Online Evening Course: Non-Fiction

“Why would anybody want to read that?”

It can be hard to believe that the things we want to write about could ever appeal to anybody else. And that can stop us writing – a self-fulfilling counsel of doom. Whatever your nonfiction material happens to be, raw and unfocussed, deeply personal or even drily technical, locked inside it somewhere is a compelling story waiting to be told. Whatever you bring, this course with non-fiction maestros John-Paul Flintoff and Melanie Mcgrath will help you to set your story free and reach readers.

The classic instruction for writers is to ‘Show, don’t tell’. In truth, it’s better to tell sometimes, not show. Writing compelling stories is about understanding how storytelling works and having the tools to make your writing vivid and clear. By choosing the right approach for the right occasion, you’ll learn to make the heartfelt comprehensible and the technical human. If you want to bring your non-fiction story to life, this course will show you how. And because this course extends over a longer period than any previous Arvon course, you’ll have the opportunity to generate a really substantial quantity of work, to see and deeply feel the changes in it. You’ll build a practice of writing consistently, and develop ties with others who might be companions in your writing career for years to come.

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, weekly socials and  ‘How I Write’ sessions with guest writers. 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: £400

Concessions: £200

As part of our effort to increase participation in the arts, a limited number of half-price concessions are available for this course at checkout.

Grants are available to help with the course fee

We are committed to making our Arvon at Home programme accessible to as many people as possible.

Across all of Arvon at Home

• All sessions will have auto-generated captioning.
• During sessions we will have a text version available via screen share.
• There is a Chat facility to ask any questions.

Masterclasses and Online Writing Day

• A recording of the Masterclass will be available to view for one month after it is aired live.
• There is a Chat and Q & A facility to ask any questions.
• Zoom webinar format (your video and audio will remain off throughout, & your name will not be visible to other participants so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).

How I Write

• There is a chat and Q&A facility to ask any questions.
• Zoom webinar format (your video and audio will remain off throughout, & your name will not be visible to other participants so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).

Subject to funding/permissions (please contact us for more details)

• Recording of Writing Weeks and Weekends.
• Downloadable transcripts.
• BSL interpretation.
• Live captioning.

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.