During the morning sessions, Tuesday to Friday, 9.30 – 1.00pm, we will explore various avenues into unlocking creativity, while also considering multiple ways of shaping what we find for the eye and ear, with attention to poetic craft and technique: awareness of rhythm, internal rhyme, line breaks, the tone of the poem, understanding of form and free-form etc. Time will be given to writing exercises and challenges during each session and responding as a group to what has been produced. Throughout, participants will be encouraged to take risks, stretch their boundaries, while at the same time developing core skills and techniques. The overall aim is for each writer to work towards identifying and developing a personal poetic voice.
The four 90 minute evening sessions (5.00-6.30pm) will be given over to one to one sessions with the course tutor, Pete Mullineaux. Participants are asked to bring three previously written poems they would like an in-depth response to; (bring two copies of each). While Pete is hosting these one to one sessions, the rest of the group will be invited to enjoy a communal meditation session with Pete’s fellow writer/facilitator Moya Roddy.
Note: for these one to one sessions participants can choose to substitute one or more of the poems they write in the morning sessions.
Meditation Workshop – Into the Body
In a relaxed and nourishing atmosphere, through practices such as body scan, balancing chakras using sound and colour and silent meditation, those participating will make a journey to a place of inner silence and stillness.
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Tutor: Pete Mullineaux – Poet/Songwriter/Dramatist Pete Mullineaux lives in Galway and is a highly experienced creative writing tutor and a mentor for other facilitators working nationally through Poetry Ireland. He hosts a local writers group that has produced several impressive publications. Pete’s poetry has been widely published internationally and described by various reviewers as ‘tender and lyrical’, ‘gorgeous and resonant’ and ‘grimly funny’. Four collections: Zen Traffic Lights (Lapwing 2005) A Father’s Day (Salmon Poetry 2008) Session (Salmon 2011) and most recently How to Bake a Planet (Salmon 2016). He also writes for the theatre and has had several plays produced for Irish national radio. Individual poems have been published as far afield as USA, Spain, India and Japan. |
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Guest/Meditation Tutor: Moya Roddy – Poet/Novelist/Screenwriter Moya Roddy’s novel The Long Way Home was described by the Irish Times (Ireland’s foremost cultural newspaper) as ‘simply brilliant’. Her collection of short stories Other People was longlisted for the prestigious Frank O’Connor International Award. Her work has been produced on stage, radio and television. Most recently several of her poems were selected and published by the Irish Times and shortlisted for the Hennessey Award. Moya has facilitated meditation at Bridget’s Gardens (a Celtic-themed garden in Galway) for over ten years as well as at the National University of Ireland Galway, Galway Technical College and Art College. Her new poetry collection will be published in April 2018. Photo: Jess Walsh |
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| PRICES | Fee includes all day and evening tutored workshop sessions, readings, accommodation and full board (not including alcohol).
Single – En-suite room £760 |
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| TO BOOK | £150 deposit payable on booking by PayPal, bank transfer or cheque, to secure place, balance due six weeks before start of course. Please see Terms and Conditions. |
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| WHAT TO BRING |
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| START TIME | Please arrive between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm on Monday 18th June 2018. | ||||||||||
| END TIME | After breakfast, 10:00 am on Saturday 23rd June 2018. | ||||||||||
| LOCATION | The Garsdale Retreat, Clough View, Garsdale Head, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5PW
Nearest station: Garsdale – direct line from Leeds. |
Courses
The Garsdale Retreat provides an inspiring place to develop as a writer. Our courses offer opportunities for new, emerging and experienced writers. The tutors, all professional writers, lead workshops and also give one-to-one tutorials to help the individual student. In the remote and beautiful setting of The Yorkshire Dales, The Garsdale Retreat gives a wonderful opportunity to escape from the daily stresses of life and to draw inspiration from fellow students, tutors and the landscape itself.
All courses start on Monday afternoon, arrival time 4.00 – 6.00pm and finish after breakfast on Saturday, 10.00am
Course Structure
Although there will be slight variations, according to the type of course, students can generally expect the following outline:
Each day begins with a morning workshop at 9.30am where students explore particular aspects of the chosen genre and take part in writing exercises to further their understanding and expertise. Tutors also write alongside the students, sharing and developing work with participants. The immediacy of hearing or reading an expert’s emerging work gives invaluable insight and inspiration into the art of writing. All students have opportunities to share their work with the tutor and fellow writers in a safe, supportive and nurturing environment in which individual work is respected and confidence developed.
There is a mid-morning coffee break and the session finishes at lunchtime (1.00pm)
After lunch, participants are free to do whatever they like, such as: relax, go for walks, enjoy The Dales, draw, paint, read or work on individual writing projects.
All students have at least one individual tutorial which usually takes place in the early evening after tea and homemade cake.
Each evening there is an after-dinner event. The precise nature of this varies according to the type of course but participants can typically expect a tutor reading on Tuesday followed by a reading from a guest writer on the Wednesday evening. There is an informal activity on Thursday such as a student ‘open-mic’ night, or a tutor devised activity. On Friday, students and tutor take part in a reading of their work from the course-produced anthology.
All courses end after breakfast on Saturday.
Poetry Course Anthology
An integral part of poetry courses is the production of an anthology of writing produced in the week. It is, of course, accepted that work may not be completely polished and there is an element of work-in-progress about it. However, the aim of the anthology is to reflect a flavour of the work accomplished on the course by both tutor and participants and to provide them with an attractive record of their time at Garsdale. The Retreat stores copies of anthologies in the library, providing pleasure and inspiration for future students.
