Holiday Activities
skills, inspiration, passion
Writing courses are available at both holiday centres in Greece - Atsitsa Bay and The Skyros Centre, as well as writing course weekends in the UK. Skyros writing retreats offer writers, thinkers and dabblers the opportunity to learn from distinguished writers, share the joys and struggles of the creative process, discover their strengths and polish their skills. In an idyllic holiday environment, far away from the demands and routines dictated by a busy life, writing holiday course participants can navigate beyond old boundaries and emerge with pieces of writing of which to feel proud. Former Writers’ Lab participants such as Susan Elderkin, Crysse Morrison, Shani Solomons, Emma Darwin or Grace Wynne-Jones have gone on to publish books or to stage plays they started, developed or completed in Skyros. Writing courses are open to novices with a secret passion for writing as much as to writers who already have a book under their belt. The tutors enjoy helping people at any stage of development – so do come with work in progress or just an empty page. The Skyros Writers’ Lab has built up an excellent reputation over the years. Steven Berkoff, Rachel Billington, Margaret Drabble, Hanif Kureishi, D M Thomas, Sue Townsend, Marina Warner, Hugo Williams and many others, including Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners such as Hilary Mantel, James Kelman, Barry Unsworth, Bernice Rubens and Alison Lurie, have graced the centre with their presence over the years and given hundreds of people the benefit of their experience. ‘Intellectual rigour, spiritual encounters and good old-fashioned rioting in the evening’. The Times Imaginative ways to tap into the events and experiences, memories and people in your life. Discover new ways of writing about your life and strategies, tips and techniques for turning these into powerful fiction. This course teaches you ways of finding routes through your life and writing about them convincingly and entertainingly. It also encourages practical ways of looking at dreams that will provide ideas for writing. Very useful for writers of prose, drama and poetry. Sessions will include: life as story and story as life; the comic and the tragic; creating potent images; selecting the right material; yourself as character and characterising yourself; using dreams; becoming a dream figure; asking the right questions of your raw life material; finding the tone; varying the point of view. By the end of the course you will be a more accomplished writer and teller of your own stories. You may also think of your life differently. Skyros attracts mostly solo travellers from all over the world. Although all ages are represented, approximately 70% are between 35 and 65. The Grange is a stunning Georgian country house, surrounded by greenery and close to Shanklin's sandy beach, cosy pubs and restaurants and the local train station. Share a room with a friend or family member or choose single occupancy of a room. The supplement for single occupancy is £50 for two nights. Your course weekend includes six hours of tuition across two days. This leaves plenty of time to explore the island on coastline walks or enjoy health and beauty treatments (where available, book in advance). The holidays and courses will operate in accordance with government guidelines for hospitality. Holidays are inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner with regulations in place according to government guidelines at the time. Friday Saturday Sunday As with much of the UK weather is changeable - although the Isle of Wight does boast a micro-climate and is one of the sunniest places to visit. Fingers crossed for good weather! What's included? The easiest way to reach The Grange is usually by train. Buy a return rail ticket to Shanklin via Portsmouth Harbour and your ticket will include crossing the Solent in 15 minutes by FastCat. An island train meets the FastCat at Ryde Pier Head and takes you on to Shanklin in 25 minutes. Outside Shanklin station, take a cab for the 3-minute journey to Eastcliff Road or walk to The Grange in around 15 minutes. If you decide to drive then book your crossing online with Wightlink or Red Funnel Ferries. Call 01983 867644 or email us at stay@thegrangebythesea.com for ferry discount codes.Writing Retreats
Fri 25 Jun - Sun 27 Jun 2021 (2 nights)
At a glance
About
Accommodation
Inspiring Courses
Food & Drink
Guide Itinerary
16.00: Arrivals
18.30: Welcome
19.30: Dinner
08.00 to 10.00: Breakfast
10.30 to 12.30: Course
13.00: Lunch
17.00 to 19.00: Course
19.30: Dinner
08.00 to 10.00: Breakfast
10.30 to 12.30: Course
13.00: Lunch
Average Temperature
Location
Summary
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