Event 800 Thursday 7 March 10:00-12:00Al DanaAre there ways we can enhance our potential to act and work creatively? As part of Ladies’ Morning, this session is designed to help writers trigger their creativity through a series of exercises and visualizations. Attendees will be given useful tips on how to remove mental blocks to creativity and overcome self-criticism.

The tutor: In addition to a PhD in Ocean Science and an Engineering degree from MIT, Kathy’s careers covered engineer, researcher, technical consultant and editor. Kathy’s first book, Life as a Leb-neh Lover: the Identity Crisis of a Maybe-Lebanese, which is a humorous approach to the saga of Lebanese immigration and return, was a finalist in the Best New Non-Fiction and in the Multicultural Non-fiction categories of the International Book Awards.

Ages 15+
English
Ladies Only

Event 802 Thursday 7 March 10:00-15:00Creative Meeting SpaceMaking the most of what you’ve got is easier said than done! Presenting ourselves to others, whether it’s that all important promotion interview or presenting to a group is nerve-wracking. Whether returning to the workplace after a career break or stepping up to a new or more senior position, this day-long practical training session with Fiona Lindsay will help build performance confidence, show you how to find your voice and prepare you for the spotlight.

The tutor: Fiona Lindsay works with some of the UK’s leading arts and media organizations as a producer, performance coach and broadcaster. She spent many years creating and leading theatre workshops for the Royal Shakespeare Company and is an established interviewer/chair on the literary festival circuit.

Adults
Please wear comfortable footwear and clothing

Event 832 Thursday 7 March 10:00-11:30Al KhaymaIn this interactive session your tutor Mariam Al Saedi will help you discover ‘the real you’ through your writing. With the help of exercise and discussion, you will have the opportunity to understand the power of the written word as a means of creativity and as a way of reflecting the world through your own unique eyes.

The tutor: Mariam Al Saedi gained an English Literature degree from UAE University, postgraduate certificates in Urban Planning from the American University of Sharjah, and in Jerusalem Studies from Aberdeen University in Scotland. She currently works for the Abu Dhabi Department of Transport while simultaneously developing her writing career.
Maryam has published three collections of short stories, one of which was translated into German in 2009. The third collection, published in March 2012, is titled نوارس تشي جيفارا (Seagulls of Che Guevara) and has a central theme of personal enlightenment and individual freedom.

Arabic
Adults
This session is part of Ladies' Morning

Event 801 Thursday 7 March 12:00-13:00SurayaWould you like to boost your communication skills and self-assurance when speaking officially or in public? Whether at work or in community activities, we need to project a clear, informed message in order to achieve our goals and be taken seriously. Join TV producer and media trainer Lea Sellers to enhance your ability to communicate effectively and with confidence.

The tutor: Following a career as a news and current affairs television producer for the BBC and Channel 4, Lea Sellers now works as a freelance media trainer and television consultant to the BBC.

Adults
English
Ladies Only

Event 803 Thursday 7 March 16:00-17:00Al NoorLearn hints for cooking up stories from a few easy-to-come-by ingredients. In this fun session with renowned children’s author Geraldine McCaughrean, you will discover that story-making is not the preserve of experts: it’s a game anyone can play.

The tutor: Geraldine McCaughrean has written more than 160 books and plays and has been published in 41 languages. She writes anything and everything, from picture books to adult novels, and her awards include the Carnegie Medal, Whitbread Prize, the Guardian Fiction Award, Blue Peter, Smarties and America’s prestigious Printz Award for Teenage Fiction. In addition to sixteen children's and five adult novels, she has retold many myths and folktales from around the world, adapted inaccessible classics such as Moby Dick and El Cid, and scripted plays for schools. She has also written for radio and stage.

English
Ages 9-12

This workshop is now sold out, but tickets are still available for Geraldine's session on Friday 8 March at 17:00, 'Who Are You Calling a Villain?'

Event 804 Thursday 7 March 16:00-18:00SurayaIs there an art to writing non-fiction? In this interactive session with Nick Arnold, international best-selling children’s author of the Horrible Science series, you will have the chance to develop an understanding of what non-fiction is, types and genres of non-fiction, how to generate ideas, and find and research sources. Nick will also share his hints and ideas on how to make your writing as interesting and informative as possible, thus captivating your readers and having the potential to build a loyal following.

This session is suitable for any age group.

The tutor: Nick Arnold studied History at the University of York and was awarded a BA and M.Phil. From an early age his ambition was to be an author and, in 1996, Scholastic published Nick’s first Horrible Science book – Ugly Bugs. The series has since sold more than15 million books in 40 countries.

English
Ages 8 to adult

Event 806 Thursday 7 March 16:00-17:30Creative Meeting SpaceHow do aircraft, buildings, plants and mythical beasts spring from the page? If you have ever wondered how those fantastic designs are engineered in children’s pop-up books, now is the chance to find out. In this practical session you will have the chance to make your very own pop-up and to take your creation home with you. Learn how to amaze your family and friends with this master craftsman.

