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Creative Writing Prompt

Until we decide on a date for another writing events workshop – Keep Writing. Here is a prompt to try.  A rainy evening. Someone ( Who?) is walking down the street. What time is it? Where are they going? Why? and what happens next? Write a short story, create an atmosphere, a character, a plot.  Enjoy the journey. It doesn’t have to be good! No pressure. Play.

 

ps. By request I have just added the titles and authors of the 26 stories we published during lockdown in an anthology Blink of An Eye. please keep scrolling down to find it! All proceeds went to Young Carers, 5-18 years old, to give them some fun and respite from looking after adults and siblings. It’s one of our favourite charities.

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POp-up creative writing 9th November

 OBSERVATION AND EAVESDROPPING   Thursday 9th November for a two hour creative writing workshop  10.30-12.30pm at Hall & Woodhouse.   £28   Numbers limited  2  places left ..  EMAIL to book

IN THIS workshop there will be hands-on writing exercises with prompts to encourage observation skills and feed your imagination.   It’s often the small vivid details in fiction that bring it alive, what is known as  ‘show don’t tell’.  Writing good dialogue can be a stumbling block  too, but we have got tips that will add interest and character to your writing.

Readers should be able to see, hear, taste and smell the fictional world you are creating.   This workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced writers alike, so if you enjoy writing and meeting like- minded people, come along.. I look forward to hearing from you and will send you booking info.   Best wishes Alex

sorry. no refunds, but you can send a friend in your place.

 

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FINDING YOUR Writing VOICE

FINDING YOUR VOICE with Alex and Mary   

 Thursday 28th September and Thursday 5th October – 10.30am-12.30pm Venue: Hall & Woodhouse – £56 to be paid by bank transfer. Details on booking.   

Small, friendly creative writing workshops for beginners and more experienced writers. In week one  we will think about a writers Voice and  identify yours. In week two the focus will be on characters. Hands-on  creative writing exercises and prompts. 

Come along if you love writing andenjoy meeting like-minded people Please email writingeventsbath to book a place and for payment info. Numbers limited. No refunds but you can send a friend if you can’t make it. If you can only make one of them, please contact me to discuss. 

Alex and Mary look forward to hearing from you.

 

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POP UP WRITING GROUP

A two hour creative writing group to get you in the mood for writing in 2023 – Venue: Central Bath  Date: Thursday 26th January 2023 – Time: 10.30-12.30 pm  Cost: £26    SORRY SOLD OUT

This pop-up workshop is suitable for beginners and experienced writers who would like a creative nudge. We will do lots of creative writing exercises with prompts and some focus on writing characters.

Please email if you want to book a place, no refunds but you can send a friend instead. Numbers very limited. Fun, sociable and a kick start to a new year of writing.  Alex and Mary Griese ( guest writer) look forward to meeting you.

 

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ONE-OFF POP UP CREATIVE WRITING SESSION

WRITING FROM CHILDHOOD – a one-off pop-up two hour creative writing session with Alex and Mary    –     THURSDAY NOVEMBER 17TH – 10.30AM-12.30PM CENTRAL Bath Venue : £26  Places strictly limited.If you wish to come please email and I will send you bank transfer info and venue details  SORRY SOLD OUT 

Alain de Botton quote ” Most of our childhood is stored not in photos, but in certain biscuits, lights of day, smells, textures of carpet’    This pop-up workshop is for anyone who is writing a memoir, wants to try writing different voices, or simply enjoys creative writing. We will do plenty of writing exercises with prompts to help excavate those memories for short story inspiration, your memoir or to add to any writing project.

Beginners as well as experienced writers very welcome.

As usual, we do not give refunds for any reason but you are welcome to send a friend..

 

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Two Creative Writing workshops…

( 2 places left)    Creative Writing workshops 22nd and 29th SEPTEMBER – Thursday mornings 10.30-12.30pm  at Hall & Woodhouse, central Bath.£52 for both. See below for booking info.

It’s short notice but Alex and Mary are putting on 2 creative writing workshops.
These sessions are for anybody who enjoys writing, would like a nudge to get going, or keep going.
Beginners and experienced writers welcome. Whether you are engaged in writing a novel, a memoir or short stories, or if you are simply staring at a blank page wondering how to get startd, come along and get a boost.
Lots of hands on writing exercises with prompts. These sessions are fun, relaxed and motivating.
Email if you would like to come and I will send you bank info. Booking is by bank transfer and places are only confirmed after payment. Numbers are very limited.  Usual terms apply ie. no refunds but you are welcome to send a friend in your place. We look forward to hearing from you.

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A short Writing Prompt from Alex

it’s the summer holidays and you may not get much writing done, so here is  A very short writing prompt.. write a paragraph  describing a character. Include at least one unusual detail about a habit that will inform the reader and give the character depth.

An example is Gaev in Chechov’s The Cherry Orchard. He keeps a tin of sweets in his pocket and when he wants to avoid a difficult conversation, he takes one out and sucks it. This detail is Chechov’s way of showing that Gaev is a nervous man, does not like confrontation  but also that he is a big baby, even though he is middle-aged.   

