Making space for creativity
If it's possible, regular time helps you know what to expect each week.
Dear all
Following last week’s post about gentle artist dates, I began my week here:
The previous Friday afternoon, I was sitting at my desk looking at Unsplash for photos to illustrate the creative writing event I’m running at Emerson College in Sussex, when I realised I could just walk there and take some photos myself!
I was in such a hurry to get the listing online, creating space for other people to slow down that I’d forgotten to slow myself down. So on Monday morning, I wandered along the disused railway track and up the hill past the cornfield, then turned into the lane which leads to the pottery school and healing garden, before opening out to the white building you see in the photos. This is where the little library is and where I’ll be hosting my event on Saturday 9 November.
After taking the photos, I settled down in the quiet café with a latte and book on retreats written by Jennifer Louden. I’m wondering if this could be my new way to start the week, making myself a peaceful, creative space to plan the week or write or whatever it is I need that morning. I miss my Mondays at the University of Brighton when I was studying my MA in Creative Writing. I would happily sit for hours in the library with a pile of books looking out of window over the South Downs before class. This would be a good replacement. I feel so fortunate to even be considering this as an option on a Monday morning.
So my in-person event at Emerson College on Saturday 9 November is called: Storying Ourselves in Nature | A Creative Writing Day. We will begin the day in the cosy library filled with an eclectic collection of books and views out to the garden. Then we will take a walk around the peaceful grounds to notice and absorb the surroundings with all of our senses.
The day-long workshop will include gentle creative writing exercises, some sharing (if you would like to) and is inspired by nature writing and memoir such as Wintering by
, The Enchanted Life by and Wanderland by Jini Reddy. The afternoon will be more freeform with an opportunity to go deeper with your own writing, sit (inside or out) and think or wander a little more.If you are able to get to Emerson College and would like to join me, please click here to book a place.
In the meantime, where can you go each week to give yourself space to think, dream, plan, create?
Creative Writing Workshops with me (Mel Parks)
Tuesday afternoons on Zoom (2-3pm UK time)
£8 per month or £80 per year with a paid Awen Substack subscription.
You can come to as many as you are able to. The new season began on Tuesday 10 September 2-3pm (UK time) but you can join in at anytime.
If you are not able to subscribe (or don’t want to!), then please email me for alternative ways to join.
Becoming a Writer
Monthly Tuesday evenings in East Grinstead (7-9pm)
A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.
Each session costs £30.
The Writer’s Notebook
Weekly Thursday mornings in East Grinstead (10-12noon).
Series of five weeks from 7 November to 5 December. £135 for all five weeks.
Storying Ourselves in Nature | A Creative Writing Day at Emerson College, Forest Row, Sussex.
Saturday 9 November
Until next time…
Mel- thanks for sharing this. It really makes me want to visit Emerson college and that little room with books. I’ll have to put this on my list of places to visit. Hope you’re well this week? Cheers, -Thalia
That's an amazing place to have on your doorstep. I love your description of your route, how lucky to be within walking distance of such a place.