What I learned at Writers' Summer School About Writing, Describing Yourself, meeting New People

 The alarm woke me at 7 am even if I went to bed gone midnight. By 8 am I was in the room where a volunteer was giving us our writing task for Lift Up Your Pens. We had four of those sessions, Sunday to Wednesday. I attended every one. 

I wanted to get my moneysworth. The summer school now costs somewhere near a thousand pounds for the short week, starting Saturday tea time, leaving after breakfast on Thursday.  Five nights of accommodation, all meals, and coffee and cake or biscuits for elevenses and tea-time.

You can sell books, giving 15% to the Hayes. You can buy books from other authors, mostly getting a signed copy. 

For me the week had two highlights. What I learned, and what I did.

What I Did

Angela Lansbury, wearing the green outfit she wore in Maria Hemmings' five minute play at the annual Writers' Summer School held every August in Swanwick, Derbyshire. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

I had a bit part, about four sentences, in a five-minute comedy written by the Vice President for 2026, Maria Hemmings. 

She always tells a rude joke to end her introduction to the evening's proceedings for everyone in the large hall called the Main Conference Centre. She is the queen of comedy. 

This year her comedy, one of three good comedies, was voted the best comedy. She is the VIP. Very Important Playwright.

What I learned

What did I learn? That you can establish a character in only one sentence, or two. 

Gestures

That a gesture can emphasize the character. You can show a lot on stage just by pointing at someone else, or yourself, or a part of yourself.

Descriptions

You can describe yourself or somebody else in three words. Try to describe yourself in three, complimentary words. Then ask others to do so.

The next event will be August 7-12th 2027, again Saturday tea time to Thursday brakfast at The Hayes Conference Centre, Derbyshire.

Useful Websites

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/contact-us

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Opportunities For Travelling Poets

Poets Meet and Learn and Teach

 Poets looking for inspiration can join writing courses, such as the Writers Summer School in Swanwick, Derbyshire, in England. Or visit the homes of poets such as Shakespeare in Stratford upon Avon in England, or the home of Keats in London, or Burns in Scotland.

In the USA I was with a journalist who reported on a sports event. When I heard he was going to speak on radio, I asked him if he could get the radio station to give me a moment to read a poem about the destination and the sports even. It was a chance to publicise my UK book which was on sale in the USA. 

I got my spot on the radio. 

There are also online poetry readings for published poets (and self0lished poets) and teachers. If you are not travelling, you can go onto a Zoom or other meeting online from anywhere in the world. The organizers may have a time limit such as two minutes for each poem if the event takes an hour or two and they have twenty or more poets online and a featured poet or time for the convener to do an introduction as well as a summary and promotion of the following meeting.

A poem can be presented on video or at a meeting, with each poem, or each line of the poem, in a colourful slide with a border or flowers, or your holiday pictures . Some travellers write and illustrate at the same time. If you don't have time to illustrate, you can illustrate by making a drawing or border, inspired by your holiday photos or popular pictures of destinations.\

Useful Websites

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poetry-Workshop-Angela-Lansbury/dp/B005D3JGPY

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/

What I learned about best-selling books at Writers' Summer School, Saturday Start at Swanwick in Derbyshire, August 2022

 

The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, England, UK.
 

Writers' Summer School takes place every year in August at the Hayes Conference Centre, in Swanwick Derbyshire. It starts at tea-time on Saturday and continues until breakfast on the following Friday.  This year it was August 13 to 19th.  I drove from London up the M1 motorway towards the exit 28 after Derby, my car with a suitcase packed, crammed, with 7 daytime and 7 evening outfits, fancy dress, a glamorous outfit for the last night party, and several of my books to sell in the bookroom. I was anxiously watching my speed, and the distances, hoping to reach the Hayes in time for tea, when they serve cakes. Coffee and hot chocolate and drinking water are available all day, free, from machines. I made it in time for tea and enjoyed lemon drizzle cake.

Splendid Saturday - Meeting Other Authors

Book Room Sales

I placed my books in the book room, using a small stand to raise a couple of the books. I was very pleased to sell two books, and sign one of them, Quick Quotations for a new friend, Steve, who bought my book on quotations because he collects books of quotations. 

My friend, Carolyn Street, who I know from Toastmasters International in Singapore, had displayed six of her books. She sold them all, and I had written chapters in two of the books. I had a chapter on Authentic Writing For Your Audience in Authenticity & Us, and a chapter called How To Unblock Writer's Block in Fear & Us. 