The tutor: Robert Crowther is a paper engineer who has revolutionized children’s novelty books. Known affectionately as ‘Mr Pop-up’, Robert has been designing and producing pop-up books since 1977. He is a much-loved leader of workshops throughout the UK, working with all ages. Robert will be producing an ingenious model of the Burj Khalifa during the Festival – come and be inspired!

English
Ages 5-7

Event 828 Thursday 7 March 16:00-17:30Al RimalWhat makes for an attention-grabbing weekly column and how can you make it your own? What entices readers to begin reading a column, continue to the end and then come back the following week for more? Join the Financial Times’ very own Mrs Moneypenny (aka Heather McGregor) to discover the secrets to her popular weekly column and, in the course of the session, start to write your own.

The tutor: When not writing as Mrs Moneypenny, Heather is the Managing Director and principal shareholder of the communications business Taylor Bennett, having bought the company from its founders in 2004.

English
Ages 16+

Event 833 Thursday 7 March 16:00-17:00Al KhaymaWould you like to be able to develop your own voice as a writer and truly engage your reader? Find out what makes a great short story, how to pick a striking title and how to write a very short story of your own.

The tutor: Micheline Habib is a Lebanese writer and an author of Children’s books based in Abu Dhabi. She is also an educational advisor, a freelance journalist, translator and voiceover talent. Micheline is the author of the educational series for children in English The Little Sounds Series and the collection of ‘short short’ stories for adults in Arabic Because We Are Alive.

Arabic
Ages 12-16

Event 818 Thursday 7 March 17:30-18:30Al NoorWorking in TV News sounds glamorous and exciting, but what is actually involved? What qualities are required to succeed in this highly competitive and demanding environment, and what are the specific challenges of the job? Join this informative workshop with BBC TV producer Lea Sellers to discover how a newsroom works, what the demands of 24-7 news mean in reality and the specific demands of foreign news gathering. With her wealth of experience in national newsrooms, you will not find a better person to shed some much-needed light on this fast-paced career.

The tutor: Following a career as a news and current affairs television producer for the BBC and Channel 4, Lea Sellers now works as a freelance media trainer and television consultant to the BBC.

English
Ages 14-21

Event 835 Thursday 7 March 17:30-19:00Al MajlisAre you attempting to learn Arabic and meeting some difficulties? In this dynamic session, Arabic specialist Abdul Rahman Abdul Haleem introduces a concept that has the potential to improve your learning and expand your vocabulary. Called ‘Arabic on a plate’ this surprise buffet will tempt your taste buds and allow you to approach the learning of Arabic in a new light. Don’t miss this free session!

The tutor: Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Haleem teaches at the Institute of Arabic Language at Zayed University and over his long career has found this approach to be particularly beneficial to learners of the Arabic language.

English
Adults

Please note that while this is a free session, there is a maximum class size of 20 so please book early to avoid disappointment

Event 809 Friday 8 March 09:00-17:00SurayaIf you have ever toyed with the idea of a career in radio journalism, today’s workshop offers you the rare opportunity to understand what identifying, creating and editing a radio news report actually means. Under the experienced guidance of UK-based journalist and lecturer Max Easterman and Suzanne Radford, presenter of Dubai Eye 103.8’s Dubai Today, you will be covering LitFest events. Following editorial briefings, you will work in teams to gather material before creating a two-minute news story worthy of being broadcast.

The tutors: Max Easterman worked for the BBC for more than 30 years as a radio reporter, producer and presenter, and then on TV programmes such as Brass Tacks. Still a freelance broadcaster, he is a senior lecturer in radio journalism at the University of Huddersfield.

Suzanne Radford has worked in live theatre and entertainment and for the past 5 years has been a producer and presenter for Dubai Eye 103.8. She currently presents the weekday lifestyle show Dubai Today, covering a diverse range of topics from health and well-being to food and culture.

English
Adults

Event 808 Friday 8 March 09:30-11:00Al KhaymaCreating other worlds sounds easy. But as well as offering sci-fi and fantasy writers the chance to fly their imaginations, the genre also poses challenges. With discerning readers ready to identify inconsistencies or implausibilities, an author has to develop a complete world with full geographical, architectural, political, historical and cultural detail. Join renowned creator of Star Wars and Star Trek stories Alan Dean Foster as he guides you through the excitement of building your own world.

The tutor: Alan Dean Foster has authored work in hard science-fiction, fantasy, horror, detective, western, historical, and contemporary fiction, including such well-known productions as Star Wars and the first three Alien films. His novel Cyber Way won the Southwest Book Award for Fiction in 1990, the first work of science-fiction ever to do so.

English
Ages 16+

Event 807 Friday 8 March 10:00-11:00Suite 1925If you have ever wanted to illustrate children’s books, this is the perfect opportunity to find out from a master exactly what is involved. As a long-standing illustrator – most famous perhaps for Winnie the Witch – Korky Paul will take you through the process of interpreting an author’s manuscript, and developing ideas to produce the final illustrations. With the aid of slides and a portfolio of preparatory sketches, original artwork, proofs and printed books, Korky will walk you through the nuts and bolts of what it means to be an illustrator.

