Creative Writing Department
Playwriting and Theatre Writing
Creative Writing Courses
For young people interested in Creative Writing Centauri is the place to be! In a decade, our Creative Writing department has grown from a handful of people sprawled under a pear tree, to more than sixty campers. Don't expect lessons in grammar or spelling - here, we're all about the creativity. Our writers get to work with some of Canada's respected, published writers - poets, novellists and playwrights - all of them with a wealth of teaching experience, and many returning to us year after year. We work hard to create a non-competitive environment where young people with an interest in writing can support each other, try new styles, learn how to critique compassionately and discover their own, unique voice. As each session progresses, their notebooks fill with works in progress, and finished pieces. On the final day, it is usual for writing campers to read from their work, or to create chapbooks which are distributed to an invited audience.
Taking
a Creative Writing course at a sleep-over camp is a unique experience,
since campers are immersed in an inspiring, artistic environment, and
find themselves capable of more than they ever thought possible. It's
not at all like school! The Writing room is full of scatter cushions,
and the walls explode with quotes from writers who have 'made it'. On
warm days, our writers are more likely to be found down by the banks of
the river, or under one of the fruit trees, sprawling on the grass with
their notebooks propped up in front of them. They take inspiration not
only from each other and from their surroundings Poetry, short stories,
novels, screenplays and plays for the theatre have all been created over
the past years. In summer 2009 we will also be taking sixteen of our
young writers on tour to Scotland, to participate in a writing retreat.
Whatever their interest, young writers come to Centauri and find themselves inspired, filling notebooks with ideas and projects that will keep them focussed on their writing when they return home at the end of their session.
Playwriting and Theatre Writing
Creative Writing Courses