Time and permission to write
Monday February 24th - Saturday February 29th 2020
Totleigh Barton
There are many good reasons why you might have put off starting to write that story, that poem, that novel. Maybe you were too busy caring for someone, or your working life left you no time for anything else. There are others too: maybe you didn’t know any writers growing up, or your family wouldn’t like it. Maybe you lack confidence. For a week, we will suspend all these reasons, exploring story and language through games and exercises, with plenty of positive feedback. We strongly believe that everyone is entitled to write – and by the end of the week, we hope you’ll believe it too.
Single room price: £795
Tutor
—
—
Kate Clanchy is a poet, playwright and novelist. Her first collection of short stories, The Not- Dead & The Saved…
Tutor
—
—
Luke Wright is the author of two books of poems, two verse plays and eleven poetry stage shows. His latest is …
Guest
—
—
Matthew Sperling’s debut novel, Astroturf, was published by riverrun in 2018 and longlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize….
Totleigh Barton, the first ever Arvon centre, is a 16th-century manor house in one of the most peaceful and idyllic parts of Devon.
Monday
—
Arrive late afternoon, settle in, enjoy dinner and the tutors’ introduction to the week in the evening.
Tuesday
—
Morning workshops led by tutors. Afternoons are your time for writing and one-to-one tutorials. Tutors read from their work in the evening.
Wednesday
—
Morning workshops led by tutors. Afternoons are your time for writing and one-to-one tutorials. In the evening a guest speaker joins the group.
Thursday
—
Morning workshops led by tutors. Afternoons are your time for writing and one-to-one tutorials. You are free to spend this evening as you wish.
Friday
—
Tutors lead the final workshops in the morning. In the evening everyone gets together to share and celebrate their work.
Saturday
—
The week comes to a close after breakfast. Have a tissue handy to say your farewells to the group.
“I arrived at the beginning of the week wondering whether I might be a writer or even if I could write. But when I left, not only did I feel I could write, I knew that’s what I was going to do next.”
—Piers Torday
“It is invaluable to writers at an early stage to have this feedback on their work. Many people on my course said that they wished that they had received this type of input earlier in their career – that it might have borne fruit and improved their success. It also provides time to think – in an over complicated world it is hard to carve time for yourself against the requirements of work, family, and daily chores. Arvon was a breath of fresh creative air.”
—Penny Clark
“Both courses I attended have had a massive impact on my writing, and been part of the motivation and encouragement I needed to begin working professionally as a writer.”
—Course participant
