Tag: nonfiction (page 1 of 6)

Thinking Small and Large: the Fascinating Story of Microbe Power by Narrative Non-Fiction Tutor Peter Forbes

Author and Narrative Non-Fiction Tutor, Peter Forbes

 

Peter Forbes has been teaching City St Georges’ Narrative Non-Fiction short course for almost a decade and in that time has shepherded countless students towards publication. This year sees the publication of his new book, Thinking Small and Large: How Microbes Made and Can Save our World. Ahead of its launch, we caught up with Peter to find out more about the book, his teaching and the mighty power of microbes.

 

  1. What first sparked your interest in microbes?

 

I spent the first half of my life not at all interested in microbes, so I was very typical of the readers I’m trying to reach. I read chemistry at university and what interested me most even then was geochemistry and the origin of life. Very little was known about the origin then and my life went in a different direction – I was editor of the Poetry Society’s magazine Poetry Review for sixteen years. But I had also, when I worked as a natural history desk editor in the pre-Poetry Review phase, become deeply interested in biology. I learnt that the amazing abilities of some animals and plants lay in the nanoworld inside their cells – the protein nanomachines. After Poetry Review, I started to write on biological topics and my first two books were about creatures like the gecko with their incredible adhesion, the lotus plant with its water-repelling properties, spider silk with its incredible strength, and the remarkable range of mimicry in nature. These led inexorably to the microbes in which the protein nanomachines that lie behind all life’s amazing properties first developed.

 

  1. Could you share a surprising discovery about microbes that changed your own perspective during your research?

 

There were many but the big discovery was that the early microbes were able to create biomass through the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide without the now universal process of photosynthesis. And today, in our efforts to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, technologists are using some of those ancient bacteria to make ethanol and hence jet fuels, chemicals, materials and even food from carbon dioxide – the very substance that is causing global heating. The uncanny convergence of this four-billion-year full circle in the life of the planet is the single most astonishing discovery I made.

 

  1. What were the biggest challenges in translating complex scientific concepts about microbes into accessible narratives for general readers?

 

The book is called Thinking Small and Large because I believe that the scale at which life operates is very hard for people to grasp. We have evolved to deal with the world we can see but life’s processes operate on a scale of around a million times smaller than anything we can see and in the environment on a vast scale through processes that are just as invisible as the workings of the inside of the cell – the global transfer of gases between living things, the air, the waters, the rocks and the soil.

 

I want readers to be able to grasp that the world inside the cell – itself so small to our normal perception – is actual enormous. Inside every living cell is a gigantic, elaborated world like a 3D nano-Venice with teeming chemical routes worming their way through the cell in all directions, with nano analogues of settlements, stores, factories, highways, power stations, subway lines, cars – giants of the infinitesimal, as my late colleague, the sculptor Tom Grimsey called them.

 

  1. What’s one misconception about microbes you hope your book helps to correct?

 

The biggest and most damaging misconception is that microbes primarily exist to prey on us. We are very much latecomers in life on earth; microbes (bacteria and other single-celled creature), had the world to themselves for over 3 billion years. Homo sapiens has been around as a species for 300,000 years and as a major ecological disrupter for no more than about 10,000 of them. Microbes are incredibly chemically versatile and opportunistic, with a dazzling ability to evolve new biological machinery and so, yes, some eventually evolved to be parasitic on human beings as well as fulfilling other functions in the biosphere.

 

  1. You balance roles as both an author and educator of narrative non-fiction. How does your teaching influence your writing process, and vice versa?

 

The best way to learn anything is to try to teach it. Teaching writing helped me to find a rationale for what makes writing effective and appealing to read: the compositional techniques that anyone can employ once they know what they are. Teaching writing also teaches you to practice what you preach. And on the course I experience a wonderful range of styles and subject matter.

