Helen’s teaching spans every level from vocational courses to Master of Arts degrees. She has advised national television companies and local writers’ circles, and run workshops for higher education colleges, councils and schools. If you are interested in employing Helen as a tutor, workshop leader or speaker you can contact her here.
Helen is also registered on Time To Read, a site run by North West Libraries Readership Development Partnership to encourage readers into libraries.
Helen's teaching CV is listed below, grouped by category.
University Courses
Short Courses
Workshops
Talks/ Consultancy
University Courses
1997 – present date, University Of Salford
Helen is a regular visiting lecturer and mentor on the MA/ PgDip Television & Radio Scriptwriting. Her taught courses include Short Films, Image & Action, Characterisation and Scriptwriting Nuts & Bolts, and she gives regular masterclasses on the business of being a TV scriptwriter and pitching ideas. In addition she has mentored final year students on projects as varied as feature films, comedy series and family dramas.
To find out more about the MA at Salford click here.
2007 - 2008, Royal Literary Fund Fellow
On joining the RLF's Fellowship Scheme, Helen was appointed to work with students from the University of Central Lancashire.
To read an article about Helen's work at UCLAN click here.
To find out more about the Royal Literary Fund Fellowship Scheme click here.
To view Helen's profile click here.
2006 - 2007, University of Bolton
Helen was a guest lecturer on the BA (Hons) Media, Writing and Production. She taught the 1st year modules Screenwriting in Context and Introduction to Screenwriting, and the 2nd year modules Screenplay and Writing TV Drama.
To find out more about this degree click here.
1996 - 1999, Liverpool John Moores University
Helen was a guest lecturer on the MA in Screenwriting, giving masterclasses and offering pitching workshops. She also ran the Writing for Long Running Drama Series module, which gave her the opportunity to work with both screenwriting and script editing students.
Short Courses
2002, Cornerhouse, Manchester
Helen ran the 6 week Introduction to Scriptwriting course. Students covered all aspects of basic writing for the screen and were mentored through two drafts of a 5 minute film.
1997, Hulme Adult Learning Centre, Manchester
Helen ran the 12 week Basic Scriptwriting course for adult students.
1996, Wigan Borough Council, Lancashire
Helen ran one day Basic Scriptwriting courses in libraries throughout the region.
1992 - 1994, Various, North West England
Before concentrating on teaching writing for the screen, Helen tutored on a number of short courses in video production, documentary film and scriptwriting for students of all ages at institutions which included Warrington Borough Council, Counter Image and the Young Women’s Media Project.
Workshops
2003 – 2004, Hulme Adult Learning Centre, Manchester
Helen gave yearly workshops on Writing for Soaps to students on the Scriptwriting course.
2003, All Write, Chorley Creative Writing Festival
Helen led the Soap Suds workshop organised by this Lottery funded project. The results of the Festival were published in the On to the Page anthology.
To read feedback on the workshop click here.
2000, Contact Theatre, Manchester
Helen ran the Script Squad workshop for 13 to 21 year olds, leading the participants in writing a 30 minute theatre soap in only three days. She was ably assisted by guest script editor Russell T. Davies (Doctor Who, Queer as Folk, Casanova). The finished pilot 0161 went from page to stage on day four under the guidance of actress and director Noreen Kershaw (Emmerdale, Heartbeat, Coronation Street) and played to two packed houses the same night.
To read press on Script Squad click here.
Talks/ Consultancy
2005, Church Road Primary School, Bolton
As part of “Professions Week” Helen gave talks to Year 1 and Year 2 pupils about being a writer. She covered how she became a writer, different roles in television, where ideas come from and touched upon staging a scene and dialogue.
2004, BBC writersroom/ Northern Exposure, York
As an experienced serials writer, Helen was invited to give a masterclass on Series and Serials together with BBC producer Richard Stokes (EastEnders, Holby City). They gave aspiring writers an overview of these type of shows and discussed the pros and cons of working on serial drama.
To learn more about BBC writersroom click here.
2002, Carlton TV New Writing Course, Nottingham
As a regular writer on Crossroads, Helen was asked to advise at a workshop on Writing for Soaps for students on the New Writing Course.
1997, Leigh Screenwriters’ Group, Lancashire
Following her successful courses on Basic Scriptwriting, Wigan Borough Council invited Helen to ask as a mentor and facilitator to a number of interested writers. After 10 weeks of workshops and feedback Leigh Screenwriters’ Group was formed.
