Let's get creative
I work with individuals and groups. With a PhD in Creative Writing and years of programme development and delivery in the bag, I have lots of tips and ideas to share. I specialise in creative non-fiction—this is not your school-day text-book kind of non-fiction but real life facts presented in an entertaining way, using many of the techniques employed by novelists. And, with qualifications in Art History and Interior Design, having enjoyed a career as an interior design consultant, I’m keen to work with creatives from all sections of the art world.
I offer a confidential service to individuals and bespoke programmes for groups—practical workshops, seminars, and facilitated conversations. Presented in-person or online, with a flexible offering of either a single event or a series.
Writing and Mentoring services for Individuals
Have you got lots of ideas for new projects and don’t know where to start?
Are you floundering with all the information you’ve collected?
Are you stuck, losing motivation, not sure how to proceed?
Do you struggle with the arrangement of sentences and paragraphs?
Are you wondering how your writing will land with a reader?
Are you at a fork in your writing career, ready for some independent guidance?
Learning and Development sessions for Groups
Is your group looking for a guest speaker?
Do you want to facilitate discussions around creative non-fiction, or Place Writing specifically?
If you’re working on a programme of sessions for a writing group perhaps I can help with ideas.
Is your institution thinking about developing a collaborative arts project?
Would your book group benefit from a list of interesting creative non-fiction authors to read?
Recent Projects
Examples of some of the work I’ve done recently:
I mentored a mixed-media artist who had written a long piece of prose to accompany the art she was presenting for her Masters Degree. We worked to a deadline to give it a final polish and get it ready for publication.
I mentored a mixed media artist who had recently worked in the design industry. She wanted to chat informally about how she might move forward with her career so that she could realistically earn a living from her work.
I developed an online programme for writers, which looked critically at texts, both creative non-fiction and fiction. Over twelve weeks, we discussed in detail how ‘place’ can be creatively written into the narrative.
I set up and facilitated an online writing group where contributors exchanged pieces of writing on a monthly basis for critique by other members of the group.
As a cancer survivor, I was delighted to receive an invitation to speak in person at a meeting of a cancer support; the title of the talk was ‘Writing through Cancer’.
I joined a panel of three to speak to a group of post-graduate researchers about the PhD viva; I hope we dispelled their fears and armed them with confidence.
Ideas for Collaboration
Got an idea? Get in touch for a chat. I’m open to collaborative opportunities, especially with other Substackers.
Contact
Email: ycid at yasminchopin dot com
What people say
‘I recently attended an online discussion group on Place Writing over a period of several months, organised and chaired by Yasmin Chopin. I can honestly say that it has proved to be one of the most interesting and enlightening experiences in the whole of my educational career. It has provided me with useful and informative observations on my own creative writing and helped me to pursue my own writing with greater confidence and purpose. Yasmin's selection of, and observations on, non-fiction texts have been insightful and imaginative, and have contributed much to my own development as a writer of fiction.’ J.W.
‘Yasmin critiqued a non-fiction article of mine at the end of last year. She offered thoughtful and considerate feedback, in particular questioning misplaced words. She suggested where it could be tightened up which was particularly helpful for the word count. Yasmin has an honest, and objective approach while offering a professional writing critique service and I have no hesitation in recommending her.’ J S-H.
‘I’ve enjoyed and been enriched by working with Yasmin, sharing sections of our PhD writing together. She is always encouraging and supportive, with an eye to where work can be improved. Her writing style, which connects the internal psychological world and the external physical world, blends imagination, personal insight, and political reflection. I have found reading her work to be deeply peaceful, and have come away from her pages feeling refreshed, in a similar way to coming home from a gentle walk through a beautiful landscape.’ D. I-B.
‘Yasmin is well-organised and strongly motivated to work with writers. I have found her analysis perceptive and helpful in my own writing, with a careful eye for detail. Her suggestions to improve the writing, at the micro and the macro level, have always been useful.’ C.J.
‘Yasmin was one of the leading members of a group I was part of, when I was self employed. She was an inspirational role model and gave objective feedback that helped me to progress. Her support was invaluable.’ S.W.
‘I’ve known Yasmin for a number of years now. She first welcomed me to the writing group she’d set up, and then I joined her Critical Place Writing Discussion Group. Working with Yasmin has been instrumental in the development of my writing skills and my knowledge and application of place writing. The latter through the sessions she hosts in which we closely read and discuss texts that centre on place. Yasmin is pleasant to work with, very supportive of other writers, and she has a lot of knowledge to impart.’ B.W.
‘Yasmin critiqued various non-fiction and fiction pieces I produced as part of my Masters in Creative Writing with the OU. Her comments were always detailed and insightful. She provided a helpful balance between highlighting problem areas in terms of character, plot and structure and drawing attention to inaccuracies in punctuation and grammar while also suggesting ways to improve my style and content in future work. I have no hesitation in recommending her to others.’ J.E.
‘I enjoyed the talk Yasmin gave to our group and found it very interesting, informative and inspiring!’ J.R.