“I learned that it’s okay to let the weird thoughts (about ghosts, aliens, talking animals, robots, etc.) appear on the page as much as they want to. They might even end up being part of a good piece. Do I plan to continue writing? Yes! Until I die, or until my hands don’t work properly—but then I can use voice-recognition software :)”
Vanessa, April 23, 2016
“Mostly I learned how to write without feeling anxious about knowing what I’m writing about. I used to think I had to have it all figured out, but I learned that I don’t. How did it feel to write a piece overnight? I didn’t feel too worried or stressed about it. It was fun and challenging in the right way.”
Li, April 23, 2016
“I just wanted to send a note to say thank you for the course this weekend. Since graduating I have done a range of short courses, across many different topics (I’m a learning addict!) but I have never left feeling as inspired or equipped as I did after ‘Simply Writing’. I have already completed my first independent free-writing session! It was a wonderful weekend and I thought the instructor not only went above and beyond, but also created a really amazing workshop environment, so thank you. I learnt a lot of things about myself and how I can tackle the demons that have stopped me from writing, in particular my lack of confidence and how I can avoid falling into that negative trap. As the instructor said before the course, when we spoke the phone, it was exhausting, but in the best way possible!”
Ami, April 23, 2016
“I learned that the act of simply writing brings out the ability to write more…and that procrastination is not necessary; in fact, it is just putting off extra time you could be using to perfect or play more with what you want to write. Also, I learned that I need to spend time editing, which is just as important as writing. Editing can help to get the desired effect and can change a piece dramatically.”
Mairead, January 24, 2016
“Simply Writing was life-changing for me. At this workshop I learnt to stop criticising myself and start writing. I was so full of energy after the first day of the workshop that I could have written all night long. The workshop made me feel empowered to write. In fact, I produced two pieces overnight.”
Dione, January 24, 2016
“Writing a piece overnight felt pressurised, at first, as I had to decide on one of two pieces in mind. Adding to the pressure was the fact that it would only be a draft. I made it, though!”
Róisín, January 24, 2016
“I learned that you don’t have to be a professional to start writing, to enjoy what you wrote, and have others enjoy it too. I liked writing the piece overnight, as it really forced you to not question things a million times. You just needed to focus on getting words on the page, rather than being ultra-critical of every word.”
Jessica, January 24, 2016
“On a practical level, I learned a number of methods to get the words down on paper; that has been my block until now and the techniques used in the class will help me get past that. On a more personal level I learned that I can do this – I found some moments scary and others enlightening, I found I know more than I realized, and have some opinions I was not aware of. I also learned I can concentrate for four hours when I am really invested! It felt remarkable to write a piece overnight. The inspiration was provided by a tip at the end of the class and it felt as though the piece wrote itself. It came out almost ready, I made almost no changes when typing it later and felt rather proud of it and what it represents – my first piece of personal writing.”
Cathy, January 24, 2016