Creative Writing: Writing Inspired by the 7 Deadly Sins

This course will make use of a mix of informal feedback, lecture using PowerPoint slides, some focused group discussion/creative tasks in breakout rooms and feedback. Session by session we examine a different ‘Sin’ and apply some creative craft to it, might it yield the perfect motivation for a crime, is it a secret a character wishes to keep - if so, how desperate are they? What kind of story suits your sin – flash fiction, a cautionary tale or a longer and more complex tale more akin to crime mystery? We examine the forms and approaches, how have others approached similar tales and what might work best for us now. Suitable for the curious beginner and/or the seasoned scribbler, we explore character development, plotting, the use of location and consider the readership we might be targeting – just how might that alter how we tell our tale? We also consider differing dramatic situations, can we add something – perhaps suspense, intrigue or shock with a taste of the unexpected. What characters typically feature in these tales? Is it possible to subvert the formula to greater effect? So get ready to engage your wicked side in a fun, friendly and structured approach to gaining fiction writing knowledge and skills and aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and getting writing.