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

Bookbinding – Half-leather

EDITING A NOVEL

An early draft of a novel is a very different beast froma finished manuscript. How do you get from one to the other, and how do you create distance between yourself and your manuscript? How can you hone your sentences while also digging deeper to discover three-dimensional characters and a natural narrative drive? Here is your chance to work with...

STARTING TO WRITE: NON FICTION

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...

POETRY

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...

FICTION

‘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...

NARRATIVE NON-FICTION

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...

POETRY: TOWARDS A COLLECTION

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...

CHILDREN’S TV

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...

FICTION

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,...

Improvers

Focus on note quality and practice. Build on Strugglers. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants to come on...

Intro to Jazz

Turn Pop/Rock/Blues/Country/Folk into smooh jazz arrangements. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants to come on a course but...

Fingerstyle

Picking patterns, solo fingerstyle, all genres. Acoustic and electric. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants to come on...

Performance

How to prepare for a deliver a solo, duet and band performance. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants...

Maintenance

Intonation and action set-up. Acoustic or electric. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants to come on a course...

Improvisation

Introduction level; escape out of the pentatonic minor scale. For details and Course Overviews please contact Ronnie on info@guitarweekends.co.uk or have a chat on 0844 272 4433There is an Early Bird Offer on until midnight of the 6th ofJanuary on all residential courses of £25 discount. Vouchers are available for anyone who wants to come on...

Paper Marbling

An introductory course for those who would like to learn the skills of traditional paper marbling. Complete beginners welcome.

Letterpress Printing – Greetings Cards

Come and learn how to print greetings cards the traditional way. Beginners welcome.

Read the Russian Alphabet

Read the Russian Alphabet

Lunch Talk – “A War Time Christmas”

Lunch Talk - "A War Time Christmas"

Argyll Scottish Country Dancing Weekend

Suitable for those who already have a good working knowledge of common steps and formations in Scottish Country Dancing, this weekend will provide you with an opportunity to improve your technique, learn new dances and enjoy all social aspects of Scottish Country Dancing. There will be social dancing on Friday and Saturday and classes both...

The medieval village landscape, 1000-1500AD (online)

This interactive, practical course introduces participants to the 'grammar' of the medieval landscape. It explains how visitors to villages can use evidence from the landscape around them - roads and hedges, buildings and greens - as well as from maps and other sources, to unravel the origins of many settlements. No background knowledge of medieval...

An introduction to international development: understanding contemporary issues and themes (online)

This online course is designed to introduce students to the field of international development. Participants will develop knowledge of contemporary issues and themes, such as poverty and livelihoods, global food security, aid, urbanisation, and sustainable development, and will be encouraged to think critically in looking at a variety of case studies and examples of international...

Exploring the Second Half of Life Through Mindfulness

A 3-day retreat for women to embrace the potential of the second half of life, teaching mindfulness and meditation techniques.