Ruth F. Hunt's Blog

Morning Star :: The hellish ordeal of the ‘DWP experience’ | The People’s Daily

The government’s ‘tough love’ approach to forcing disabled people back into work is causing anxiety, mental ill health and enforced isolation, writes RUTH HUNT

Source: Morning Star :: The hellish ordeal of the ‘DWP experience’ | The People’s Daily

Interview with Dr Jonathan Taylor for GFT Press

My interview with Dr Jonathan Taylor in GFT Press.

 

http://www.gftpress.com/jonathantaylor

 

 

Author and creative writing tutor, Carol Fenlon on academic and community-based creative writing courses.

You have taken both an MA and PhD in Creative Writing – what has been the benefit of this academic route for you?

Both MA and PhD had very different benefits for me. Starting out on the MA was a new beginning after a serious road accident put paid to my nursing career. It helped me to gain self-confidence both personally and as a writer after several years being confined to a wheelchair and in and out of hospital. Before the accident I had done a short WEA course in basic creative writing and had begun to have a little success in publishing short stories and poetry. The MA widened my reading, and my understanding of the process of creative writing. I began to learn about poetics as well as theories of writing and language; It helped me to understand the deep structures involved in writing and communication, the personal journey of creating a piece of writing and the interactive process between writer and reader. It gave me the benefit of mentoring by skilful published authors, introduced me to a variety of genres and introduced me to a wider writing community, attending conferences and readings and meeting writers and agents at various events and conferences. The MA may have meant that my writing was taken more seriously than it otherwise might have been and I did get an agent at the end of the course, based on recommendation from my tutor to a new agent seeking clients but I don’t think the MA will guarantee you anything. It will help you develop an original talent if you have it but if not it tends to produce writers who write a certain kind of writing, a uniformity if you like. You need to find your own voice, the MA will help you do that but it won’t do it for you. I got my MA in 1997 and I think since then the courses have changed greatly and are more oriented towards marketing and genre which is probably a good thing.

The PhD is a huge leap further. As it is not a taught course it develops self-reliance, self-confidence and launches the student on the search for his/her own voice. At first it is terrifying as I had only the vaguest idea of what I was doing and even though I had the best supervisors in the world, they could not tell me what to do, but could only guide and support me. The skills I learned were sustained self-directed research, the ability to play with language and with thought to achieve a personal poetics that produces originality. Original contribution to literature is one criterion of a successful PhD and I developed a system of reliance on journaling and contemplation that has stood me in good stead for further projects. I also developed that long term commitment that is able to give years if necessary to the production of a book. At the end of my second year the novel I was writing for the thesis won the Impress Novel Prize and was subsequently published by Impress books.

Other benefits of the PhD were learning teaching skills, writing and presenting conference papers and public speaking, constructing workshops and writing courses. Perhaps one of the best benefits was the creation of a lasting relationship with the creative writing department of my university, but also the building of lasting friendships and joining a wider network of authors. However, the PhD takes over your life, it is years of obsessive slog and many drop out along the way.

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Not everyone wants to, or can go down an academic route. They may feel it isn’t the right time but may be interested in attending a writing retreat or holiday. You have been both participant and tutor or such ‘holidays’. What first inspired you to attend?

I first attended Writers’Holiday in Caerleon around 1997. My interest lay in meeting other writers and learning some marketable writing skills. At this time I was interested in writing stories for women’s magazines and writing popular genres such as crime and romance as well as poetry.

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What was the benefit of these holidays?

The courses on offer were very different from the academic MA course I had begun. They gave me different perspectives on a variety of genres. I began to dabble in non-fiction articles and had several published. I have since on occasion reverted to non- fiction article writing as a source of income with some success, when necessary although I am primarily a fiction writer.

