Seminars
Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 12 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.
Sunday
Seminar 1: Course introduction: explore why you want to write and discover how to maintain your commitment and self-belief.
Seminar 2: Ideas: how to source them and how to draw on life experience.
Monday
Seminar 3: Cracking openings: how to hook your reader.
Seminar 4: Developing Plot 1: types of plot and how much to plan ahead.
Tuesday
Seminar 5: Developing Plot 2: choices and sub-plots – how these enrich and drive the story.
Seminar 6: Creating Character 1: using external attributes to convey personality.
Wednesday
Seminar 7: Creating Character 2: techniques for conveying the inner lives of your characters.
Seminar 8: Point of View: exploring the options.
Thursday
Seminar 9: Dialogue: how to write believable conversations and how to avoid the pitfalls.
Seminar 10: Setting: how to create meaning and atmosphere.
Friday
Seminar 11: Editing and Pitching: how to revise your work and put together your submission package.
Seminar 12: Publishing Choices and Summing-Up: take stock of where you want to go from here.
Programme timetable
The daily timetable will normally be as follows:
Saturdays
14.00–16.30 - Registration
16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting
17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students
17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception
18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner
Sundays – Fridays
09.00–10.30 - Seminar
10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break
11.00–12.30 - Seminar
12.30–13.30 - Lunch
13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.
18.00–19.00 - Dinner (There is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme)
A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.