Why I Teach Writing by Emily Winslow
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Today I have a special guest post from author Emily Winslow as part of her WOW! Women on Writing blog tour for Time to Write! Thank you, Emily!
I first started teaching because my kids were about to enter school. I realized that most of my social life and out-of-the-house time were linked with taking the boys to activities, and that was about to disappear. Writing is necessarily a solitary activity, so though I already had a job (meaning book deadlines), I wanted to add something that would put me in the same room with other people sometimes.
I became part of the Creative Writing team at Cambridge University’s Institute of Continuing Education at Madingley Hall, set in a gorgeous and quirky Tudor hunting lodge that the university had acquired in 1948. Each week my Tuesday evening class was assigned a different room in the mansion, including the old bedrooms of young King Edward VII and Prince Albert. There’s something wonderful about teaching and learning in a beautiful space. It makes the time feel set apart, and gives a feeling of affirming the work’s value. Luckily, studying in a historic mansion is not the only way to achieve this! Seeking out or creating a small, special space in which you read and write—perhaps in a park, library, or corner of your home—can have a similar effect.
The students were full of enthusiasm and creativity. Deep friendships were forged among them, which is always one of the best things that can come out of taking a class: finding people who share your passion for the subject and with whom you can continue to learn long after the class is over. For the Saturday daytime classes, some students even came from far away: I had a student who commuted from the Netherlands, and another from Bulgaria! They loved the course. I was honored to be part of their experience.
When the pandemic hit, we transitioned to Zoom, and I’m grateful we had it. But it was a huge disappointment to discover, two years later, that the department had decided those courses would stay on Zoom forever and not come back physically. Remember, my reason for starting down this road was to have commitments that are outside my house and physically with people. So I stepped away from the two classes I loved so much, and kept only the master’s teaching, which was remaining in-person (and I’ve since been made Course Director of Cambridge’s Crime & Thriller Writing master’s degree).
I also started a small company with a likeminded friend and we rent space in Cambridge to continue teaching in person on our own. We find it inspiring and energizing. I love seeing talent and confidence grow. I hope my book can have that effect too. I love sharing what I’ve learned, and being part of other people’s journeys, not just my own.
About Emily
Emily Winslow is the author of a series of crime novels and a memoir. Her books have been published by Random House, HarperCollins, Allison & Busby, and Shanghai Translation Publishing House.
Her novels (The Whole World, The Start of Everything, The Red House, and Look For Her) have been called “brilliant” (The Washington Post), “vivid” (Parade magazine) and “dazzling” (Shelf Awareness). Her memoir, Jane Doe January, is “meticulously constructed and ultimately terrifying” (The New York Times), “potent” (Kirkus), and “compelling” (Bustle).
She grew up in the U.S. and now lives in Cambridge, England teaching for the University of Cambridge and for Cambridge Creative Writing Company.
Find Emily online:
www.CambridgeCreativeWritingCompany.com
Facebook: emilywinslow.author
Instagram: emilycwinslow
About Time to Write
Have you always wanted to write a novel?
Emily Winslow will help you develop the mindset and skills to get you started, keep you going, and see you through. Time to Write is a creative writing guide aimed at anyone who wants to write a novel and could use some support.
It contains 49 lessons, each easy to read and packed with insights based on experience. Emily has taken her own work to high levels with major publishers, and has learned from teaching at Cambridge University what makes students light up and what makes their work drastically, excitingly improve.
This book is full of encouragement, recognizing and affirming different work styles. It's a total handbook, teaching a broad range of specific writing skills with insight and clarity as well as covering topics around writing in-depth, such as how to give and take critique and how to evaluate publishers and agents.
It's time to write the stories inside you!
Print length: 275 pages
Purchase a copy of Time to Write by visiting Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo or Apple Books. Make sure you also add Time to Write to your Goodreads reading list.
Also available at:
Follow the Blog Tour
October 16th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate author Emily Winslow and interview her about Time to Write. You'll also have the chance to win a copy for yourself.
https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com
October 17th @ A Storybook World
Stop by Deirdra's blog to read "What Skills Do You Need to Write a Novel?" by Emily Winslow.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
October 18th @ What is that Book About?
Visit Michelle's blog to see her spotlight of Time to Write.
October 19th @ Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews blog
Join Lisa for an interview with Emily Winslow.
https://lisahaselton.com/blog/
October 20th @ The Faerie Review
Stop by to read Lily's review of Time to Write by Emily Winslow.
https://www.thefaeriereview.com
October 21st @ World of My Imagination
Stop by Nicole's blog to read her review of Time to Write.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
October 23rd @ Sue Edwards’s blog
Check out Sue’s blog to read her review of Time to Write.
October 24th @ Michelle Cornish's blog
Read a guest post from Emily Winslow about why she teaches.
https://www.michellecornish.com/blog
October 26th @ The Knotty Needle
Stop by to read Judy's review of Time to Write by Emily Winslow.
October 26th @ Deborah Adams's blog
Check out Deborah's spotlight of Time to Write and read her interview with author Emily Winslow.
http://www.deborah-adams.com/blog
October 28th @ Sue Edwards’s blog
Revisit Sue’s blog to read a guest post about choosing which publishers to submit to by Emily Winslow.
October 29th @ Shoes, Seeds, and Stories
Stop by to red Linda's review of Time to Write by Emily Winslow.
https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/
October 31 @ A Lit Life
Come see Stephanie's spotlight for Time to Write.
November 2nd @ A Lit Life
Read Stephanie's review of Time to Write.
November 3rd @ Bookshine and Readbows
Stop by to read Steph's review of Time to Write.
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/blog/
November 5th @ Shoes, Seeds, and Stories
Revisit Linda's blog to read a guest post by Emily Winslow about whether Time to Write will help someone who wants to write a memoir.
https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/
November 6th @ Michelle Cornish's blog
Revisit Michelle's blog to read her review of Time to Write.
https://www.michellecornish.com/blog
November 7th @ A Lit Life
Listen to Stephanie interview author Emily Winslow on her podcast A Lit Life.
November 8th @ World of My Imagination
Revisit Nicole's blog where she shares "Does Daydreaming Count as Work?" by Emily Winslow.
https://worldofmyimagination.com
November 9th @ A Storybook World
Revisit Deirdra's blog to view a spotlight of Time to Write.
https://www.astorybookworld.com/
November 10th @ Jill Sheets’s blog
Stop by Jill’s blog to read her interview with Emily Winslow.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/
November 11th @ Helen Hollick Author
Visit Helen's blog to read a guest post from author Emily Winslow.
