Adult & Higher Education

This 4-week course is designed for adults with learning diversities who want to explore creative writing in a supportive, flexible, and strengths-based environment. Sessions are 1.5 hours each and focus on building confidence, creativity, and self-expression. Participants will be encouraged to develop their own voice while experimenting with different forms of writing.

Through fun, high-energy and imaginative activities, you will develop core storytelling skills and unlock your inner writing superpower. Together we will take a wild and wacky dive into the art of storytelling—creating unforgettable heroes, diabolical villains, pulse-pounding plots, and worlds so vivid you may just want to move in.

Over the course of the programme, you will craft your own fantastical piece of fiction or a real-life inspired story with a clear beginning, middle and end. Each week includes a writer’s workshop where you will have the opportunity to draft, develop and edit your work. You will also have the option to share your writing in progress within the safe and supportive circle of your class.

Above all, the course places creativity at its heart, encouraging you to experiment, play with ideas, and discover the joy of storytelling.

Week 1: Heroes vs Villains

• Exploring our favourite characters from books and films
• Moving beyond physical descriptions to inner traits eg. fears, secret goals, special talents, flaws
• Why is relatability important?
• Writer’s Workshop: Create your main characters

Week 2: There’s a time and place….

• Using the senses to describe a location.
• Show, Don’t Tell: Practise describing emotions rather than naming them directly eg. ‘I’ve got butterflies in my stomach’.
• Writer’s Workshop: Building the setting for your story

Week 3: The Story Mountain

• Identifying the inciting event (the problem) climax (exciting part) and the resolution (happy ending or not?) of famous stories and films.
• Dialogue & Interaction: using direct speech to reveal personality.
• Writer’s Workshop: Mapping out the plot of your story using the story mountain and adding key dialogue.

Week 4: Final Polish & Author’s Chair

• Writer’s Workshop: Sharing your work and engaging with feedback.
• Final polish.
• The Author’s Chair: Be proud of your achievement and celebrate by taking the famous Author’s Chair and sharing your final piece of work with your friendly fellow writers!

There are no entry requirements for this course other than a willingness to explore creative writing ideas!

Just bring yourself!

On completion of this course, students may wish to continue practicing Creative Writing in their own time. Alternatively, students are invited to explore other subject areas in our upcoming LD Leisure courses.