This academic year we are running two adult education courses in short story creative writing called Voices from the Cathedral.
This new initiative is part of the Cathedral Creatives programme and held in our new fully accessible Hostry Visitor and Education Centre.
The Cathedral Creatives programme also includes a new Art Studio class. Staged in the Hostry this offers experienced tuition to develop the visual using a variety of mediums and techniques.
Both courses are in ten week blocks split over three terms. They are lead by Patricia Mullin, a novelist and committed tutor, and cost £98 per term to include tea and coffee.
Voices from the Cathedral - Short story writing for beginners
Have you always wanted to write fiction, but lacked the confidence or inspiration? Voices from the Cathedral will give you the self-belief and the practical writing skills you need to begin the creative process of becoming a writer.
Using the Cathedral as inspiration students tap into the expert knowledge available in the community supported by staff and experts from the Cathedral. This is a unique opportunity to develop the craft of writing through investigating the Cathedral and its community.
Each week we look at aspects of writing techniques. The following are examples of aspects of the course content:
- point of view,
- writing style,
- dialogue,
- character,
- plot,
- editing,
- presentation,
- agents,
- publication and
- competition entry.
Cathedral Creatives - Creative Writing – Intermediate
Following on from last year's successful Creative Writing short story course, the intermediate course is suitable for those with experience of creative writing who want to develop their creative potential and work in depth. It is not necessary to have completed the Cathedral's short story course to attend. For those who have not attended the short story course a short sample of your writing should be submitted with your application.
Students on this course
- look in detail at a number of writers,
- hone their critical and analytical skills,
- look at different types of form and structure,
- gain an understanding of planning and sustaining longer fiction, working on a cohesive collection of short stories,
- analyse one another's writing, and
- learn about entering competitions.
Students are encouraged to form groups to support one another in areas that need developing.
Voices from the Cathedral - an anthology
An anthology of short pieces written by members of the intermediate Creative Writing Group has recently been published. Copies cost £10 and are available from the Cathedral Gift Shop and Jarrolds.
Patricia Mullin
Patricia studied at Colchester School of Art, Central School of Art and Design (now Central-St Martins), Goldsmiths and Norwich University of the Arts. She went on to enjoy a successful career as a designer and illustrator, designing fabrics for Liberty of London. Her artwork and illustrations were published in numerous national magazines and industry publications. She exhibited widely in London and the South East, where she was represented by the Brandler Gallery. Patricia’s first novel Gene Genie was published in 2005. She graduated from the Writing the Visual MA, directed by the poet George Szirtes, in 2007. Patricia teaches creative writing in a number of settings, while writing short fiction and completing her novel Casting Shadows.