Have a go, and keep it in your notebook for when you want to write a longer piece.

 

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Writing Prompt..Write a short story

  Write a short story about finding something on the beach. Use as many of the senses as you can, sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. What was found? Where did it come from? What happened next?

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Two Memoir writing workshops

        

   Sorry, but we have sold out for the memoir workshops. Please add yourself to the email list if you want to be amongst the first to hear of any new workshops…  and if you would like to read my article about writing a memoir online, here is the link https://www.annabelandgrace.com/tag/writing-a-memoir/ 

Annabel & Grace is an online magazine for women over 50 and has some lovely recipes, fashion and various articles. All free, so recommend signing up.

Two memoir writing workshops in May with Alex and guest writer, Mary Griese.    

Dates and Time: Thursday mornings 10.30am-12.30 pm

19th and 26th May 2022

Venue: Hall & Woodhouse, 1 Old King Street Bath        Cost.  £52- Please note,  sorry but no refunds, however you can donate your place to a friend.

Please email to book and I will send you bank transfer details. Places are very limited and are only confirmed when payment is received.  

Over the two sessions, we will look at how to structure you memoir, how to gather info etc. with hands on writing exercises and lots of prompts.   If you are not writing a memoir, you can use the sessions to inspire  and motivate you, drawing ideas from your own life to write short stories or to create strong characters.

Beginners or experienced writers very welcome. Sessions are relaxed, fun and sociable.We look forward to hearing from you..  Alex

 

 

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CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP with ALEX AND MARY – ONE PLACE AVAILABLE DUE TO CANCELLATION.. PLEASE EMAIL ASAP. THURSDAY 21ST October 10.15am-12.15pm New Venue: Conscious Cafe, Bath cost: £20 sold out we may put on a couple more in early November so please register your interest by email. Same venue.

This two-hour workshop aims to get your writing flowing with hands-on exercises and prompts. Suitable for beginners and experienced writers, Alex and Mary hope to inspire you with some fresh ideas and get your pen moving across the paper. We hope to put on more workshops in November, but are dipping our toe in the water, or our pen in the ink. Conscious Cafe serves organic, ethically sourced food and drink and writers will get a 10% discount. Our room is upstairs, windows will be open (so bring something warm) and numbers are very limited. If you want to come, please email me and include your own email address if you do via website, and i will send you bank transfer details. Please note, as is our usual policy we do not give refunds, but you are welcome to give your place to a friend. We hope that you have been vaccinated, or are regularly testing. Covid is not going away and our philosophy is to simply take care, but get back to real life and meet like-minded people.

CONSCIOUS CAFE VENUE
Conscious Cafe http://www.consciouscafebar.co.uk check out the delicious menu and their ethos. If you haven’t read Mary’s book, Where Crows would die, take a look at my video interview on this website.
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Blink of an Eye anthology

BLINK OF AN EYE – 26 great stories. 

As a project for the second covid lockdown, we invited you to submit a short story in any genre of up to 600 words. This was not a competition but we selected 26 of the best and published them in a booklet.

Here is a list of the winning stories. All proceeds went to Young Carers aged 5-18  to give them respite fun from looking after adults and siblings. We thank all the authors and commend them on their writing, 

 

 

 

 

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4 MEMOIR WRITING WORKSHOPS – cancelled but will be held at a later date.

Im afraid this workshop is cancelled but I may do another workshop on the same theme later in the year, or next year – Please email if you would like to be on a list of interested people.

Meanwhile, Mary Griese, a favourite workshop leader, has had her first novel published by Y Lolfa and my conversation with her on video is below, so please scroll down, and get the book! It’s dark (Welsh Noir) beautifully written and a good read.

These workshops with Alex and her guest authors, are for anyone interested in writing a memoir, or wants to in use their own life as material in a novel or short stories. If you are writing fiction, the exercises will give you plenty of material for those telling details that bring a work alive.

We will do writing exercises to trigger memories, and look at examples of different types of memoir.

Just as in a novel we enjoy a beginning, middle and end, a memoir needs a structure. We will look at the different structures you can adopt to help shape your narrative and help you plan your project. Lots of hands-on creative writing exercises to get you going, or keep you going. Beginners and experienced writers very welcome.

I Remember – Pop-up creative writing group

POP-UP CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP WITH ALEX AND GUEST AUTHOR Mary Griese THURSDAY 8TH JUNE. 10.30AM-12.30 PM VENUE: CENTRAL BATH COST: £28  Please email for  booking info, venue and payment by bank transfer.     Places limited. Please email so see if any available

I REMEMBER…. A two hour hands-on creative writing workshop with the focus on memoir and life stories. Lots of creative writing prompts.  This workshop is suitable for anyone who is writing a memoir, short stories  or simply needs a nudge to get their writing to flow

Beginners and experienced writers very welcome, the groups are fun and sociable with lots of prompts and exercises to inspire and motivate.Places are strictly limited. Sorry, no refunds but if unable to attend you are welcome to send a friend.   Alex and Mary look forward to seeing you