May 24
Online
Masterclass: The Poetry of Care
How to write a poem when you've got 100 more important things to do (and how it can help)
‘I stood already committed to a profound duplicity of life… both sides of me were in dead earnest.’ Robert Louis Stevenson
How do we express all of ourselves in our poetry? Throw all the colours at the canvas of the page, from our most innocent yellows to our darkest, grubbiest purples?
Join Arvon favourites, and award-winning poets, Caroline Bird and Vanessa Kisuule to explore how to write about all facets of the human experience, from the kindest impulses to the dark depths of jealousy, selfishness, and despair. Through looking at poets like Patricia Smith, Tony Hoagland, Ai Ogawa and Kim Hyesoon, Caroline and Vanessa will guide you through lots of generative exercises and discussion to give you a boost of creativity that will last far beyond the course. For poets of all levels, but particularly suitable for those who are prepared to write a LOT of poems over the five weeks, and to be supportively guided out of their comfort zone.
Do you want to commit time to your writing but can only manage a couple of hours a week? Would you like a writing boost and a network of writing buddies? Then join us for this Arvon Evening Course which unpacks our popular 5-day online writing week over 5 weeks of evening classes. Each week, your tutors will deliver a workshop designed to propel your writing forward, with one-to-one tutorials offered mid-course, alongside tutor readings and weekly socials. You will develop a regular writing routine and come away from the course with a whole new network of contacts and companions for your writing years ahead.
Online: £450
Concessions: £315
As part of our effort to increase participation in the arts, we offer limited concessionary places at a 30% reduction. You can select this option at checkout if available.
We are committed to making our Arvon at Home programme accessible to as many people as possible.
Across all of Arvon at Home
Masterclasses
Online Writing Day
How I Write
Online Writing Weeks and Evening Courses
Subject to funding/permissions (please contact arvonathome@arvon.org for more details)
If you have any access issues that we have not covered here, please contact us on access@arvon.org
See here for more access information.
Week 1
Monday
18.00-18.15 Everyone gathers online in Arvon’s Zoom Writing House. Your Arvon host will welcome you and the tutors. You’ll get to meet everyone, ask questions, and settle in. Your tutors will ask you to start thinking about your writing, perhaps setting an exercise.
18.15-19.00 Tutors first session
19.00-19.15 Break
19.15-20.45 Tutors second session
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 2
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 Short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 1 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 3
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 Short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 2 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 4
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 1 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 5
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 2 workshop
Tuesday
17.30-19.00 Closing comments by your tutors, followed by group readings. An opportunity to share some of the new words you have conjured over the past 5 weeks in a celebratory atmosphere among new friends.
And then...
Next steps: The 5 weeks don’t stop here. You now have a writing community. Stay in touch. Share your work with each other, and take it forward!