write with me

Over the last fifteen years I have taught creative writing courses (poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction) for the Adult Education Service, the WEA, and the University of Kent. In 2004 the University awarded me the Faculty of Humanities Teaching Prize for innovative and inspiring practices in the teaching of poetry, the first creative writing tutor ever to receive the prize.

 

Between 2004 and 2007 I directed a programme of poetry workshops – AppleHouse Poetry – to support apprentice and published poets in the south east of England. Weekly groups, Saturday workshops and master-classes were held at a studio in the middle of an apple orchard at my home in Kent and were lead by myself and some of the UK’s most notable poets: Ros Barber, Stephen Knight, Roddy Lumsden, Sean O’Brien, Maurice Riordan, Catherine Smith, Susan Wicks, and Tamar Yoseloff.

You can have a taste of the Applehouse Poetry Workshop experience by visiting the archive of AppleHouse Poetry Workshop Online where you'll find four years' worth of prompts, poems and practical writing exercises to browse through and try at your leisure.

I have also designed and delivered writing and performance workshops, Inset Day courses and personal development workshops for students, teachers and educators at a number of schools in the south east of England and Wales, including a course for teachers at the renowned Benenden School in the UK, ‘From Inspiration to Presentation’, and themed and inspirational workshops for children and young adults between the ages of 6 and 16.  

Greatness & Gratitude Workshop with Year 6 at Traethmelyn School, Port Talbot, South Wales.

The Stories of Hands with Year 2

I'm currently a freelance writer working in schools, with private organisations and groups, and with individual writers who are eager to improve and polish their own writing. If you have any questions or would like more information about writing workshops or private tutorials please contact me here.

Some testimonials:

My genuine response is that not only are you gifted but you have the ability to imprint your knowledge with clarity and enthusiasm, and your love of words is inspiring…

…within three months I went from wondering whether I could write poetry at all, to knowing that I had found the new direction that I wanted for my future life.

I have been on some writing courses (at Arvon and Cheltenham Festival) which were excellent – but nothing like as good as what you provided, encompassed and stimulated last night.

And perhaps the best testimonial any writer can ever ask for, from C. age 10:

This is the best thing I've ever done.