In September 2017 I was offered the opportunity to teach a Workers’ Educational Association Creative Writing course, taking over from Alison Taft and, (before Alison), Becky Cherriman. I inherited a well-established class. Some of the learners had attending the course over a long period of time. At this point, even though I had taught creative writing for a number of years I wondered what I could teach this group that they might not already have covered.
But I soon discovered that these learners were interesting, able writers who were very motivated and they were up for any challenge I set them. In the last 3 years we’ve had a go at many different forms and genres and themes and the group has gone from strength to strength.
Amongst other achievements we:-
· perform each year at the Headingley Literature Festival,
· established a very successful open mic called Soundbites.
· regularly read our work at Soundbites and at other local open mics.
· have been published in anthologies,
And now, we also have our own website, Heartlines, to showcase our work.
Learners have come and gone over the last 3 years but the core group and the spirit remains the same – supportive, good humoured, caring, generous, enthusiastic. Not to mention talented.
We do a lot of writing and have a lot of fun!
Liz McPherson