Stories, Myths and Legends–Feed Your Magic Muse in Wells, England

Writing workshop in Wells England, May 11-18, 2024.

We’ve been to Wells twice now and we love it so much we’re going back in 2024! It has sat for over a thousand years on the edge of the Somerset Levels in southwest England – an area of history, mystery and mysticism. Within the city is the Gothic cathedral with its Bishop’s Palace – surrounded by a moat, medieval houses and cobbled streets – and Vicar’s Close, pictured below. Nearby, on the Isle of Avalon, is Glastonbury Tor, the burial place of King Arthur, now the site of Catholic pilgrimages, Druid festivals, and purportedly the entrance to the Underworld of Annwn and the Cauldron of the Dark Goddess. Below the Tor is the town of Glastonbury, where old and new age coexist. Within a short walk of the ruins of the great abbey, destroyed by Henry VIII, are stores and studios offering healing crystals, Chakra unblocking, yoga and Tarot card readings. So much to unleash the imagination and inspire the writer!

The creative writing workshop will follow our usual format, with a bit of the magic of the region for added spice. Each morning we’ll meet from 9:30 to 12:30 for the “class” portion of the experience – a writing workshop format of mini-lectures from Debbie and Charlotte, in-class story writing exercises, and discussion of the pieces each of you will submit. (Yes, we will give you writing assignments at the end of class each day.) We’ll also assign a book or two for you to read ahead of time. In class we’ll discuss how the assigned books relate to our writing.

We’ll have a group cocktail hour (with wine and other beverages and optional writerly talk) each day at around 6:00, so from 12:30 till then you can eat, write and explore as you wish.

Day One: Arrive in Wells and settle in. We can provide detailed information on how to get from London’s Heathrow airport (or other arrival points) to Wells. Then we’ll spend Saturday getting acclimated and getting to know each other, with a festive dinner at home or at a restaurant, depending on the group’s choice.

Day Two Sunday: Focus on inspiration. Who, what, and where is your muse? How can you access it (her)? Does inspiration come to you in odd moments or when you make a schedule and sit down to write at a consistent time? We’ll talk about myriad ways to encourage regular visits from your muse.

Day Three Monday: Do you believe in magic? Yes, it’s a song by the Lovin’ Spoonful from the 1960s, about the power of music. Writing can be as magic as music – let’s think about how that works and find ways to incorporate magic in our writing.

Day Four Tuesday: Landscape and the mind. Soak up the world around you, then take your own vision of it and put it on the page. Maybe you’ll find inspiration in the Wells Cathedral or Glastonbury Tor. Or perhaps you are most inspired by your own home surroundings – and you need to leave to find that out. We’ll discuss all the ways the landscape affects us and our muse.

Day Five Wednesday: Character – myth and legend. Creating character involves working through layers, and at least one of the layers could consist of myth or legend. Can you write a character with a mythic dimension?

Day Six Thursday: Let’s get thematic. How do the elements of your piece work with its theme? Understanding your theme changes everything because it deepens and clarifies your approach to the work. Yet it’s a tricky bugger to uncover. We’ll discuss how to find and enhance it.

Day Seven Friday: Put it all together. What did you learn about your writing this week? How will you apply your new insights and ideas to your work when you return home? We’ll help you set goals to incorporate what you’ve learned and continue the momentum you gained this week.

Day Eight Saturday: Time to leave. Or stay a few more days soaking up the atmosphere. In either case, we’ll help you work out details.

THE DETAILS:

Cost:  The price of the workshop is $2600 if you register with a deposit by January 1, 2024; after that it goes up to $2750. We require a $500 deposit on registration and complete payment by January 31, 2024. If your spouse or partner wants to come along, there will be an additional charge. The price for a couple who will share a room and both take the workshop is $3700, or $3600 before January 31, 2024. And also! This year we are offering a super-duper early-bird bonus. Pay in full by September 30, 2023, and receive a manuscript review of 25 to 30 page plus zoom call to discuss.

The price of the program covers lodging, tuition, breakfast and four dinners. Lunch and other dinners are flexible – a mix of meals at home and in restaurants– with the cost shared among participants.

What’s included:

• Seven nights lodging in Wells

• Six morning workshops

• Breakfast and four dinners, with at least two of them taking place in classic English pubs

• Evening gatherings to discuss writing, travel, and more

• Writing community—connection with other writers that will last beyond your workshop experience

How to apply: Send us a short statement (250 words or fewer) about where you are in your writing now and why you would like to join the workshop and what you hope to get out of it. The program is limited to eight participants.

What to expect: Please bring a computer with word processing capability. The houses where we stay have internet access; you will be expected to send your writing to other class members each day via email. We will discuss student writing as a group, focusing on each day’s subject matter. We encourage constructive discussion of how to improve the writing.

Physical fitness: Okay, we won’t make you do pushups or run a marathon, but you should be aware that there will be stairs, there will be hills and there will be walking. It’s not terribly strenuous, but be advised.

Cancellation policy: The $500 deposit is not refundable. Once you have paid the balance of the cost, we will provide a full refund (less deposit) if you cancel before March 15. If you cancel thereafter there is no refund unless you find a replacement student for us.

Travel insurance: It’s relatively inexpensive; we strongly recommend you purchase it. Allianz is one company we’ve used; MH Ross Advantage plan is recommended by our travel agent friend.

Let us know you’re interested on our contact page or at chardixon@comcast.net or dguyol@aol.com