Course Tutors: Dave Simpson & Diane Whitley

This course will study television techniques with the aim of writing a 30 minute script which can be used as a calling card to help get a commission for a returning series or soap opera (see soap opera course - June 6). There are very few openings for inexperienced writers in television; Diane and Dave will help break that barrier down by looking at possibilities such as series like Doctors, The Bill, Casualty and the soaps in general, as well as using Diane’s expertise as a Granada Kids producer. You will be expected to come with a thirty minute television idea which will be assessed by the tutors before you start working on it over the week. If you are just starting out to write or have sold theatre/radio plays but can’t break into television, this is the course for you.




Course Tutors: Dave Simpson & Diane Whitley

Radio is the one medium that is actively seeking new writers and new scripts. It needs an enormous output of new plays, including the 45’ afternoon play each day of the week, slots on Woman’s Hour, late night slots, the 60’ Friday night play, the 60’ Saturday afternoon play and classic adaptations. It is the one medium where writers starting out should aim their scripts.

The course will be a practical course, looking at how to create a strong story with dramatic incident and believable characters, as well as studying radio techniques. The students will be expected to work on a short radio play or extract of a longer play which will be recorded at the end of the week.




Course Tutor: Willy Russell
Support Tutor: Dave Simpson

Willy Russell is one of the most successful writers of the last thirty years with huge hits like Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers. His work spans theatre, film and television, and more recently, the novel. Come and have a holiday in the sun with Willy and learn from an award-winning writer how he develops story and character from idea to page to performance. The course is suitable for those starting to write and for writers with some experience.




Course Tutor: Kay Mellor

Kay is one of the UK’s most successful television writers with a string of awards including a BAFTA, the prestigious Dennis Potter Award. Her hugely successful series such as Fat Friends, Playing the Field and Band of Gold are funny, truthful and moving. If you want to learn how Kay translates ideas into script then onto screen, how she creates good, strong characters and consistently fascinating and dramatic storylines over several series, come and find out. You will be expected to start writing a single TV play or work on an existing TV idea.

The course is suitable for both experienced writers who want to learn how to create and write series drama but also for non-experienced writers who simply want to learn the craft of writing for television.




Course Tutor: Ken Blakeson
Support Tutor: Dave Simpson

Did you know that soap opera writers can earn in excess of £100,000 per year?

Ken has had over 15 years experience of writing soap opera for both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

Come and learn how to write a successful soap episode from a master practitioner. Before being taken onto the writing team of a soap opera, writers usually have to write a trial script. Ken will take you through each step of how to write a trial script. You will be given an actual episode story-line that has already been transmitted. You will be asked to do a scene-by-scene breakdown of that episode before starting to write it. Ken will be on hand to give personal advice at each stage. Then on the final night, you will watch the actual episode that you have been writing!

Suitable for inexperienced writers as well as experienced writers wanting to break into soap opera. But they should know the characters from Coronation Street and/or Emmerdale.




Course Tutor: Julia Darling

Most people in their life time have incidents or moments which are dramatic and life-changing. It could be broken relationships, personal tragedy or trauma. It could be something life-affirming, even comical. If you feel you have always wanted to express those moments in writing, come along to Julia’s course which looks at autobiographical experience and how to turn this into creative fiction/poetry/drama.

Julia Darling, the celebrated poet and novelist of Crocodile Soup and the Booker longlisted novel, The Taxi Driver’s Daughter, is a very experienced and sensitive tutor who will help develop those personal moments into a fictional form.




Course Tutor: Jackie Kay

Jackie is an award-winning poet and novelist. Her collection of poems, Other Lovers, won the Somerset Maughan Award and her first novel, Trumpet, won the Guardian Fiction Prize.

Jackie’s course will include tutored workshops, one to one feedback and advice on crafting and re-writing, with emphasis on contemporary poetry. Beginners as well as experienced poets are welcome.

Jackie tutors regularly for the Arvon Foundation and her courses are always stimulating and inventive.




Course Tutor: Stella Duffy

Stella is an inventive and inspirational writing tutor and a very successful novelist. She has written eight novels, the latest of which, State of Happiness (Virago), was long listed for the 2004 Orange Prize and has been optioned for feature film development. She is also an award-winning short story writer and a dramatist.

This is a course that is seriously about beginning - no matter what style, genre, field or interest. Stella will use improvisation techniques as a kick-start both for prose and dialogue. The workshop material is simple, enjoyable and an alternative approach to boost flagging confidence, uninspired prose and help to deal with ‘writers block’ – the mythical catch-all that can mean you’re scared, stuck, or simply bored with what you’re doing! A course to get you going!
© Dave Simpson & Diane Whitley 2005