Are you an aspiring author?
Or perhaps you’re previously published?
The Writer’s Workshop at St Vincent College doesn’t mind. This established course welcomes anyone with an interest in writing.
Three current classmates, Al, Colleen and Ollie sat down with their tutor Martin recently to reflect on how studying opened up a new chapter for them all.
The Writing Process
It’s been quite a journey for Colleen.
Just before the world turned upside down, Colleen’s grandson asked her to write a short story.
Coming out the other side of Covid, Colleen stepped into the Writer’s Workshop, dreaming of writing a children’s book. With three books under her belt now, inspired by childhood animals, she knows more than a little about the writing process.
Colleen has these words of wisdom for anyone struggling to put pen to paper:
“You really need to have it in you that you are interested in writing books. You need to really concentrate and really want to do it and go to the Writers’ Workshop and speak to other people interested in writing books.”
Fellow mature student Al has also been a regular attendee. His interest in creative writing really blossomed when off work a while ago.
Despite English not being his ‘best subject at school’, Al is now finessing his own novels, using newfound knowledge.
“The things I’ve learned here – priceless,” Alan enthused.
Bursting with ideas, Al has his sights set on penning a fascinating sci-fi novel. Finding inspiration from authors, podcasts and classmates too, Al is a firm believer in making sure your initial ideas leap out of your mind.
“Just write your ideas down then just go from there. That’s probably the one piece of advice anyone needs,” mused Al.
And for anyone a little further down the line who hits the wall, Al speaks from experience.
“If you are writing a story and you have hit the wall, take a step back, do something else, flush your brain and then come back to it with fresh eyes. That should hopefully keep the story going. It happens to me more often not which is why my desk is part writing station, part paint station.”
Class format
Writer’s Workshop classes are small and supportive. They provide a safe creative space for writers to evolve, facilitated by Martin.
One wordsmith, Ollie, has been coming for over ten years. Grief brought him to writing.
“I suffered a personal tragedy and I decided that I needed to do something. I felt writing was the best thing for me. I could project all the grief inside me out and learn something new,” Ollie recalled.
His confidence has grown so much that lending a helping hand to classmates who have a spot of the dreaded writer’s block is now second nature.
Martin’s supportive approach has been influential.
“Instead of saying ‘no, that’s rubbish’, it’s ‘you need to do this, that and the other to get to that point’, so someone can understand how to do the writing properly.” Ollie enthused.
With ideas coming from TV, radio and those around him, Ollie is also making waves in the industry. Recently he bagged himself a top 11 spot in a national crime-writers novel competition.
Taking a break from thoughts about his new ghostly crime novel, his mind flitted back to signing up for the Writer’s Workshop all those years ago.
“If you have written something and you’re stuck then look out your local colleges and see what courses they offer, and potentially go into a class and meet people face to face. If you do it online you are not going to get the same interaction. At the college, you are getting out, you are socialising and you get the help you need.”
Student success
Being a previous student on the course helps Martin, pictured below, identify with his students’ trials, tribulations and triumphs.
Proud of his own short stories and poems, Martin loves to see the likes of Al, Ollie and Colleen improve.
Turning to them, he draws the conversation to a close with the happiest of endings:
“I can see your progress, I can see it all in your work, as I can with all the students. It’s really good.”
Continue your journey
Apply for The Writer’s Workshop now on the course webpage.
After all, as Al puts it:
“If you want to write, don’t let anyone stop you.”
