This course is suitable for writers arriving with a blank page as well as those bringing a project they have already started work on.
The group of writers will spend the week developing their prose fiction style. Whether you are interested in writing a novel, memoir or a short story, this course is for you.
Mornings will be structured around a series of exercises and writing prompts with the aim of improving our understanding of how to write effective scene, character and plot. In the afternoons, participants are encouraged to share work in progress and there will be guided discussion considering ways in which to develop your material further.
By the end of the week you will be equipped with skills and techniques to help you refine your prose and you will have the support of fellow writers to encourage you beyond the workshop as you continue your writing journey.
 |
Tutor: Hannah Vincent – Novelist/Playwright
Hannah Vincent is the author of two novels, Alarm Girl and The Weaning and a collection of short stories, She-Clown and other stories. She teaches Creative Writing on the Open University’s MA programme and life writing at New Writing South and Charleston, Sussex home of the Bloomsbury group. Hannah is currently Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of Brighton. Photo: Bosie Vincent |
||||||||
 |
Guest, Wednesday evening: A.L. Kennedy – Writer A.L.Kennedy was born in Dundee. She lived for almost 30 years in Glasgow and now stays in North Essex. She has won a variety of UK and international book awards, including a Lannan Award, the Costa Prize, The Heinrich Heine Preis, the Somerset Maugham Award and the John Llewellyn Rees Prize. She has twice been included on the Granta Best of Young British Novelists list. She has written 9 novels, 6 short story collections, 3 books of non-fiction and 3 books for children. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a member of the Akademie der Kunst. She also writes for the stage, screen, TV and has created an extensive body of radio work including documentaries, monologues, dramas and essays. She also performs occasionally in one person shows and as a stand up comic. Her Wikipedia entry is increasingly unreliable. She does not own a parrot or a Luwak. She does not own a pet. Her books appear in the US with Amazon/Houghton Mifflin and in Canada with Anansi. Many of her books have been translated into a number of languages. |
||||||||
| PRICES | Fee includes all day and evening tutored workshop sessions, readings, accommodation and full board (not including alcohol).
Single – En-suite room £845 Single – Shared bathroom £795 Shared Room (2 Beds) £745pp Non-residential (inc. lunch and evening meal) £605 |
||||||||
| TO BOOK | £150 deposit payable on booking by bank transfer, PayPal or cheque, to secure place. Balance due four weeks before the start of the course/tutored retreat/untutored retreat. Please see Terms and Conditions. |
||||||||
| INCLUDED |
|
||||||||
| WHAT TO BRING |
|
||||||||
| START TIME |
Please arrive between 3:00pm and 5:00pm on Monday 27th September 2021 Tea and cake 4.30pm Introductory Workshop 5.45 – 6.45pm |
||||||||
| END TIME |
After breakfast, 10:00am on Saturday 2nd October 2021 |
||||||||
| LOCATION | The Garsdale Retreat, Clough View, Garsdale Head, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5PW Nearest railway station: Garsdale, on the Leeds – Carlisle line. For directions, see Find Us section on the Contact page. |
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 3.00 – 5.00pm. On this first day, tea and cake are at 4.30pm followed by an introductory/ice-breaking workshop 5.45 – 6.45pm. Dinner is at 7.00pm. All courses end after breakfast on Saturday (10.00am).
Course Structure
Although there will be slight variations, according to the type of course (see below), students can generally expect the following outline:
8.00 – 9.00am: Breakfast
9.30 – 11.00am: First workshop – Students explore particular aspects of the chosen genre and take part in writing exercises to further their understanding and expertise. 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.
11.00 – 11.30am: Coffee break
11.30am – 1.00pm: Second workshop
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.
4.30pm: Tea and cake
5.30 – 6.30pm: Third workshop
7.00pm: Dinner
All students have one individual tutorial of 30 minutes with the tutor in the course of the week which usually takes place at a mutually agreed time, usually in the afternoon.
Each evening, at about 8.30pm, 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 word/literary game. On Friday, there is a reading of work produced during the week.
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 the writing is essentially work-in-progress. However, the aim of the anthology is to reflect a flavour of the work accomplished on the course and to provide participants 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.
Tutored Retreats
These follow the same basic structure as above except there is only one workshop in the morning and participants will have a daily tutorial, four per week.
Untutored Retreats
The only formal structure of the week is determined by meal-times (see above), allowing participants to concentrate totally on their own writing. After dinner, participants in conjunction with the course director sometimes organise evening read-rounds of their work /open mics/music /word games. However, participation in such events is entirely voluntary and people are free to continue with their writing in the evenings if they prefer.
