workshop ideas

1. Location Writing: Go out to, say , a car boot sale. Write about it from memory. Try very hard not to approach it like 'a writer' - just go round and look for things you might need, bargains, etc, talk to people - if you have to. When you return, write 'the story' - as it happened. Compare

2. Are You interesting? Are you interested in anything? What are you interested in? What are you often thinking about? What matters to you? What are you trying to do with your life? Write Answers. Do not discuss, but read exerpts to the class.

3. Voting/politics: Choose something that everyone can agree needs to be done. How will you all do it? (For Children) How will you all decide that it needs to be done? Can you make sure that the thing you choose to do will be the most important thing for everyone? Allow 3 mins for each question and choose one writer to present.

4. x 2 Group Poetry.

Give each group a name of a character

Group 1. (Brian) Give a direction (eg, Go away, Come Here, look up, clean your shoes etc)
Group 2. (Derek) Follow it, while Group 1 describe your actions (in no more than six lines)
Group 2. (Derek) Give a direction

Group 1. (Brian) Follow it whilst Group 2 describe your actions (in no more than six lines)

Take it in turns to write an ending line and then all vote for the two best....

Have a small group be Brian and Derek whilst another two groups question them. make notes on the answers and build a character profile of Derek and Brian.

Suggested extension activities: 2 volunteers to read poems. (record?) - Make a collection like this - invent your own rules for the game. Start a poetry/writing club.