The Writing Squad

Our Space
2020-11-04 19:30 - 21:00 UTC
HOSTED BY SQUAD GRAD HANNAH HODGSON – OUR SPACE
A dedicated (virtual) space for us to write alone, together.
Think of it as your favourite library, a coffee shop, or a co-working space. It’s a room full of writers at work, and it’s a way of making a commitment to yourself to show up and write. Pop in to The Space to work on any writing project that you like – and in case you need inspiration, an optional writing prompt will be emailed in advance, for you to use, adapt or ignore.
Come and go as your please, and feel free to make yourself a cuppa.
The Zoom link will be posted to the Squad Facebook group just before kickoff.

THE AWESOME PLAY TEXT / SCREENPLAY READING CLUB
2020-11-03 18:30 - 20:00
SIGN UP HERE, WITH MORE INFO ABOUT HOW THE BI-MONTHLY CLUB WILL OPERATE
OPEN TO ALL SQUADS
The 2nd meeting will be on Tuesday 3rd of November 2020 on zoom 6.30 – 8pm. During this meet up we will be discussing Sally Wainwright’s Historical / Bio Pic TV drama ‘To Walk Invisible’. The shooting script is available free to download from the bbc writersroom site.
https://www.bbc.com/writersroom/scripts/tv-drama/to-walk-invisible
Matthew Ingram and Emma Adams want to start thinking about how we can build our critical skills to help us develop as writers. We love watching work, but we think we need to spend more time with the words on the page, learning to ‘read as writers’ too. If you want to join us, then here’s what you need to know:
The first play we will be reading and talking about is: The 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Drama – FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury.
You can find a link for buying the text here 👉 https://www.oberonbooks.com/fairview.html
You need to buy the play and read it, we won’t remind you, the next thing you’ll hear from us is with a link shortly before the 3rd.

THE SPACE
2020-10-28 19:30 - 21:00
There’s something supportive and encouraging about having that screen full of faces, the tops of heads, shoulders, all concentrating on writing. So we have set up The Space, a dedicated (virtual) space for us to write alone, together.
Think of it as your favourite library, a coffee shop, or a co-working space. It’s a room full of writers at work, and it’s a way of making a commitment to yourself to show up and write. Pop in to The Space to work on any writing project that you like – and in case you need inspiration, an optional writing prompt from Francesca will be emailed in advance, for you to use, adapt or ignore. Or she can send you it when she welcomes you in.
Come and go as your please, and feel free to make yourself a cuppa. We’ll work in silence but halfway through there’ll be the option of joining small-group break-out rooms for 5 minutes, for a quick chat.

QUEER SHARE 5
2020-10-25 18:00 - 19:30
An informal and relaxed writing and discussion group for female-identifying and non-binary writers.

About this Event

If you are interested in exploring Queer writing, predominantly poetry, and the issues they raise, this is a space for you.
We’ll share work, writing we admire, ask questions, discuss and write together. Meetings monthly, led by Squad 8 grad, Louise Essex.

SIGN UP HERE

SQUAD 10: THE ART OF WRITING INTO THE SUBJECT WORKSHOP WITH MALIKA
2020-10-24 14:00 - 16:00
ZOOM SESSION, SIGN UP HERE

Do you sit down at the desk with an idea for a poem then get stuck?

About this Event

If we consider our subject matter as a room or space, as writers our instinct is to capture everything with that space, “while the poets gaze should scope the room to spot the butterfly fluttering in the corner just slightly hidden behind the couch.” But how do we work on the page so that we can approach the ordinary with fresh eyes?
We will use visual art, personal objects, music and items of clothing as stimuli for generating rich and unexpected poetic responses. This workshop will include some preparatory work. Come prepared to be challenged and have fun.

SQUAD 10: A MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE WORKSHOP WITH EMMA
2020-10-10 14:00 - 16:00
ZOOM SESSION, SIGN UP HERE

Stop for a second before you read any further and think of a story that you love…

About this Event

If you were going to describe it to others, would you start with what happens? Very often we do this. It’s natural.
By extension, we often have a big focus on the what of our own story’s when we’re developing them too. What happens next? What does that idea mean? What happens in the end? Etc etc etc… This stuff of course is crucial. Nonetheless, in reality, at least half of the pleasure of a story is to be found not in what happens but how.
How am I discovering the story’s events? How does that make me feel? These how questions form the glue that keeps a reader/audience member stuck in and engaged right through to the end. When we think back to a story we love, we might often remember the destination, but the journey of how we get there is crucial. So as writers, it’s really important that we don’t overlook this. All the stories we love have used mystery and suspense to hook us in and keep us questioning all the way to the end. As such, mystery and suspense are some of the most powerful tools a writer has in their armoury.
In this workshop we’re going to think about what mystery and suspense actually are, how they work and how we can use them to structure our stories to engage audiences. As ever this topic will start out from a play writing/ screen writing point of view, but everyone is welcome and the stuff we’ll cover will be useful for prose writers and poets too.
In terms of what to bring with you:
A favourite object (small enough to hold). A pen. A pad. You.

