Short courses
11:15-12:15 & 2:15-3:15 Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
09:30 - 10:30 & 11:15 - 12:15 Tuesday
Each day there is a selection of two-part courses for you to choose from, each led by an expert tutor. The courses cover a range of genres and subjects, from non-fiction to novels, performance to poetry. Follow your favourite area throughout the week, or branch out and try something new - the choice is yours.
09:30 - 10:30 & 11:15 - 12:15 Tuesday
Each day there is a selection of two-part courses for you to choose from, each led by an expert tutor. The courses cover a range of genres and subjects, from non-fiction to novels, performance to poetry. Follow your favourite area throughout the week, or branch out and try something new - the choice is yours.
Short courses 2017
Sunday 13 August
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The inner game - Barbara Hunt
What do you do when your inner critic just won’t shut up and leave you alone? What do you do when you get yet another rejection letter or big disappointment? Or even when you get a great opportunity? What do you do when all your self-discipline seems to have vanished? Learning to manage your “monkey mind” and how to deal with the whole spectrum of emotions that makes us human is a game you can learn how to play better - and even win! Knowing the rules of the Inner Game won’t just help you to evolve as a person, but learning emotional self-mastery will give your writing even more depth, authenticity and power. |
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Barbara J Hunt is a writer, coach, group facilitator and singer-songwriter. She’s been passionate about personal and spiritual evolution for over 25 years. She teaches leading edge tools, perspectives and techniques that make the inner game of being human, easier.
She currently works as part of the core team of therapists on the UK’s leading all-round health and detox retreat, Vital Detox, as well as in private practice with national and international clients.
She publishes her first book Forgiveness Made Easy this year.
She currently works as part of the core team of therapists on the UK’s leading all-round health and detox retreat, Vital Detox, as well as in private practice with national and international clients.
She publishes her first book Forgiveness Made Easy this year.
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Forensics and CSI - Kate Bendelow
With murder in mind… from crime scene to storyline - enrich your plot with authenticity and accuracy. Kate Bendelow is a serving Crime Scene Investigator with fifteen years experience and has worked on countless crime scenes which include rape, robbery, arson and murder. She is the author of The Real CSI: A Forensic Handbook for Crime Writers which provides a valuable and intimate insight into the art of crime scene investigation including what it is like to deal with death and decomposition. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and unique experiences with crime writers to ensure they add accuracy and authenticity to their writing. Kate is also a writer and performance poet. |
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My voice will go with you - Bridget Holding
Finding your voice is the gold at the end of the rainbow for emerging writers. It’s about much more than style and technique; it’s a journey that moves us from trying (consciously or unconsciously) to emulate others, to learning how to sound like our self. Find our voice, and we open up a direct channel between the expression of the writer, and the effect on the reader. Voice not only underlies all creative work, but also informs our approach to publishers, agents, and marketing via social media. During this course we’ll look at questions such as: What does it mean to write ‘authentically’? How can we sound like ourselves? (And for that matter who are we in the first place?) Be prepared to get philosophical and psychological! |
Bridget Holding is a former screenwriter, who has lectured at many literary festivals, and whose articles have appeared in Writing Magazine and The Psychotherapist, among other publications. She is also a UKCP registered psychotherapist. She’s a former associate lecturer for The Open University, and has been a tutor of creative writing for The University of Exeter since 2008. Her passion is a depth exploration of how we can re-find ‘the natural storyteller’, and bring our words alive. Through Wild Words, she runs a mentoring scheme for writers, as well as facilitating holidays in the Pyrenean mountains of Southern France, where she lives.
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Writing for fiction markets that pay - Della Galton
There aren’t many paying markets left for fiction but there are some. The competition is intense. Only the best submissions make the grade. This short course will help you to be one of the best. Session one What are the remaining paying markets for short fiction? (they aren’t just women’s magazines) Session two How do you write what they want? Three Top Tips to maximize your success. |
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Della Galton is a novelist, short story writer (1500 sold) and journalist. She’s also the agony aunt for Writers’ Forum. Her hobbies are going to the gym for 12-hour workouts and running marathons. Unfortunately she doesn’t have much time for these hobbies as she prefers writing!