 

  1. How has your background as a poetry editor influenced your non-fiction writing and teaching?

 

I always tell the students that poetry is the non-fiction writer’s friend. Poetry is obviously an art in which every word counts – whatever else it is it cannot be just workaday, just about fit for purpose language. And good non-fiction should be just as well composed. I urge them to read their drafts aloud and to take note of the rhythm. “Sound as the echo to the sense” is a very good motto. And apposite poetry quotation is one way to inject another dimension into the subject (with the caveat that if the poetry, however short, is in copyright permission to reproduce is mandatory and expensive).

 

  1. What advice would you give to aspiring UK non-fiction writers trying to make specialised topics engaging for mainstream audiences?

 

I believe you need to research your subject from as many different viewpoints as possible. I always say that when you compare your book text to the sample chapter and synopsis you wrote at the start you should find that most of it emerged from research after the book was contracted: the best material and stories were unknown to you when you wrote the proposal. That means following every angle that the research brings up: travel to the key places if you can; talk to as many people as possible; bring your lifetime’s reading to bear on your subject.

 

  1. What are you working on now?

 

Writing a book is a long and exhausting process. Your subject doesn’t stop developing when the book text is complete and it’s good to follow up with some articles. It is a great time in science. It’s easy to lose sight of this in the current global turmoil. Like poetry, science is a great source of hope and inspiration to me.

Thanks so much, Peter! For anyone interested in the book, you can pre-order HERE.

And for anyone wanting to take Peter’s course, see HERE for more information or HERE for our full range of writing short courses.

Starting the Year with a New Skill: Embrace Learning at City St George’s

New Year’s resolutions often feel like a list of restrictions: exercise more, cut out chocolate, reduce alcohol intake. But what if we reframed our approach? Instead of focusing on what we can’t do, let’s concentrate on what we can learn.

 Why Learning Matters

Research consistently demonstrates the benefits of acquiring new skills. Learning:

 Discover Your Next Skill at City St George’s

This year, break free from traditional resolutions. Our short courses offer exciting opportunities to expand your horizons:

 Learn a Language

Brush up on your Business Skills

Start your Story

Craft your Creativity

Computer says Yes

 

Your Journey Starts Here

Learning doesn’t need to be one more thing on your to do list—it’s about discovery and personal transformation. Choose a course that sparks your curiosity and embark on a journey towards your own personal growth.

Explore our range of short courses and turn this new year into an opportunity for personal and professional development. Book soon to avoid disappointment.

Have a question? Contact our friendly short course team on shortcourses@city.ac.uk

 

City Writes Autumn 2024 – A Cracking way to Kick off the Festive Season

By Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

You know you’re on the way to a great festive season when it begins with a night of stories, and the City Writes Autumn 2024 event on the 11th December was a storytelling extravaganza. We had six brilliant competition winning stories, read by their authors, and a reading and Q&A with the wonderfully funny, Novel Studio alumna and debut author, Jo Cunningham. You can enjoy the whole event here, but do read on for further details.

We kicked off with Joanna Bawa’s ominous story about a death prediction app, ‘DeathDefy’. Joanna is an alumna of the Writing the Memoir course. Her story is a powerful reminder of human greed and laziness in the face of climate change and began a theme around predictions and algorithms that Jo Cunningham’s novel, Death By Numbers, would complete.

Writers’ Workshop alumna, Aditi Parekh, was next, reading from her novel, with the working title The Sabbatical. We were transported to The Netherlands following one woman’s attempts to find friends through a very different app. What she found was not a friend exactly, but the meeting was one that provoked much response from the audience. I think we all know someone who thinks a conversation is great when they’ve done all the talking…

We travelled to Northern Ireland next as Short Story Writing alumnus, Robin Sheeran read his story, ‘Summer Job’. A beautifully observed story set in a cemetery, with some very creative grave-digging, ‘Summer Job’ was a treat to listen to.

From fiction to non-fiction, we were in for another very different treat next as Doug Kessler shared an extract from his book-length project, Adam in 20 Snapshots. An alumnus of Narrative Non-Fiction, Doug’s moving reading about an absent brother with Downs Syndrome really captured the audience. Told, as the title suggests, through descriptions of photographs, the extract moved several listeners to tears. This is a book that has an eager audience awaiting its completion.

