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

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,...

Blues to Jazz

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 4433 There 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...

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...

Strugglers

Get out of the rut! All the basics covered. 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...

JANÁČEK

Russia in Revolution

Nationalism in Music

SIBELIUS: Master of the Orchestra

MENDELSSOHN

With his unique blend of classical poise and romantic feeling, Mendelssohn was one of the great composers of the 19th century. His music has a special appeal and personality, and we shall explore some of his best loved works, as well as some wonderful music that is less well known. The music will be played on excellent hi-fi equipment,...

Quilting, corded and stuffed work

Silken Soutache Braid textile weekend course

Shadowlands

Drawing inspiration from ideas surrounding the landscape (gardens, plants) or abstract interpretations (Sonia Delaunay’s Orphism art, Cubism) using found materials as a resource, you will explore direct approaches for creating colour and movement in cloth. A whole range of techniques will be covered such as transfer printing with plants and stencils, simple resists methods, stitch and...

Creating a pattern reference book

*            Create your own pattern reference book *            Mark making, layering, collage and much more *            Explore pattern as a precursor to stitch *            Ideal for anyone who wants to develop their techniques Here is a weekend for anyone with a love of pattern and who enjoys creating their own using a range of pens, pencils and crayons, paper...

Creative writing: an introduction to life writing (online)

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...

Forensic science: poisoning (online)

The course will explore the fascinating topic of forensic science. In the first week participants will be introduced to a crime scene and each week will examine a piece of evidence relating to a suspected poisoning. As the course progresses participants will have to decide, based on the evidence collected: was a crime committed? What...

Creative writing: an introduction to short story writing (online)

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...

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...

Moving heaven and earth: Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown 1716 – 2016

2016 marks the tercentenary of the birth of 'Capability' Brown, England's Shakespeare of Gardening. The setting of Madingley Hall illustrates just one of his earth-moving projects. His inspirations as well as his engineering, hydraulic, architectural and artistic skills will be analysed through his major works. And still capable? This weekend conference will explore his ongoing...

Basic Chinese taster

This course will be taught in the context of contemporary and ancient Chinese culture. Led by the course tutor, you will focus on written and spoken Chinese, with lots of participation, a combination of traditional culture and digital media, and some creative contributions. Flexible to students’ abilities, the course will engage you in learning Chinese...

Introduction to Classical Greek

This course is intended for complete beginners who wish to gain some understanding of Classical Greek language and culture. It will introduce the Greek alphabet and pronunciation, and explore the influence of the Greeks on our language and all aspects of European culture: literature, art, philosophy, politics, sport and science.