Creative Writing: Story Development
13 March 2027
10am Saturday - 5pm Sunday
Rewley House 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA
Event status:
Applications being accepted
Dates:
13 March 2027 - 14 March 2027
Study Format:
In-person day/weekend
Fees:
£260.00
As an exploration of story development, this weekend will offer a range of approaches to completing your own individual piece of fiction: offering practical advice about how to define the kind of story you want to tell, and then focusing on how to bring it to life on the page.
In this informative, fun and interactive weekend we will use a wide range of resources as prompts for writing exercises and class discussion: photographic and video archive, audio materials, texts from novels and news media.
We will begin by looking at a variety of story genres, and then exploring how character development and interaction creates drama and tension, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. We will also explore how focused research and detailed description can add depth and authenticity to your story. We will then investigate the technical building-blocks of writing: narrative point of view and dramatization. The event will conclude with practical advice on how to rewrite and edit a completed first draft, with a view to publication.
You will be encouraged to engage with these principles on your own terms, exploring the specific kinds of stories that you want to tell. You will leave with an understanding of both the creative and practical elements of story development and a range of specific techniques that you can apply to your own work beyond the remit of the weekend event.
You will have the opportunity to share your creative writing with the class, but there is no obligation to do so.
Suitable for those with some previous creative writing experience, although no formal qualification is required.
Please note:
- This event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT on 10 March 2027.
-
Due to the nature of the contents of this day, this is not suitable for people under 18 years old.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Accommodation
Accommodation for Saturday night can be booked directly online, subject to availability, when you register your place via the ‘Book now’ button. This includes a buffet breakfast on the Sunday morning.
Our accommodation in Wellington Square has been rated as 4-Star Campus Accommodation from Visit England. All bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished with tea/coffee making facilities, Freeview television, private bath/shower rooms and free WiFi. For more details see our accommodation information.
If you wish to extend your stay with us, either before and/or after the event, please contact our Residential Centre for availability and discounted rates.
Call +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email res-ctr@conted.ox.ac.uk
Recommended reading
Vogler, C., The Writers’ Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 25th Anniversary Edition (Michael Wise Productions, 2020)
Programme details
Saturday 13 March
9.45am
Registration at Rewley House reception
10am
Defining your story
11.15am
Tea/coffee break
11.45am
Character development
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
Supporting characters
3.15pm
Tea/coffee break
3.45pm
Narrative drive
5pm
End of day
7pm
Dinner at Rewley House (optional)
Sunday 14 March
8am
Breakfast (for those staying at Rewley House)
10am
Research
11.15am
Tea/coffee break
11.45am
Metaphor and description
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
Narrative point of view and dramatization
3.15pm
Tea/coffee break
3.45pm
First draft to publication
5pm
End of weekend
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Event fee (includes tea/coffee) | £260.00 |
| Saturday baguette lunch | £7.90 |
| Saturday dinner | £33.10 |
| Saturday hot lunch (two-course) | £22.40 |
| Single B&B (Saturday night) | £128.00 |
| Sunday baguette lunch | £7.90 |
| Sunday hot lunch (two-course) | £22.40 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Payment
Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.
Ms Elizabeth Garner – Tutor
Elizabeth Garner is a novelist and editor with 25 years of experience of story-development in both film and publishing. She was written two novels: Nightdancing, which received the Betty Trask Award; and The Ingenious Edgar Jones, which was published to critical acclaim in the UK and USA. She has also published a collection of illustrated folk tales: Lost & Found. She is a freelance fiction editor and also teaches creative writing for Oxford Lifelong Learning.
Please use the ‘Book’ button on this page. Alternatively, please contact us to obtain an application form.
