Let’s be daring and celebrate!
The weather may of course shift any minute but at the moment, let’s celebrate the sunshine and use this to trigger a new season of creativity.
It’s been a while since the last blog post and it feels great to be sitting down and writing. Life has been a whirlwind of creative writing workshops, meetings and experiences that I am really grateful for. Here at Creative Writes, we voyaged to new horizons, developing our workshops in the community and also in the corporate sector. This included two staff workshops for the brand creation and marketing company Brand & Deliver:
Our team had a great session and really opened my mind to different ways of approaching creative writing. It’s always nice to find new techniques that can help you approach projects differently.
T.B – Art Director – Brand & Deliver
The staff team seemed to really appreciate the space which Creative Writes provided, where they could play with words and be creative, without critique or pressure to produce a polished product. In turn, it was exciting for me to have the opportunity to work in a new setting and to be reminded of the benefits of our motivational, free flow creative writing exercises. We focussed on Character and worked in pairs as well as individually.
IN THE COMMUNITY…
New partnerships include Blind Aid, which is a wonderful charity delivering emotional and practical support to blind and visually impaired people. I facilitate a weekly creative writing workshop and I am learning a great deal – experimenting with different ways of working and engaging with the group.
Creative Writes was invited to deliver a workshop for the Terrence Higgins Trust in Hillingdon, which went really well. The group members hadn’t written creatively for a long time but with support and guidance, they were soon scribbling away – focussing mainly on life writing.
I have also been invited to continue working with Richmond Theatre, delivering creative writing workshops again in the Summer term, which I am incredibly excited about as I adore the theatre! At the end of the first term, the writers read their work to the theatre staff team, including a short play, monologues and writing from the theatre’s point of view. After the term ended, I received the comment below from a participant:
Thank you for a great course. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one.
A.R. – participant at Richmond Theatre Creative Writing Workshops, January – March 2018
I will be sharing booking details for the new term at Richmond Theatre soon. If you would like to be kept informed, please email me: [email protected]
World Poetry Day…
It was World Poetry Day on 21st March and we took the opportunity in our community workshops to celebrate. Poetry included Maya Angelou’s ‘Still I Rise,’ which was projected onto the walls of the Palace of Westminster on the day. We also enjoyed Wendy Cope’s humorous poetry. Wendy Cope is a national treasure and it was great to have the excuse to read her work again.
MEANWHILE, OVER AT CREATIVE WRITES HEADQUARTERS…
Blogs Etc
We first delivered the Creative Writes Blogs Etc Workshops back in 2013 at the Clissold Arms pub in East Finchley. In response to new enquiries, we decided to offer it again in February – March this year. This time around, there were two workshops at our regular and much loved venue, North Bank house in Muswell Hill. Little did we know that on the night of the first workshop, there would be a snow storm! Amazingly, most of the group made it along and I received the comment below in an email the following day:
Many thanks Nichola, well worth braving the cold and snow for.
R.A – Blogs Etc participant, February-March 2018
The focus was on the creative element of blogging and generating content. The writers left armed with brand new blog posts and ideas with which to develop their work. We plan to offer Blogs Etc again in the Autumn. If you are interested in attending, please email us: [email protected]
Words & Wine
Many of you would have read about our Words & Wine Workshops, which began in the Summer at the inviting and inspiring private summer house in Muswell Hill. Some of you have attended too! The evenings have gone from strength to strength and they are an honour to host. The atmosphere is really special and there are words, wine, cheese and chocs for just £25 to celebrate Year of the Story. The workshops will continue each month. Words & Wine in March was fully booked. Here’s a comment from a group member:
I just wanted to thank you for such an amazing evening last week. Having never been to a workshop before I was slightly nervous and unsure of what to expect, however I thoroughly enjoyed the evening and very quickly felt really at ease. I had a really stimulating and interesting evening with lovely people and have left with a million ideas- I’ll be back!
G.J.C – Words & Wine participant, March 2018
Here are some snaps taken at Words & Wine Workshops this year…
What’s new?
Space To Write Wednesdays!
Providing space to write is at the heart of what we do. So, from Wednesday 9th May 2018, we are offering Space To Write Wednesdays, at the inspiring venue we have been using since we began – North Bank, N10. The weather will hopefully be kind to us and we can write in the beautiful garden! We are delighted to be be collaborating with NLB (North London Brass) Highgate & Muswell Hill Band. The Band will be performing ‘Reflections In Brass’ at Highgate URC, Pond Square Chapel, Highgate Village on the evening of Wednesday 27th June 2018 and participants from Space To Write Wednesdays will have the opportunity to write to music from the concert and read their work on the night.
Creative Writes Workshop dates for your diary…
Words & Wine – Secret Summer House, N10, 8-10pm:
April 26th 2018
May 24th 2018
June 28th 2018
Info & booking here: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/words-wine/
Space To Write Wednesdays – North Bank, N10, 7.30-9.30pm:
May 9th & 23rd 2018
June 6th & 20th 2018 (Highgate village concert & reading option on June 27th 2018)
Info & booking here: http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/space-write-wednesdays/
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my volunteers Jane and Adam for their continued support on team CW!
Thanks for reading! I look forward to welcoming you to a Creative Writes Workshop soon. Comments welcome here.
Bye for now,
Nichola x
Blog originally published here.
2 thoughts on “Spring Has Sprung, It’s Time to Write!”
Inspirational! Nichola’s Words with Wine Workshops are such fun, and before you know it you have written something which you didn’t realise you were capable of (may have been the wine of course!!) Highly recommended and great value!
Thanks so much Barbara! It’s always a pleasure to have you at Words & Wine and I am delighted you enjoy it. All welcome.