thoughttree Writing Courses - now available for teachers

thoughttree are delighted to announce that we are now featured on The Good CPD Guide (goodcpdguide.com). We are listed under 'Teaching Creative Writing at A level' - herewith link:

http://goodcpdguide.com/courses?utf8=%E2%9C%93&searchtext=teaching+creative+writing+t+a+level&postcode=&sortby=score+DESC+NULLS+LAST%2C+updated_at+DESC&per=10&page=

Take a look and let us know what you think!

'Exploring what is difficult to express...'

So said Kelly Hunter this morning, referring to her production of Shakespeare's The Tempest, for those with autism, showing at the RSC. Apparently it works like this: a small audience of fifteen or so shares in the 'relaxed' acting experience. Participants do not see the written word but 'play' their way into the performance, becoming a physicality and embodying the heartbeat that is the rhythm at the heart of Shakespeare's work.

As a child I took part in a wordless production of The Tempest. I remember being rather in love with a cape I wore as Prospero; I was all sweeping gestures and fierce glares as I conjured my storm. It was Shakespeare in a different dimension and I have never forgotten it. Years of study have perhaps sharpened and defined my love for his work: I can explore him now in terms of iambic pentameter, fragmentation and disruption and all that (and a Gothic element or two!). But that wordless effort of mine from so long ago moved me and remains powerful in a way that I find hard to express.

But that, of course, is what Shakespeare is all about: exploring and expressing what it is to be human.

Ms Hunter, we thoroughly approve!

Back... with a beautifully atmospheric snippet of descriptive writing to share.

It's true to say that our thoughttree blog has been quiet for a week or so... that's because we have been up to our writerly necks in examining for one of the major Examining Boards. However all that is in the past: deadlines have been met, the desk cleared to make way for us to share a wonderful sample of descriptive writing from one of our writers, Suzie. A sample from her latest offering, 'Ocean of Ashes':

'The weather relaxed, the sunlight finally reaching the edge of the beach bathing them in a glorious warmth; the chalk cliffs, which were chattering with a multitude of discordant sea birds, cocooned them from the nipping breeze.
The amber heat moved slowly across the sky. The tideline, scattered with shells and algae tossing gently onshore, would soon be swallowed by the flooding waters, which were making their way in to fill the beach before the day's end.'

We love this. Amber heat. Yes. Nipping breeze. Beautiful touch with the adjectives. Complex sentences which slow us to the rhythm of the tides and the mood of an early shoreline evening. Nothing Gothic about it but who cares?

Copyright Suzie!

Storytelling at its best...

We're delighted to announce that we are blessed... a professional storyteller will be leading some of our 'fireside storytelling' sessions! A fascinating area to explore: the way in which the art of word on page morphs into something utterly different when it becomes the spoken word. With grateful thanks to our storyteller, Ingrid. We can't wait!

An Element of Gothic

An A level student recently commented: 'Why is Macbeth being taught with the other Gothic novels at A level, when it isn't really a Gothic novel because he wrote it before they existed?'

Ahem! Clearly, it wasn't explained to said student that there are what we understand as Gothic novels, and there are other novels where we can explore Gothic elements within them. So, just as we can explore a novel through the 'lens' of, say, feminism, we can explore writing through the lens of the Gothic.

So a Gothic reading of Macbeth, then, becomes so much more fascinating! We gain a whole new understanding of what the Great Shake was about ie terrorising and thrilling his audiences because the intention of Gothic writing, after all, is to instill a kind of 'pleasing terror' in the reader.

Not to mention the weird sisters! A Gothic reading of these dear ladies can explore the way their dialogue encircles Macbeth into entrapment -  literally, on the page... but if you want to know more about that, you'll need to join us on a thoughttree writing course!

PS student: we think your course was actually entitled 'Gothic Elements'... maybe you weren't listening?

Thoughttree Courses for Teachers... coming soon

At thoughttree we have our thinking caps on! We're in the process of putting in place a structure for a creative writing workshop that will suit teachers - the course will be appropriate for those teaching, or preparing to teach, the new #AQACreativeWritingAlevel, and #AlevelEnglishLanguageand/Literature.

Naturally we'll be thinking Gothic... but we'll also be thinking education - and a whole lot of other stuff besides! A thoughttree course for teachers will help you develop your own confidence as a writer and teacher of creative writing. You may find it particularly helpful if you're one of those teachers who moderate in isolation. We know how that feels. Teachers, we're here for you!

So watch this space... we'll let you know when its up and running. In the meantime, if you'd like us to focus our creative attention on anything particular on our teachers courses, why not get in touch and let us know?

Find us at www.thoughttree.co.uk. We're out there on Twitter and Facebook too.