Over the years at Writers’ Holiday I have made many lasting friendships both as a delegate and as a tutor. I have been on other residential university writing courses and many day writing courses but a writers’ holiday is just that: a place where a writer can go alone and enjoy the company of other writers, take courses or not as one pleases and have time for personal study/writing. Sadly the Caerleon campus is now closed and Writers’ Holiday which moved to the Fishguard Bay Hotel is no longer running in the summer but is now a winter weekend still offering excellent value writing courses in a congenial atmosphere. http://www.writersholiday.net

I find writing retreats are very expensive, okay if you want tuition but if you just want somewhere to write in peace it is often more valuable to book a cheap hotel for a week. I often book a week at Pontins when it is quiet, very cheap usually only £50 for five days and no one bothers you. Of course the value of a writing retreat is that there is usually the company of other writers to stop you obsessing too much on your own. Our writers’ group hosts a writing retreat every November for around £100 each we have a room each in beautiful pine lodges, work all day and meet up in the evenings to eat (and drink) and compare notes. Also there are many different kinds of writing courses and retreats. You may need to shop around to find what suits you and not be put off if the first one you try doesn’t work for you.

A time away to spend on writing sounds very positive!

Yes, a change of scene makes you more likely to spend time in contemplation and allow your originality to come through. And left alone you can focus.

I know you run a very successful community-based writing group. Not all writing groups work as well as they could. What do you think are the ingredients of a good group?

• Fairness and inclusivity. Being tolerant of each other’s eccentricities (what writer isn’t eccentric?) and finding room for everybody on an equal basis, be they published author, self-published, hobby writer or aspiring to publish.

• Having basic rules: comments should be useful and constructive. Everyone’s work should be respected and everyone should have equal chance to read in a feel-safe environment.

Do you have any tips for groups to be more productive and recruit more members?

• Don’t be exclusive. Welcome everyone, everyone has some kind of talent. Be supportive and constructive. Involve members in organising the group. Encourage them to take part in running workshops, helping out with events etc, if they are willing.

• Have a varied programme. Include speakers if you can afford them, in house workshops and themed writing nights. Factor in social events such as meals out or house parties.

• Cut your coat according to your cloth. Set subscriptions at what members can afford and/or explore grant funding. Similarly organise events as you can afford them.

• Always allow sufficient meetings for reading work back and getting feedback. We have two meetings a month, one for reading our work, the other for a theme, workshop or speaker.

• Maintain a good presence on social media and keep it regularly updated. Send details of events to local press. Keep a group scrapbook and acceptance book to show what the group achieves.

• Try to arrange opportunities for the group to read at local events, libraries etc. and if possible fund production of anthologies of work which will allow the members to see their work in print. Our group has now published four anthologies of which the first three have sold out.

• A good committee works wonders.

I first met you on a ten-week community-based writing course, which I found very beneficial at the time, and encouraged me to do more formal academic studies. Such community provision is constantly under threat, yet for me, and no doubt many others, it opened up a whole new world for relatively little cost. What do you feel the situation is like on the ground regarding the diversification of routes to learning and practising creative writing techniques?

Council run and funded courses may be on the wane but there are more and more privately organised day and residential courses, from beginners’ creative writing to specialised workshops. Some of these are very expensive, others are competitively priced, some even free. Again you need to shop around and see what suits your pocket. There are also lots of online groups offering support and constructive critique. Again you need to evaluate these as you may find yourself spending more time reading and critiquing other peoples’ work which eats into your own writing time. Also online presence is not quite the same as physical networking. A good writers’ group is invaluable for learning from each other and from guest workshops. Local libraries also sometimes offer taster courses free of charge. Keep an eye and an ear to the ground to find out what goes on.

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Do you have a writing exercise the readers of this blog can undertake in their lunch hour or coffee break?

• Look out of the window. Without describing the scene note down your first reactions to it. Is it lively, depressing, peaceful, threatening or enticing, formal or friendly?

• If this were a person, what would he/she be like? Happy-go-lucky, placid, frightened or frightening, wealthy or poverty stricken, vain or selfless? Write a few words to outline their character.

• Can you see this person yet? If so, write a physical description

• Why does this person display the characteristics you see? Fill in some family background and past history. How has their nature and experience shaped them as they are? What are their hopes and fears? Do they have a secret?

• What are they doing now? What will happen next?

