LeisureCourses.net – short courses & residential study breaks in great locations

Whether you're interested in your great-grandfather's four wives, a famous general or your own life history, this course will help you to sift through the facts to find a compelling story. We will discuss the ethics of writing about the past and explore the tools available for anyone who wants to bring it to life on the page. This series of workshops will give you the chance to experiment with your own writing and boost your confidence in creating a…

Jacob's Room was the novel in which Woolf began to find her distinctive voice; The Waves is arguably her finest achievement. We shall examine both novels, setting them in context. This course will be of particular interest to those who attended our 2013 course on Mrs Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, or to anyone with an interest in Woolf's novels.

This course is aimed at anyone who wants to write a biography, memoir or other form of non-fiction. It will use examples and practical exercises to guide students through the skills needed to write interesting non-fiction: research, editing, how to tell a story and ways of using discription. Given the nature of creative writing, it is important that students' use of English is sufficiently fluent to be able to understand in English nuances of meaning and have a familiarity with…

"For in this the most terrible work of human genius it is with the very springs and sources of nature that her student has set himself to deal...We have heard much and often from theologians of the light of revelation..but the darkness of revelation is here." Algernon Charles Swineburne

This day school is part of the 'One day, one novel' series for 2015-16. Each day school focuses on one novel and through a series of lecture and class discussions, helps you to study the novel in great depth, getting to know the author and the text as closely as possible.

This day school is part of the 'One day, one novel' series for 2015-16. Each day school focuses on one novel and through a series of lecture and class discussions, helps you to study the novel in great depth, getting to know the author and the text as closely as possible.

The appearance in 2013 of Ian Donaldson's brilliant life-and-works book on Shakespeare's friend and only serious rival Ben Jonson proves a wonderful stimulus for the study of three of his sourly evergreen comedies, The Alchemist, Volpone and Bartholemew Fair, and his tragedy Sejanus, recently and successfully revived at Stratford. There will be many laughs and much entertainment as well as a scattering of acid!

Fiction enables us to consider some challenging, vital and creative issues and moments in life, and to imagine how things could be otherwise. We will be reading and discussing prize-winning contemporary fiction including Eimear McBride's challenging A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing (2013), which explores the life of a young Irish girl. We will also look at Ali Smith's inspirational How to Be Both(2014), a book concerned with art and parallel lives, both 'compassionate' and 'playful'.

Funny, adventurous, wacky, imaginative, interesting books aimed at children between 6 and 11 years old are always on publishers' wish-lists. This course aims at helping you develop characters, plot, style and ideas, never losing sight of the current market, to get your children's book written and published.

This course examines the French side of cross-Channel competition and exchange, through key authors who have influenced crime writing since its establishment in the mid-19th century. The themes will be: i) the growth of French detectives in in inquisitorial system of justice; ii) the educational importance of the historical past on the events of the present; and iii) the sea change of English-language crime fiction when it 'influences' French writers.

This day school is part of the 'One day, one novel' series for 2015-16. Each day school focuses on one novel and through a series of lecture and class discussions, helps you to study the novel in great depth, getting to know the author and the text as closely as possible.

This day school is part of the 'One day, one novel' series for 2015-16. Each day school focuses on one novel and through a series of lecture and class discussions, helps you to study the novel in great depth, getting to know the author and the text as closely as possible.

Whether you aim to teach adults or children, this course is designed to equip you with the skills you need to get the best results from your students. The fundamental elements of creative writing will be covered alongside coaching in how to create a class atmosphere conducive to creativity and how to encourage, support and develop your own students' work.

Time to revisit the novels of Josephine Tey! You will gain from this course an overview of her life and works and come to appreciate the variety of her narrative techniques in The Man in the Queue, Miss Pym Disposes and The Franchise Affair. Lastly, we will follow Inspector Grant's investigation into the case of Richard III in The Daughter of Time, first published in 1951 but still topical today.

