A chance to work with published authors froma wide range of genres

Poet and playwright Inua Ellams (Image: Archant)

Have you ever felt there was a book or novel inside you, just waiting to get out?

Even JK Rowling and George Orwell must have felt that at one time.

Maybe it just needs a spark or some inspiration?

Two of my own friends have recently achieved that dream, of having their first book published.

Joanna Carrick at The Mariners on the Ipswich Waterfront. (Image: Archant)

So it can be done, with lots of hard work.

One of the great opportunities provided by having a university in our town is the spin-off for the local community.

It is such a case with the UCS Writers’s Weekend in March 2016.

I met up with Gill Lowe, senior lecturer and course leader for the English BA (Hons), at UCS who is behind the first Writers’ Weekend, on March 12 and 13.

This brand new event at the Waterfront is open to budding writers from the wider community as well as students who have an urge to write, to help them develop their skills.

Workshop are being lead by a wide range of published authors from a variety of fields, from poetry to historical fiction, and writing for the stage and performance to short stories.

Gil said: “We have eight very talented writers and a publisher and a literary agent. Places are limited for each workshop, so they need to be booked quickly, to avoid disappointment.

“We already had bookings from London, Cambridge and from France.

“It is a very exciting event and we have some very talented writers.”

“We are offering beginners and practitioners the chance to work with published authors across a variety of literary genres.

“We have a really wide range of writers.

“No experience is necessary, all you need are writing materials and imagination. You don’t need to be published.

“It is for anyone in the community who wants to develop it.

“Participants can share ideas, develop new skills and talk about literary matters with eight gifted and inspiring writers, a publisher and a literary agent.”

The writers have come in from outside the area, including London, and locally.

The writers include playwright Joanna Carrick of the Red Rose Chain Theatre, poet and playwright Inua Ellams, Katie Ward author of Girl Reading, author and biographer Diana Souhami, novelist, playwright and actor and playwright Jason Hewitt and fiction writer Kate Worsley.

As part of the university out-reach a number of places have also been earmarked for promising local school pupls.

So it really is a great opportunity for budding writers.

“We are hoping this wil become a regular event,” Gill added.

Each three hour workshop costs £30.

Booking is via the UCS online shop.

www.ucs.ac.uk/english/writers’weekendandonlineshop

Find out more from: english@ucs.ac.uk