• Add some serendipity. Let your mind play, wander the unexpected. What if?

• Write the story.

Carol Fenlon is the author of one novel, Consider the Lilies, two short story collections, Triple Death and Plotlands and a local history book, Skelmersdale, the Making of a New Town. She has also widely published short stories, poems and non-fiction articles in small press anthologies and mainstream magazines. Her second novel Mere is to be published by Thunderpoint Publishing in May 2018.

Read more at http://www.carolfenlon.com

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Mental Health in Books and Media: Two Special Events.

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Why is the representation of characters with a mental health diagnosis so important for writers, whether they are authors or journalists?

What can you do if you want to write about such a character, but don’t have experience of mental health yourself – so are concerned you are using the right language/terms?

What can you do if you have experience of mental health and want to use this in a memoir or as a basis for a novel?

The good thing is characters with mental health problems often bring with them that crucial factor – conflict. They may feel like an outsider, have conflicted feelings about whether to disclose their mental health issues etc.

So, they are a rich resource for writers, and with 1 in 4  (some say 1in 3) of us having some sort of mental health problem, it is important they are not overlooked. This is crucial for both writers and readers.

In view of this:-

The author and psychiatrist  ROSIE CLAVERTON is coming to the North-West for two special events.

They take place on Friday 13th October 

11am-12 The Meadows Library, Maghull

2-3pm The Atkinson Library, Southport (2 mins from the train station) 

Here she will be in discussion, talking about some of the questions  and points raised above, along with fascinating insights into writing about characters with a mental health condition. She will also be in discussion with me regarding the role of the media and mental health. 

Don’t miss these free special events! Go to Sefton Libraries on Twitter or Facebook if you want to find out more, or ask me in the comment section bekow. 

5 Point Book Tips: The Front Cover

What makes a strong front cover?  Here are five points that apply whether you are having your book traditionally or self published.

1) An image that will entice the reader to pick it up/find out more about it

2) An image that ties in with the title and text

3)An image that will be strong and recognisable thumb size as well as full size

4) An image that will translate well into marketing campaigns (look at Joanna Cannon’s The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and her new novel)

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5) An image that is unique – if you are self publishing do ensure you are not breaching cooyright. An image may say it is ‘free’ but the small print often says not – beware! 

Here is mine – along with some of the marketing items, I mentioned earlier. 

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Do share what you think are good covers in the comments below, or share your front covers. I would love to see them. 

Morning Star :: Another excuse to defund mental health services | The People’s Daily

The government’s overemphasis of the Mental Health First Aid scheme shifts the responsibility for our wellbeing onto society, writes RUTH HUNT

Source: Morning Star :: Another excuse to defund mental health services | The People’s Daily

Creative Writing Courses and Books with Bridget Whelan

So far I have been focusing on formal and academic writing courses, both online and in red-brick establishments. However, there are other ways students can access this information, learn new techniques and improve their writing and this is through books, such as ‘Back to Creative Writing School’ by Bridget Whelan.  https://t.co/BX5dtG7Vju

Why did you write Back to Creative Writing School? What kind of readers/writers did you have in mind?

I have taught creative writing everywhere, from chilly church halls and inspirational community centres to art galleries and university lecture theatres. The result is that I have a huge body of material, tried and tested on a wide range of students, and I thought I should do something with it.

Probably my ideal reader is someone who hasn’t had the opportunity to write creatively for some time, who may not yet know what they want to write, but who has a need to express themselves with words. Beginner doesn’t seem the right label for a reader like that which is why the book is called Back to Creative Writing School. Our apprenticeship begins when we first jump into the imaginative world of picture books, fairy tales and TV cartoons – not when we enrol in a class or pick up a writing guide. .

The format is based on creative writing exercises and this is in contrast with texts that concentrate more on theory. Why did you feel this practical focus was important?

Theory is for people who want to study writing. My book – and my classes – are for people who want to write.