SQUAD 10: AN INTRODUCTION TO BOOKMAKING WORKSHOP WITH STEVIE
2020-09-26 14:00 - 16:00
ZOOM SESSION, SIGN UP HERE

Learn how to make simple books and playful paper objects incorporating words. No previous experience required!

About this Event

Stevie will send out a basic bookmaking kit to each participant ahead of the workshop. You could bring a short piece of writing to use as raw material for incorporating into your books though this is not essential.
After talking about books and alternative ways of presenting literature, we will make play around, make books and explore alternative book formats, self-publishing, how can the format of a book reflect its content and how to incorporate text into handmade paper objects.

DRAMATURGY & SCRIPT EDITING SKILLS PROGRAMME 1/2
2020-09-19 14:00 - 16:00
A limited pilot of for Squad grad playwrights and scriptwriters.
If you are interested in taking part if we develop this further, please let Steve or Emma know.

The Space
2020-09-16 19:30 - 21:00, 2020-09-12 19:30 - 21:00, 2020-09-08 10:00 - 12:00, 2020-09-05 19:30 - 21:00, 2020-09-01 10:00 - 12:00, 2020-08-29 19:30 - 21:00, 2020-08-25 10:00 - 12:00
There’s something supportive and encouraging about having that screen full of faces, the tops of heads, shoulders, all concentrating on writing. So we have set up The Space, a dedicated (virtual) space for us to write alone, together.
Think of it as your favourite library, a coffee shop, or a co-working space. It’s a room full of writers at work, and it’s a way of making a commitment to yourself to show up and write. Pop in to The Space to work on any writing project that you like – and in case you need inspiration, an optional writing prompt from Francesca will be emailed in advance, for you to use, adapt or ignore. Or she can send you it when she welcomes you in.
Come and go as your please, and feel free to make yourself a cuppa. We’ll work in silence but halfway through there’ll be the option of joining small-group break-out rooms for 5 minutes, for a quick chat.

Zoom Info will be posted to the Facebook Writing Squad group shortly before we kick off!

SQUAD 10: WORKSHOP WITH FRANCESCA
2020-09-12 14:00 - 16:00
ZOOM SESSION, SIGN UP HERE

CORE TEAM ‘SQUAD DAY’ WORKSHOPS
Obviously we don’t know how long we will be meeting on Zoom. At the moment we are planning on resuming face to face Squad Days in October but that may shift.
Initially we will meet on Zoom and these workshops will last two hours.
We will email you about these workshops nearer the time with a link to sign up for them on Eventbrite.
We expect that you will try and come to the ones led by the writer in your specialism or your Core Team member, but do feel free to sign up to any that you are interested in.
Emma Adams is our script specialist, Francesca Haig prose, Malika Booker poetry and Stevie Ronnie is a poet, artist and maker.
All will take place on Saturdays, all starting at 14.00.

THE AWESOME PLAY TEXT / SCREENPLAY READING CLUB
2020-09-03 18:30 - 20:00
SIGN UP HERE, WITH MORE INFO ABOUT HOW THE BI-MONTHLY CLUB WILL OPERATE
Matthew Ingram and Emma Adams want to start thinking about how we can build our critical skills to help us develop as writers. We love watching work, but we think we need to spend more time with the words on the page, learning to ‘read as writers’ too. If you want to join us, then here’s what you need to know:
The first play we will be reading and talking about is: The 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Drama – FAIRVIEW by Jackie Sibblies Drury.
You can find a link for buying the text here 👉 https://www.oberonbooks.com/fairview.html

THE SPACE 4
2020-08-26 12:00 - 13:30

Writing with a Journalist's Eye - nasim Asl
2020-08-20 18:00 - 20:00
SQUAD 1-9 WORKSHOP
(with possibility of opening up to squad 10 if places.
Want to learn how to approach information as a journalist? To learn the importance of language and audience across different news mediums?
In this introduction to journalistic approaches, we’ll practice writing concisely and clearly, see how to spot and convey the most important facts, and explore how to structure a news story, write for broadcast and understand the importance of audiences.
We will also think about the relationship between journalism and your creative practice; word choices, clarity, the audience, how things work aurally, and the relationship between words and truth

QUEER SHARE 3
2020-08-19 08:00 - 17:00
An informal and relaxed writing and discussion group for female-identifying and non-binary writers. If you are interested in exploring Queer writing, predominantly poetry, and the issues they raise, this is a space for you.
We’ll share work, writing we admire, ask questions, discuss and write together. Meetings are fortnightly, led by Squad 8 grad, Louise Essex.