We were swept back into the world of fiction next with the surprising, shocking and funny story, ‘To Crazy Shane’ written and read by Tunde Oyebode. Tunde is a Writers’ Workshop alumnus, and veteran City Writes competition winner. This story is a riot of observation and action with incisive social commentary spread throughout.

This brilliant story was followed by our last competition winner, Audrey Madden, another Writers’ Workshop alumna. Audrey read an extract from her novel, Matriarchal Lines, taking us right into the heart of a family reunion with a feisty grandmother winning at cards, and two little toddlers running off with a set of pretty knives. We were gripped. It was a fabulous reading to end a series of incredibly inspired and inspiring writing from the competition winners. They definitely were showcasing the talent of City’s short creative writing courses.

Luckily, we had Jo Cunningham as our published guest to follow these wonderful tales with two brilliant and hilarious readings from her cosy crime novel, Death By Numbers.

Author and guest alumna Jo Cunningham

 

Death By Numbers is a wonderfully funny book about actuary Una whose numbers on predicted deaths in seaside resorts are all wrong. There are some unusual deaths that don’t fit her predictions. Imagine her worry when she discovers they are happening in her mum’s home town and to friends of her mum and her mum’s new boyfriend, soon to be husband… This is a must read for the festive season.

If you haven’t read it already, this is the novel you need to escape into after all that food and drink. Jo generously answered questions from host and audience on her writing journey, how to write comedy, how to research and plan (if not in the way you might expect), and the challenges of writing a series. The next one is out in August of 2025 and is set around the Supreme Cat Show (crufts for cats). I for one, can’t wait!

Thanks to all the readers, our wonderful guest Jo Cunningham and the audience. Click here for a video of the event, here for an interview with Jo, and do look out for further information on next term’s City Writes. City Writes Spring 2025 is going to be special. An in-person event with competition winners, the supremely talented alumna, Han Smith as our author guest, and readings from tutors. Watch this space for more.

Announcing the City Writes Autumn 2024 Competition Winners!

 By Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

Congratulations to Joanna Bawa, Doug Kessler, Audrey Madden, Tunde Oyebode, Aditi Parekh and Robin Sheeran, this term’s winners of the City Writes competition! From complex family histories, through childhood summer afternoons, airport queues, befriending apps and graveyards all the way to AI envisioned futures, this term’s selection of writing has it all. You can hear these fantastic stories being read by their authors alongside debut crime writer Jo Cunningham, at this term’s City Writes event on the 11th December at 7pm on Zoom. Register here to come along and read on for more information on our wonderful winners.

Joanna Bawa is a professional and creative writer, currently working as a ghostwriter. This complements her work as a cognitive behavioural therapist, combining an appreciation of the power of words and the complexity of human nature. She belongs to a local writing group where her fiction and poetry has won awards, and her first novel was longlisted in the 2019 Mslexia novel competition. She is working on a second novel, and her piece for City Writes, ‘DeathDefy’, may become a third. Joanna is an alumna of the Writing the Memoir course.

Doug Kessler is an expat Yank who’s lived and worked in London for the last 34 years.
He’s a marketing copywriter and agency founder but pretty new to narrative non-fiction, short stories, and poetry. Adam in 20 Snapshots is his first book-length project, of which he will be reading an extract. Doug is a Narrative Non-Fiction alumnus.

Audrey Madden is currently writing her first book while working in the not for profit arts and culture sector. She has a degree in English & Comparative Literature from Goldsmiths University. Her work is inspired by nature and the different environments that exist across the United States and the UK. A Writers’ Workshop alumna, Audrey will be reading an extract from her novel, Matriarchal Lines.

Aditi Parekh is an aspiring writer and student of Writers’ Workshop. She is interested in human psychology, particularly the dark triads and group dynamics. She is currently working on a novel, with the working title The Sabbatical, which describes a woman’s struggle with drug addiction and her descent into madness. She will be reading an extract from the novel.