Monday 14 August
Writing intimate scenes - Liz Hurst
Part one. We will look at examples of sex scenes from classic and contemporary literature, including DH Lawrence, John Cleland, Tiffany Reisz and Anais Nin. In particular, we will explore the language each author uses in the scene and discuss its effectiveness.
We will also take a humorous look at the infamous Bad Sex Awards, as featured in the Guardian newspaper, as examples of how not to write about sex.
During the break, delegates will be invited to write a small paragraph about a memorable kiss.
Part two. If anyone is brave enough, delegates will be invited to read out their work!
We will look at some of the finer points of writing intimate scenes in your fiction, including dialogue and the use of profane language.
Finally, we will look at the diversity of sexual relationships, including alternative lifestyles and gender roles.
Part one. We will look at examples of sex scenes from classic and contemporary literature, including DH Lawrence, John Cleland, Tiffany Reisz and Anais Nin. In particular, we will explore the language each author uses in the scene and discuss its effectiveness.
We will also take a humorous look at the infamous Bad Sex Awards, as featured in the Guardian newspaper, as examples of how not to write about sex.
During the break, delegates will be invited to write a small paragraph about a memorable kiss.
Part two. If anyone is brave enough, delegates will be invited to read out their work!
We will look at some of the finer points of writing intimate scenes in your fiction, including dialogue and the use of profane language.
Finally, we will look at the diversity of sexual relationships, including alternative lifestyles and gender roles.
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Liz Hurst took up writing erotic short stories for a giggle amongst friends in 2012 and has never looked back. She has since published some of that work under the pseudonym of Kitty Mulholland. She also writes the Lost Souls series of time-slip romance novellas under her own name. She runs a small business editing and proofreading for independent authors.
In 2016, she took up the post of Archivist at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School. |
Marketing and promotion - Lucy Felthouse
A big part of the challenge of marketing and promoting books is the changing market. What worked six months ago doesn’t always work now, and what works for your fellow authors might not work for you. It’s easy to get disheartened, to consider giving it all up. Don’t! Instead, learn how to adapt with the market, figure out what does work for you and your books, discover new techniques and watch those sales figures increase!
Topics covered will include:
- social media
- cover art
- paid advertising (including BookBub and Facebook ads)
- Kindle Unlimited
- email newsletters
- street teams
There will also be time for a Q&A session at the end of the course.
A big part of the challenge of marketing and promoting books is the changing market. What worked six months ago doesn’t always work now, and what works for your fellow authors might not work for you. It’s easy to get disheartened, to consider giving it all up. Don’t! Instead, learn how to adapt with the market, figure out what does work for you and your books, discover new techniques and watch those sales figures increase!
Topics covered will include:
- social media
- cover art
- paid advertising (including BookBub and Facebook ads)
- Kindle Unlimited
- email newsletters
- street teams
There will also be time for a Q&A session at the end of the course.
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Lucy Felthouse is a writer, editor, publicist, marketer and web designer. Put together all of those things and you have her full-time job. Lucy is the award-winning author of novels Stately Pleasures, Eyes Wide Open and The Persecution of the Wolves, and, including short stories and novellas, has over 150 publications to her name. She eats, sleeps and breathes books in one way or another, from writing, to editing, to promoting—and she loves it!
Find out more about her writing at http://lucyfelthouse.co.uk, and her company, Writer Marketing Services, at http://www.writermarketing.co.uk. She has several social media accounts, but is mainly found on Twitter and Facebook. |
Poetry from dreams - Joan Harthan
This short course is based on some of the techniques described in my book, ‘Working With Dreams’. Be sure to bring at least one dream with you.
