Creative Writing in Spain

picturesque Gaucin

Courses in beautiful Andalusia

You won’t be surprised to learn that Chalk the Sun’s intensive 5-day courses in beautiful Andalusia have been put on hold while the world battles Covid-19 but when the crisis is over our writing holidays will be perfect for writers in need of creative company and fun. In the meantime we are still offering distance-learning, editing services and virtual Writers’ Room workshops to share your writing and learn new skills online.

Watch this space for new intensive holiday courses in 2020/21 or email creativewriting@chalkthesun.co.uk

Chalk founders Jo and Ardella

Virtual workshops and future face to face courses are tutored by Ardella Jones and Jo Hepplewhite:  Check out their biogs here

Chalk co-founder Jo Hepplewhite lives in Gaucin, 45 minutes from Gibraltar, and offers regular weekly workshops for writers of all levels from absolute beginners to published authors to kick-start their creativity or develop work in progress. At the moment these Writers’ Room workshops are taught online in a group; good news if you live a long way from Gaucin.

You can also book Jo Hepplewhite for personalised individual sessions to help you beat the block, test out ideas or finish a project. At present Jo will be offering 121s on Skype/Facetime/Zoom. For further details email: jo@chalkthesun.co.uk

Gaucín Writers’ short story collections

The Gaucín Writers group was formed four years ago after an inspiring Chalk the Sun writing course in the village. Everyone wanted to develop their writing further so they continued to meet on Thursday evenings at tutor Jo’s centrally-located house to share their work and a glass of wine. The idea of publishing a collection of short stories was suggested, to coincide with an annual art event in Gaucín so the group got busy – they have now published a volume every year. Book Five was launched in December 2019 and features a wide range of the stories, often inspired by life in Andalusia. The collection, edited by Jo, includes work by Chalk the Sun regulars Matthew Wolfman, Ira Goldberg, Lynne Morison, Jacqueline Cockburn, Will Haynes, Clare Copeman, artist Jenny Waterhouse and novelist Alex Wyndham-Baker, all permanent or part-time residents of Gaucín, the pueblo blanco of the collections’ title. The latest volume is available online from Amazon: www.amazon.co.uk/Escritores-Gaucín-Writers