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Short courses 2022

11:15-12:15 & 2:15-3:15 Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

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 sci-fi and fantasy to script-writing to journalism. Follow your favourite area throughout the week, or branch out and try something new - the choice is yours.

Sunday

Romantic Fiction - Sue Moorcroft
What is romantic fiction? Who’s in its audience? How can we reach them? What are the many sub-genres? Should you be writing a novel, a novella or a short story?
 
This course offers answers to these questions, helping you write romantic fiction for today’s markets. Its two fun sessions are designed to arm you with the writing and storytelling techniques particular to romantic fiction – one of the best-selling genres with broadest appeal.

  • Learn how to match up your protagonists, bring them together or keep them apart. Are they a match made in heaven? Or do opposites attract?
  • Create a hooky opening and investigate all the parts of a novel on your way to writing a powerful ending, gripping your readers with sympathetic characters and a fascinating setting.
  • Use goals, quests and conflicts to drive a compelling love story.
 
Come along! Questions and discussion welcome.
Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and international bestselling author and has reached the coveted #1 spot on Amazon Kindle. She’s currently contracted by publishing giant HarperCollins under their Avon imprint in the UK, US and Canada, and various other publishers in different territories.
 
Just for the Holidays and Dream a Little Dream were nominated for Romantic Novel of the Year Awards and Love & Freedom won the Best Romantic Read Award. Sue has won the Katie Fforde Bursary, is a past vice chair of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and edited its two short story anthologies. Her short stories, serials and columns have appeared around the world. She’s written courses for the London School of Journalism and DigitalSea and is the author of the writing guide Love Writing.
 
Born in Germany into a British Army family, Sue also lived in Cyprus and Malta before settling in the UK. She still loves to travel and has led courses and writing retreats in Italy, France, the US and Dubai. When not writing, she’s a mad Formula 1 addict, enjoys yoga, dance and hanging out with friends.
Write your How-to Book in 30 Days! - Bettina von Cossel
Writing a how-to book is one of the best statements you can possibly make about your knowledge and expertise, and will instantly position you as an expert. If you have planned it before you start, writing your book doesn’t need to take longer than a few weeks.

This course helps you to do just that. Arrive with an empty notepad and leave with the fully planned outline and chapter framework for your book! The easy to follow guideline can be used for any further how-to book you’ll write, again and again.
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​This course is for anyone, who wants to write a how-to book, even it is only a vague idea. For budding non-fiction authors, who want to know how to plan a book. For all who’d like to present themselves as an expert, or build their personal brand.

You’ll discover your big How-To Book Idea (if you don’t have it yet), and how to market your book before you have even written the first line.  You’ll plan your book, create an outline, and chunk it into easily manageable units. After the course, all you still need to do is sit down and write.

​Bettina von Cossel is a professional writer. She writes fiction and non-fiction, and thoroughly enjoys sharing her writing secrets in workshops and courses. Currently, she is working on her next how-to book. Bettina had lots of fun teaching at Swanwick before and is available for 1:1 sessions.
Writing Crime Fiction - Kate Bendelow
Whether you’re a new or established crime writer, this course is for you. Over two lively and informative sessions, we will delve behind the crime scene tape to discuss plots, protagonists, procedure and authenticity.

Session one: We will look at what motivates and terrifies our victims, offenders and detectives and consider the impact on lifestyle and language. We’ll discuss the psychology of persistent offenders and victimology and debunk the stereotypical detective. You will learn how to write with authenticity and where to research that all important murder scene.

Session two: We will examine the crime types our protagonists may fall foul of and consider where there is opportunity to introduce plot twists and conflict. We will discuss how practical various methods of murder are, and how our offender can get away with it… or not. We will look at decomposition and consider how easy it really is to get rid of that pesky corpse
Kate Bendelow is a serving crime scene investigator with over twenty-years’ experience of working on thousands of crime scenes. She is the author of the non-fiction book 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 various stages of death and decomposition. Kate is also the author of the fictional SOCO Maya Barton trilogy, which currently includes Definitely Dead and Shattered Bones.

For the last seven years Kate has been advising crime writers at numerous writing events and festivals as well as tutoring for the Professional Writing Academy and The Guardian Masterclasses. She loves to combine the passion for her day job with her love of writing and helping fellow authors add authenticity and veracity to their writing.
Writers' Groups - Joan Harthan
Writers’ groups are a really useful and enjoyable way to develop your writing and combat procrastination. Why wouldn’t you join one? The trouble is that there is not always a group in your local area. If that’s true for you, why not start your own? It’s really easy — it just takes a little organisation and a firm commitment.