Tunde Oyebode is a Nigerian-British architect and writer based in East London. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, his fiction explores human relationships and African diaspora experiences. His work has been featured in Stylist Magazine, Obsidian, and Solstice Literary Magazine. A finalist for the 2023 London Independent Story Prize and the 2024 Solstice Literary Magazine Prize, he was also nominated for Best of the Net. Tunde is currently looking to publish a collection of interconnected short stories. Outside writing, he enjoys cycling and photographing architecture. A Writers’ Workshop alumnus, Tunde will be reading ‘To Crazy Shane’.

Robin Sheeran is a native of Belfast. He studied Film and Literature at Warwick University and is a former BBC journalist. Robin is interested in producing stonking characters and crackling dialogue. His work uses dark humour to examine how we relate to each other. Robin is the current holder of the international Piazza Grande Religion Journalism Award for his writing for New Humanist. He ghostwrote Going the Distance, the autobiography of endurance cyclist Joe Barr, published by Gill Books in 2021. A Short Story Writing alumnus, Robin will be reading his story, ‘Summer Job’.

Just from reading their biographies you get a sense of the night of stories that awaits on Wednesday 11th December at 7pm over Zoom. Alongside these wonderful competition winners will be our cosy crime author and Novel Studio alumna, Jo Cunningham, whose novel Death By Numbers came out earlier this year. Register here to listen to all these authors on 11th December at 7pm. Can’t wait to see you there!

Guest alumna Jo Cunningham, author of Death by Numbers

Back to School: Expand Your Horizons with City’s Online Short Courses

As the autumn leaves turn to brown, that familiar ‘back to school’ feeling settles in. But who says learning is just for kids? It’s never too late to expand your knowledge, develop new skills, or explore a passion you’ve always wanted to pursue.

This autumn why not embrace the spirit of lifelong learning and enrol on one of our online short courses? Whether you’re looking to advance your career, indulge a creative interest, or simply challenge yourself, we have something for everyone.

Diverse Course Offerings

City’s online short course program spans six subject areas:

  1. Business and Management: From entrepreneurship to project management, gain the skills to thrive in today’s competitive business world.
  2. Computing: Dive into the digital realm with courses on programming, cybersecurity, and data analysis.
  3. Creative Industries: Unleash your artistic potential with courses in Music Business, Event Management, and more.
  4. Languages: Open doors to new cultures and opportunities by learning a new language or improving your existing skills.
  5. Law: Explore the complexities of the English legal system, learn about specific areas of law, or enhance your understanding of legal principles and practices.
  6. Writing: Whether you dream of penning the next bestseller or want to enhance your professional writing, our courses will help you find your voice.

Flexible Learning for Busy Lives

Our online courses are delivered over zoom or teams so that you can join from home and fit education around your work and personal commitments. With expert instructors, interactive content, and a supportive community, you’ll have all the tools you need to succeed.

Invest in Yourself

In today’s rapidly changing world, continuous learning isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. By enrolling on one of our short courses, you’re investing in your future, opening new doors, and keeping your mind sharp and engaged.

So why wait? Embrace the ‘back to school’ spirit and take the first step towards your next achievement.

Ready to start your learning journey? Explore our courses or email our friendly short course team on shortcourses@city.ac.uk. Your next learning adventure is just around the corner.

City Writes Summer 2024: A Monumental Event

By Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone

While half the country were on the edges of their seats watching football, us lucky few were treated to a night of storytelling, imagination and the excitement of hearing the inner world of consciousness burst out from the page.

 

City Writes is a termly event set up to showcase the best talent from City’s creative writing Short Courses. It’s a game of two halves (I couldn’t resist): readings from competition winners, students and alumni of City’s creative writing short courses who enter their best 1,000 words of fiction or creative non-fiction into the termly competition; and a visit from a published alumni or tutor and this term we managed to score the wonderful Lara Haworth, whose debut Monumenta came out with Canongate on the 4th July.

