Dutch Creative Writing Skills

Do you enjoy writing, and would you like to learn to write freely and creatively? Are you keen to develop your skills in writing poetry, prose and literary non-fiction? Then Creative Writing is the right course for you. During this course, based on various examples and assignments, you learn to work creatively with rhyme, dialogue, character depiction and ‘show, don’t tell’. For example, you write a Very Short Story, an occasional poem, a column and a haiku. After completing this course, you will be able to write poems and short stories, you will find your own voice, and you will be able to use different writing styles.

Who is it for?

This course is for anyone who wants to improve their writing and write more freely, and who is curious about what they are able to learn. It is also for anyone who believes they lack imagination or who is looking for inspiration. 

What will you learn?

Each class is based on a specific theme: games, on the road, at home, food, parties, outdoors, on holiday, dreaming, guilty pleasures and later, now I’ve grown up. Who am I as a writer? Various general topics are covered, such as starting to write and finding your own voice as a writer. Where do I find inspiration? What inspires you? How do you view everyday objects or events? How do I incorporate my own experiences into my story?

Assignments are started in class and then completed at home. In the following class, we discuss the results based on targeted feedback. The aim of feedback is to improve your texts. Feedback is always focused on the text, not the person. 

Special attention will be paid to the following:

Association assignments: writing on time, a photo, sound, a random word, sensory freewriting, memories, quadrant association, spin association.
Prose within strict limits (about me, Very Short Story, column, why-story, fairy tale, ready-mades).
Poetry (various forms, e.g. imitatio, free verse, occasional poem, roundel, triolet, elfje).
Rules for feedback: Comments are directed at the text, not the person. Owned feedback (‘I feel’ not ‘you are’). Analysing differences between versions.
The utility of rewriting.
Components: character development, narrative tension, angles, flashbacks, ‘show and tell’, writing dialogue (allowing for differences between spoken and written language). 
Imagery (metaphors, similes).

Lesson components

• Intro with short assignment (writing warm-up).
• Discuss homework (with feedback assignment). 
• Introduce new topic + writing assignment.
• Students start assignment in class and complete for homework.