William Sutton's Blog, page 4

WiP2 on Shine Radio

WiP2 writing workshops on the radio again, this time Petersfield’s Shine Radio.

Thanks to Gareth Boyes for the friendly interview.

 

 

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WiP2 on the Radio

WiP2 on the Radio

Thanks to Gary Fyles (Thinking Bigger) and Christine Lawrence (Southwick Writer Woman) for talking so eloquently about WiP2 workshops, about their own books, and about the Portsmouth writing scene in general on BBC Radio Solent. You can hear it 10 ½ minutes into this catch-up link for Chris Jarvis on BBC Sounds: https://lnkd.in/gw5y4_nP

“Fabulous workshop.”

Gary spoke about his passion for spreading the growth mindset and how that has led him from teaching to writing.

“Tutor was dynamic, knowledgeable, encouraging, empathetic.”
“Such a supportive group.”

Christine was eloquent about the loneliness of the writing vocation, and how we can combat it through getting together, organising peer review groups, and editing each other’s work. Christine also bigged up my Writing for Procrastinators course, saying that she has got a novel out of it each time she’s attended (true – of course it’s through her own hard work making the most of ideas developed and explored through workshops like ours).

“I do his Writing for Procrastinators every time it comes around. Each time I’ve done it, I’ve gone off and written a novel afterwards.”

“You don’t need a bigger commendation than that. You went to the session and ended up writing a novel? That’s amazing.”

The first of our WiP workshops was in #Portsmouth #Bookfest at New Theatre Royal. We were just about sold out – a fantastic way to start. So thanks to all my collaborators for spreading the word. Thanks to Southsea Lifestyle Ltd for including us in this issue. Thanks especially to New Theatre Royal for mentioning us in their mail-out and for handling the ticket sales. Looking forward to seeing Portsmouth Creates CIC contribution to hashtag#InOurWords 2025.

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Jamie and the Jets on tour: Petersfield, Midhurst, Southsea, alongside Diego Brown & the Good Fairy, then Les Kazoos d’Amour

Jamie and the Jets will be on tour this spring, bringing a little happiness to pubs around the south.

Sat 15 March, Folly Wine Bar, Petersfield, alongside the amazing Diego Brown and the Good Fairy: https://wegottickets.com/event/653503Fri 21 March [Jamie & 1 Jet] Barley Mow, Southsea, supporting Rado KWG: free entrySat 22 March, Fairview Wine and Cheese, Midhurst:Fri 25 April, the Birdcage, upstairs at The Festing, supported by the amazing Les Kazoos D’Amour

This impromptu tour comes hot on the heels of our Swiss outing where we sang up mountains and beside lakes and in red-light districts.

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Write Your Novel NTR WiP2

Write Your Novel NTR WiP2

A full house. Thanks to the writers who attended our Write Your Novel course yesterday at New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth Bookfest, the first of 2025’s WiP2 workshops.

The exercises were very good.

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It was an exciting launch for our new series of workshops, which will be delivered not just by me but by a team of wonderful writer-facilitators with great experience in coaxing the best out of participants. Characters were developed, from free writing and photograph prompts. We chose objects with which to ruin our characters’ inner lives. And we wrote opening paragraphs for our books, on the spur of the moment. These are all ways to take the pressure off that daunting and elusive first draft – a zero draft, as it were.

Great to have time to explore areas in depth.

Enjoyed meeting other writers.

I look forward to hearing how this group gets on with their writing. And I’ll see more of you for next week’s Writing for Procrastinators courses, and the following week’s Writing Retreat at Central Library, the final event of 2025 Portsmouth Bookfest.

Bookfest & Beyond  

Portsmouth Fairy Tales Revisited  6.30 pm, Guildhall. £4/£2. Readings, music, discussion to celebrate this collection & its influence on Portsmouth’s vibrant writing scene.Writing for Procrastinators Online, Thursday 6 March, 6pm-8pm;Writing for Procrastinators in-person Fri 28 Feb 10 am, Cosham Library. £20/£10/£5 conc Writing Retreat  10 – 1 pm Fri 14 & Sat 15 March, Central Library. £9/£4.50 conc. The camaraderie writers often miss. “I edited 5000 words in a weekend.”Editing Club: 2 April – wegottickets.com/event/646727

WiP2 workshops at New Theatre Royal – WiP2 – Writing in Portsmouth + Work in Progress; Tickets £20/£10 conc: newtheatreroyal.com/performances/writing-workshops/

