Have you ever felt like you have a story to share? 

Brave Words has partnered with stocked. to host a four-week course giving you the opportunity to share and develop your real life stories into pieces of writing fit for performance and publication. Led by Brave Words Artistic Director, Chris Singleton you will discover, explore and experiment with different methods of autobiographical storytelling, creating a unique creative piece based on elements of your life. The course will run for four weeks every Thursday evening, 6pm - 7.30pm from 3rd - 24th July at stocked.

The course is led by Brave Words Artistic Director, Chris Singleton - a professional playwright and performance poet with 10+ years' experience delivering writing and theatre workshops. Between 2021 and 2023 Chris toured "How to Be a Better Human" across Britain - an autobiographical spoken word comedy show about grief, loss and self-acceptance - including a full run at Summerhall for Edinburgh Fringe, and performances at major theatres across the country: ("a refreshing message in a likeable, low-key spoken word show" - Lyn Gardner, The Stage, **** - The Wee Review, **** - Ed Fringe Review: “A man sharing to help others, creating something out of pain in a way that’s impossible not to get behind”)

You'll have opportunity across the four weeks to write a piece or pieces about elements of your life, to receive feedback, develop them, and gain expert advice on how to present them to an audience. The four weeks of the course will include:

Week 1: Discover Your Story

We all share stories every day - but which story from your life has something to say for itself? Which has something to give back to an audience? Which is completely unique to you, and captivating to everyone else?

Week 2: How You Tell 'em

Some of the best stories ever told came from unlikely combinations of genre, form and perspective. Will you create a poetic epic, a stand up comedy set, a series of journal entries or the start of a stage script?

Week 3: The Why

Delve into the reasons you wanted to tell your story, and the benefits for anyone listening. From solidarity to support, information to escapism - learn how to shape the impact you have on an audience

Week 4: Get On Up

You don't need to be a performer to share your story. Explore how to take your words from the page to the stage (or group of friends, or the mirror - no pressure!) 

We believe stories should belong to everyone, so our workshops are open to all levels of writer, from first-time to jobbing professionals. Tell Your Story is the perfect setting to get creative with other writers dedicated to their craft, and support each other's work. Chris will lead the workshop in an accessible style, with a small group size for plenty of focus and feedback on each participant's writing.

The total cost of the course is £120. If cost will be a barrier to you, email chris@bravewords.co.uk to discuss.