The Writers' Lab in Skyros island, Greece

Skyros facilitator Phil Gladwin has been a screenwriter and editor in the UK television industry since 1995. He also runs the www.screenwritinggoldmine.com website. Here he talks about his recent experience teaching screenwriting at the Writers' Lab on Skyros island, Greece, 1 - 11 August 2012...

Screenwriting is the best job in the world. This August I've just been reminded of that even more forcefully: this August I facilitated a screenwriting course at the Skyros Writers Lab.

It was a small group and they all had very different backgrounds. Some with professional writing experience, some with none, but they came united by their desire to experiment and work with the form.

And work they did.

Was I a harsh taskmaster? I don't think so, but I did gently encourage them to make the most of their writing time.

We had three hour sessions in the morning, full of creativity experiments, the occasional lecture, writing exercises, and quite a lot of fun.

For the rest of the day went off to let their imaginations run riot in the (entirely voluntary!) exercises I gave them.

It says a lot that, despite them being on holiday on a beautiful island, in the middle of a beautiful summer, and then having SO many other distractions (you know, the wide sandy beach and the aquamarine Aegean Sea, Skyros town itself, curling up the side of the hill in a labyrinth of white painted cottages and tiny cobbled alleys, brilliant evening sessions from the ever inventive Ilene Sawka, let alone the ever wonderful long lunches and leisurely suppers on the shady terrace) each participant returned every morning with more and more terrific work.

The nine muses did their bit too, clearly taking a bus en masse down from Mt Helicon. Every single participant found their voice; every single participant wrote some electrifyingly good (and often very funny) material.

What's more, it wasn't uncommon to reconvene in the morning and hear a participant tell the story for a fully imagined feature film that had somehow arrived fully formed overnight.

Eleven days later and each participant came away with an inside take on the screenwriting business, a massive tool-chest of writing techniques, and the knowledge that, if they chose to, they could each write a great script in their own style.

Let alone the wonderful experience of making friends and bonding with a wide group of friendly people in an almost magically beautiful location. Not at all bad for a holiday in the sun.



For your chance to book a Skyros writing holiday call the office on +44 (0) 1983 865566, or drop a line to office@skyros.com. Please note that many of the courses are already full, so book soon to guarantee a space. http://www.skyros.com/writers_lab.htm

Do something good for yourself . . .

Peter Collins is a Skyros holiday participant who recently returned from his Skyros holiday in Atsitsa Bay, Skyros Island, Greece, and is due to return in just a few days. Here he talks about his first experiences of the leading holistic holiday, and the effect it has had on his life.

I booked my holiday at Atsitsa at the last minute - literally - as I had to find flights and depart the following day. Making the commitment to book was quite scary for me as I had not been coping well with life and was not feeling good. I knew that I needed to makes some changes in my life but was unsure how to start. Someone recommended an 'alternative' holiday at Skyros and I had read the brochure many times but always found an excuse not to book. 'Alternative' anything was something new to me.

I remember reading something along the lines of 'If you keep doing the same thing you will keep getting the same result' and that had certainly been true for me so possibly time to try something different. Everything fell into place once I had decided to book. The flights were available at the right time and price and I was running out of excuses.

I had been to Greece many times and love the place. For me it has the perfect combination of environment, lifestyle, weather, food and people so I was not apprehensive about being there, but Atsitsa and all those new people was something I was not sure about. Still I told myself that I did not have to take part in anything, I could hide away if I wanted, but perhaps I might learn something on the courses.

Well 10 days later I did not recognise myself. I felt better than I had ever felt, I had learned the basics of yoga, meditation and mosaics, I was tanned, fit (thanks for the runs Berny) and felt so incredibly healthy (the food is amazing). But most of all, and completely unexpectedly, I had learned most from all those other participants on the courses. Those wonderful people who sat, listened, gave advice, related their own experiences and life journeys and became friends. That is the essence of Skyros for me - the people.

Thank you so much for giving me my life back. The experience for me was life changing and I will never forget it.

Kind regards,

Peter.

For your last chance of a taste of Greek sunshine this season, give us a call on 01983 865566 and reserve your place on one of the few remaining spaces for holiday 11 - 21 September in Atsitsa bay. Alternatively, why not join us for a holiday in one of our offshoots in Thailand, Cuba, Cambodia, or the Isle of Wight, UK. Book now and do something good for yourself. More information at www.skyros.com.

The joy of (teaching in) Skyros

Recently returned from a renowned Skyros holiday, life coach and facilitator Claire Schrader shares her recent experiences of the leading holistic holiday and the wonderful Greek island that is Skyros. Thanks Claire, for blog and for the lovely pictures too!

Photo above shows Claire (in the red trousers) with her participants, enjoying a cool drink at the Skyros Village centre.

My first sight of the view from the Skyros Centre, brought tears to my eyes. They were the tears of not only of a beautiful sight but of all the memories of the last time I was in Skyros – the people, the inspiration, the fun, the magic. How could this time be even better? But it was!

The title of my course this year was A Call to Adventure – and I found myself on a bit of an unexpected adventure.

A few days before I came out, I was knocked over by a moped. As I looked down at the two inch gash in my leg – the skin had torn like a piece of cloth - I wondered if this was going to be a problem. I was patched up with 5 stitches and hobbled out to Skyros, hoping that it would heal up quick and I would be only too soon swimming in that glorious sea. But it was not to be. My wound developed an infection and I was taxi-ed to the Skyros Medical Centre, where the doctors frowned at my wound – and did what was necessary to heal it up.

For anyone who has ever worried about something similar happening, let me first applaud the superb treatment I received from the Greek medical system - and to Julian and Andrew who took magnificent care of me. I could not have been in better hands. And thanks too to the wonderful participants on my course who made sure I didn’t jump around too much!

But this did nothing to mar a wonderful time – a time that is hard to put into words. And I hope these pictures give you some sense of what we experienced...

A gorgeous evening shot of the Skyros beach at sundown as we waited for freshly caught fish to be cooked at the fantastic fish restaurant on the beach.

The beach where we wiled away many an hour....

I may have been hobbling but I could still strut my stuff as the MC.

 One of the highlights of the holiday for me was the celebration of Saint Agios Ermileous - a holy day in which hundreds of people gathered on the Molos and piled into fishing boats to be taken across to a little island where there was a special service to celebrate the saint’s day.

Applause at the end of another fantastic cabaret night of heart warming creativity – after which Orville (Mez Packer’s husband) “dropped some tunes”. Dancing to James Brown and Bob Marley till the very early hours.

The hilarious sweeping scene

  

And then it was time to go...

Here art facilitator Michael Gahagan enjoys the appreciation of the group for his wonderful work

Saying goodbye to those lovely hills to return again next year??!!