 

We began the night with the competition winners and Dee Miller, recent Novel Studio alumna, kicked things off with an extract from her Middle Grade novel, Between Wind and Water. We were enthralled as Geal, guardian of Spring, discovers all the people and animals of their local village are gone, leaving only footprints, paw marks and hoof prints behind. It was easy to imagine a young audience being gripped by this fantastical and energetic tale.

 

We heard from An Approach to Creative Writing alumna, Emily Edwards next as she read her multi-perspective story, ‘Laurie’. Who was this rather wild woman and what happened that night? A story that leaves the central character absent but all over the text, it was a thrilling and eerie listen. The audience were left wanting more in all the right ways.

 

Moving from one dark scenario to another, Flora Tonking read her story, ‘The Playing Field’ next. Another recent Novel Studio graduate, Flora’s story was inspired by events in her mystery novel, Chosen Family, and certainly proved her expert turn of phrase and her ability to leave bodies bleeding in the dark. A very haunting and moving story. Bring on the novel!

 

From fiction to creative non-fiction, we were treated to a wonderful portrait of Constance Markiewicz next as Fact-Based Storytelling alumna, Pamela Welsh, read her piece, ‘A Countess in Combat’. Constance’s life from riches to revolution was inspiring and a wonderful advertisement for Pamela’s book project on women in conflict. That’s a book I think we’ll all be eager to pick up.

 

Another Novel Studio alumna and City Writes veteran, Jill Craig read next. Her story, ‘Estrangement’, took us onto a boat ride with her main character, on her way to see her estranged mother with a new boyfriend, desperate to reach out to her sister, the one who remained her touchstone of safety. So full of emotional turmoil and laced with lyrical writing, the audience were putty in Jill’s hands.

 

Next, we heard from Margaret Rogerson, our final competition winner and another recent Novel Studio graduate. Margaret read an extract from her novel, I Was, Once. She transported us into those delicate teenage years, fourteen and eager to find excitement in life. Her character found herself on holiday in a campsite surrounded by an aunt preoccupied with ‘that stupid baby’ and a whole host of men hungry to watch her cartwheel. Let’s hope Margaret publishes soon so that we can read the rest of this story with such a compelling and funny voice at its heart.

 

After such a stellar set of competition winning readers, it was a good thing we had multi-talented artist, filmmaker and now writer, Lara Haworth as our guest speaker. A Novel Studio alumna who read an early extract from Monumenta at City Writes back in 2021, Lara is a phenomenal writer dear to our hearts. Her debut, Monumenta is a book that examines how we remember collectively and in private. The Guardian says it  ‘fizzes with ideas’ and Bookmunch say it ‘Deserves a place on awards shortlists’ and the City Writes audience couldn’t agree more. Over the next half an hour or so Lara introduced us to the book through her answers to my questions and some wonderful short readings from a small novel that really packs a punch.

Author and City alumna Lara Haworth

Set in Belgrade, the novel opens with Olga Pavić receiving a letter from the government. It tells her that her house is being requisitioned in order to turn it into a monument for a massacre. But which one? No one seems to know. It’s a novel that explores memory in all its present, personal and civic interpretations. It was such a delight to speak with Lara and you can hear her readings, our conversation and all of the competition winners by clicking on this link to the video of the night. It really was a monumental night. Buy your copy of Monumenta here.

 

Thank you, Lara, thank you competition winners, thank you audience members and Emily Pedder for supporting this event. It truly is a showcase for the talent coming from the short creative writing courses at City and what talent there is. Next term, City Writes returns with alumna Jo Cunningham as our guest. Jo’s debut, Death by Numbers comes out with Hachette this August. It’s a seaside comedy crime that will have us burning on our beach towels. Listen to the event HERE and watch this space for details of City Writes Autumn 2024.

Essential Writing Tips for Accountants

By Maria Sigacheva

Wizards’ of numbers and bookkeeping, accountants also spend time corresponding with clients and tax officials. Here are some tips on how to write well for non-accountants.

