The two year Squad programme offers fifteen writers eight one-day group meetings concentrating on critical reading, prose, poetry, scriptwriting, journalism and a genre chosen by Squad members.  Squad days are led by the Course Tutor Danny Broderick, and guest tutors like Patricia Duncker and Peter Sansom.


To complement the Squad days we offer at least eight one-to-one meetings with the Course Tutor, focusing on the writer’s own ongoing work.


Through the days and one-to-ones we create an individual plan to enable members to develop their work, gain experience of performance and/or publication, and learn how to promote and manage themselves as writers.


After the two years, we stick by people who stick with us, continuing to offer craft development but also professional development advice and investment in our Grad Programme, as well as residentials and special workshops.


Since 2001 we have worked with sixty-five writers.  The Squad has become a community of artists who sometimes work together on projects initiated by the Squad or created by Squad members.

THE WRITING SQUAD

 

 

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“The Squad days make the Writing Squad unlike any other group I’ve come across. Alongside a workshop with a leading poet you’ll have a seminar on pitching a television drama, the feedback on your latest opus will include not only notes on narrative form and character development, but also on who the hell will actually read it and where to send it to next. It’s far more than simply another writing group, but a whole support network full of practical help and advice and contacts within the industry. Also as an organisation it’s small enough to cater carefully to the specific personal needs of each of its members, finding the most beneficial ways of forwarding their careers.”


Chris Bush, Squad 2