Last week, I spent a few days at Tŷ Newydd, the National Writing Centre of Wales, run by Literature Wales. 

Taking one of their courses was something I’d longed to do and, last year, when I saw there was a Fiction Bootcamp being run by two excellent writers, Cynan Jones and Vanessa Gebbie, I quickly booked my place.

Tŷ Newydd, situated a few miles from Criccieth, was the last home of Lloyd George. The room with the bow-window in the photo below is the library, where we gathered to work, chat etc. It is also where Lloyd George died – just there, beneath that window… Fortunately, there’s nothing spooky about the room or the house (in spite of all the doors that seem to go nowhere…). Magical, yes, but not in a sinister kind of way.

And Lloyd George is buried in this lovely spot by the river, just down the road, so I think if he’s haunting anywhere, it would be here.

Regarding the residential arrangements, everything was great – the staff, the room, the meals, Tony’s cat (Tony being the chef)… I wanted to bring her home, but there was no room in my case, sadly.

This is where I was sitting, when she climbed up on my lap, even though we had been told she could be a little … difficult… if you stroked her. (And yes, we actually had some sunshine! Not too much, but some…)

And the work, the writing – excellent workshops, including a Zoom talk by Max Porter. We could have listened all day to Max. Mesmeric. If you ever get the chance, see, or hear, Max Porter. He broadens your mind about what is possible.

What was particularly good about the two tutors was how their writing and their ‘teaching’ approach differed, yet, when together, they worked really well. And I feel they gave more of their time than the ‘writing’ schedule dictated. Maybe this is the same for all the tutors – I don’t know – but it’s greatly appreciated. They were part of the group, not simply ‘above’ you.

And talking of the group, the thirteen writers – well, we were a mixed bunch, in terms of ourselves and our writing, but it was one of those happy coincidences that we all got on. (One of the surprising things was how much we laughed!). We are planning Fiction Bootcamp 2…

So, thank you to them, to the tutors and all at Tŷ Newydd. I thoroughly recommend it (https://tynewydd.wales) You can learn a lot, but also enjoy yourself. And now I need to process what I learnt.