Todmorden based writer and performer Emma Decent is starting an autumn creative “life writing” class.
The ten week course began this week and will run on Wednesdays until December 3 at Kava Kafe, Halifax Road, Todmorden, although there will be no classes on Wednesdays, October 15 or 29.
Emma says the aim is to create poetry or prose, or writing for performances, out of personal stories and experience. She says: “This course uses writing techniques to connect you with your stories and get your pen moving. Every week writing exercises will draw new words out of you on different topics and themes. You will uncover tales you never knew you had, as well as discover new ways of expressing the old stories you know so well.
“We will look at how to turn the personal - rants, diary entries, etc - into something fit to share with others, and, what’s mor,e that others want to hear! The course will build confidence in sharing your work, and work towards opportunities to do so. All forms of writing welcome, poetry, prose, or ‘I-don’t-know-what-it-is’.
“The idea is to write. The course aims to inspire an on-going writing practice that is personally fulfilling as well as creatively productive. All levels of writing experience are welcome,” she said. The course costs £50 and runs from 2pm to 4pm on each of the class days.
Emma said she has been creating poetry, prose and theatre out of life experiences for more than ten years years.
Her most recent work is a solo theatre show about her father ‘Beyond Dreams of Aberystwyth’ which tours nationally starting at Aberystwyth in October. She delivers a life-writing workshop alongside the show encouraging others to tell their stories, and recently qualified in Preparing to Teach in the Life-long Learning Sector. She also writes a new blog.
You can get more details from by emailing emmadecent@talk21.com or logging on to website www.emmadecent.co.uk
l Kava is also the venue for the ‘Kultura’ spoken word night every last Tuesday of the month.