Dr Cathy FitzGerald presents series two of lessons in creative writing made from archive recordings of great novelists, poets and playwrights talking about their craft.

In the first of three episodes:

Lesson One - Find your Story

Inspiration isn't always a divine spark; often an idea has far more prosaic origins. In this lesson, we hear how the speaking clock inspired Beryl Bainbridge, how Roald Dahl's children tricked him into creating James and the Giant Peach, and how Ray Bradbury found a story in a pair of tennis shoes.

Lesson Two - Listen Up!

Tips on developing an ear for dialogue, featuring an archive recording of the New York poet and writer Grace Paley reading her warm and funny story The Loudest Voice.

Lesson Three - A Workshop with Allen Ginsberg

How often do you get to take a creative writing lesson from one of the Beats? In this extraordinary recording of a lecture given in 1982, American poet Allen Ginsberg explains what he learned about writing from novelist Jack Kerouac.

Presenter and Producer: Cathy FitzGerald

A White Stiletto production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in May 2017. Show less