1. Mindfulness and poetry sessions GMT 8am (see link for Australian timing). Short drop-in session to give you a wellbeing & creativity uplift, followed by a writing exercise – starting again 5 February
2. A more substantial Journaling and Mindfulness Workshop to press REFRESH on 2021 on 10 January. This is suitable for everyone, not just writers, to reflect on the strangeness that was 2020, what we’ve learnt and what we want to take with us into 2021.
3. A New Year Writing Shake-up on 21 January with new and old friends from across northern and southern hemispheres. This writing marathon includes quick-fire visual prompts and wordy challenges to keep your pen moving, find fresh perspectives & surprising ideas for new poems and stories. Loads of fun!
4. Poetry Masterclass One – Activate your Poetry with Dr Dai George – Thursday 11 February 2021. The power of your poetry comes through the verbs, the actions. Expand your knowledge, trip up your writing habits, refresh your poetic approach and be more conscious of where the action is by working closely with verbs!
5. Poetry Masterclass Two – Creating Dramatic Effect in Poetry with Glyn Maxwell – Monday 22 February. 2021 TS Eliot Prize short-listed poet and playwright, Glyn Maxwell will show you how to use dramatic techniques to write engaging poetry – through close readings of canonical poems, enjoyable writing exercises and games to you dial up the drama and strengthen voice and character.
6. Poetry Masterclass Three – Jump into imaginative worlds with Caroline Bird – Monday 15th March. A rare opportunity to join the 2020 Forward Prize winner (one of the biggest prizes in the UK) and poetry prodigy who had her first collection published by a major publisher at 15, in a small intensive workshop. Explore imaginative blocks and ideas for jumping off into exciting poetic landscapes led by vivid imagery. Find surprising and arresting imagery from the first line and enter worlds that are very real and captivating.
7. Plus a new intensive poetry feedback group launched in the New Year.
*************************
Coming up later in the year: More mindfulness, writing workshops and poetry masterclasses by Malika Booker, Mona Arshi, Carolyn Bird, Mimi Khalvati, Paul Hetherington (University of Canberra), Cath Drake and more. These workshops are mostly in the morning UK-time in order to join up with writers in Australia.