SQUAD 10: WORKSHOP WITH MALIKA
2020-08-15 14:00 - 16:00
CORE TEAM ‘SQUAD DAY’ WORKSHOPS
Obviously we don’t know how long we will be meeting on Zoom. At the moment we are planning on resuming face to face Squad Days in October but that may shift.
Initially we will meet on Zoom and these workshops will last two hours.
We will email you about these workshops nearer the time with a link to sign up for them on Eventbrite.
We expect that you will try and come to the ones led by the writer in your specialism or your Core Team member, but do feel free to sign up to any that you are interested in.
Emma Adams is our script specialist, Francesca Haig prose, Malika Booker poetry and Stevie Ronnie is a poet, artist and maker.
All will take place on Saturdays, all starting at 14.00.

SIGN UP HERE

Pitching Workshop with Penguin Random House
2020-08-13 18:00 - 20:00
OPEN TO ALL SQUAD FICTION AND PROSE WRITERS. (Priority will be given to people to didn’t attend last time the PRH team worked with us, if you came to that one and want to come to this one, please don’t sign up but email Steve and we’ll offer you a place if there is room.) If you weren’t at that workshop, sign up in the normal way.
A pitch workshop by Penguin Random House editors (Ana Fletcher, Charlotte Humphery and Mikaela Pedlow from VINTAGE) about jackets, copy and how to tell the story of a book, for anybody interested in how the publishing industry pitches books to readers and how this might influence how you pitch your own work to agents and editors.

THE SPACE 3
2020-08-12 19:30 - 21:00

Poetry In Translation with Clare Pollard
2020-08-06 19:30 - 21:30
An introduction to poetry translation (into English) with Clare Pollard – poet, translator, and editor of Modern Poetry in Translation. This workshop will have a focus on translating dead women poets in line with the theme of the magazine’s next issue, but will also serve as an introduction to poetry translation more generally. Following on from this workshop, there is the opportunity to submit your translated poems to the Autumn issue of Modern Poetry in Translation, which is being guest edited by Dead [Women] Poets Society.

QUEER SHARE
2020-08-02 18:00 - 19:00
Squad grad Louise Essex is following up her Queer Women Poets meetings, by setting up a regular online meeting for female-identifying and non-binary lovers of poetry & prose. Reading, writing & discussion. Join their Facebook page if you want to be notified of dates for future meetings.

SQUAD 10: WORKSHOP WITH EMMA
2020-08-01 14:00 - 16:00

THE SPACE
2020-07-29 12:00 - 14:30, 2020-07-15 19:30 - 21:00
We’ve noticed during Zoom seminars that even when we’re working silently on writing exercises, there’s something supportive and encouraging about having that screen full of faces, all concentrating on writing. So we’re starting The Space, a dedicated (virtual) space for us to write alone, together.
Think of it as your favourite library, a coffee shop, or a co-working space. It’s a room full of writers at work, and it’s a way of making a commitment to yourself to show up and write. Pop in to The Space to work on any writing project that you like – and in case you need inspiration, an optional writing prompt from Francesca will be emailed in advance, for you to use, adapt or ignore. Or she can send you it when she welcomes you in.
Come and go as your please, and feel free to make yourself a cuppa. We’ll work in silence but halfway through there’ll be the option of joining small-group break-out rooms for 5 minutes, for a quick chat.
SIGN UP HERE

MAKING S.E.O. WORK FOR YOU with Onyi Ekebuisi
2020-07-25 14:30 - 16:30
Everyone talks about SEO – Search Engine Optimisation – but few know how to make it work for their site and content. In this practical workshop Onyi Ekebuisi will give you a simple guide to what SEO is, and what you need to do to your site/s to get attention, attract traffic, retain browsers and have more people find out about you and your work.

SIGN UP HERE (SQ1-9)
Onyi is a Squad grad and after being Regional SEO Manger for Trinity Mirror newspaper group , she has recently moved to be Head of SEO for Wowcher. Originally from Sheffield, Onyi is currently in the Introductory Playwrighting Group at the Royal Court Theatre.

SQUAD 10: WORKSHOP WITH FRANCESCA
2020-07-18 14:00 - 16:00