Writing is a craft and literary techniques are our tools. The best way of learning what you can achieve is with a pen in your hand, trying out those tools. Writing exercises also pump the imagination. Being thrown an idea, writing against the clock or imposing some other restriction on yourself, can produce unexpected results. The poet Ted Hughes felt that exercises trampled on the writer’s instinct to be too careful, too self-censoring :

“Barriers break down, prisoners come out of their cells.”

A more theoretical approach will add to your knowledge and probably increase your pleasure in language and story-telling, but it won’t necessarily make you a better writer or even encourage you to dive in and write. The only way to become a writer is to write as much as you can and read as much as you can. Full stop. That’s non-negotiable. Writing classes aren’t essential, but they can motivate you to write and help you to become a more discerning reader of your own work and other people’s.

You also run Creative Writing Courses, at The Beach Hut Writing Academy. Can you tell me more about this and your role at the academy?

The Beach Hut Writers are a group of professional writers in Brighton and I’m a founder member of the Academy, our educational wing. I currently run a programme of general and specialist courses at an art gallery on Brighton seafront. It’s got a wonderful atmosphere and the classes are accessible and affordable.

The Academy also runs a highly successful writing conference every spring called Write by the Beach. Last year everyone who attended was able to a pitch a book idea to a literary agent or publishing house in addition to attending craft sessions and attending talks from bestselling authors. We are going to carry that forward to the 2018 conference which we are planning right now.

If someone reading this post is interested in applying for a place, what do they need to do?

Visit our website at https://www.beachhutwritingacademy.com/ and join the mailing list. We won’t bombard you with messages – we are working writers we don’t have time for that! However, it will mean you are the first to hear about events and very often we run early bird promotions.

I also have a website at https://bridgetwhelan.com/ and you will find out about lots of other writerly things as well as what is happening at the BHW Academy.

The Beach Hut Writing Academy stresses its affordability. In general, do you feel enough is being done to ensure new writers are not over-burdened with paying out large amounts for fees, etc?

I’m not going to pretend attending any writing conference is cheap. It’s takes an incredible amount of time to organise and at Write by the Beach we also believe in paying writers who run a workshop or headlines a session. Everyone expects, quite rightly, to get paid: the venue owners, the cooks, the cleaners but sometimes – in fact, quite often – writers are supposed to do it for free because ‘the exposure’ will help sell books. We support The Society of Author’s campaign to put a proper value on the contribution that writers make.

However, we know that most people have to make very considered decisions about the cost of courses and conferences. If they think of it as an investment in themselves as writer, which I think they should, they need to examine what they will get out of it.

We are determined that Write by the Beach continues to be excellent value for money and that is a point raised again and again by writers who attend. We also want to offer opportunities that aren’t easy to access on your own such as the chance to network with industry professionals.

If someone is looking for books and/or courses that will help them progress as a writer, what should they be looking for?

If it’s a book, look at the reviews and read the first page or the excerpt that Amazon allows you. You’re not going to learn a lot if you’re bored, there’s a presumption you already know more than you do, or it doesn’t address the issues that interest you. If the actual writing doesn’t grab you, the advice probably won’t either. And walk away at the first hint of waffle.

If it is a course find out as much as can about the content and how it is going to be delivered. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. But it is a bit like finding a plumber, nothing beats a personal recommendation.

What is the best creative writing advice you’ve received?

If you do something, something happens.

To finish, can you give a creative writing exercise that readers of this post can try in their coffee/lunch breaks?

The author Kate Mosse says we should practice writing like a violinist practices scales…I like to start each class with a very short exercise that the student can adapt and use again and again in their own time.

Here’s two, the first is for a coffee break, the second is for lunch time:

Describe the weather right now. Make it vivid and detailed…but no sentence can be longer than six words.

Go to page 101 of a novel. Find the first sentence that doesn’t contain a character’s name, a place name or something else that is too restrictive such as Ahoy! My hearties! That sentence will become your opening (to what? A poem perhaps or a short story. Allow yourself to write and see what turns up.)

Haven’t got a novel handy? Here’s a sentence from page 101 of Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Pinch my cheek, don’t mind if you bruise it.

I wonder where that will lead you.