In the morning session we’ll work as a group using shared dreams as the raw ingredients for our own unique gourmet dish. Any dream will do but, for the morning session, chose one with a vivid image or scene that can be described to the rest of the group in a couple of minutes. We’ll only be able to share dreams in the first half hour so, depending on how many people participate, this may mean that not everyone gets to share their dream.
The afternoon session will be a chance to work with your own individual dream.
This short course is based on some of the techniques described in my book, ‘Working With Dreams’. Be sure to bring at least one dream with you.
In the morning session we’ll work as a group using shared dreams as the raw ingredients for our own unique gourmet dish. Any dream will do but, for the morning session, chose one with a vivid image or scene that can be described to the rest of the group in a couple of minutes. We’ll only be able to share dreams in the first half hour so, depending on how many people participate, this may mean that not everyone gets to share their dream.
The afternoon session will be a chance to work with your own individual dream.
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After too many careers, (Bank Clerk, Editorial Librarian, Inland Revenue Officer, Dress Designer, Accounts Manager, Sub-Postmistress, Newsagent, single mum of two boys, Scientific Researcher, Teacher and Nottingham University Lecturer), Joan Harthan finally answered the call of her soul and left academia to devote her life to writing. A dream journaller for twenty five years, she is a regular contributor to the International Association for the Study of Dreams magazine ‘Dreamtime’ and has presented at conferences in America and Europe. The author of eight books, both fiction and non-fiction, she uses her dreams to support and inform her work and her life. |
Illustrated picture books - Maggie Bolton
Breaking into the picture-book market isn’t easy, particularly if you want to illustrate your own work or enlist the help of a friend. Mainstream publishers just won’t take a chance on two unknowns. However, there are other ways. This short course aims to show just one of them.
Session one will look at picture-book format; what makes a successful picture-book story; what is involved in the illustration process; is your art-work up to it and if not, where would you find an illustrator who wouldn’t charge an arm and a leg? We will look at examples and see what makes them successful.
Session two will look at the nitty-gritty – the advantages of working in partnership; setting up as a publisher; acquiring ISBN numbers; using a print/graphic designer or dealing directly with a printer; cost and, most importantly, promoting and selling your work.
Breaking into the picture-book market isn’t easy, particularly if you want to illustrate your own work or enlist the help of a friend. Mainstream publishers just won’t take a chance on two unknowns. However, there are other ways. This short course aims to show just one of them.
Session one will look at picture-book format; what makes a successful picture-book story; what is involved in the illustration process; is your art-work up to it and if not, where would you find an illustrator who wouldn’t charge an arm and a leg? We will look at examples and see what makes them successful.
Session two will look at the nitty-gritty – the advantages of working in partnership; setting up as a publisher; acquiring ISBN numbers; using a print/graphic designer or dealing directly with a printer; cost and, most importantly, promoting and selling your work.
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Maggie Bolton, a former primary school teacher in the UK and with the British Families Education Service in Germany, writes in a variety of genres. Her main focus, however, is on writing for children.A member of the writing partnership ‘Litereight,’ Maggie has contributed to their (so far!) three adult anthologies and one of children’s stories.
Maggie has also been an exhibiting artist for a number of years, but has only fairly recently combined the two skills. Together with fellow-writer Greta Yorke, she has illustrated and published her own books and also illustrated for Greta and other writers. |
Tuesday 15 August
Mindfulness for writers - Zana Lamont
Build confidence, overcome writer’s block and procrastination, increase creative output and become a better proof-reader and editor.
Mindfulness is knowing and responding to what is going on in the moment, it’s difficult to give an exact prescription for each session, but the loose idea is that Session One will give an understanding of the neuroscience of Mindfulness and how we really can change how our brain works. As Mindfulness is experiential by nature there will be the opportunity to practice a couple of the exercises that help retrain the brain, so that we respond to challenges in the most beneficial way. We may even learn not to beat ourselves up quite so much as well!
Session Two will involve doing some writing from a Mindful perspective.
Build confidence, overcome writer’s block and procrastination, increase creative output and become a better proof-reader and editor.