“Your reputation rides out with every letter you send,” states co-founder of the Plain English Commission, Martin Cutts. So how can you ensure that your readers understand your communications clearly and easily? Read on for three tips to improve your copy.

1)  Stick to a Simple Structure

An accountant’s letter to the tax office or to your client should be clear and well structured. Clarity can be improved by using a tried and tested three-part structure: an introduction, the main body copy, and a conclusion.

 

The introduction should summarise the purpose of the letter. Whether it’s about missing documents or querying financial statements, make it clear upfront.

The main body copy (two or three paragraphs) should detail your main points in a logical order. Avoid repeating the same information twice. Make sure you order events chronologically.

In your concluding paragraph, let the recipient know if you require a response and by which date. Add your contact details too, so that they can easily reach you for any queries.

2) Ramp up Readability

  • Use plain English, and remove any jargon, if possible.
  • Use active verbs, for example “we thought” instead of “after a careful thought.”
  • Avoid outdated words, like thereof, herein, hereof.

Being concise is a skill. Let’s look at an example of a recent letter about tax affairs. “Your current amount due according to the records held by the tax office is £10,000.” This could be rewritten for clarity as “The total due to the tax office is £10,000.”

In The Journal of Accountancy, business writing trainer Elizabeth Danziger writes: “Strive for an average sentence length of 10 to 18 words.” How? Remove all “as well as,” “but,” “that,” and “which” – and split overly-lengthy sentences. Get straight to the point and clients will praise you for saving them time!

 

3) Perfect your Punctuation

Grammarly is a useful proofreading tool. Just copy and paste your text and the software will instantly highlight any errors. It’s also a good idea to read your copy out loud to check punctuation and flow.

By adhering to these simple tips, you can start to improve your business writing – and relationships – today.

 

Maria Sigacheva is an Indirect Tax Manager at Glencore, and an Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ambassador for early careers.

Maria took our Introduction to Copywriting short course with Maggie Richards. As part of the course, students have the opportunity to pitch a blog idea for our site. If successful, the post will be edited and published on the site.

 

The next Copywriting course, which runs monthly, is in May. Maggie also runs our Writing for Business course which starts next week.

For all our courses, visit our homepage HERE.

Summer Term 2024 at City Short Courses

 

Thank you to all who attended our Short Courses Open Evening last week. We had a great time meeting new students and introducing them to what we do here at City Short Courses. Many students took advantage of our free  taster sessions, which ranged across our six subject strands:  Business and Management; Computing; Creative Writing; Creative Industries; Languages; and Law. There were tasters in everything from Learning Python to Italian, Business Writing to Major Event Management.

If you didn’t have a chance to join us, never fear! There’s still time to browse our full range of 120 courses and book on for the summer term. Why not try Presentation Skills, or brush up on your French in time for holidays. Or you could consider applying for our year-long Novel Studio programme and finish that novel you’ve always wanted to write! Whether it’s personal development or adding a new skill to your CV, we have something for everyone here at City Short Courses.

If you’d like further information before making your decision, just email our team at shortcourses@city.ac.uk. If they can’t answer your questions, they’ll contact the relevant tutors and make sure you get the answer you need.

Your short course journey starts HERE. We can’t wait to welcome you.

 

Writing Short Courses Newsletter Spring 2024

It’s pretty cold out still, but the snowdrops are here and spring is just around the corner…promise! For even more cheer, here’s the latest from our writing short course alumni and tutors.

The Novel Studio Alumni

 

Lara Haworth’s debut novel Monumenta is due out with Canongate in July. Pre-order here.

 

Jo Cunningham’s debut cosy crime novel Death by Numbers is due out with Hachette in August. You can pre-order here.

 

Katharine Light has been shortlisted for The Selfies 2024 in the adult fiction category for her novel Like Me.

 

Current Novel Studio student Jill Craig has been published in Eggplusfrog.

