Write here in France is a course designed for beginners who need a boost onto their next writing stage, or who want to find fresh and individual ways of transferring their personal history, their experience or their imaginations onto the page.
It works wonderfully well for new writers who want to find fresh impetus for their work.
The emphasis is on general writing skills which are
essential to writing novels, short stories, memoir, family history
and biography. There are many possible ways to structure
longer works of fiction and non-fiction. This course does not
focus on structuring longer works but I should be happy to critique
excerpts from your own work during the afternoon appointments. If there
is a demand for them, I can also arrange special courses devoted
to each longer form.
Beginners and new writers come in all ages and both sexes. Age range on the courses runs from the 20s to the 80s. Most fall in the 40 to 65 age range. There are usually slightly more women but men are also well represented on the course.
There are never more than eight course participants. Sometimes, depending on the time of year, a group might be small. The course works just as well for small as for larger groups. There are advantages to both; greater group interaction within the larger group, more individual tuition and focus on individual goals in the smaller group.
Courses are never cancelled, whatever their size, Participants usually book their holiday time and their flights well in advance and they can be confident that at Write here in France we respect their arrangements.
Write here in France is structured rather than rigid. The exercises and 'games' will take you by surprise. They are completely non-competitive and unthreatening. Although part of the pleasure of being in a workshop group is to read your work and have it constructively commented on by the tutor and your peers, there will be no pressure for you to read aloud until you feel comfortable in doing so. Almost without exception, each participant, however confident in everyday life and work, is initially afraid that his or her work will be the worst. There is no better or worse. Everyone has a strength to offer and each person who has attended the course has overcome any hesitancy within the first hour. So expect, perhaps, to be slightly nervous at first but know that you are in good company.
Monday
The first day I give a number of different and original warm-up exercises
to encourage you to overcome staleness or inhibition, to gain confidence
and to realise that, to tell your stories, you already have the tools
you need. It's just a question of sharpening them.
Tuesday The focus is on character. You will use characters from your past, photographs and the local people you meet to build up a character data bank which can and may be used on the final writing day. We'll look at 'round' and 'flat' characters and incorporate each type in some writing exercises. You'll find that you write easily and fluently and that your characters begin to live on the page.
Wednesday Dialogue is sometimes a writer's trip wire. There is a wide gap between good and bad dialogue. We look at examples of each, discuss what makes for realistic, effective dialogue then put what we have learned into practice.
Thursday Plot and story. What is the difference? What are the essential ingredients of plot? It is not as difficult as you might imagine. There are guidelines stretching back thousands of years. We'll look at what they are. We'll also discuss voice and then, if time allows, begin work on the short story or final piece of writing for the week.
Friday Brings the week's work to a climax with a short story or piece of individual writing which we shall read and begin to edit during the morning session.
You are welcome to bring your laptops with you but you will not need to use them during the class.
Afternoons during the week are free of formal tuition and course participants choose whether they want to continue with their writing or to explore the area. I can set extra exercises for anyone who would like them. I am on hand and, with an informal appointment structure, am happy to discuss individual projects. Whilst I do not undertake to read novels, I can read short excerpts from a novel in progress, short stories or excerpts from a memoir.
Throughout these days your own strengths will emerge and you will be encouraged to adapt the exercises to your particular goals. If you are still finding your way and are not yet sure what you want to write, that's alright too. There is plenty of time for exploration of what you enjoy writing and can express most naturally. That could eventually be plays, short stories, novels or memoir. We do some brief exercises using poems but poetry is not the focus of the course.
A course without feedback is of limited value. I shall point out your strengths and your weaknesses as we go along but always to encourage improvement, never destructively. During the week, the focus is on helping you to uncover your strengths and improve your technique. Confidence-building combined with constructive guidance is what Write here in France aims to give you, as well as techniques that will make your words real. By the end of your week here you will leave with:
- Confidence
- Inspiration
- Enhanced Writing Skills
- Motivation
YOUR COURSE TUTOR
Sharon Colback is a fiction writer and course facilitator, currently completing a novel and working on two volumes of themed short stories. For her short story Catching Carp, she was a prizewinner in the 2002 contest for the best short story published in the Southern African Review of Short Stories.
She was formerly a UK and international journalist who has lived and worked worldwide.