We all know that being a writer can be a lonely venture. A writing group provides social contact, support and encouragement even through the loneliest of these challenging times. As well as learning more about the craft, writers are very good at giving invaluable feedback and constructive suggestions on each other’s work. They are the tonic in the gin, the cola in the whiskey, the honey in the coffee.

​This course will give information and advice about starting your own group. It will cover such things as how to attract the right sort of members, how to facilitate meetings and what format meetings can take; including the format for Zoom just in case we ever need to employ that technology again. The course will also cover a variety of different writing exercises to ensure the meetings are productive.  
Joan will be drawing on her own experiences of starting the group Saddleworth Writers’ in 2015. This group has gone from strength to strength with a core of dedicated writers who are always open to welcoming new people. Joan is also an active member of two other groups, each with their own dynamic.
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“It is true to say that I owe much of my success as an indie author to the invaluable feedback I have received from my writing groups. They have criticised, suggested and encouraged in equal measure.”

You will find more information about Joan and her work at: www.docdreamuk.com and www.joharthan.co.uk

Monday

Bringing your Narrator to Life - Calvin Niles
How do we move our stories from the linear dimension of past and future, and expand them into new, enthralling dimensions? We don’t only experience our world through the storytelling brain; we experience our lives through our senses. With sharpened sensory awareness, we open the doorway to worlds of greater richness and depth. 

Bring your stories to life not by seeing new things, but by seeing the things in a new way.

In these highly engaging sessions, we will take a deep dive into our senses with fun mindful and writing exercises to unlock your creativity, sharpen your awareness and bring to the surface all those elements of our stories that go unnoticed and consequently, untold.
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Bring your current projects to this course or create new work and let mindful storytelling bring your narrator to life.
In the first part of the course, we will mindfully explore our less-dominant senses, journal and share our experiences with peers.  In the second part we will extract the richness of your recorded sensory experience and create or edit your enlivened story and share your work with the group.
Calvin Niles, The Mindful Storyteller, makes a positive impact on the lives of leaders, entrepreneurs, coaches, and wider society through his services and products. Through his experience in mindfulness, storytelling, coaching, and business, he empowers others to be authentic and impactful in their communication. Calvin has published his own collection of biographical stories, is a co-author of Mindfulness for Challenging Times, and is the author of spiritual fiction The Sun Rises in Eastmoor. Calvin will help you bring your stories to life by seeing things in a new way. 

For more details, see www.calvinniles.com
Science Fiction / Fantasy and Speculative Fiction - Andrew Bannister
Promoting Your Work - Val Penny
Writing YA Fiction - Lynne Hallett
Want to write a YA novel? Already have a draft but want to improve its chances of publication? Come along to this course where you will learn how to develop and structure your novel idea and create something that stands out from the crowd. Looking at how YA differs from middle grade, crossover and adult fiction, you will see how this determines choices about theme and characters. Interpretative and writing exercises will help you flesh out your characters and create settings in which they can operate, as well as giving them conflicts to overcome. There will be the opportunity to share your work and ask questions.

​Lynne Hallett is an English and Drama teacher at Malvern College. She has independently published nine books for children and is a frequent contributor of short stories to The People's Friend. She is currently writing two novels: one is a YA time slip and the other is women's fiction. She has been placed on three consecutive occasions in the Win-Your-Way-to-Swanwick competitions, both in the Short Story and Children's Story categories. 

Wednesday

Overcoming Novel Problems - Esther Chilton
​How often have you read the first fifty pages of a book and wondered if it’s ever going to get going? Or perhaps the story starts off well, only to tail off in the middle with characters that fail to come to life, too much ‘telling’, lots of mistakes and to top it all off, an ending that frustrates rather than satisfies. We can often see a problem with others’ stories and writing, but when it’s our own, precious story that we’ve spent months, or years, lovingly creating and cultivating, it’s hard to step back and to be objective.
 
As a freelance editor, that’s where I step in and help. I work with authors on books in all sorts of genres, and it’s surprising how the same issues come up again and again. During the two sessions, we’ll take a look at the following common problems, together with some tips on how to tackle them:
 
  • An overloaded opening
  • Lacklustre characters
  • No sense of place
  • Overexplaining
  • Too much tell and not enough show
  • Leaving your reader satisfied
  • Making mistakes
 
There will be some writing exercises to try out, with the option of sharing your work with other course participants. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions at the end.  
Esther Chilton has been a writing tutor for The Writers Bureau distance learning college for the past thirteen years. As well as winning several writing competitions herself, she is also Head Judge of Writers’ Forum magazine’s monthly short story competition. Esther has recently become a contributor for Jericho Writers and regularly has articles and short stories published in a variety of newspapers and magazines in the UK and abroad, ranging from The Guardian, to The People’s Friend, to Evergreen, to Your Cat.
 
She has also entered into the world of copywriting, undertaking work for Vodafone and national charity, Cats Protection. Currently, Esther runs her own copyediting business and loves helping others to achieve their writing dreams.
 
Blog: estherchiltonblog
Historical Fiction - Jennifer Wilson
From Neanderthals to the New Age, ruthless murders to romantic liaisons, there’s a historical fiction sub-genre for everybody; whether that’s as a reader or writer. That’s obviously a lot to fit into two hours, but over the two sessions of this short course, we will talk about the range of historical fiction options available to you, look at some top tips to keep your readers engaged, and have a go at some writing exercises too. There will be the opportunity to share some of your thoughts around these discussions, as well as short extracts of the writing you produce during the sessions, and time to answer questions at the end of each session.
Session 1:
  • What (when) is historical fiction?
  • Angles to explore, including beyond the obvious…
  • Settings, and how objects can help bring your time and place to life.
Session 2:
  • Is the past really such a foreign country?
  • Finding your voice.
  • Exploring different perspectives.

​Jennifer C. Wilson has been stalking dead monarchs since childhood, starting with Mary Queen of Scots, before moving onto Richard III. She is the author of the paranormal historical fiction Kindred Spirits series, following the ‘lives’ of some very interesting ghostly communities, published by Darkstroke, as well as writing historical romances, published through Ocelot Press. 
 Writing Believable LGBTQ+ Characters - Spencer Meakin
​We’ve all heard the phrase “Show don’t tell” when it comes to writing, but how can we apply that to LGBTQ+ characters without falling into harmful stereotypes or two dimensional characters? How can we provide believable representation for LGBTQ+ readers instead of giving them a ‘token gay’ character that probably dies at the end of the story?
 
Our first interactive session will cover all the basics and help you find the language to best describe your character’s gender identity and sexuality – i.e. the labels the acronym stands for and what they all mean. (There’s a lot, but don’t worry – even I don’t remember them all!)
We’ll also be looking at examples of texts that successfully show LGBTQ+ representation, and others that are not so successful, and discuss these. There will also be time put aside for any questions you may have on the topic of writing LGBTQ+ characters.
 
The second half is where we will put pen to paper! (or fingers to keyboards!) After a quick recap of the labels and language, we will focus on writing an introductory paragraph for one of your LGBTQ+ characters (keeping in mind the examples we talked about in session one) that SHOWS that your character is LGBTQ+ without saying it explicitly. (Although there is a time and place for that, which we will also talk about!) This part of the course will involve sharing your work and receiving feedback from myself and your peers as we get to grips with the subject.
 
This is a beginner friendly course but all levels are welcome! It will be a judgment free zone. There are no silly questions and all terminology will be explained!
Spencer Meakin (he/they) is a freelance writer, LGBTQ+ rights activist, and indie game developer. Spencer designed and created a hypertext game based on Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' called ‘Who is Alice?’ which explores different facets of identity and mental health. This can be found at anexerciseinmadness.com
Self Publishing - Gerald Hornsby & Anita Belli

Thursday

Turning the Pages - Sarah Ward
​Creating novels that keep the reader turning the pages can feel like a dark art. However, there are various devices the writer can employ to ensure their reader remains engrossed in the story. In this course, we will look at structure, first chapters, pacing, chapter endings, and choice of language to grip the reader. Students taking the course will feel confident they’re equipped with the tools to write compelling prose. The sessions will include short exercises that study successful novels acclaimed for their engrossing narratives and will give writers the opportunity to edit and share their prose in light of what they’ve learnt.
Sarah Ward is the author of four DC Childs novels set in the Derbyshire Peak District where she lives. She also writes Gothic historical thrillers under the name Rhiannon Ward. Her first, The Quickening, was a 2020 Radio Times book of the year and her second historical novel The Shadowing was a Daily Express critic's favourite of the year. She has also written Doctor Who audio dramas.
Reader Centric Poetry - Alison Chisholm
Unlike writers in other genres, poets write for themselves. There's no need to worry about market study or pleasing an editor, because you know you will be able to match your poem to an appropriate outlet. But for the cycle of communication to become complete, it's important to consider the 'end user' of the poem, the reader. This course will focus on the reader's expectations of poetry, and we'll produce the first draft of a reader-centric poem as we go.
Session 1
We'll consider what the reader wants from a poem, in terms of information, entertainment and emotional input, and how these requirements marry up with the piece the poet wants to write. After looking at the options for crafting reader-friendly and writer-satisfying poems, we'll begin to draft a poem that works for both.

Session 2
We'll discuss the drafts produced and the routes poets followed to write what they wanted to say, and think about other options for approaching the themes from the best angles. We'll finish by compiling a 'toolkit' for future reader-centric writing.
Alison Chisholm has been involved in poetry all her adult life, teaching speech and drama with an emphasis on delivering poetry, and writing poems which have appeared on radio and TV and in magazines, anthologies and twelve collections, as well as seven books on the craft of writing poetry. She gives readings, workshops and courses in Britain and overseas, delivers critiques and surgeries for the Poetry Society, and runs online courses via the Writers Bureau, adjudicates competitions and is a poetry columnist for Writing Magazine.
Writing Competitions - Vivien Brown
​This course will examine the many competitions open to writers – how to find the right ones for you, what the judges expect, and how to write and submit your entry to give yourself the best chance of success without breaking the rules
Session 1: The basics
  • Researching and choosing the right competitions for you.
  • Prizes: Prestigious competitions with hundreds of entries and big cash prizes versus small ‘just for fun’ competitions with token or ‘see your work in print’ prizes. 
  • Entry fees: How much is too much?
  • Feedback, and is it worth paying extra for?
  • Presentation, punctuation, grammar, word count, staples – Do they really matter?
  • Competition rules and regulations: What they mean and how to make sure you don’t break them.
Session 2: Perfecting your entry
  • Closing dates. Avoid the last-minute rush. Planning ahead, allowing time to think, re-read and edit.
  • Incorporating the theme, if any. If the theme is ‘Food’ you will not get away with someone simply eating a biscuit on page 3!
  • Past winners:  Can you access last year’s winning entries, and what do they tell you?
  • Who is the judge? What do we know about them, and what are they likely to be looking for?
  • Ready to submit? Don’t fall at the final hurdle. The mistakes writers make that could invalidate their entry.
  • Examples of recent competitions and winners, the judges who chose them, and comments from their judging reports.
Vivien Brown is a novelist, short story and article writer, and an experienced creative writing tutor. For the last seven years she has administered the writing competitions programme for the Society of Women Writers and Journalists (SWWJ), offering a variety of annual and one-off competitions covering short stories, flash fiction, non-fiction, travel writing, poetry and memoir. She is responsible for selecting and liaising with judges, writing the rules, advertising and promotion, receiving and checking entries, contacting the winners, and arranging ceremonies to present certificates, cash prizes and trophies. She has also judged several competitions for both adults and young writers, most recently the Time and Tide ‘Brilliant Women’ High Schools competition and the Rosemary Goodacre Memorial competition.
Writing Comedy - Rob Gee
Learn how to write something funny! Multi-award winning writer and performer, Rob Gee (“Seriously funny” Sunday Mirror) will guide you through the process of developing your ideas, creating scripts, effective editing and creating the perfect character. Forms of comedy will include sitcom, stand-up, sketch, songs, character monologue and comic verse. Whether writing for TV, radio or live audiences, learn how to make an audience collapse into laughter – or groan and howl – as well as various tricks of the trade. All ability levels welcome

​Comic, stand-up poet and reformed psychiatric nurse, Rob has clocked up over three thousand performances and shared stages with Harold Pinter, Sue Townsend, Jo Brand, Russell Howard, Alan Carr, Sarah Millican and Frankie Boyle. He’s written numerous comedy songs, sketches and shows for commission and regularly appears on BBC Radio. He’s won over twenty awards for his solo shows, including Best Solo Comedy at the Orlando and Buxton Fringe Festivals, Best Original Script at Orlando Fringe, and Best of Fest at the Calgary, Ottawa and Winnipeg Fringe Festivals. His comedy workshops also won the Make Me Happy award at Leicester Comedy Festival. See https://www.robgee.co.uk for more details.
"A week immersed in the creative energy of all levels of writers has been a fantastic and addictive experience."