Creative Writing with Sophie King

Creative Writing Classes

Have you always wanted to write a novel? Would you like to write short stories for magazines?

I am now running creative writing classes for groups or individuals. I run monthly one-day workshops on how to get ideas; how to create convincing characters; writing dynamic dialogue; understanding viewpoint; being aware of colour, taste and smell in writing; and how to get published. Contact me for details of my next workshop. Read some student testimonials here.

Online Creative Writing Course

Do you want to write a short story or a novel? Are you a complete beginner or have you started to write already?

I have started three different kinds of online creative writing courses, designed to help you at whichever stage you’re at.

COURSE A is aimed at short story writing. It covers the following:

MODULE ONE: IDEAS
How to find them and how to make sure they will sustain a short story.

MODULE TWO: CHARACTERS
How to create convincing characters in one or two pages.

MODULE THREE: PLOT
How to work out a plot that will make the reader get to the end of the page.

MODULE FOUR: DIALOGUE
How to write dynamic dialogue.

MODULE FIVE: VIEWPOINT
Whose point of view are you seeing the story from? How to vary this and also keep it consistent.

MODULE SIX: BEGINNINGS AND ENDING
How to grab the reader at the beginning and make sure they aren’t disappointed at the end.

MODULE SEVEN: APPEALING TO THE SENSES
How to create colour, smell, texture and noise into your writing.

MODULE EIGHT: HOW TO GET PUBLISHED

COST: £200 for the course. This includes marking homework.

COURSE B follows the above modules with variations for the novel writer. For example, the advice on characterisation is different because characters have more time to be developed in a novel.

COST: as above.

COURSE C gives specific advice on a short story or novel in progress/a piece of finished writing.
I charge £50 to critique a synopsis and the first three chapters. After that, I charge £30 an hour.

Contact me for more details about any of these online courses.

THIS IS WHAT ONE STUDENT SAID ABOUT MY RECENT COURSE ABOUT WRITING ARTICLES AT WINCHESTER WRITERS' CONFERENCE

"You get what it says on the tin! In an action-packed day, Sophie guided us through simple interesting exercises in how to get inspiration for both articles and short stories, and showed how either can be used as fertile ground for ideas for the other! Using press newspapers and magazines, Sophie explained how to search for ideas by thinking laterally, with an emphasis on the human element, and how to make your work stand out from the crowd.

It was an inspirational action-packed day, and Sophie provided an invaluable handout, as well as top tips for individuals which could then be generalized to the rest of the group’s writing. Just one problem though … the day was too short! I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to anyone with a foot in both the short story and article “camp” (as I have). It might help you to decide which is your stronger suit, or alternatively how you can successfully combine story and article writing. It was also a great networking day and provided the opportunity to compare notes with other aspiring writers. Definitely an excellent way to offset the loneliness of the hobby writer!"

Helen