Monsters and Creative Writing – Workshop

The power of monsters to inspire art is undeniable.

In this creative writing workshop, poet and seasoned storyteller Bernadette Russell invites participants to bring their own monsters to life. The group explores the ancient myths of Medusa, the Banshees and the Kraken, as well as vampires, zombies and werewolves. They ponder mythical murderers, serial killers and hitmen. The class also considers 'monstering' as a form of 'othering', imagining the world from the monster’s point of view. It's said that every age gets the monster they deserve – so what do ours say about us? Finally, there is a retelling of an ancient monster myth. Afterwards, participants will be invited to create their own pieces using prompts, free writing and timed exercises. Note: there will be no sharing of work, so attendees are free to explore and experiment with their ideas safely.

Ideal for anyone interested in magical writing, the power of words and the allure of monsters, this workshop is equally suitable for experienced and new writers. By the end of it, everyone will have a new means of drawing inspiration for writing and some practice in the art.

Bernadette Russell is co-director of arts organisation White Rabbit. A published author, playwright, theatre maker and spoken-word storyteller, she hosted the award-winning storytelling salon 'Are You Sitting Comfortably?' for 10 years at Arts Admin in East London. She is currently storytelling at Butser Ancient Farm. She has previously told stories at many venues including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, and the Royal Albert Hall. She is an alumnus of the School of Myth and studies folklore at the Woodland Bard School with Dr Sharon Blackie. She has taught creative writing and storytelling for over 20 years.

Photo Credit: Molly Blackbird/Unsplash