What has the summer brought so far?
I know it’s been a while since the last blog post. Sometimes, life picks up a tremendous speed, just like the tide.
I have, as usual – been learning so much from facilitating my Creative Writing & Poetry Workshops and I wanted to share some Summer highlights with you here.
I am new to Blind Aid, facilitating weekly creative writing workshops in East London. Blind Aid is a charity which offers a wonderful service to adults who are blind or visually impaired. I have found new ways of engaging the group in the creative writing sessions. The response to playing Kate Tempest performing her poem ‘Icarus’ was really powerful. Group members were left breathless, enthralled and inspired.
If you haven’t listened to this, I urge you to do so:
http://scottishbooktrust.com/blog/teachers-librarians/2015/08/8-brilliant-slam-poetry-performances-on-youtube
We also listened to part of Kate Tempest’s performance of ‘Brand New Ancients;’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdE0BkP95Ng
Here are the responses from my Blind Aid Writers:
We are more than our stories
We review the ambiguity of human nature
We will become the ancients for the modern people
We are Gods & Devils at the same time
We all have a bit of hypocrisy within us
We are ruling in the realm of imagination
We are what we have been before. We are the same.
The past is similar to the future
Whatever she has written is a universal truth
We have to struggle through to understand ourselves
Self-analysis
Hidden truth – there is never a free freedom
We all need love but in different scenarios – whichever way it comes, we all need it
Whether protected or unprotected
The power of truth –
Is it her truth though? Is it her reality and her truth?
Anything else, nothing more, the emptiness of the silent Gods
It’s her duty to speak it out so boldly.
We celebrated our tenth Words & Wine Workshop last week.
It was a wonderfully lively evening in the private Green Shed/Summer House which is our regular venue for Words & Wine in Muswell Hill, N10. The theme was Summer. There were shells collected from Bournemouth beach recently (with the sand still inside), a fun collection of props, poems and writing prompts. Here are comments from a couple of our participants:
In a world that is often restrictive and routinised, Words & Wine offers a space to be free, expressive and ourselves. Thank you for the slice of creativity. – MC – Words & Wine Workshop ten, July 2018
Words & Wine Workshop Ten
It was free, fun writing with lots of cheese and wine. I wish I could come every week because it gives me a kick with my creative process. Thanks everyone, it was so much fun. KG – Words & Wine Workshop ten
We return with our Words & Wine Workshop on Tuesday 25th September 2018, 8-10pm. Here’s the booking link. We are continuing with the special fee of £25 for all of our group workshops, to celebrate Creative Writes Year of the Story 2018:
http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/words-wine/
Writing Time
I am incredibly grateful to be using the Words & Wine Summer House/Green Shed for my own writing too this summer. It’s so wonderful to have a dedicated time and space for my own writing.
I will be sharing my writing process and main themes which arise from this writing residency, during a workshop on Saturday 8th September 2018, 3-5pm.Join us in the Shed for writing and refreshments:
http://www.creativewrites.co.uk/words-from-the-shed/
Need some space?
In May & June, we delivered the first four Space To Write Wednesdays. These workshops were devised because lots of writers were telling us how much they craved space to write. They wanted some guidance but they also needed a dedicated time and place to show up and write. We also collaborated with North London Brass (Muswell Hill & Highgate), lead by Martyn Stogden and wrote to their music.
It all went really well and we will return on August 15th & 29th 2018 for the next two workshops.
This is what our writers said:
“I had a lovely evening at Space To Write. It was friendly and relaxing, totally non competitive and we could write at our own pace. No pressure or critique. We also had the unusual experience of watching a local brass band rehearsing in the Church next door which was an added bonus. I’ll definitely go again and I really recommend it to others as Nichola’s such a good and patient teacher.”
Here’s the booking link for 15th & 29th August, 7.30-9.30pm at North Bank, Muswell Hill Methodist Church, N10. You can book one or both workshops. They are just £25 each, including refreshments. Places are limited on all of our workshops:
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Thanks for reading!
Nichola x
Blog originally published here.
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