Nature, Travel, Writing ‘En Plein Air’

Observation, compression, adjacency

Tuesdays 10.30-12

13th, 20th, 27^th Jan and 3^rd Feb

Writing is often like painting. Put yourself in the world, observe closely, describe faithfully, and you will surprise yourself and readers and capture magical things. This course focusses on the importance of close observation, of accurately describing not what you think you see, but what you *really* see, hear, smell, taste and touch. We will also look at the power of compression: of honing and whittling away until only the crucial essentials remain in your work, devoid of ‘filler’. We will also look at juxtaposition, the sparks and chemistry that exist between surprising things, and how you can use this to make your writing sparkle.