Mindfulness is knowing and responding to what is going on in the moment, it’s difficult to give an exact prescription for each session, but the loose idea is that Session One will give an understanding of the neuroscience of Mindfulness and how we really can change how our brain works. As Mindfulness is experiential by nature there will be the opportunity to practice a couple of the exercises that help retrain the brain, so that we respond to challenges in the most beneficial way. We may even learn not to beat ourselves up quite so much as well!
Session Two will involve doing some writing from a Mindful perspective.
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Zana Lamont is an experienced Mindfulness practitioner and teacher. She completed the extensive Mindfulness Association training programme, as well as their teaching qualifications and now facilitates their Mindfulness Based Living Course in a variety of settings. She believes the experiential nature of this approach is a large part of what helps people move towards fulfilling their potential. In her previous careers as osteopath, and Principal of the Western School of Massage, she found mindfulness practices to be extremely helpful, not least in helping to keep the peace between her and husband, John, as they wrote the courses. |
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Pitch fright - Benjamin Scott
Sweaty palms, tied tongues, and a blank mind; nothing fills most writers with more terror than the dark art of pitching. However, this workshop will help you craft a diabolically short pitch that sells your story without the need for torture (unless it’s in the story!). It will put the thumbscrews on what is really at the beating heart of your story: invaluable no matter what stage of creation you are with your idea, whether a first draft, a final draft, or somewhere in between. By the end of the session you’ll come away with a tighter vision for the story and a killer pitch. Please bring a specific project in mind and, if you want brownie points, prepare a 75 to 150 word summary or notes about your story!
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Having left advertising to pursue his passion for writing, Benjamin Scott started his published writing career successfully pitching a non-fiction book for graduates. He has now written eight children’s books for book-packager Working Partners where he was lead author on the Star Fighters series (written as Max Chase) and written two reading scheme books for an educational publisher. He has taught creative writing for a range of schools and organisations, including the Oxford University Continuing Education Department. Benjamin also mentors other writers through his critiquing and editorial service and is on the organizing committee for SCBWI British Isles’ Undiscovered Voices. Website and Twitter: www.benjaminscott.net and @Benjamin_Scott |
Research for writers - Kathryn Aalto
Nothing beats writing that transports readers to another place and time. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, details shoot writing into the stratosphere with spot-on jargon and authenticity in settings, clothing, food, mannerisms, etc. Research is the key -- that is, any process of looking at documented content outside the self: articles, books, interviews, guided travel, archival footage, immersion -- and is anything that introduces to your text external accountability.
These two sessions will focus on how research can be used to enhance the creative potential in any genre. Kathryn will discuss how research does not need to take a backseat to imagination, but can be a writer's engine and tool: the pursuit of detail and authenticity can drive and shape your narratives and writing outlook. For Kathryn, it has led her to the Hawaiian Islands to retrace the footsteps of the world's greatest plant hunter. It has led to interviews with Japanese fountaineers, white-gloved photo archivists, and local barflies. It has led to donning historical costumes to understand their weight and feel against her skin. Learn how research can provide you with boundaries, give your narrative form, and establish authority. Kathryn will also share how research has shaped past and current books including her recent New York Times Best Seller.
Nothing beats writing that transports readers to another place and time. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, details shoot writing into the stratosphere with spot-on jargon and authenticity in settings, clothing, food, mannerisms, etc. Research is the key -- that is, any process of looking at documented content outside the self: articles, books, interviews, guided travel, archival footage, immersion -- and is anything that introduces to your text external accountability.
These two sessions will focus on how research can be used to enhance the creative potential in any genre. Kathryn will discuss how research does not need to take a backseat to imagination, but can be a writer's engine and tool: the pursuit of detail and authenticity can drive and shape your narratives and writing outlook. For Kathryn, it has led her to the Hawaiian Islands to retrace the footsteps of the world's greatest plant hunter. It has led to interviews with Japanese fountaineers, white-gloved photo archivists, and local barflies. It has led to donning historical costumes to understand their weight and feel against her skin. Learn how research can provide you with boundaries, give your narrative form, and establish authority. Kathryn will also share how research has shaped past and current books including her recent New York Times Best Seller.
