four or six days in your own apartment rather than getting feedback on work-in-progress.

Load more

  85

Copy Link