WRITING SALON: “The wrong story told brilliantly”

The Writing Salon is unlike any other event for writers.  It seeks to draw inspiration from unlikely places as it dissects genre and narrative, explores fiction and non-fiction, and dives into all forms of storytelling.  Through a mixture of video, audio, theory, practical exercises, interviews with guests, and a very social and engaged membership it will make you feel energised about your writing. Everyone is welcome, as well as all writing genres and formats. Some members have no previous writing experience – others write regularly for stage, page and screen.  Whatever your level, you’ll get a warm welcome.

There will be a practical section, so grab your pencil cases, and we’ll see you there.

Most writers spend their time searching for a better idea. A more original premise. A sharper concept. Something that feels, on paper, like it should work. This month at The Writing Salon, we’re going in the opposite direction.

On April 21st join host Mark Heywood as we explore stories that, when reduced to a sentence, sound flat, absurd, or quietly unpromising, and yet become compelling, unforgettable, even masterful in the telling.

A man drives and makes phone calls. Two people have dinner and talk. A woman prepares for a party. A rat cooks.

None of these ideas should carry a story. And yet they do. So what’s really going on?

In this session, we’ll dissect how writers generate tension where none seems to exist, how they transform the mundane into something magnetic, and how execution (voice, rhythm, structure, emotional pressure) can completely override premise.

We’ll look at film, literature, and theatre that succeed in spite of their ideas, not because of them. We’ll strip these stories back to their bare bones, examine where the energy actually lives, and challenge some of the most persistent assumptions about what makes a story “work.”

Because if a story only works when the idea is strong, what happens when the idea isn’t? And more importantly, what does that mean for your writing?

The session starts at 7pm but please feel free to book a table at the Club from 6pm to enjoy a bite to eat, or arrive a little early in order grab a drink before we begin (you can also book a table for 9pm to have your supper afterwards!)

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