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Kathryn Aalto is an American landscape designer, historian and lecturer living in Exeter. For the past twenty-five years, her focus has been on places where nature and culture intersect: teaching literature of nature and place, designing gardens, and writing about the natural world. She is the author of the bestselling The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh: A Walk Through the Forest that Inspired the Hundred Acre Wood (2015) and Nature and Human Intervention (2011). A sought-after speaker, her work has been featured in many places including the BBC, National Public Radio, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and People magazine. She has Master's degrees in Garden History and Creative Nonfiction and has a particular interest in literary landscapes and the geography of childhood. Visit her site http://www.kathrynaalto.com
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Grammar - Geoff Parkes
The first session will deal with common mistakes involving subject and object, e.g. “you and I” vs. “you and me”, “us writers” vs. “we writers”; misrelated participles; singulars and plurals (e.g. phenomenon, crisis); defining and non-defining clauses; misuse of adjectives and adverbs; tautology; problems of number and discord.
The second session will focus on: (1) Punctuation problems: use of commas; difference between colons, semi-colons and dashes; uses of the apostrophe; when to use hyphens (2) Confusable word groups , e.g. imply – infer, lay – lie, affect – effect, moral – morale, disinterested – uninterested.
The first session will deal with common mistakes involving subject and object, e.g. “you and I” vs. “you and me”, “us writers” vs. “we writers”; misrelated participles; singulars and plurals (e.g. phenomenon, crisis); defining and non-defining clauses; misuse of adjectives and adverbs; tautology; problems of number and discord.
The second session will focus on: (1) Punctuation problems: use of commas; difference between colons, semi-colons and dashes; uses of the apostrophe; when to use hyphens (2) Confusable word groups , e.g. imply – infer, lay – lie, affect – effect, moral – morale, disinterested – uninterested.
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After completing an M.A. in English Language at Cardiff University, Geoff Parkes taught English at schools and universities in Germany, Norway, Spain, and Denmark. Back in the UK, he founded a language school and a publishing company, Englang Books, specializing in English Language books for foreign learners. Several titles have become bestsellers and are now set books at various European universities. Geoff’s first novel, Whale Soup, was published in 2015, and the second, Nothing Ever Happens in Clacton, will follow shortly. He is the author of several prize-winning short stories and enjoys writing poetry. He blogs regularly on English Language. |
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Wednesday 16 August
Heroes - Steve Hartley
The first workshop will take a look at what makes a good hero: their strengths, flaws, and motivations. We’ll breakout into groups and have some fun constructing some unlikely but utterly believable heroes. In the second session, we’ll send our protagonists off on their white chargers, Ford Fiestas, or whatever, and look at the trials and tribulations you must put them through to make us root for them right to the very end.
The first workshop will take a look at what makes a good hero: their strengths, flaws, and motivations. We’ll breakout into groups and have some fun constructing some unlikely but utterly believable heroes. In the second session, we’ll send our protagonists off on their white chargers, Ford Fiestas, or whatever, and look at the trials and tribulations you must put them through to make us root for them right to the very end.
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Steve Hartley is the author of the popular Danny Baker Record Breaker and Oliver Fibbs series of books, published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Oliver Fibbs: Attack of the Alien Brain won the 2014 Surrey Libraries Children’s Book of the Year. He’s currently playing around with ideas for a new children’s book, and writing scripts with his wife and daughter. Steve is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he’s now old enough to qualify for a Senior Rail Pass; be gentle with him. |
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Life writing - Paul Dodgson
A workshop exploring the grey area between fiction and non-fiction, the space between truth and lies. It is something that becomes apparent as soon as we start writing life story, even if only by the things we emphasise and the things we leave out. As storytellers how are versions of the past distorted by the gravitational forces of narrative structure? Is it possible, as some writers have claimed, that omission, editing and conflating of events will make the truth shine more brightly? Actually, when memory is so selective, can we ever tell the truth and does it even matter? What do readers expect? We will negotiate this debate with examples and exercises that put our experience to the test. |
Paul Dodgson's theatre writing credits include Robin Hood and The Eleventh Hour for Theatre Royal Bath; music and lyrics for productions of Heidi; The French Detective and the Blue Dog, and The Nutcracker at the Theatre Royal Bath and Nuffield Southampton; and Alice Through the Looking Glass at Tobacco Factory, Bristol.