The interpretation of history mattered to Shakespeare and his contemporaries. Not only did the legitimacy of the Elizabethan regime under which they lived depend on a very particular reading of history, but retelling stories about the political past was a recognized way of talking obliquely about the political present. We will look closely at two of Shakespeare's plays, Richard II and Henry V, asking what interpretation they make of history, and what they have to say about the ways in…

Your mind is a treasure trove of creative memories. This course aims to open up that store and get you writing for fact or fiction, poetry or prose. Through writing exercises, discussion and tutor mini-lecture in a non-threatening environment you will come away with ideas, a beginning and a direction for your writing. Please bring a photo and an object which have a resonance for you and pen and paper.

It is fascinating to follow the play of memory across the rich body of work that Richard Wilbur, a poet who can fairly be called a modern master, has built up over 75 years. In shadowing him we may well find our own memories taking us by surprise.

We all have a rich treasury of anecdotes to share. But where do you start? Enjoyable exercises will help trigger memories and tell your story in a way that's lively and engaging. Whether you're writing for publication, family and friends, or simply to understand the meaning of your own life, this course will smooth the way.

The past might be your grandfather's experience of the Great War, the secret life of your house or your parents' early years as newcomers to post-war Britain. Whether you're just starting out or have already begun writing, this weekly course will help you to think more deeply about the past and the most compelling way to present it to your reader. Workshops will give you the chance to experiment with your own writing and boost your confidence in a friendly…

Best known for his ground-breaking novels, D H Lawrence was also a remarkable poet, sharply observant and possessed of a highly individual poetic voice. This course will examine a selection of his poems, relating them to the wider context of his life and times.

This short series of stimulating workshops aims to take the isolation and frustration out of creative writing, and inject enthusiasm and confidence in their place. The basic nuts and bolts of good fiction will be scrutinised, with attention to constructing a satisfying plot, writing believable characters, developing a narrative voice, creating effective dialogue, building atmosphere, sustaining tension and pace and, importantly, adopting useful strategies for self-editing. You will engage with your own writing equipped with new perspectives, fresh ideas and…

Flash fiction is the art of the very short story and is a great place for beginners to start and old hands to refine their skills. These sessions expose students to a range of styles, subjects and approaches and aim to build both confidence and expertise through writing short complete pieces of fiction. Challenging and satisfying, experiments in flash fiction will also equip you with the transferable skills of economic, efficient and effective writing.

Our focus will be on four finely crafted, highly regarded novels drawn from across a century and more. Each has a distinctive setting. We will explore narrative styles, themes and techniques and approaches to building character. What is memorable about each work and how does this affect or maybe influence our own thinking and enjoyment? To benefit fully from our discussions, it would be helpful if you could read the following in advance.  Conrad ‘Heart of Darkness’ (1902):  Forster  ‘A Passage to India’ (1924):…

The short story is often described as one of the most satisfying literary genres, both to read and to write. This course encourages students to identify how these stories 'work' by considering classic examples which, in each class, illustrate a particular aspect of short story composition. An exchange of ideas and responses between students and tutor enable the student to then put into practice what they have observed in a series of writing challenges, designed to extend their writing skills…

Light is essential for life and growth, so during this creative writing day we shall compare mankind's early belief in its origin with today's theory of the Big Bang. We also use light to describe insight, spiritual revelation and the search for knowledge. We shall use music, study and paintings of light in all its moods as stimuli for writing.

A look at the career of this classic mystery writer, whose novels have been re-issued recently. In this course we will examine together her early adventure thrillers, her serious - but often comic - detective novels and her later studies of crime such as The Tiger in the Smokeand Hide My Eyes. Learn the secrets of this 'entertainer with a deep concern for morality'.

Sometimes our ways of understanding the past, history, and our pressing decisions lead to contradictory interpretations and dangerous results. Byatt's Gothic Possession (1990) explores the parallel and intertwined lives of poets and researchers a century apart, revealing obsessions, hidden secrets and much about the sources of literature in personal lives. Margaret Atwood's most recent, lively and disruptive collection of short stories, Stone Mattress (2014), revisits and reimagines different histories, while The Children Act (2015) by Ian McEwan conducts a tale…

During this workshop we will look at some narrative techniques employed in creative writing and use writing exercises to source ideas and to further explore our creativity. All kinds of writing will be shared in a friendly group setting. Your tutor will be available to read work and offer advice for progression and there will be time for individual writing too. Beginners and more experienced writers welcome.

