Big Smoke Writing Factory

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Got a question about Beginning To Write? Check here first to see if it's answered, and if not, get in touch.

I’m a complete beginner – I’ve never written anything creative! Is this course suitable for me?
Yes, absolutely! When we say ‘beginners’ we really mean it – you’re not expected to turn up with a portfolio of work under your arm, though sometimes some students will have written bits and pieces before starting the class. Part of what a Beginners course will do is take you through steps such as identifying the material you want to write about as well as looking at various literary/poetic techniques and tools. It’s a space for trying out a lot of new things and seeing what works for you.

I have a little bit of experience writing – is this course suitable for me?
‘Beginning To Write’ also suits individuals who haven’t written anything in a while – perhaps not since school – or people who took a class years ago and are looking to get back into creative writing in a supportive and low-pressure ‘beginners’ environment.
It may also suit people who write, but not creatively, as part of their jobs, e.g. journalists, lawyers, those working in PR, etc.

I’ve taken a couple of classes and/or been writing for a couple of years. Is a ‘Beginning to Write’ course suitable for me?
You may get something out of a Beginners course even at this level, but we’d recommend you look at our other course offerings, including our Beyond Beginners course.

How much time will I have to commit to the course?
The course is 2 hours a week. Apart from this you will also be expected to devote a bit of time outside of the course hours to a) reading any material the course facilitator has provided and/or b) working on writing exercises.

How much writing will I be expected to do during the course?
There will be some writing within class time, with the option of reading work out to the group and receiving feedback. There will also be writing exercises or suggestions to work on outside of class time. By the end of the 10 weeks you are likely to have a handful of short first-draft pieces with perhaps one or two pieces of work you have devoted more time to.

Will I have to read my work out loud?
Reading your work is not compulsory, but strongly recommended, as it’s a way of getting feedback from others in the group and it’s often a good experience simply to hear how a piece sounds when read aloud.

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Our recession/unemployment discount is already folded into our price for our courses. We offer a high quality of teaching and student support at Big Smoke, while at the same time keeping our operational costs low in order to keep our courses prices reasonable for our students. Our prices have been set deliberately to accommodate the current economic climate; unfortunately any further discount would render us non-operational.

Please contact us with any queries relating to this matter.

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At BIG SMOKE we aim to provide quality teaching and a safe, creative, fun, and rewarding environment for people to take classes and workshops with us. Here are some things we'd like you to note before signing up:

ABOUT BOOKING

1. We ask that all students sign up for courses, and pay in full, 1 week before the course start date. Students may in certain circumstances be admitted to a course after this date at the discretion of the facilitator. Please note that many of our courses fill up quickly, so prospective students are advised to book early.

2. Our Beginning To Write and Beyond Beginners are offered at several times during the week. To ensure the smoothest possible transfer of students in case of one session being oversubscribed, or in the unfortunate event that one set of classes is cancelled, we request that you list suitable alternative days/times on the registration or Paypal form where possible.

3. BIG SMOKE cancellation policy:

• Up to our sign-up cut-off date, i.e. 1 week before course start date, cancellation will entitle you to refund of your course fee, minus a 20% administration charge.
• Those who have registered online or via the post are entitled to a refund (minus administration charge) within 1 week of their payment, in accordance with distance selling regulations.
• The BIG SMOKE team regrets that we cannot refund fees in respect of cancellation after this cut-off point.
• We cannot offer partial refunds to participants who do not finish a course or who miss sessions. In cases of illness or other emergency, please contact us. In these cases, credit towards further BIG SMOKE classes/events may be offered.

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ABOUT THE COURSES

1. We want to make sure that participants are in the best environment for them. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your specific needs and goals with one of the BIG SMOKE team so we can be sure you are getting the most out of your BIG SMOKE experience.

2. Refreshments will be provided during each class/workshop.

3. We request that where possible participants arrive on time and stay for the duration of the class/workshop to minimise disruption to other participants.

4. Intimidating or threatening behaviour towards other course participants, the facilitator, or other member of the BIG SMOKE team will not be tolerated.

5. We value and appreciate your feedback and will have anonymous evaluations for participants to fill out at the end of each term. Please also feel free to discuss any issues you may have relating to the course with one of the BIG SMOKE team throughout the term.

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Please consult our classes/workshops policy and note in particular that payment must be made in full one week before the course start date.

Payment may be made in three ways:

• cash (only at Big Smoke open registration days)
• Paypal (links for each time/date a course is running follow the particular course description)
• cheque or money order sent through the post (to be postmarked at least 1 week before course start date)

Cheques/money orders:
1. Download and complete the registration form (also available as a Word document)
2. Make out cheques or money orders to: Big Smoke Writing Factory
3. Post to: Big Smoke Writing Factory, 7 Lower Hatch Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Within 10 working days of receipt of payment, BIG SMOKE will email you with confirmation of payment and enrolment. If we haven't been in touch by then, please email us.

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Email us:
bigsmokewritingfactory AT gmail DOT com.

Phone us:
086-086-3646 (Maggie Smith Hurt)
086-857-6705 (Nicole Rourke)

Write to us:
Big Smoke Writing Factory,
7 Lower Hatch Street,
Dublin 2,
Ireland.

Find us elsewhere online:
Facebook
Twitter
MySpace

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What’s the difference between a class and a workshop? At BIG SMOKE one of our priorities is to ensure that participants are in the environment most suited to them and their writing. If you’re a beginning writer, returning to writing after a break, or interested in concentrating on a new form, a class is a good place to start.

A class is where the process of identifying your own strengths and interests as a writer begins. In a class environment, there’s a little more guidance for participating writers, whether it involves new exercises or exploring new areas of technique and craft. Classes will, however, usually involve some kind of workshop element, with participants honing their abilities to offer supportive and constructive criticism to others in the class.

Workshops are best suited to those with some writing experience. Participants will be involved in setting their own writing goals and be comfortable sharing their work with the group as well as offering feedback to others. It is important that a workshop environment caters to all members of a group, and that participants are in a position to learn from others in a group and the facilitator as well as help others develop their own writing. With this in mind, please feel free to discuss with one of our facilitators which workshop might suit you best for developing your writing.

Sometimes, of course, it can be difficult to establish when a class turns into something closer to a workshop, so some of our courses will be described as both class and workshop at various times! If you feel you need clarification as to the format of a particular course, please get in touch.

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