Writing about place: Travel writing

Alderney’s past and present school pupils and their teachers are being offered free places at a ‘Writing About Place’ workshop in Alderney on September 14th featuring best-selling author and creative writing lecturer Gail Simmons.

The one-day course organised by the Alderney Literary Trust is an introduction to the skills and concepts needed to turn an enthusiasm for writing into prose that brings places to life, whether it’s for a book, an article, a travel blog or diary.

Sponsored by investment group Ravenscroft, the Trust is keen to offer free places to under-18s and teaching staff at St Anne’s School. There’s also an airfare travel grant for any former 16+ student from the school now studying in Guernsey who would need to travel home to Alderney to attend the course.

In addition, a few places remain at the full course fee of £75 including a light lunch.

Gail Simmons, a speaker at this year’s Alderney Literary Festival, is a ‘walking writer’ and the author of Between the Chalk and the Sea and The Country of Larks which was shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2020.

She has an MA in Medieval History and a PhD in Creative Writing and teaches at Bath Spa University on Nature and Travel Writing.

“We are keen to get young adults to attend the course because this is also about seeing the world in a new way,” said Alderney Literary Trust founder, Isabel Picornell.