Writing for Wellness with Justine Carbery

Course Summary

Reading and writing have been proven to have a beneficial effect on one’s mental health and sense of self. Expressing yourself creatively can clarify, comfort and cajole. But sometimes we don’t know where to start.

Would you like to learn how to bring your best self to the page, how to access creativity and flow? This workshop aims to get your creativity flowing in an inspiring and enjoyable way. It will banish your fear of the blank page. In it you will mine your memories and hone your observational skills  to spark your imagination and create compelling fiction, poetry or memoir.

Many of us have the desire to write but find it difficult to carve out the time to sit down and start. And then when we do, we can be tired and overly critical of our attempts.

This one-day workshop is a unique opportunity to calm the inner critic, open the creativity valve, whilst also learning the basic elements of writing through fun, imaginative exercises.

Course Outline

In this workshop we will begin with how reading and writing can enhance your sense of well-being and purpose.  We will look at where to get ideas and how to get started. Then, using fun writing exercises and discussion, we will explore what makes a good story. We will gather tips and ideas to create a writing toolbox that will help you write in your chosen genre. In the class you will write, read, share and discuss. Most of all, you will have fun and come away with a renewed sense of excitement about the creative writing process.

Format:

Introductions

The benefits of reading and writing

Establishing/developing a sustainable writing practice

Creative Writing Toolkit: Tips and Advice

Write and Share

The importance of significant detail

Write and share

Books to read

Questions

Course Outcomes

You will come away with tips and advice on how to improve your writing, and a reservoir of ideas to get started on. You will have written two pieces of Creative Writing.

Justine Carbery is a writer, creative writing teacher and journalist. She lectures in Creative Writing in UCD and the Irish Writers Centre, and writes book reviews and features for The Sunday Independent and The Irish Times. Her short stories have appeared in Crannóg, From The Well, New Word Order, Herstory, New Tricks With Matches, Ireland’s Own.