 

Peter Forbes’ Narrative Non Fiction alumnus Aniefiok Ekpoudom’s debut Where We Come From: Rap, Home & Hope in Modern Britain, was published by Faber last month. Jimi Famurewa reviewed it in The Evening Standard here.

Alumna Sophie Rutenbar, an expert on Haiti were she has worked, has won an International Affairs Fellowship from the US Council on Foreign Relations and is writing for the prestigious Brookings Institute.

 

Former City tutor Marcelle Bernstein’s Fact Based Storytelling alumnus Steve Young has published a book on Motherwell Cricket Club with Troubador publishing.

 

Susan Grossman’s Travel Writing alumna Yvette Cook has published an article in the Independent about travelling by train to Slovenia and another on Boscastle.

Tutor News

Writing for Children tutor Bryony Pearce has her debut Middle Grade novel, Hannah Messenger and the Gods of Hockwold, coming out in June 6, and she has sold a new YA fiction, Aphrodite (an Aphrodite retelling), which is due out in 2025. 

 

One-day Courses

There are plenty of options for anyone keen on one-day writing courses: our ever-popular Introduction to Copywriting with Maggie Richards is available monthly; while our Writing the Memoir course is now taught by the brilliant Anna Wilson. Our Writing for the Web and Digital Media continues to be run by the expert broadcast journalist Holly Powell-Jones; and the dynamic duo of Anna Tsekouras and Pete Austin, aka Anon Agency, run our Intro to Branding course.

Opportunities

Our year-long Novel Studio course for aspiring novelists is now open for applications for 2024/25 intake, with a deadline of 30th June 2024. All successful applicants are automatically entered into the Novel Studio literary agent competition, with the top three applications sent to Lucy Luck, literary agent at C&W Agency with a view to representation.

There is also a fully funded scholarship for the course, The Captain Tasos Politis Scholarship, available to a talented applicant from a low-income household.

Our Writing for Social Impact course continues to offer a scholarship for one young student (18-25) from an underrepresented background and/or facing financial difficulty. Please contact the tutor, Ciaran Thapar, for more information on this opportunity.

All current students of Introduction to CopywritingWriting for Business and Narrative Non-Fiction courses are eligible to submit an idea for a blog post for short courses. If the idea is accepted, and the written piece meets our standards, it will be professionally edited and published on our blog.

City Writes

This spring sees the return of City Writes, our termly showcase for all the great writing talent coming out of the creative writing short courses at City. This term our guest authors will be Laurence Kershook and Katharine Light (see above) both alumni of the Novel Studio.

To join us at the event on March 27th at 7pm on Zoom, please register for free HERE.

And if you would like to enter the competition to win the chance to share the stage with Laurence and Katharine, please visit here for all the submission details. Deadline for entries is this Friday 1st March! That’s tomorrow!!

Writing Retreat

This May the Ruppin Agency Writers’ Studio is returning to Paris for another edition of our spring writing retreat. A literary agent and a published author and university lecturer are teaming up to guide writers through five days of focussed writing, offering individual feedback, advice and group exercises. They’re offering £200 off the full price to anyone who quotes PARIS2024 (or mentions where they heard about this).

Open Evening

And finally, we are running an open evening with taster sessions on March 26th at 6pm. There’ll also be a dedicated Novel Studio enquiry desk manned by tutor Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone for anyone who wants to find out more about our flagship year-long course. Register HERE.

That’s all for now. Keep on writing and keep your stories coming into us. And huge congratulations to all our alumni and tutors.

Short Course Taster Evening 26 March 2024

 

Join us this March 26 for our free taster event, where you’ll have the chance to speak to the team, find out more about our courses and ask any questions.

You can even take part in a free 45-minute taster session to get a flavour of what it’s like to learn with us.

We will have a choice of tasters available, including:

There will also be a Novel Studio enquiry desk for anyone who wants to find out more about how to apply for our flagship year-long novel writing course.

And as a bonus, we are also offering a 10% discount on all our short courses for anyone who attends the open evening and enrols with us on the night.

Attendance at City events is subject to our terms and conditions.

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