Creative Writing for Beginners: Newcastle City Library

Have you ever thought that there was a great story inside you, but you didnt know how to let it out? These sessions will help you unpick the lock. Hosted by local published writer Andrew Henley, each of the three sessions will focus on a different aspect to help beginners with their creative writing. You are welcome to attend just one, or all three of these free sessions.

Creating character - Wednesday 8 June, 2pm This session will focus on how to bring a character to life, how to make them leap off the page the way Holden Caulfield, Holly Golightly and Phillip Marlowe do. Learning techniques of vivid description that go deeper than looks but delve into a characters personality, by the end of this session youll be able to construct walking, talking people right there on the page.

Setting - Thursday 9 June, 2pm This session will focus on where your story takes place, and how to make that a living, breathing part of your story the way Hogwarts is to Harry Potter. How to give a setting personality, tone and atmosphere will all be covered, and by the end youll be ready to turn even the most mundane room into a world of your own. The art of the short story - Friday 10 June, 2pm This session will focus on the telling of stories themselves; how to get over the fear of the blank page, how to spin ideas until they snowball into something great.

A wide variety of examples and prompts will be provided on the day, and by end of the session youll have a pocketful of ideas on how to write the perfect story.   Image courtesy of Newcastle City Library