2025 WiP2  (Writing in Portsmouth) programmeNew Theatre RoyalFri 14 Mar 2-4 pm‘I come from…’ – Writing Your LifeChristine Lawrence, novelist, actorFri 28 Mar 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (Part 1/3)William SuttonFri 11 Apr 2-4 pmPainting with words: Ekphrasis & the art of writingLucy Ashton, writer, artistFri 25 Apr 2-4 pmCreative Journalling for Occasional JottersMaggie Sawkins, poetFri 9 May 2-4 pmChildren’s Writing: Planning, Purpose, AudienceGary Fyles, author, publisherFri 23 May 2-4 pmWriting from FolkloreVictoria Leslie, novelist, researcherFri 13 June 2-4 pmWriting what you know v. researching what you don’tChristine Lawrence, novelist, actorFri 27 June 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (Part 2 of 3)William Sutton, novelistFri 11 July 2-4 pmMeeting Your MuseAlison Habens, novelist, poetFri 25 July 2-4 pmExperimental WritingTom Sykes, journalist, novelistFri 16 AugSUMMER BREAK Fri 30 Aug 2-4 pmPortsmouth Writers Hub social (£5 donation)William Sutton et al.Fri 12 Sept 2-4 pmTBC Fri 26 Sept 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (3 of 3)William Sutton, novelistFri 10 Oct 2-4 pmWorkshops and Reading for Engaging ChildrenGary Fyles, author, publisherTBCThe Art of Letter Writing & Epistolary Verse.Maggie Sawkins, poetFri 14 Nov 2-4 pmEco-writingVictoria Leslie, novelist, researcher

“Thank you for a great course: am writing!” 

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WiP2 on BBC Radio Solent

WiP2 on the Radio

Writing Workshops at the New Theatre Royal:  newtheatreroyal.com/performances/writing-workshops/

Thanks to Gary Fyles (Thinking Bigger) and Christine Lawrence (Southwick Writer Woman) for talking so eloquently about WiP2 workshops, about their own books, and about the Portsmouth writing scene in general on BBC Radio Solent. You can hear it 10 ½ minutes into this catch-up link for Chris Jarvis on BBC Sounds:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0kmj7kl

Gary spoke about his passion for spread the growth mindset, and how that has brought him from teaching to writing.

Christine was eloquent about the loneliness of the writing vocation, and how we can combat it through getting together, organising peer review groupa, and editing each other’s work. Christine also bigged up my Writing for Procrastinators course, saying that she has got a novel out of it each time she’s attended (true – of course it’s through her own hard work making the most of ideas developed and explored through workshops like ours).

“I do his Writing for Procrastinators every time it comes around. Each time I’ve done it, I’ve gone off and written a novel afterwards.”

“You don’t need a bigger commendation than that.   You went to the session and ended up writing a novel? That’s amazing.”

The first of our WiP workshops is in Portsmouth Bookfest this Friday in the Menuhin Studio at New Theatre Royal. We’re just about sold out – a fantastic way to start. So thanks to all my collaborators for spreading the word. Thanks to Southsea Lifestyle for including us in this issue. Thanks especially to New Theatre Royal for mentioning us in their mail-out and for handling the ticket sales.

“Fabulous workshop.”

“Tutor was dynamic, knowledgeable, encouraging, empathetic.”

“Such a supportive group.”

 

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WiP2 -Writing Workshops in Portsmouth

I’m delighted to announce the launch of WiP2 (Writing in Portsmouth/Work in Progress). Working under the collective banners of Portsmouth Writers Hub and Portsmouth Creates/In Our Words 2025,
this collaborative team of experienced local writer-facilitators will

deliver a programme of creative writing workshops to match comparable citiesdevelop and share skills, from beginners to experienced practitionerssupport undervalued voices among the city’s writersmake visible the extraordinary achievements of Portsmouth writers today

We had a great 2024 with New Theatre Royal writing workshops, drawing in serious, committed writers who hadn’t yet found our thriving #Portsmouth #writingcommunity via #PortsmouthWritersHub. We’re back launching W.i.P.2 series of workshops at NTR beginning 28 February with Write Your Novel and continuing with a growing range of workshop topics run by a range of brilliant local writers: https://lnkd.in/eXEpJeNw

We hope to expand the range and reach of these workshops. If you or your group would like a writing workshop or programme, get in touch. Watch out also for workshops at Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery from spring, for Christine Lawrence’s monthly workshops at Pallant Centre, Havant, and for Mandi Garrie’s workshop group at #PortsmouthCentralLibrary. Roll on #cityofliterature 2025 IN OUR WORDS/Portsmouth Creates #pompeybookfest 

