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robin vaughan-williams

writing workshops

I've run writing workshops for a range of groups, from young people and students through to people with aphasia, and practising writers. These have been introductory sessions, workshops aimed at producing material for a performance, and sometimes on specific themes such as the Icelandic sagas.

One of the things I enjoy exploring in workshops is ways of working collaboratively, whether through group poems, improvisation, or setting exercises that allow participants' individual responses to be drawn together into a collective work.

If you'd like to talk with me about running workshops or coordinating a project for your organisation, you can get in touch with me via my contact page. If you're interested in poetry improvisation workshops, I have a sample workshop proposal I can provide to give you an idea of how it works.

Here is a write-up by Becci Fearnley, one of the participants in Word's a Stage, an Apples and Snakes project I facilitated February–April 2015: All poetry is improv.

Endangered Languages improv at Scottish Writers' Centre, Dec 2014

past workshops

what people say

'one of the collaborative pieces felt like being in a poem as it was being made. V powerful!' [NWS improv workshop June 2015 participant]

'It changed my relationship with what I see poetry as.' [Word's a Stage participant]

'It was really exciting to see a different approach to poetic collaboration.' [Word's a Stage audience member]

'A great and bravely innovative event' [Scottish Writers' Centre Events Coordinator]

I was very impressed by your approach and your empathy with the group. [Aphasia Nottingham project coordinator]

A very good class and very useful wherever you are on your journey as a poet. [Improvisation for Poets, workshop participant]

It was educational and great fun! [Improvisation for Poets, workshop participant]

It reinforced the idea of the ordinary being extraordinary. [Improvisation for Poets, workshop participant]

[The Tutor] was participative and accommodating without being overbearing. His presence was not felt in an intimidating way so you feel more creative freedom while being guided. [Improvisation for Poets, workshop participant]

project management: writing in education and community settings

As well as working as a facilitator, I have extensive experience in writing development from my time as Development Director at Nottingham Writers' Studio. For example, I managed the Heroes Creative Writing Project (Clore Poetry and Literature Awards, working with young people from linguistically diverse backgrounds) and the Nottingham Lace Writing Competition (for children and young people in Nottinghamshire), organised Nottingham Writers' Days (intensive one-day workshops) and the NWS Workshop Series, and put together the first Nottingham Festival of Words (120 events over a two-week period in February 2013).