REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR ALL THESE PROGRAMMES.
The next reading programmes begin in the first week of June, and the next writing programmes will be held in October. I will also organise three short guest sessions as part of my writing programme. These will be free for those who are part of the programme, but will also be open to non-participants on payment of a fee. More details coming soon!
If you would like to receive email notifications about my workshops, please fill this form. Alternatively, follow me on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – for regular updates.
Online Reading Programme
Many parents with children in the age-group 7-8 expressed interest in my writing programmes, which made me think about what I could do with such young children. For a writing programme to be meaningful, I feel that children need to be a little older. At the same time, the wider the range of books they are exposed to, the better they will write. Among other things, this made me come up with the online reading programme – a book club that involves reading, writing and all kinds of activities.
Starting April 2021, I will also be conducting a similar programme for older children – children in the age-group 9-10.
Ages 7-8
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The third edition of my online reading programme for ages 7-8 begins on the 2nd of April 2021. The four books we will read together are Maya in a Mess by Meera Nair, Spellbound by Nalini Sorensen, The Absent Author (A to Z Mysteries Book 1) by Ron Roy and Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krishnaswami.
Details
Dates: 2nd April to 11th May 2021
Online interactions: Tuesdays and Fridays, 3-3:45pm
Age-group: 7-8 years
Workshop fee: ₹4,000
Do note that the cost of the books is no longer included in the fee (UPI: seshanvarsha@okhdfcbank or bank transfer – contact me for details)
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PROGRAMME.
If you would like to receive email notifications when I launch new batches, please fill this form. Alternatively, follow me on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – for regular updates.
Earlier Programmes
Ages 9-10
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The first edition of my online reading programme for ages 9-10 is here! Just like for the younger ones, the programme is six weeks long and involves 12 video interactions. However, instead of reading four books together, we will read just three. This is because one session every two weeks will be devoted to exercises that introduce creative writing, closely linked to the books we read.
The books we will read during this edition of the online reading programme are The Mystery of the Secret Hair Oil Formula by Asha Nehemiah, Flying with Grandpa by Madhuri Kamat and Wisha Wozzariter by Payal Kapadia.
Details
Dates: 2nd April to 11th May 2021
Online interactions: Tuesdays and Fridays, 4-4:45pm
Age-group: 9-10 years
Workshop fee: ₹5,000
Do note that the cost of the books is no longer included in the fee (UPI: seshanvarsha@okhdfcbank or bank transfer – contact me for details)
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PROGRAMME.
If you would like to receive email notifications when I launch new batches, please fill this form. Alternatively, follow me on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – for regular updates.
Online Creative Writing Programmes
My online creative writing programmes are conducted just twice a year – in April and in October. Each course is 12 weeks long and comprises twelve online interactions and access to a private, secure forum, where participants share work and provide feedback to one another. In this sense, it is an intensive programme that requires participants to log in at least four times a week, write regularly and participate actively on the forum. In addition to weekly assignments, participants are encouraged to share relevant ideas and opinions at each stage.
If I have a minimum of four participants for each batch, I also organize guest sessions, which are open to non-participants on payment of a registration fee, but free for those who are part of my programmes. Take a look at the three guest sessions I organized during the previous edition of the creative writing programme:
Ages 9-11
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The next course for the age-group 9-11 begins on the 5th of April. The online interactions will be held each Monday from 4pm to 5pm.
Outline
- Experiments with poetry – While we will begin with rhyming verse, we will move on to exploring different kinds of poetry, working with form, content and structure
- Plays – Working with drama is a wonderful way to start working on crisp dialogue and clear setting. We will read a play and look at the creation of characters and dialogue
- Stories – The best way to write a good story is to write many stories! We will work with technique, structure, dialogue and plotting as we explore different genres of writing.
Details
Dates: 5th April to 28th June 2021
Online interactions: Mondays, 4-5pm
Age-group: 9-11 years
Workshop fee:
- Early bird fee: ₹13,500 per head (valid until the 15th of March)
- Buddy fee: Register with one or more friends and pay ₹12,500 per head
- Regular fee: ₹15,000 (16th of March onwards)
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PROGRAMME.
If you would like to receive email notifications when I launch new batches, please fill this form. Alternatively, follow me on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – for regular updates.
Earlier Editions
I launched my online creative writing programme in October 2020 and received a wonderful response. Take a look at what some of the children said when they reflected on the programme!
At the end of the course, one child made a song for me, which was published as a poem by Beyond the Box. Read it here.
Ages 12-14
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The next course for the age-group 12-14 begins on the 7th of April. The online interactions will be held each Wednesday from 4pm to 5pm.
Outline
- Poetry – What makes a poem a poem? We’ll choose a few kinds of poetry and work with them in an attempt to open up our understanding of poetry.
- Plays – A quick look at the history of drama is a great way to explore how art is used as entertainment. What goes into writing for theatre? How would this be different from the way we write for screen?
- Stories – Activities around writing keep young (and not-so-young) writers inspired and excited. As we explore genres of fiction, we will work on both mentor-led and learner-led activities to work actively on structure, technique, characters and plot.
Details
Dates: 7th April to 30th June 2021
Online interactions: Wednesdays, 4-5pm
Age-group: 12-14 years
Workshop fee:
- Early bird fee: ₹13,500 per head (valid until the 15th of March)
- Buddy fee: Register with one or more friends and pay ₹12,500 per head
- Regular fee: ₹15,000 (16th of March onwards)
REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS PROGRAMME.
If you would like to receive email notifications when I launch new batches, please fill this form. Alternatively, follow me on social media – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – for regular updates.
Writing Workshops I've Conducted in the Past
I’ve been conducting writers’ clubs since 2015, so exploring the Workshops page would give you a gist of the activities I conduct. During the previous edition of the online creative writing programme, a few participants reflected on their journeys as writers. Take a look.
Additionally, here are a few posts that will give you a rough idea of how my creative writing workshops work:
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