Ambassadors

At the first night's dinner ,Carolyn was with the newcomers on a table with a couple of the old timers who volunteered to be Ambassadors. Next year I shall be an ambassador. One thing I discovered for Carolyn was that the Lakeside bedroom block has a guest laundry room with washing machines and dryers.

Who Was Our Opening Speaker - and What was her best-seller book title?

Our after dinner speaker was the author, Erin Kelly, author of a crime novel, The Poison Tree. I had looked that up earlier and found she had cleverly copied the oxymoron title from a chilling, short poem by William Blake. 

Which Books Pay Most?

She entertained us, telling us how her book, the Crime Novel, The Poisoned Tree resulted from her being told by her agent that crime books sell most and pay most to the author. She got a laugh with the contrast of how she had no interest in writing crime novels, but when told how well they paid, declared she had always wanted to write a crime novel.

Another interesting fact she told us was that she took two years to write a book. I aim to write a book a year in order to have something new on the table in the Swanwick book room each year.

Romance Writers

After a brief refreshment and bathroom break, I joined the Get to know you group session. I sat at the romance writers' table for a photo. But ended up with the short story writers.

Angela Lansbury at the table for writers of Romance at Writers' Summer School, Swanwick. Photo by Angela Lasnbury.

Next year's Writers' Summer School will be in August 2023. 

Next year, Saturday 5th - Friday 11th August  2023.

Amateurs and Professionals welcome. The bookings will be available from November.

Angela Lansbury has blogs on travel, dress, speeches and more.

Books by Angela Lansbury and Carolyn Street are on Amazon.

Useful Websites

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Improve-Your-English-alliteration-assonance-ebook/dp/B082PZXQLQ

What should you pack for Writers' Summer School?

 Photo by Angela Lansbury

The writers' Summer school takes place every August in Swanwick, Derbyshire, at the Hayes conference centre. It lasts a week. What should you pack?

First of all, if  you are a writer, your own books to sell. If you drive up, you can take a stack of books. If you travel by train, you may have to take one copy of each book and a series of bookmarks or address cards or fliers.

Books 

Books you would like to sell.

You have to write inside the book on a card with your name, book title, and book price.

I used to find this difficult. It sounds easy. But I might discount a book below the price on the cover, especially if it was an old book and dog-eared.

In previous years, they had second hand books for sale. Also the Hayes had a fund raising bookcase of donated books and an honesty box.

Poems

Your best poem.

A humorous poem.

A topical poem eg on Covid -19. Or an event.

Poems about a cause.

Stationery

Notebooks small enough to carry. A computer light enough to carry up and down stairs. Protective cover for the rain.

Printer.

If Driving

Food For The Drive there

1 Sandwich and drink for the journey. 

2 Something extra in case there's a traffic jam or accident which causes delay and you miss tea. 

3 Rubbish bag (paper?) for throwing away apple cores and sticky sandwich wrappers. 

4 A bowl or potty or bottle or proper toilet.

5 A coffee maker and capsules for the destination. 

A vacuum bag in which to store a piece of fruit in case you wake too late for breakfast.

Drink

Drink for holding a party. Drink for taking on the last night to the dregs party. Drink for sharing at the dinner table at the last evening.

What if you invite somebody to your room for a drink, or are drinking and you feel obliged to share, or you pass an open door and they beckon you in but don't have clean drinking glasses?

Drinking glasses. Or paper cups. A corkscrew.

If Travelling by Train

Having a booked seat and carriage and train time can be a nuisance if your friends on the way there or back are booked on a different train time or in another carriage. You might want to tell the group your train time and carriage and hope they will come looking for you. Alternatively, if you know the crowd well, when you get up to go to the toilet, you might race along the seated passengers looking for friends or hoping somebody will hail you.

I pack in such a way that my laptop and phone are always near me. If there's a choice of seating, I move to be near my luggage, or to be able to watch it. At busy stations, be near enough to jump up if somebody moves your luggage to reach theirs, and you worry that somebody will accidentally or deliberately take yours. 

Even without any malice, in fact the reverse, if an old frail lady moves your bag to reach hers underneath, a helpful bystander could easily think your bag belonged to her. A young man, a station helper assigned to her, or simply a strong man standing alongside, might move both bags onto the platform. 

This happened to me, once. By lucky chance, I was seated by the exit. I had left my laptop in the nearby trolley bag. I was watching anxiously to be sure it was not dropped nor kicked nor broken.

