Literature and Creative Writing

What is it that fires our imagination, beauty or love, joy or hatred, rivalry or friendship, truth or lies? Bring along your favourite extracts from literature to share with the group. It may be sections from a particular novel, poem or play or even lines that have stuck in your head since school. Expect lively discussions as a springboard for your creativity and inspiration to write our own quick fiction.

Each day we will focus on two or three extracts, why they are important to us and how they might inspire our own writing.

Questions on writing style or technique will arise naturally out of our own ideas, the material brought to the group and the work itself. I will not be imposing any creative writing exercises.

I will bring along my own favourites too:

- William Blake - 'The Little Black Boy'.

- William Shakespeare- Romeo and Juliet, scene in the tomb.

- Macbeth - Lady Macbeth washing her hands

- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre - scene in the red room.

- William Trevor - short story 'Ballroom of Romance'.

- James Joyce - final scene from Ulysses.

You will also need, pen and paper and/or a laptop if you prefer.

Geraldine Gent

BA 2:1, MA

About Geraldine

Geraldine Gent graduated from the University of Sussex: MA in Creative and Critical Writing, 2019 where she focussed on the work of Elizabeth Bowen. She has had an essay published in The Elizabeth Bowen Review.

She has also completed her debut novel: Ellen. It is inspired by the life of her grandmother who was a farmer in North Cork close to where Bowen's Court once stood. Geraldine spent her childhood summers there.

She taught English Language and Literature at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys where she received the grade of 'Outstanding' from Ofsted. She wrote lesson plans for the BBC website.

She promises to provide a stimulating and lively environment enabling participants to write with flair and creativity.