What If YOU Spoke?

*Deadline for competition entries – Monday 31st January*

 

What if YOU spoke? are a series of free online masterclasses offering young people expert advice to find their creative voice, with the chance to get published, receive mentoring and win prizes. Tutors include literary prize winners, award-winning illustrators, and some of today’s most inspirational voices. 

 

Whether people are interested in starting a novel or illustrating their own comic, finding out more about journalism or about different forms of poetry, or they just want to try something new, this is an invaluable opportunity for young people to learn from experts in their fields, for free. 

 

Following each masterclass there is the option to submit a piece of work as a competition entry. A winner from each masterclass will receive an iPad and have their work published in Pen to Print’s magazine ‘Write On’, with a readership of over 55,000 users from 178 countries. To further develop their work, they will also receive a second one-to-one live masterclass with the course leader and become part of a new cohort of writers, receiving regular tuition and opportunities. 

 

Anyone can follow the masterclasses, but to enter competitions people must be aged 15-25 and live in Devon. 

The ten masterclasses below are available to view for free at https://bit.ly/3fOI2xF 

 

• Comics With Character – with illustrator and writer Joff Winterhart 

 

• Draw Your Voice – with visual artist Rudy Loewe 

 

• Finding Your Inner Voice – with author, illustrator and poet Laura Dockrill 

 

• Form in Poetry – with poet Deanna Rodger 

 

• Journalism 101 – with writer, journalist and producer Ali May 

 

• Nature Writing – with writer and researcher Zakiya McKenzie 

 

• Starting Your First Novel – with writer and poet Derek Owusu 

 

• The Thread of a good story – with filmmaker, activist and feature writer, Ashish Ghadiali 

 

• What Have I Got To Write About? – with spoken word artist Steven Camden (Polarbear) 

 

• What Next? Developing Your Stories Further – with author Kirsty Logan 

 

The competition deadline has been extended to Monday 31st January at midnight, from Friday 14th January, to allow more young people to take part. 

 

What if YOU Spoke is led by Libraries Unlimited in partnership with Pen to Print, University of Exeter, Africa Writes & Literature Works as part of Exeter UNESCO City of Literature. 

 

Daniel Clark, Creative Director at Evolve said: “The unique classes have been created specifically for this project and with such a wide range of skills and voices on offer there really is something for everyone. We can’t wait to see the creative results from the next generation of writers and artists from across Devon.” 

 

Libraries Unlimited is the charity responsible for running Devon and Torbay Libraries. What if YOU Spoke is just one of the activities in the wide Libraries Unlimited cultural offering. Evolve is delivered in partnership with artists and communities and funded by Arts Council England and Exeter City Council. 

For further details about Evolve and future events, please visit librariesevolve.org.uk