Hothouse Course

Storm Books presents Charles Shaar Murray’s Hothouse Project, an eight-week journalism writing course in North West London. A chance to learn from “the rock writers’ rock writer”, award-winning author, and legendary journalist in person.

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE — APOLOGIES: SPRING COURSE POSTPONED UNTIL PUBLICATION OF THE HELLHOUND SAMPLE, EXPECTED THIS SUMMER 2011. LIMITED TO 20 PLACES — RESERVATIONS OPEN NOW

Are you happy with your writing? Great.

Alternatively … do you feel that you have it in you to write more effectively, more engagingly, more inventively, more crisply, more authoritatively and more distinctively than you do now?

The explosion of the blogosphere means that there are more writers out there than ever before. So why should anybody read your work rather than somebody else’s? How do you make YOUR writing stand out from the background cacophony of everybody else in print or online?

What everybody wants is a unique voice, with a unique point of view expressed through a unique use of language. Don’t sell yourself short because you haven’t found your way to the heart of each and every subject you address, or because you express yourself in flat, dull prose that doesn’t really feel like YOU when you read it back.

Charles Shaar Murray will help you to learn how to raise your game, and develop a style that will have your readers caring about what you have to say and enjoying the way you say it … and to keep them coming back for more.

If it’s in you to write like an angel – even like an angel in a bad mood – Hothouse is designed to bring it out.

Charles Shaar Murray says

At the invitation of Storm Books, I’ll be teaching an eight-week journalism course in which I’ll be passing on a few things learned from some of the best editors in the business, from talented fellow writers and – by trial and error – in actual journalistic and critical combat.

What I’m offering is a master class in journalism as creative writing, both craft and art. Inspired by George Orwell’s desire, expressed in his celebrated essay Why I Write, to ‘make political writing into an art’, I set out to approach all forms of journalistic endeavour as an art … if only because it’s a lot more fun, for both writer and reader, to render each and every assignment — from the capsule review to the extended ‘think piece’, from the profile to the ‘colour piece’ — as elegant, entertaining, witty, provocative, stimulating and surprising as it could possibly be.

I’ll be including coaching on constructing feature articles, interviewing, reviewing as a creative response to the artefact — be it book, movie, play, record or anything else — in front of you; working as a columnist; being on both sides of the camera or microphone in broadcast journalism: ie how to be a competent interviewer AND how to be a competent interviewee. And assorted aspects of practical professionalism.

The Hothouse Project Writing Course is an eight-week series of two-hour classes. The next one will coincide with publication of The Hellhound Sample, expected summer 2011.
For writers, editors, beginners, veterans wanting to raise their game, bloggers and the mildly curious.

Over the years, Murray has interviewed many cultural icons including, among others, Miles Davis, Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Bob Marley, Pete Townshend, Joe Strummer (and the rest of The Clash), Johnny Rotten (and the rest of the Pistols), George Harrison, JG Ballard, Alan Moore, Kurt Vonnegut Jr, William Gibson, Patti Smith, Jimmy Page, Frank Zappa, Michael Moorcock, Elton John, The Ramones, Muddy Waters, BB King, John Lee Hooker, Spike Lee, Stan Lee and Christopher Lee.

“front-line cultural warrior” and “original gunslinger” Independent on Sunday

“Brilliantly told” Mojo

“The artistry of [Crosstown Traffic] matches that of its subject” Nick Tosches

£225 cheque or £235 through PayPal

PAYPAL BUTTON TO COME WHEN DATES ARE CONFIRMED

Dates: One evening per week for eight weeks — late summer dates to be confirmed.
Time: To be confirmed (two hours)
Price: £225 cash or cheque (plus £10 admin charge if using PayPal). Limited to 20 places only.
Contact: Email for information and to book a place
Venue: Room 2, The Rooms Above, West Heath Yard, 174 Mill Lane, West Hampstead, London, NW6 1TB
Conveniently located at the junction of Mill Lane and West End Lane at West Heath Yard (opposite The Emmanuel School), and near the cafés, restaurants, wine-bars and pub of West Hampstead. Look out for the logo and sign in the entrance — walk through to the back and up the stairs on the left.

Transport: Tube (Jubilee Line) and Overground (Thameslink and Silverlink): West Hampstead.
Buses: 139, 328, C11 to West End Green/Mill Lane.
Parking available locally from 6.30pm.
Map: here

If you bring a laptop, please make sure it is fully charged up.

For enrolment and more information about The Hothouse Project, please email:
hothouse@charlesshaarmurray.com and write “Hothouse” in the subject field.

Coursework from the students in the first course can be found here.

Private One-To-One lessons also available with Charles Shaar Murray.