New Theatre Royal programme 2025: see Events for ticket links

Fri 28 Feb 2-4 pmWrite Your Novel BOOKFEST (Minghella Studio)William SuttonFri 14 Mar 2-4 pm‘I come from…’ Writing Your LifeChristine Lawrence, novelistFri 28 Mar 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (Part 1/3)William SuttonFri 11 Apr 2-4 pmTBC (Words & pictures)Lucy Ashton, writer/artist,
Creative InklingsFri 25 Apr 2-4 pmCreative Journalling for Occasional JottersMaggie Sawkins, poetFri 9 May 2-4 pmChildren’s Writing: Planning, Purpose, AudienceGary Fyles, author/publisherFri 23 May 2-4 pmWriting from FolkloreTBC Victoria Leslie, novelistFri 13 June 2-4 pmSpeak Up: Perform Your WritingTBC Christine LawrenceFri 27 June 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (Part 2 of 3)William SuttonFri 11 July 2-4 pmTBCFri 25 July 2-4 pmTravel Writing (Part 2)TBC Tom Sykes, journalist/novelistSUMMER BREAKFri 12 Sept 2-4 pmEdit Your WritingWilliam SuttonFri 26 Sept 2-4 pmWriting for Procrastinators (3 of 3)William SuttonFri 10 Oct 2-4 pm‘Workshops and Reading for Engaging ChildrenGary FylesFri 17 Oct 2-4 pm The Art of Letter Writing & Epistolary Verse.Maggie Sawkins, poet

TBC To come:

How to Write DialogueFinding Your MuseShort Stories, Edit Your Writing, Playwrights’ dayCharacter  Illustration for Children’s Fiction

 

 

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Tide Pool

I’ll be singing a couple of songs at Abigail Birt’s conference

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Sue Harper interviewed about Blood and Coal

It was a huge pleasure interviewing writer Sue Harper for the launch of her book Blood and Coal. Without claiming any influence on Sue’s extraordinary writing, I’m proud that she has drawn energy and encouragement from my Write Your Novel workshops and our ongoing Southsea Scribblers Salon mentoring group.

Here she is being interviewed by Bob Bruce of Victory Radio.

Sue Harper visits Victory to talk about her new book, feminist gothic writing, a talking vagina, and a 30 foot penis! It’s all happening here in this episode of the Portsmouth Authors Collective! Book synopsis: This book is the story of a Nottingham mining family from 1900 to the present day. Set in Bulwell, Sherwood and Cotgrave, the story is narrated by the last surviving member of the family, and brings local and social history alive. Members of the family are given their own voice. Grandfather Chum, who smuggled opium in Canton, great-uncle Ernest, who was the first sailor to be killed by a German submarine and Grandfather Bill, who charmed the ladies. Once they have been given their voice, they each turn on the narrator and accuse her of misinterpreting them: “what did you ever know about hard work, poverty and grief?” The contrast between the modern period and the past is strongly drawn. The book contains a number of imaginary conversations, which never took place. There are communications between family members of different generations eg. between two young men killed before their time and between an alienated father and son. Finally, the author asks how ideas of morality and trauma are passed down the generations, and places herself in relation to the men and women of her tribe. How did she get from there to here? Is happiness and fulfillment passed down through the genes?

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Writing in Portsmouth WiP Workshops past & future

Kudos to New Theatre Royal for supporting #writing #workshops in Portsmouth #WiP, even coming in early to turn on the heater, bringing biscuits & hot drinks—all to support a roomful of writers learning to EDIT YOUR WRITING.

We’ve had a great term drawing in serious, committed writers who hadn’t yet found our thriving Portsmouth #writingcommunity via #PortsmouthWritersHub

We’ll be back launching a new series of workshops at NTR beginning 28 February with Write Your Novel and continuing with a growing range of workshop topics run by a range of brilliant local writers: https://www.william-sutton.co.uk/WiP/

Watch out also for workshops at Petersfield Museum, for Christine Lawrence’s monthly workshops at Pallant Centre, Havant and for Mandi Garrie’s workshop group at #PortsmouthCentralLibrary.

Roll on the #cityofliterature 2025 Portsmouth Creates CIC / #pompeybookfest / Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries – University of Portsmouth

 

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Coping Mechanism

Jamie & the Jets: new album Coping Mechanism launched today. And here’s us talking about it:

I’m playing double bass, fretless bass, and singing. We aim to play a few launch gigs in 2025.

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