Korky will also be producing a 5th anniversary mural, featuring Winnie the Witch, during the Festival itself – come and see him in action.

The tutor: Korky Paul was commissioned, in 1986, to illustrate Winnie the Witch. It won the Children’s Book Award the following year and has been published in more than 27 languages, including Norwegian, Lithuanian, Japanese, Catalan and Welsh. More than 3,700,000 Winnie the Witch picture books have been sold worldwide.

English
Ages 16+

Event 810 Friday 8 March 10:00-11:00Al DanaIn this poetry workshop for children, Geetha Chhabra will explore the creative potential of poetry and allow participants to translate thoughts and feelings into words and rhymes. This session offers confidence-building activities to enable those attending to find and develop their individual voice within the creativity of poetry.

The tutor: Geeta Chhabra is a poet and educator and recently was awarded the Poets Printery International Best Poetry Web Site Award for Creativity and New Age Poetry for her website www.geetachhabra.com. Geeta’s first book, An Indian Ode to the Emirates, contains 40 poems (with Arabic translation) commemorating 40 years of the UAE’s Union and the ties between India and the UAE.

English
Ages 8-11

Event 811 Friday 8 March 10:00-13:00Creative Meeting SpaceNeed a new perspective on teaching Shakespeare? No more reading round the class or anxious deciphering of the text – bring the words and drama to life in this practical theatre-based workshop. Fiona Lindsay will help you to unlock the text and uncover the stories, characters and emotion in the plays. You will share transferable teaching methods designed to enable your students to enjoy and connect with Shakespeare.

Tutor: Fiona Lindsay works with some of the UK’s leading arts and media organizations as a producer, performance coach and broadcaster. She spent many years creating and leading theatre workshops for the Royal Shakespeare Company and is an established interviewer/chair on the literary festival circuit.

English
Adults (teachers)
Please  wear comfortable footwear and clothing

Event 812 Friday 8 March 11:30-12:30Al RimalIf you thought completing the manuscript was the end of your labours, think again! This workshop with PR expert Nigel Stoneman will offer you the opportunity to understand what an author can do to maximize the impact of their book and make it stand out in a competitive environment. Nigel will present tips and advice from his career in literary PR and publicity, and take your individual questions on how you can best promote your published book.

The tutor: Nigel Stoneman is a London-based PR Director whose clients include Jackie Collins and Lynda La Plante

English
Ages 16+

Event 813 Friday 8 March 11:30-13:00Al NoorHow do aircraft, buildings, plants and mythical beasts spring from the page? If you have ever wondered how those fantastic designs are engineered in children’s pop-up books, now is the chance to find out. In this practical session you will have the chance to make your very own pop-up and to take your creation home with you. Learn how to amaze your family and friends with this master craftsman.

The Tutor: Robert Crowther is a paper engineer who has revolutionized children’s novelty books. Known affectionately as ‘Mr Pop-up’, Robert has been designing and producing pop-up books since 1977. He is a much-loved leader of workshops throughout the UK, working with all ages. Robert will be producing an ingenious model of the Burj Khalifa during the Festival – come and be inspired!

English
Ages 8 - 12

Event 814 Friday 8 March 11:30-13:30Al MajlisOne of the key elements to a successful work of fiction is a gripping, twisting, entertaining plot. Pace, suspense, surprise and tension may vary according to genre but, other than experimental literary works, a strong plot is often what keeps readers engaged. In this practical and informed session, creative writing expert Greg Mosse will take you through what makes for excellent plot development, specifically in an Arab world setting.

The tutor: Greg Mosse bases his creative writing teaching around the development of craft skills: good sentences, paragraphs, episodes and chapters which are the building blocks of good novels. His major work is done at West Dean College, where he is programme leader for an MA he authored. He also teaches at the Southbank Centre Creative Writing School. His knowledge of creative writing comes from more than 20 years’ professional experience as teacher, editor, translator and writer. His history book Secrets of the Labyrinth was published in 2007.

English
Ages 16+

Event 815 Friday 8 March 13:30-14:30Creative Meeting SpaceThere is a definite art to cracking the cryptic crossword and Peter Dale is a master. If you want to get a better grasp of just how cryptic crosswords work, how cryptic clues are put together, some basic crossword vocabulary and some of the devices used by compilers in their efforts to confuse the solver, then this is the workshop for you. You may not emerge from the session as a competent solver but you will have the opportunity to understand more of what is expected in order to improve your skills. It will be the crossword, not you, that cracks!

The tutor: UK-born Peter Dale graduated from Hull University with a joint honours degree in Pure and Applied Mathematics. He taught secondary school Mathematics in the UK and moved to Dubai in 1988 since when he has been a corner-stone of the Dubai College Mathematics department.  His interest in words, together with a passion for problem-solving, led him naturally to the dark world of Cryptic Crossword Puzzles in which he describes himself as an enthusiastic amateur.

English
Ages 16+