Creative Writing Lessons

Robin Saikia gives lessons in creative writing. The posts below give some idea of his interests and approach – click on the images to see more. Robin can also review and edit fiction or non-fiction works you have already completed. If you would like to take one-to-one lessons or discuss your work with Robin, please email: scholartext@gmail.com.

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Learn from Marcel Proust: how to write something original about an overwritten subject (in this case, Venice).

Learn from H. H. Munro: how to write a brilliant short story in only 1000 words.

Learn from Jack Kerouac: how to write effectively about musical performance.

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Learn from John Milton: imagery, rhetoric and repetition in prose.

Learn from John Irving: how to write about childhood.

Learn from Oscar Wilde: how to create an entire story by overturning a simple and widely-held premise.

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Learn from William Plomer: how not to produce the kind of bad writing that results in rejection letters from publishers.

Learn from F. Scott Fitzgerald: how to use the ‘catalogue’ technique in description.

Learn from O. Henry: how to create a thoroughly memorable character in a short burst of dialogue.

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Learn from Jane Austen: how to use Comic Relief.

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About Robin

Robin Saikia is a British author and lecturer. He was born in 1962 and educated at Winchester College. His published work includes The Venice Lido,  Blue Guide Literary Companion London, The Red Book: The Membership List of The Right Club, Blue Guide Hay-on-Wye, and Blue Guide Italy Food Companion. His most recent work is A Very Fine Cat Indeed, a dramatic monologue in which Samuel Johnson celebrates his favourite cat, Hodge. He has also recently published The Saikia System: 23 Exercises for Teachers and Students of Standard British English.

Robin is a Fellow of The Royal Asiatic Society. Other memberships and affiliations include The Johnson Society of London, The Johnson Society (Lichfield), The Wykehamist Society and The Oxford Union.

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