Radio writing credits include 16 plays for BBC Radio 4, including the acclaimed memoir plays You Drive Me Crazy, Home, and On The Road Not Taken. Screenwriting credits include 18 months as part of the Eastenders writing team; and the award winning drama/documentary series Monsters We Met and Patagonia for BBC 2.
Performance poetry - Fiona Samuel
Do you believe in the spoken word? If so, this is an opportunity to explore poetry as performance art. This short course is for absolute beginners but seasoned performance poets are just as welcome.
The first session will look at performance poetry and how audiences receive it. We will then look at performance poets such as Maya Angelou, George the Poet and Neil Hilborn amongst others and their works. There will then be an opportunity to compose your own performance poetry whether by using your own ideas or from prompts.
The second session will be a chance to discuss your writing process and to perform your poetry in front of a supportive audience.
Do you believe in the spoken word? If so, this is an opportunity to explore poetry as performance art. This short course is for absolute beginners but seasoned performance poets are just as welcome.
The first session will look at performance poetry and how audiences receive it. We will then look at performance poets such as Maya Angelou, George the Poet and Neil Hilborn amongst others and their works. There will then be an opportunity to compose your own performance poetry whether by using your own ideas or from prompts.
The second session will be a chance to discuss your writing process and to perform your poetry in front of a supportive audience.
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One of the pioneering TopWriters from 2005, Fiona Samuel was proud to serve as Vice Chairman during the school’s 65th year in 2013. She was inspired to go into teaching after her first Swanwick and is now a departmental head, teaching English, Media and Creative Writing.
Fiona has taught various courses and workshops at Swanwick, including getting Swanwickers to discover their inner Shakespeare and Dickens and the popular punctuation course last year. Fiona is passionate about film and her writing does tend to gravitate towards scriptwriting. She’s still not given up on her novel and is actually working on it for a change. Despite protesting that she hates poetry, she has been forced to ‘fess up in recent years to the fact that she actually loves it. |
Comedy sketch writing - Gordon Robertson
This informal and irreverent course will cover how to write as many different types of comedy sketch as the tutor can remember. It will delve into the benefits of bad language, the power of puns, the joy of juxtaposition, and the art of alliteration. It will also cover one-liners, song parodies, and caption-writing, as well as highlighting the usefulness of knowing the actors you’re writing for, emphasizing the importance of titles as a means of standing out from the crowd, listing the shows that are always looking for material, preparing the writer for the shock of being paid little and infrequently, and offering tips on how to accept rejection with the minimum of violence, amongst other invaluable (and occasionally useless) pieces of information.
This informal and irreverent course will cover how to write as many different types of comedy sketch as the tutor can remember. It will delve into the benefits of bad language, the power of puns, the joy of juxtaposition, and the art of alliteration. It will also cover one-liners, song parodies, and caption-writing, as well as highlighting the usefulness of knowing the actors you’re writing for, emphasizing the importance of titles as a means of standing out from the crowd, listing the shows that are always looking for material, preparing the writer for the shock of being paid little and infrequently, and offering tips on how to accept rejection with the minimum of violence, amongst other invaluable (and occasionally useless) pieces of information.
