About the workshop
Devotion is a practice-based creative writing workshop that nurtures writing practices through communal writing sessions that foster accountability, solidarity and collective learning. Through a mixture of writing prompts (inspired by poetry, novels, films, music, memoirs and more) and open discussion, writers of any level from absolute beginner to published authors can explore new techniques and themes. A key part of every Devotion workshop is quiet writing time, and Devotion distinguishes itself from traditional creative writing workshops through an emphasis on the practice of writing itself, rather than the workshopping of existing work in progress. Devotion is also an amorphous, queer and open community, built on the generous, enthusiastic and loyal attendees.
Devotion is run by poet and writer Sophie Robinson and writer Rose Higham-Stainton who bring creative, critical and academic experience to the workshops. Sophie founded Devotion on the principles of radical pedagogy. By operating outside the academic institution and offering a fairly priced sliding scale payment model, they are able to sustain and nurture a fluid and inclusive writing space for all.
About Sophie
Sophie Robinson is a poet and writer. She has published three books of poetry, most recently Rabbit (Boiler House Press, 2018). She has taught creative writing for over a decade, most notably at the University of East Anglia, where she has been a Lecturer in Creative Writing since 2014. Sophie has also been published in The Guardian, BOMB, The Quietus, Believer Magazine, Stylist, The White Review and N+1, amongst others. She is currently working on a novel, and is represented by Lisa Baker at Aitken Alexander. She founded Devotion in 2020.
About Rose
Rose Higham-Stainton writes about art, literature and aesthetics, manifestations of resistance and feminist thought. Her writing is held in the Women’s Art Library at Goldsmiths College and has been published by PIN—UP Magazine, MAP Magazine, Ache, SPAM, Worms, Skirt Chronicles, Sticky Fingers Publishing and in the anthology Field Work: New Nature Writing from East Anglia. She has a Masters in Writing from Royal College of Art and her thesis project became a book titledThree Graces, and Voids and is distributed worldwide by Antenne Books. Revised extracts appear in Cusp: Feminist Writing on Bodies, Myth & Magic (published by Ache) and Skirt Chronicles. Herēma was published by Sticky Fingers Publishing in June 2021 and explores flat land in relation to women's creative and contemplative practice. She has collaborated with sonic artist Leyla Pillai on NTS and has been a guest on Montez Press Radio. She has worked as an editor and a facilitator for Royal College of Art and co-runs the Devotion writing workshop with poet Sophie Robinson.