Surrey New Writers Festival

Ruth Brandt

Where to Begin with Your Book.

Do you think you would enjoy creative writing but are not sure where to start? Or do you have an idea for a novel or want to write about your life but don’t know how to go about it? This course will touch on the importance of reading for a writer, of being prepared to make mistakes  and the necessity of redrafting, and it will introduce you to techniques used to bring characters, real and fictional, to life on paper.

The course will be set in a relaxed, workshop atmosphere where you will be encouraged to write your own creative piece. No previous experience is necessary.

Michael Donkor

Presenting Friendships on the Page.

In this lively workshop, drawing inspiration from literary and other texts, we’ll explore ways of bringing complexity and humanity to the friendships within our fiction. We’ll experiment with exercises that encourage us to write dialogue which convincingly captures the humour and intimacy of conversation between old pals. We’ll also think about how depictions of the shifting power dynamics of friendships can drive plot in thrilling and unexpected ways.