Creative Writing Masterclass

PROGRAMME DETAILS

The best stories speak to the heart. They make us listen, think, feel and reveal. In this masterclass, writers will find their personal voice and the emotional core of their stories. Through a technique called aide memoire, writers will learn to engage their reader’s five senses in their words.

They will explore the relationship between dialogue and behavior, receive personalised feedback, think writing, talk it, do it and read it aloud. With an emphasis on the novel, personal essay and memoir, the masterclass examines the different styles of writing where novices and veterans can find themselves in language.

AREAS OF FOCUS

  • Learning to write confidently, cleanly and compellingly.
  • Finding a unique, personal voice in the written word.
  • Cultivating a sensitivity to language and expression
  • Discovering literature and different styles of writing.
  • Collaborating with like-minded writers for support and critique.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • Identifying and applying elements of writing that shape your story
  • Cultivate habits that keep the practice of writing in motion
  • Creating a language and an ear for supportive and effective critiquing
  • Experience the benefits of collaboration with like-minded peers

TRAINER

Claudette Sutherland has contributed to Los Angeles Magazine and is a member of Pen West. She was educated at Stephens College and the Yale School of Drama. She began her theatrical and television career in musical comedy, where she originated the role of “Smitty” in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. As a writer, she wrote and performed Dog Man, a solo show inspired by her experiences in real life. Produced by Joe Stern, Dog Man was performed at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles, and was subsequently invited to the Dublin Theatre Festival in 1996. Reviews for the show include Daily Variety which headlined the show as “…a truly original piece about the American Midwest” and “speak[ing] both to the heartland and the heart.” Her film credits include television shows such as Six Feet Under, NYPD Blue, Crossing Jordan, Golden Girls and several others.
Claudette has mentored many published writers throughout her teaching career, some of whom have gone on to become best-selling authors. They include Michael Scott (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel), Cynthia True (American Scream) and Brett Paesel (Mommies Who Drink). Her creative writing programme is based on writing exercises and constructive critiquing designed to keep the writer connected with the practice of their work. She has taught over 2,000 classes and brought several projects to publication. It is her pedagogical belief that there is much similarity between acting and writing. To her, both demand great attention to details and both are skills built on similar principles of language and structure.