WRITERS' WORKSHOPS

The 'Write Now Retreat' in Glastonbury
POSTPONED UNTIL 2007

A weekend retreat for writers and potential writers in the magical environment of Glastonbury Abbey, including 24 hour access to the Abbey grounds!

"Judy Hall's writers' workshops are superb – As well as learning how to unblock the creative juices, you will have great fun. After a couple of Judy's weekend workshops I was inspired enough to enter a sitcom writing competition with the BBC and subsequently reached the finals – which was also great fun! Judy will get you to smile, loosen up and just write..." G.C.

Location: Abbey House, Glastonbury Times: Friday 12.00 noon to Sunday 4.00pm.
Cost: £350 - fully residential.

Have you always wanted to write? Is there a story waiting to be birthed? Are you suffering from writer’s block? Does lack of confidence hold you back? Or is it lack of inspiration? Do you want to write for fun, or with a view to publication?

This practical workshop will help you to write more freely and creatively, and will teach you how to overcome writer’s block and silence your inner critic. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, this is an opportunity to excite your imagination in a supportive, small group. Come and enjoy the pleasure of writing in the stimulating surrounds of Glastonbury Abbey. We will be covering non-fiction and fiction. Please be prepared to read your work out loud and to supportively and constructively appraise the work of others in the group.

If you want to write stories or novels for pleasure or publication, you will need characters and plots. People make your work come alive, but creating convincing characters can be daunting. Part of this workshop will focus on the process of creating a character and of putting that character into a believable plot. You can begin from scratch or bring your favourite characters along for honing.

Astrology is one of several tools we will be using. Astrology gives you a unique insight into people, and makes your characters leap off the page. Choose birthdays for your characters and you instantly know their personality, their secret hopes and dreams, their strengths and weaknesses, their vocabulary, and the mask they put on to meet the world. The beauty of it is, you don’t need to know anything about astrology before you begin the workshop, nor will you need to construct a birthchart. We will be using visual astrology and a specially written handbook that is part of the comprehensive course notes supplied.

The final part of this workshop will help you to develop a vague idea or half-completed manuscript into a compelling proposal to present to a publisher. It will then show you how to find the right publisher for your book and will look at the role of literary agents and the possibilities for self-publishing.

Limited numbers, personal attention.

Judy Hall has published 34 non-fiction books under her own name, ghost wrote 12 more, and has recently published her first novel, Torn Clouds. A member of the Society of Authors, she has twenty years of experience as a writer and has run workshops for over thirty years. Her publishers include Penguin Books, HarperCollins, Hamlyn, O Books and several American companies. Before becoming a writer, counsellor and karmic astrologer, she worked in public relations and marketing.

Booking: To reserve a place, send a £100 non-refundable deposit (cheque made out to 'Judy Hall') to Christine Tate at the address below, or:

If you are paying through PayPal, please enter your contact details and the workshop you are booking into the 'Message to Seller' window on the 'Make Payment' page.

The balance is due on 1st September and, in the event of cancellation, will only be refunded if someone can be found to take your place.
Christine Tate, 3 Bentlif Close, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 0EH, email Christine or phone 01206 364875.

ALSO – 'Write Now!' - Ongoing workshops in Dorset