Creative Writing Courses & Tutoring
As well as a writer, I am also a teacher of creative writing.
My particular strengths are teaching creative writing within the context of museums, galleries, archives, libraries, and all school and higher education settings. Please see below for the summary and feedback for my lessons on Speculative Fiction for teenagers at secondary school, as well as my sessions for graduates and faculty on Writing About Art at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge.
I design each course according to the needs of the audience and their setting. I can also set up writing groups within communities and lead them for several weeks until they are established. I can be booked in the Eastern region of England for in-person teaching, or anywhere for a webinar.
In addition to a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education, and a Master’s in Creative Writing, I am undertaking a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing from the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.
My Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing enables me to focus for a year on researching best practice in teaching creative writing, how to ground my lessons in up-to-date learning theory, and how and when (or if) to give feedback to other writers and not get in the way of their own aims, passions, and voice. For more information about this course see Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing | Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) (cam.ac.uk).
I am a member of the National Association of Writers in Education and The Society of Authors.
Ekphrasis for Beginners: Creative Writing and Art
Photograph by kind permission of Laura Jeffrey
This is an example of a creative writing course I based on the permanent art collection at the host institution, Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. The college generously supported this course as part of my Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing at ICE.
The four evening sessions were based on portraits in 1) the Old Combination Room; 2) the front entrance; 3) prints in a corridor; and 4) two murals. Correspondingly, we looked at examples of ekphrasis in 1) poetry; 2) short stories; 3) memoir; and 4) the biography of place – using Wolfson’s art collection to inspire participants’ own ekphrasis in these genres.
The participants were graduates, alumnae, and senior members of the college. Most had an academic background in History of Art or English, as well as previous experience in creative writing. They were a delightful and cohesive group from the very first session.
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The four evening classes on Ekphrasis provided a special space and time to focus and write unstinted. Joy’s lesson structure provided a framework to support our creative outpourings, everyone responding in a unique way. I think we were all surprised by what we were able to produce in such a short time. I loved every minute and feel stimulated and inspired to keep on writing.
Participant
It has been a joy to attend over the last few weeks … The ekphrasis course enabled me to appreciate my surroundings more, especially in College – where my eyes have opened to new perspectives. Additionally, I feel re-energised and invigorated by some new pieces of work, which I can now develop.
Participant
Teaching Speculative Fiction to Teenagers
Fantasy world map with kind permission from student participant
This course was made up of ten sessions for secondary school students during their 25 minute lunch break. At the beginning of each session, when the young people ate, I spoke for 7-10 minute using illustrated PowerPoints, centring on ways to create conflict in speculative fiction. We spent a great deal of the first few sessions mapping/drawing our worlds, and approaching them through geography, archetypes, language, etc. We also mapped the inner world of our protagonist.
The participants were nearly all Year 7 and Year 10 girls. Because speculative fiction has been historically a male genre, where possible, I used female authors and illustrators as my examples.
After the initial teaching, the young people chose whether to apply any part of it to their planning or writing. They also read their drafts and discussed their ideas with me. I limited my responses to either a) encouragement and/or b) asking questions to develop their thinking. Much of their writing was carried on at home.
In every session, I reminded the student that their writing was not school work and I was not a school teacher. I emphasised that the creative writing club was their time and they could reject/subvert all my writing suggestions. I recognised them as my fellow writers.
The course began with 3 students and grew to 25 students through word-of-mouth. It was a great privilege to teach this group of highly creative young writers. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing their drafts, extrapolating the logic of their worlds with them, and seeing photos on their devices of how they were using their home spaces to develop their stories (especially the post-it notes over their blinds/walls to build up plot and structure!). See picture below.
With permission from the student participant
Testimonials
“It has been a really brilliant experience for our students to have an expert writer in. A couple of the Year 10s, in particular, raved about it, saying Joy made them feel like real writers, and how much they enjoyed being treated like grown-ups, and how it was different from normal lessons.” English Teacher
“I know the power of developing the geography of the story first. I loved making the maps and the positive environment.” Student
“It spurred me on to write more and inspired my creative writing at home and at school - and I discovered other people who share my love of writing.” Student
“I really enjoyed working with a writer on my own story, driven by my own creativity.” Student.
“It gave me the building blocks to write and gave me a new motivation and enthusiasm for writing.” Student
“I learned about the different stages of writing – and to think things through before rushing in.” Student
“I discovered that good ideas aren’t forced, they can come to you when you aren’t trying.” Student
“I enjoyed making sticky notes of what I want to include in my story and putting them on my story wall at home to structure later.” Student
“I appreciated all of the tools and storylines we learnt to enhance the writing.” Student
“I now understand imagination is the most important thing”. Student
“My biggest takeaway was working with an amazing teacher who helped me understand how to make a story.” Student
“I worked out how to write a tricky middle of a story.” Student.
“I learned that ‘writer’s block’ is something that every writer experiences and sometimes you have to write loads of bad stuff to get to the good stuff. Just don’t give up and keep going, because your writing will never come out perfect first time.” Student
“I realised that persistence is what does it.” Student
“The best bit was all of it!” Student