Clothes

Day dress and evening dress. A green dress or jeans or an old dress for sitting on the grass. Smart evening dress. Another smart dress for the last night. A couple of hats or props in case you are cast in one of the plays or wish to perform a poem in character. Suggestions" a hat for a doctor, nurse, black, white, bright colour, teddy bear, doll for a baby, cat, toy dog, spider, bell.

Something suitable for walking around the lakes. Cover up for the evening against insect bites.rs.

Lanyard for keys.

Spare badge with https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6531280/joseph-grimaldiaintsyour name on it.

Pens for yourself. Pens you can afford to lose and to lend.

Drawing book and paints.

Names of friends as reminders.

Entertainments

A guitar or ukelele. Music sheet with the tune. The words. Learn Auld Lang syne for the last night.

Cards for playing bridge.

Fancy Dress

2021 the theme is the Twenties. You don't have to wear fancy dress but you might win a prize. It makes a good photo. Look for headbands, fringes, 

Shoes

Mary Janes.

Bar shoes 

Ankle straps.

T bars.

Ankle straps with a line down the middle to secure shoes when dancing.

Clock alarm

Practise using your phone's alarm clock. 

Pack a poem to read out. 

Books you would like to sell. 

In the car, a map of the exit and number of the exit - and how to get back if you miss the exit.

Useful Websites

swanwick

https://www.swanwickwritersschool.org.uk/

AA

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, is a semi-retired travel writer still researching bucket list countries and seeking out the special, unusual, people, places,  landmarks, hotels, museums and trails, fabulous foods, recipes, clothes and online souvenir shopping.

Angela Lansbury is a member of Toastmasters International.

About the Author Angela Lansbury

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President  Public Relations, Immediate Past President. VPPR

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

BHA

Past meetings have included Garen Tee on using story telling in business, on 

bha.learncool.sg/meet/bha . 

Recent meetings of BHA included an educational session on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, always first Wednesday evening, 7 pm Singapore time. Next meeting is  the third Saturday afternoon, June 19th 2pm Singapore time.  Inauguration of the new committee was by the incoming Director of S, plus a lively speech on teamwork.

Next meetings will be on these dates (unless a national holiday in Singapore or worldwide)

Themes and word of the day are tentative

2021

JULY - JUBILANT JULY

Theme/WOD Jubilant

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS (based on level one of Pathways)

1 Your first speech or role EASY ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Articles A and The, Plurals, Tenses, Pronunciation, Singlish)

2 CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Wed July 7th 

Saturday 17th

July 4rh American Independence Day.

2021 AUGUST - AWESOME AUGUST

1 Pathway Level 1 Introductory Speeches

2 Evaluations

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2021 SEPT - SUPER SEPTEMBER

Wed 1st

Sat 18th SPEECH CONTESTS

Humorous Speech Contest

Table Topics Contest

2021 OCT - ODD OCTOBER

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

2021 NOV - NOVELTY NOVEMBER

Wed 3rd

Sat 20th Wed

Diwali Hindu Festival of lights Nov 4th.

Nov 25th American Thanksgiving.

Hanukah starts 28 Dec 8 days until Dec 6. Jewish Festival of lights, celebrated by Jesus.

2021 DEC - DARLING DECEMBER

Wed  1st (Hanukah if not previous month. Festival foods.)

Sat 18th

Speech on 

JAN 2022 - JOYFUL JANUARY

Wed Jan 5th New beginning - forget the past

Sat 15 Long-term plans = for the future/Chinese New Year (CNY for short)

2022 FEB FUN FEBRUARY

Theme Love and romance - Chinese New Year

Feb 1st and 2nd are holidays - do we move this Feb 2nd meeting date?)

Wed 2nd (Valentine's Day Mon Feb 14)

Sat 19th

2022 MAR - MARVELLOUS MARCH

Theme

Wed 2nd

Sat 19

March 1st is Christian Pancake day. 

2022 APR - APRIL'S AIMS

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

Muslim Ramadan 1-30 April.

Jewish Passover (Seder meal=Last supper) April

 16

2022 MAY - MODERNISING MAY

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2022 JUN - JUBILANT JUNE

Wed 1st

Sat 18th

Jul 6, Jul 16, Aug 3, Aug 20, Sept 7, Sept 17, Oct 5, Oct 15, Nov 2, Nov 19, Dec 7, Dec 17.

Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See many varied posts such as the post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts.