Contemporary literature reflects a wide array of anxieties prevalent in today’s society. These concerns are often complex and interconnected, reflecting the multifaceted challenges of navigating the modern world. Through literature, authors provide insight into these anxieties, provoke critical reflection, and offer avenues for empathy, understanding, and engagement with pressing societal issues.
These creative writing workshops will discuss a range of concerns which writers may wish to address in their writing and explore ways of embedding these in their work. Attendees will be expected to write short pieces and share them with the class for peer feedback.
The workshops are led by Sarah Anthony, an experienced literature lecturer and teacher, and one of our judges for the 2024 HG Wells Short Story Competition.
Attendees are required to attend two sessions. In the first we will discuss methods of characterisation. You will then be given a short writing task to return within a week.
They will then be circulated to all the attendees and in the second session you will receive feedback from the tutor and through peer review. Participants will be limited to 10 per workshop.
The two workshops offer aspiring writers the opportunity to learn, write and share ideas online.
The workshops will be held via Zoom (booked attendees will be sent joining links a few days before the sessions). Each workshop comprises two dates, and you should attend BOTH. There are workshops for two different age categories:
21 and under: Saturday 11th May 10-11am AND Saturday 25th May 10-11am
Over 21s: Saturday 11th May 6-7pm AND Saturday 11th May 6-7pm
There will be a £10 FULLY REFUNDABLE booking fee for these courses. Over past years many people have booked courses, and then not attended, denying others the chance to take part. For this year, to book you have to pay a £10 booking fee. We will refund via PayPal the full £10 booking fee to all those that attend both sessions.
Book online via Eventbrite:
Workshop Tickets for 21 and under: Saturday 11th May 10-11am AND Saturday 25th May 10-11am
Workshop Tickets for Over 21s: Saturday 11th May 6-7pm AND Saturday 25th May 6-7pm
About Sarah Anthony
Sarah Anthony graduated from Bristol University with a degree in English and French literature. Her MA with the Open University followed, specialising in postcolonial literature. She has worked for the School of English at the University of Kent, co-ordinating their part-time programmes in English and American literature and Creative Writing and acting as academic advisor to international students.
Sarah has 15 years’ experience lecturing and teaching university undergraduates and adult learners at the University of Kent, for the Workers’ Educational Association and for the U3A. She has taught on subjects as disparate as the plays of Christopher Marlowe and the writers of the Windrush Generation, and has taken part in a TV documentary on E M Forster for international arts and culture channel ARTE. Current projects include the novels of John Steinbeck, the Bloomsbury Group, and 20th century Russian literature.