The new Write to Work programme comprises two main aspects: our free 1-day creative writing courses, and the Writer’s Bloc writing centre, which is a series of free fortnightly meetings throughout the year. Come and join a community of aspiring writers for a 2-hour session with different professional writers from a range of genres, as well as partner representatives from educational and careers institutions, and organisations that can offer volunteering opportunities. These sessions are aimed at further development of your skills and prospects, offering a space for creative activities, and presenting opportunities for education, training and employment.
Hosted on Friday mornings at Toxteth Library, these sessions are informal gatherings (like a coffee morning). There are two types of Writer’s Bloc sessions. One session will be with a professional writer discussing specific aspects of writing work and skills development. The next time it will be a ‘Time to Write’ session, providing a space for you to simply come and practice your writing skills and share your work with the group. Partner representatives will come along to the ‘Time to Write’ sessions to give information on a range of opportunities to further your development.
The Writer’s Bloc professional writer sessions launched on 7th June 2024 with acclaimed Liverpool screenwriter Tony Schumacher, creator and writer of the award-winning BBC drama series, The Responder. Tony has also had three published novels with HarperCollins in the USA. Our professional writers always have a relatable back-story, fantastic experience and the willingness to help you follow in their footsteps!
Tony Schumacher with Co-Director Mike Morris and Write to Work Coordinator Caroline Knight
Once a month our professional writers will come along to deliver a session in their area of writing expertise. We have poets, novelists, screenwriters, content writers and more. They will teach you what you need to know to become a professional writer in your chosen field. Some will teach you how to spot or overcome common obstacles and pitfalls, and give you advice on best practices, motivational tips and inspiration. Some will impart knowledge on practical matters such as performing or getting published.
Each session will be different in terms of presentation and format, as some will be more like workshops and others talks or presentations. Our sessions are always interactive and we allow plenty of time for Q&A and social networking.
Every other fortnight on the Writer’s Bloc we offer a ‘Time to Write’ session. You can come into Toxteth Library as part of the local writing community and spend some time practicing your writing work. This might be anything you are currently interested in or working toward: flash fiction, poetry, a novel – anything goes! The aim is to motivate you to commit to a specific time to concentrate on your writing practice, after which the group will reconvene in the children’s library area and you can share your work with the group (if you wish). This is an opportunity to get valuable feedback, gain more confidence in your work and spend time with likeminded people.
We will also be inviting partner organisations to present opportunities to the community. These may be educational opportunities such as free courses, and careers or work placement opportunities with local arts organisations, for example. Our partner organisations will spend a little time after the sharing session to present options that may be of interest. Sometimes Writing on the Wall may have opportunities to tell you about, such as placements we have arranged with local arts organisations, which you can then apply for.
Even if you don’t feel like writing, if you are open to the idea of furthering your education or career, it is worth coming in just to hear about the opportunities on offer.
For this Writer’s Bloc session we will be joined by Blue Saint, a Congolese and British rapper, singer-songwriter, spoken word poet, actor, producer and designer. Over his music career he has developed an eclectic musical style that draws on a range of influences and genres, often combining and blending elements of hip-hop, RnB and electronic music. Blue Saint’s music lyrically incorporates a range of political, social, philosophical and cultural references with themes usually centred around social injustices.
A part of Writing on the Wall’s Liverpool Young Writers at the ages twelve to sixteen, winner of The Poetry Society’s SLAMbassadors Award at fourteen, a MOBO BeMOBO Award nominee at the age of fifteen and winner of Merseyrail Soundstation 2014 at the age of twenty, a prize celebrating breaking new talent in the Liverpool music scene. Blue Saint has also gone on to receive various accolades and achievements for his music, community work and activism. He was included in Liverpool Echo’s “30 under 30: The young people changing the face of Liverpool in 2020”.
He will be delivering a session on poetry and spoken word. This will be a valuable session for those interested in poetry and spoken word no matter what stage you’re at in your writing journey. You will have the opportunity to participate in writing exercises and ask any burning questions you may have!
Are you economically inactive* and interested in joining a creative community where you can further your skills as a writer, develop your confidence, and have your stories heard? Then a FREE one-day creative writing course could be perfect for you. Most courses will be in person in the Liverpool area, and a small number will be scheduled online for those with access issues.
Our courses are for all levels of writing ability, so no experience is necessary. They offer a chance to work with professional writers, and everyone who attends will be able to submit their work for publication in a printed anthology available to buy online and in bookshops across the city.
Our courses have had a major impact on participants and led to much career success. They have also led to success for Writing on the Wall, with the Write to Work programme recently winning the Preparing For Work Award at the LCR Culture and Creativity Awards in March 2024. If you are interested in participating in our new course, please apply below.
“10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer:
Write.
Write more.
Write even more.
Write even more than that.
Write when you don’t want to.
Write when you do.
Write when you have something to say.
Write when you don’t.
Write every day.
Keep writing.”
Write to Work is part funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)