For anyone who has ever wanted to have their work published, this informative day reveals various insider publishing knowledge.

This enlivening day will stimulate your imagination and help you tease out a story from the everyday material around us.

Brilliant, original exercises extends your receptivity and imagination to progress in your writing craft.

This course is aimed at anyone who wants to write a biography, memoir or other form of non-fiction. It will use examples and practical exercises to guide students through the skills needed to write interesting non-fiction: research, editing, how to tell a story and ways of using discription. Given the nature of creative writing, it is important that students' use of English is sufficiently fluent to be able to understand in English nuances of meaning and have a familiarity with…

What are the most important influences which make us the adults we are today? Nature, nurture or our education in the widest sense? During this day we will explore the many areas of education we had as children: the teachers who inspired us with a love of learning and conversely those who sadly made us feel a failure and stupid. We will discuss a variety of novels and poems which describe many different schools and influences and their impact on…

The short story is often described as one of the most satisfying literary genres, both to read and to write. This course encourages students to identify how these stories 'work' by considering classic examples which, in each class, illustrate a particular aspect of short story composition. An exchange of ideas and responses between students and tutor enable the student to then put into practice what they have observed in a series of writing challenges, designed to extend their writing skills…

Telling our stories brings a renewed meaning to our life.Value your past experiences for a happy future in this course

Poetry and Creative Expression

This writing retreat is an invitation to explore the untamed terrain of our souls by connecting to the earth’s landscapes and our cosmological origin story.

Following the success of Arvon’s first-ever queer writingcourse, we return with another week on a queer slant. We will tackle the basics – character, dialogue, plotting – and also explore the challenges and opportunities that alternative sexualities bring to narrative, from pronoun concerns (he, she, they?) to avoiding the excesses of political correctness and writing inclusive and honest fiction. All genders, all sexualities, and all subject matters warmly welcomed.

Explore writing TV for six- to twelve-year-olds. Children’sTV has come a long way in the last 25 years. The audience may be young, but they’re fiercely critical – and spoilt for choice. So although there’s a strong market for children’s material, it’s highly competitive. We’ll look at how to hook your audience in and keep them watching. We’ll also cover the differences between writing live action and animation and talk about new opportunities in the digital space. You’ll leave equipped…

Making the leap to producing a collection is differentfrom writing single poems. Yet it’s a hugely creative and enjoyable process, which includes plenty of new writing as well as reading and editing. We’ve designed this week to support you at this exciting stage, whether you’re doing it for the first time or the fifteenth. Working on a collection also allows you to think beyond the single page, and see poems as an extended, related work: so the course is also…

This week we will explore a wide variety of narrativebasedtechniques for telling vivid non-fiction stories, with particular focus on reportage and memoir. Through an exploration of structure, research, storytelling, character, dialogue and scene-building, we will encourage authentic and vibrant writing with strong narrative and a deep respect for language. This week will suit all levels of experience. Participants are invited to submit up to 2,000 words of a work-in-progress, to be sent to The Hurst by 6 October 2017.

‘The course of true love never did run smooth’, andneither does the writing of a romantic novel. Like any strong relationship, a romantic novel needs firm foundations: a strong plot, secure framework and credible characters. Guiding you through all the above elements and more, we will explore the broad genre of romance and the market for it. Whether you’re newly embarked on a relationship with romantic fiction or much further along the path, we will help you deal with the…

Poets write out of their personal chaos – thepreoccupations that arise from their lives and relationships. But can private experience be poetically shaped to connect with a wider audience? Can we draw on the personal to create work that is publicly engaged? Drawing on concepts such as vision and inspiration, and poetic forms and approaches including ballads and confessionalism, we will explore ways to bear witness to our lives and times.

Do you have a non-fiction subject you are burning towrite about? Are you unsure how to turn it into a book, or what kind of book to write? This week will help you understand how to turn facts into compelling stories and how to make non-fiction as engaging as a novel. We will inspire you to explore the best ways to research and frame your story. We’ll include whether and how to put yourself into the book, and, crucially, how…