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Originally a writer of drama screenplays, Gordon Robertson moved into comedy in 2003 and spent the next 10 years working with the BBC (both TV and radio strands), ITV, and Channel 4. He also wrote regular sketch comedy for the stage and the Internet, and continues to write topical sketch comedy for NewsRevue in London (the world’s longest-running live comedy show – 37 years and counting!) and The Treason Show in Brighton. Gordon is also an award-winning scriptwriter, a poet, and a published short-story writer. |
Thursday 17 August
Flash fiction - Veronica Bright
The art of writing a very short but memorable story.
Session 1: What makes flash fiction work? How can you find a subject, or theme? How do you begin? Can you follow through with a stunning ending? These questions will be addressed during the morning, and hopefully you’ll be inspired by some short practical exercises.
Session 2: How can you make your flash fiction stand out from the crowd? With few words to spare, how can you create characters who seem real? Could you improve your chance of doing well in a flash competition? Where else could you submit a flash story? Come along to find out more.
The art of writing a very short but memorable story.
Session 1: What makes flash fiction work? How can you find a subject, or theme? How do you begin? Can you follow through with a stunning ending? These questions will be addressed during the morning, and hopefully you’ll be inspired by some short practical exercises.
Session 2: How can you make your flash fiction stand out from the crowd? With few words to spare, how can you create characters who seem real? Could you improve your chance of doing well in a flash competition? Where else could you submit a flash story? Come along to find out more.
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A former teacher, Veronica Bright has won a string of prizes for her short fiction, including the prestigious Woman and Home short story competition, as well as places at the Winchester Literary Festival and the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School (twice). Her work has been published in numerous anthologies and online. In July 2016 she self-published two collections of her prize-winning stories, Cloud Paintings and A Gift from the Horse Chestnut Tree. Veronica writes a monthly blog for wanna-be writers on her website - www.veronicabright.co.uk |
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Advanced characterisation - Simon Hall
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Simon Hall is an author of crime fiction and a BBC News Correspondent.
His books - the tvdetective series - are about a television reporter who covers crimes and gets so involved in the cases he helps the police to solve them. Seven have been published. Simon has also contributed short stories to a range of magazines. Alongside his novels and stories, Simon is a tutor in creative writing, teaching at popular Writers’ Summer Schools, on cruise ships and across Europe. He also regularly contributes articles to publications such as Writing Magazine. He is only available for pantomime once a year, solely at Swanwick. |
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Murder investigation - Stuart Gibbon
The course will cover a number of areas relevant to crime investigation, particularly murder. Delegates will be taken through a scenario from the discovery of a body through to the arrest of a suspect and their subsequent police detention. During this process they will be given the opportunity to express their views and ask questions throughout. The scenario will start with initial steps at the scene of a crime, who is likely to be called out and discussion around the critical early stages of investigation. The type of enquiries which the police may carry out to identify a suspect will be outlined and, following that identification, how that person may be located and arrested. Custody procedures including search and seizure of evidence, medical examination and interviewing will be discussed in detail together with the types of forensic evidence and their potential importance in such an investigation. |
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Stuart Gibbon is a former Senior Police Detective who served for 30 years in the Metropolitan and Lincolnshire forces before retiring in 2012. As a Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) in the East Midlands region, he was in charge of Murder and other serious crime investigations. Stuart is now a Writing Consultant as GIB Consultancy. He advises authors on police-related issues including standard procedure, forensic evidence and crime investigation to ensure that their work is accurate and authentic. He also talks at Writing Festivals/Conferences on the subject of ‘Murder Investigation’ and the challenges facing Detectives in such cases.
Self publishing - Malcolm Chisholm
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Self-publishing is well within the ability of anyone who has a working knowledge of web-surfing and word-processing (especially find and replace, use of tabs, formatting, and using styles). Malcolm’s aim is to help you get your print- and e-books into the marketplace at no cost. BEFORE you consider attending his course read his free ebook “Self Publishing in Four Formats”, available here on the Smashwords website. Malcolm is also offering one to ones to discuss how to self-publish your complete book. |
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"A week immersed in the creative energy of all levels of writers has been a fantastic and addictive experience." Rosemary Kind
