Residential Writing Course: Starting to Write

Can a novelist write biography? Can a poet write for the screen? What’s the difference between memoir and autofiction? Across this dynamic, generative and wide-ranging week, you’ll traverse different writing styles, push creative boundaries and play with form. You’ll gain professional insight into an increasingly mixed and cross-disciplinary literary ecosystem, learn how a nimble, fluid and free approach to genre can broaden your artistic horizons, and experience the joys of writing against the rules. In a series of group workshops, you’ll microdose a variety of genres – contemporary poetry, literary and hybrid fiction, songwriting, memoir and creative nonfiction – by undertaking inspiring in-class exercises and discussing a kaleidoscopic array of writers and artists, from Mona Arshi and James Baldwin to Anne Carson and Patti Smith. In one-to-one tutorials, we’ll consider your writing goals and visions, help you to identify strengths and areas of improvement in your work, and teach you how to nurture your best artistic instincts.

By the end of the week, you’ll have gained an understanding of different literary genres and conventions, and be newly equipped with the tools to experiment with them. This starting-to-write course is ideal for those at the very beginning of their writing journey or those who want to jumpstart their practice. It’s also suited to writers who have a work-in-progress in one genre, but want to push themselves into new creative territory.

What to Expect:

• Supportive workshops to deepen your craft: All the essential elements of writing, from tone and structure to character, voice and point of view

• Expert guidance from your tutors: Acclaimed and prizewinning writers share their insights into building a writing practice

• Personal Feedback: Focused 1:1 sessions with your tutors for constructive feedback on your work

• Inspiration from a range of texts: Learn more about technique from the very best of classic and contemporary work in all genres

• Writing Exercises: Try out new techniques, refine your style and let your imagination take flight

• Community: Share meals and workshops with a supportive group of fellow writers

• At the end of the week: You’ll leave with a new reading list, a full notebook, a sense of direction in your work and a greater understanding of how to create compelling narratives that feel fresh

*Please use the expandable links below to reveal timings and further details of the course schedule.

Room with indoor shared bathroom: £980

Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway: £915

Concessions: Room with indoor shared bathroom £686

Concessions: Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway £640.50

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.

What your course fee covers:

Tutoring: Four morning group workshops, with inspiring writing exercises to kick-start your creativity, plus two 1:1 tutorials, one with each tutor, focusing on your own work. Our tutors are some of the leading writers at work today, and in addition to formal workshops and tutorials you will share meals with them and have opportunities for more casual conversation. During evening readings, you’ll hear your tutors – and a guest speaker on Wednesday evening – share their work and answer your questions, from the secrets of their craft to the practicalities of life as a writer.

Your accommodation: A week in a grade II listed thatched Devon manor house in beautiful, peaceful west Devon.

All meals:  We hand over our well-stocked and welcoming kitchen to you, offering a fresh, tasty seasonal menu prepared from local ingredients where possible (with dietary requests catered for), as well as a cream tea on arrival and a constant supply of coffees, teas, and home-baked cakes throughout your stay.

Time and space to write: an opportunity to step away from the distractions of everyday life and focus solely on your creativity.

A community of writers: our writing weeks have a relaxed and sociable atmosphere and offer the perfect opportunity to meet like-minded people. Many of the writers who attend our residentials stay in touch and continue to share work and support one another’s writing journeys – sometimes even decades later.

Support for our charitable activity: Arvon is a charity, and each year over 40 of our courses are with vulnerable groups and schools, from young people who have experienced bullying to adults recovering from an addiction. Your course fee helps to support groups who would otherwise not have the opportunity to access our transformational courses.

Physical Access at Totleigh Barton:

We do not currently recommend this house if you are a wheelchair user. Totleigh Barton is a sixteenth-Century manor house and has many steps and tight corners. In the future we hope to redevelop the property to provide level access. For additional detailed information on physical access in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, dining, shared spaces and the grounds please visit our dedicated access page.

Please see our access page for general access information for residential courses.

Our grants scheme may be able to cover a portion of your course fees. Disability costs and additional living/support costs are taken into account when considering your grant application. You may also be entitled to concession pricing on selected courses.

If you have any questions or concerns and want to chat to a member of staff prior to booking please contact us on access@arvon.org

Totleigh Barton, the first ever Arvon centre, is a 16th-century manor house in one of the most peaceful and idyllic parts of Devon.

Totleigh Barton is a thatched manor house with single occupancy rooms and shared bathrooms. The house offers many comfortable lounge and spaces to relax and write throughout the house and a renovated barn offers a comfortable space for evening readings. Mobile and Wi-Fi signal is limited. We invite you to think of a retreat to this beautiful old house as a full ‘digital detox’ – a chance to make real progress with your writing with no distractions.

All your meals are provided, locally and sustainably sourced wherever possible. Help yourself to breakfast, our team will prepare lunch, and dinner is prepared in groups each evening using the delicious recipes and ingredients provided.

Totleigh Barton lies two miles from the village of Sheepwash, with walks along the River Torridge nearby. There is a beautiful and productive garden and quiet spaces on-site for writing.

See here for more information on Totleigh Barton.