Thank you so much Bridget, I found your book, Back to Creative Writing School very useful – it’s one of those books that helps so much with inspiration, and developing ideas.

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Scriptwriter, author and tutor, Russ Gascoigne on studying scriptwriting for Cardiff University (continuing and professional education department) and online scriptwriting workshops

[image error]One of his students, Jodie, at The Edinburgh Festival.1) Can you tell me about yourself, your own writing/script/screenwriting?

Most of my work has been in television drama. After leaving university I worked as a script reader and script consultant for numerous TV and film companies. These included the Movie Acquisition Corporation, where I reported on major US/UK feature films, The European Script Fund and the BBC. I then became a BBC Drama script editor, working in both production and development, my credits including the Royal Television Society’s award-winning Selected Exits starring Sir Anthony Hopkins and a series of short films/animation for BBC2 Wales on which I was producer. As a scriptwriter I’ve written for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and S4C, my credits ranging from soap through to the top-rating A Touch of Frost. I’ve had original work commissioned by BBC Wales, BBC Scotland and BBC Northern Ireland, YTV, STV and Carlton Television as well as numerous independents. I’ve also written for both stage and radio.

In addition to my scriptwriting I have published both fiction and non-fiction. My first Young Adult novel Rebels (Walker Books) was optioned for feature film development by the BBC. I am now working on further YA titles as well as developing a number of new TV projects.

a) How long have you been teaching for?

I’ve been teaching scriptwriting for ten years now, almost exclusively though Cardiff University’s Continuing and Professional Education department. Basically, this means I teach adult learners rather than undergraduates – although I also get a few of those, generally students studying English or Creative Writing who have a specific interest in scriptwriting which isn’t well covered on their wider degree. Many of the writers on my courses have some sort of media background but others are complete beginners who have no previous experience of scriptwriting whatsoever. I also run the Scriptwriting Workshop Online, providing 1-2-1 script editing and script development support for writers working on their own scripts. This is open to writers at all levels across the UK and beyond. I’ve been doing that for about seven years.

Links:

Scripting a TV Drama: http://bit.ly/2toVMGG

Scriptwriting Workshop Online: http://bit.ly/2szja6Q

My profile and links to other interviews etc: http://bit.ly/2ueHbju

b) Do you have a title at the university – if so, what is it?

No, not really. Scriptwriting tutor covers it.

c) How do you balance teaching and family life with your own writing?

Writing, family, teaching, they’re just my life. I don’t consciously have to balance anything. It all just happens. Thinking about a family holiday from my sons’ point of view resulted in an idea for a series of YA novels. Listening to my students telling me what they love – or hate – about writing, what their favourite films or TV dramas are and why, constantly inspires me. I find out about things I might otherwise have missed. Walking with my wife – talking things through, hearing about her work etc – it all goes into the writing. Beyond that, like a lot of writers in my position, I only teach part-time. That suits me perfectly. And who would want to write to the exclusion of everything else anyway? Teaching is a break from the day job. And it makes me reflect on how I’m approaching my writing. I can’t stand in front of a class and tell them to do things I’m not always doing myself – although I give it my best shot. More broadly, my usual routine is to set myself a few goals each day: pages to be written, books or scripts to be read etc. They vary between the easily attainable and the ridiculously ambitious. Sometimes I’ll work into the early hours of the morning to reach them. On other occasions, to be honest, I’ll abandon them altogether. But the drive and desire to keep on writing is always there. Anything I drop, I soon pick up again. It all gets done eventually – because I love doing it.

2) What are the qualifications (and grades of qualifications) needed to get on the course? Do your students tend to have other qualifications before they start this course?

None. As in the real world, you don’t need academic qualifications to be a scriptwriter. You simply need the ability. The writers I work with – whether it’s on the scriptwriting course or the Scriptwriting Workshop Online – aren’t generally studying for either a degree or diploma anyway. They only want to improve their scriptwriting and learn about the industry. A passion for that is all they need.

3) What are you looking for in your students? What would a ‘perfect’ student be like?

