Writing inspiration jam
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
- Course Code: HW403
- Dates: 28/04/24 - 28/04/24
- Time: 10:30 - 13:30
- Taught: Sun, Daytime
- Duration: 1 session
- Location: Online
- Tutor: Claire Collison
Course Code: HW403
Duration: 1 session
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Students will be given a range of writing prompts to inspire a piece of writing in a genre of their choice. Participants will receive tutor and peer feedback on their writing. This workshop is perfect for established writers looking for fresh inspiration or for beginning writers looking for ways into their writing journey.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
- Inspiration in our pockets.
- Inspiration on our doorstep.
- Inspiration from across the globe.
- The characters in our lives.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
- Understand the sources of inspiration available in your daily life.
- Develop strategies for spotting inspiration.
- Develop strategies for manipulating the events of your daily life into stories and poems.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a beginners course and is open to all. You will need a good grasp of English.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Through a mix of writing prompts, group work, pair discussion, workshopping and formal instruction from the tutor.
All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.
For classes longer than one day, regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Writing materials.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may be interested in doing some more creative writing in our fun introductory courses, Ways into creative writing or Ways into creative writing: an introduction. Feel free to call the department for more advice on which writing course to take next.
All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.
Writer and visual artist Claire Collison was awarded the Women Poets’ Prize, 2018. Her first novel was a finalist in the Dundee Book Prize, 2005. Her poetry appears in magazines and anthologies, and has been placed in Winchester, Resurgence, and Hippocrates prizes. She has worked as subeditor for MAKE, the magazine of Women’s Art, and Arts Editor for Disability Arts Magazine. Claire was the first MaxLiteracy writer at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, and designs engagement resources, including for the Government Art Collection, National Maritime Museum, and Photographers’ Gallery. She has led creative projects within hospitals and schools, and with refugees and asylum seekers, vulnerable adults, elders, and young children. Her recent cross-disciplinary project, Truth Is Beauty was performed in venues across the UK. She is a founder member of Poets for the Planet.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
