Creative Writing with Tarot – In-Person Workshop

The tarot is a treasure trove of inspiration and creative prompts, making it a potentially sensational tool for writers.

In her first ever in-person workshop at Treadwell's, seasoned storyteller and professional tarot reader Bernadette Russell teaches participants how to mine these evocative images to produce their own creative pieces. Using the classic Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, the group dives into the archetypes of the Major Arcana cards. Expect to do some meditative journeying into the images and meet their 'characters' in a whole new way. There will also be a retelling of a short tarot-inspired tale. Afterwards, participants will be invited to create their own pieces using prompts, free writing and timed exercises. Note: there will be no sharing of work, so attendees are free to explore and experiment with their ideas safely.

Ideal for anyone interested in the power of words, this workshop is equally suitable for experienced and new writers (as well as experienced tarot readers who fancy reading the cards a little differently)! By the end of it, everyone will understand how to use the tarot for creative inspiration and have some practice in the art.

If you have one, please bring your favourite tarot deck to this session. (If you don't, they'll be plenty of cards to work with when you get there.)

Bernadette Russell is co-director of arts organisation White Rabbit. A published author, playwright, theatre maker and spoken-word storyteller, she hosted the award-winning storytelling salon 'Are You Sitting Comfortably?' for ten years at Arts Admin in East London. She is currently storytelling at Butser Ancient Farm. She has previously told stories at many venues including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, and the Royal Albert Hall. She is an alumnus of the School of Myth and studies folklore at the Woodland Bard School and with Dr Sharon Blackie. She has taught creative writing and storytelling for over 20 years.

Photo Credit: Petr Sidorov/Unsplash