I’m not looking for anything in the writers I work with. It’s much more a case of what they’re looking for from me. I’m as happy working with people who simply want to find out what it’s like working in TV drama as I am with those who have already gained full professional credits. On the latest course, for example, I worked with writers who had never completed a script through to a writer who has regular commissions for a well-known soap. There were undergraduates and a PhD student, a poet who also writes for the New York Times, an actor, a TV researcher and a former BBC lawyer. The owner of my local diner was on it too. It’s always an interesting mix. Always. And that’s the way I like it. It’s exactly the same with the Scriptwriting Workshop Online. I never know who’s going to sign up to work with me. I’ve worked with writers who have subsequently discovered scriptwriting isn’t really for them (but have given it a go) through to those who have gone on to win scriptwriting competitions and gain either representation or commissions for their work.

4) With the cost of courses so high, either via student loans or not – how do you ensure you have a diverse cohort?

Working in the HE environment I do, ensuring a diverse student cohort isn’t an issue. It’s the norm. As I said earlier, the writers I work with aren’t undergraduates (although I have taught undergraduates taking a scriptwriting module at another University). They’re people from across South Wales and beyond who want to learn about or improve their scriptwriting. All ages. From a wide variety of backgrounds. With different levels of experience and ability. On recent Scriptwriting Workshops I’ve had a documentary maker, some writers who’ve completed my scriptwriting course and everyone from a complete novice through to someone who’s been shortlisted for Channel 4’s Coming Up and the BBC’s Writersroom – from across the UK.

5) There has been a proliferation of creative writing courses of late, and this has led to accusations that work is ‘safe’ and ‘samey’. Do you agree or disagree with this? Explain your reasoning.

Disagree. There are as many different teachers as there are courses, each bringing their own particular skills and outlook with them. Some are inexperienced writers themselves while others are published or produced, have agents and are much more industry-focused. There’s no conspiracy to produce homogenised work at all. At least not in my experience and among the creative writing colleagues with whom I work, certainly. They all have their own individual – even idiosyncratic – approaches to their work.

6) As there are so many writing courses available, both online and in red-brick universities and colleges, what advice would you give to a potential student trying to find a course?

Be clear about what you want to get from it. Some writers only want to feel they’re part of a supportive group, receiving feedback and advice from their peers, for example. Others want something more rigorous and demanding. When it comes to scriptwriting there are degree courses at universities (although, as I’ve already said, an academic qualification doesn’t qualify you to become a scriptwriter), informal and short-form courses offered by individuals or other institutions and some supported by the industry itself. In each case, however, I’d suggest aspiring writers should also look at who is actually doing the teaching. Does whoever is leading the course have good script credits? Don’t just take their word for it, find out for yourself. Do your research. You’d do it for a script you were preparing to write. Do it for whatever course you’re considering.

The Cat that Saved my Life by Ruth F Hunt.

I was delighted to be on this blog talking about Izzy, mental health, novel writing and disability. Huge thanks to Katrina Hart author of Finding Destiny.

Katrina Marie

The Cat that Saved my Life

When I was hard at work finishing off my debut novel, The Single Feather, I was aware of just how isolated I had become. Being physically disabled, with spinal cord injuries, getting out and about was full of challenges and so the book became my excuse to avoid them.  This led to me not just becoming cut-off from the outside world but fearful of it as well.

I knew something needed to change.  I asked my landlord if he would agree to me having a cat.  Once I had that agreement on paper, I scoured the RSPCA website. That’s when I first spotted Izzy, a rather striking (and chubby) black ‘n’ white cat.  I visited her and felt an immediate connection.   Before long, I brought her home where, rather than running and hiding, she sat next to me, purring loudly and enjoying a…

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Changing lives… with author Ruth Hunt

I was very happy to answer questions from Pam on her excellent changing lives blog series. I’ve seen a lot of change in my life, but more often than not, despite any hardship there comes an opportunity. It might not be the path I chose, but at least I’m moving forward. Take a read and see what you think.

Source: Changing lives… with author Ruth Hunt