One Day Workshops

Chawton House
Chawton
Alton, Hampshire
GU34 1SJ

This charming Elizabethan manor house was home to Jane Austen's brother, Edward Austen Knight. Jane spent part of her life in a cottage on his estate and often walked up to 'The Great House' to enjoy time with her family, surrounded by idyllic Hampshire countryside. Home to a unique collection of early women's writing, Chawton House hosts a variety of events of both literary and general interest.

Chawton House Virtual Creative Writing Workshops
It has been a pleasure meeting writers, readers and supporters of Chawton House for these creative writing workshops, and I'm delighted to be hosting another series in 2021. January's sessions were sold out! No experience is necessary;  all you need is a notebook and pen, and connection to Zoom. Each session runs for 90 minutes and numbers are limited. £7.50 per workshop. 

​Saturday 27 February at 11am or Sunday 28th February at 5pm
Creating Believable Characters
Do you want to write fiction but struggle to create characters from scratch? How does a writer conjure up believable people with hopes, fears, motivations and secrets of their own? This workshop will consider what makes characters interesting and engaging and how to develop their back-story.
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Saturday 27th March at 11am or Sunday 28th March at 5pm
How to use clothing to describe a character 
What a character wears, and their attitude to clothes, says a lot about their personality. Do they spend more than they can afford or do they shop for bargains? Are they still wearing their grandad's tweed jacket, or have unworn items languishing in the wardrobe? This workshop will help you build up fictional characters, as well as consider how to describe real people in memoir or life writing.

Saturday 17th April at 11am or Sunday 18th April at 5pm
How to Write a Family History 
Do you want to capture your family history for future generations? Is there one particular relative or ancestor whose story you're longing to tell? This workshop will give practical advice about research, writing and publication methods for your unique and personal account.


Please book any of the workshops at:
https://chawtonhouse.org/whats-on/

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Bathers at Asniéres by Georges-Pierre Seurat (1884)