NAW to deliver creative writing course as Oxbridge first

Wednesday, 08 August 2012

The National Academy of Writing will bring its unique approach to Creative Writing into the academic world through an exciting partnership at Cambridge University. NAW patrons, award-winning practitioners and literary figures will be offering their expertise to visiting students at Pembroke College for a new creative writing course taking place as part of its 2013 summer school.

Plenary lecturers include Sir Michael Holroyd, one of Britain’s foremost literary biographers, Deborah Moggach best-selling novelist and screenwriter, Ion Trewin, author and literary director of the Man Booker Prizes, and Sophie Hannah, author of six internationally bestselling psychological thrillers.

Dr. Alan Dawson, Director of International Programmes, Pembroke College, Cambridge, said: 'Over the last thirty-five years Pembroke has successfully pioneered College-based vacation programmes taught in the Cambridge style and aimed at students in search of an experience of living and learning in Cambridge. The new collaboration between NAW and Pembroke will provide a unique opportunity for those with a commitment to developing their writing to meet and work with leading practitioners over three intense weeks in the delightful setting of one of Cambridge's oldest and most forward-looking Colleges. We are delighted to be working with the Academy and, with them, are looking forward to the launch of this exciting new venture.'

Along with lectures and seminars, students will benefit from a series of six Cambridge-style supervisions over the three weeks of the course. Lectures will look at the challenge of creating readable narrative from real lives, the distinction between genre and ‘literary’ writing, the imperative to create tension and the lessons for all writers to be learned from the discipline of poetry. The course will also feature the unique NAW Masterclass, a public edit based on the Conservatoire system of music tuition.

The NAW/Pembroke College Creative Writing Summer School takes place between 21 July – 9 August 2013