Phil Olsen
LightNews LightNews
banner
liverpolsen.bsky.social
Phil Olsen
@liverpolsen.bsky.social
420 followers 540 following 16 posts
Writer of s(h)orts | Continuing Education Creative Writing Tutor at Uni of Liverpool | Contributing Editor at Vestal Review | Stories in Cōnfingō #16, Strix #8 | https://polsen.co.uk | https://linktr.ee/liverpolsen
Posts Replies Media Videos
liverpolsen.bsky.social
Up for a writing challenge? Join me in the 20th annual Short Story Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social on 23rd January 2026! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/ssc
A watercolour nightsky with floating objects and people amongst the starts. Objects include coffee pots, egg timers, clocks and pieces of paper. One person is writing with pen and another is typing on a laptop. White and yellow text overlays the image and reads: 'The Short Story Challenge - January 23 - NYCMIDNIGHT.COM'
October 3, 2025 at 11:09 AM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
After looking at some examples of visual narratives, you’ll get to draw some panels of your own.

Part of Continuing Education’s CE Saturday at University of Liverpool.

Sat 8 Nov 2025 at the VG&M (10:30am - 3:30pm)

Find out more and book online: bit.ly/4mG1ZXX

(website & Linktree in bio)
A screenshot of a University of Liverpool webpage with the crest and logo in white on a dark blue strip. Text reads ‘Graphic Novels - Thinking Inside the Box(es)’ and there is a photograph of a box of coloured pencils.
August 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
‘Graphic Novels – Thinking Inside the Box(es)’

I’m teaming up with illustrator and designer, Chris Rodenhurst, to deliver a one-day workshop on graphic novels…
Two boxes with black frames on a white background. The first box has an orange tint and the words ‘Graphic Novels’ in black capital letters. The second box has the text ‘Thinking Inside the Box(es)’
August 23, 2025 at 2:14 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
I’m running a new creative writing evening course as part of University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education programme. 6 Tuesday evenings (6-8pm) from 30 Sept - 4 Nov 2025.

Find out more and book online: bit.ly/4oAciyC

(website & Linktree in bio)
A screenshot of a University of Liverpool web page advertising ‘A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words - writing short stories inspired by art’
August 23, 2025 at 1:28 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
‘A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words – Writing short stories inspired by art’

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what might those thousand words be? Fancy writing a 1,000-word piece of flash fiction inspired by artworks and visual prompts?
A dark green background with a black painting in a yellow frame. Text on the painting reads ‘A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words’ in vertical lettering and the number ‘1000’ is picked out in mint green from the letter I and 3 letter Os
August 23, 2025 at 1:28 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
LiverpOulipo { word [ play } by the rules ]

Next week, I’m running a 2-day creative writing workshop as part of University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education department’s Summer School.

LiverpOulipo will feature prompts, puns and writing exercises. 1/3
The word ‘LiverpOulipo’ is written twice on a diagonal angle over a pink and blue background. One is the right way up and the other is upside down. ‘Liverp’ is in black text and ‘Oulipo’ is in white. Smaller text in the bottom right hand corner reads ‘word play by the rules’ A screenshot of a workshop description for ‘LiverpOulipo - word play by the rules’ with an image of a yellow pencil on a notepad next to a screwed up ball of paper. Black logos for University of Liverpool and Continuing Education sit on a yellow background. White text on a dark grey background advertises course dates (Tue 22 & Wed 23 July 2025) and 3 accompanying photographs show the venue of the University of Liverpool Management School (ULMS) - a modern black-clad block with large, spaced apart windows.
July 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
I’m running a free creative writing workshop in New Brighton today (1-3pm at District House, 112 Victoria Road). Come along for tips, prompts and writing exercises for crafting flash fiction & short stories. Floral. This workshop has been made possible with funding from the Community Lottery Fund.
April 12, 2025 at 8:24 AM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
I’m teaching an 8-week Flash Fiction course, ‘Short Shorts and Restrictive Briefs’, as part of University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education programme. Taking place on Tuesday evenings (6-8pm), the course will run from 4 Feb - 1 April 2025 (with a 1-week gap, half-way through).
Screenshot of University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education webpage with the university’s crest and logo in white on a dark blue strip at the top. Below is an abstract image of people in a cafe, obscured by either lens flare or rain on the window. Below the image, blue text on a white background reads: ‘Flash Fiction: Short Shorts and Restrictive Briefs’ The University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education crest and logo in white on a green background. Below this, white block cap text reads ‘Flash Fiction’ and ‘Short Shorts and Restrictive Briefs’ A photograph of 126 Mount Pleasant, University of Liverpool. Four storeys of windows can be seen on the red brick and sandstone building facade. A white text sign reads ‘126 Mount Pleasant’ A promotional postcard for the University of Liverpool’s Continuing Education short courses. A mural on the side of a building shows a turquoise Liver Bird. In the background, another building is under construction and covered in scaffolding. Black and white text boxes overlay the image, reading: ‘Short Courses and Lectures’ and ‘For the Sheer Enjoyment of Learning’
January 11, 2025 at 11:53 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
On Sat 30 Nov ‘24 (10:30am - 12:30pm), I’ll be running a free creative writing workshop exploring the nocturnal paintings featured in the VG&M exhibition, ‘Play of Light - A display of darkness and illumination’.

Free but booking required:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/play-of-li...
University of Liverpool’s Victoria Building clock tower at night. Three exhibition posters displayed under a stained glass window in the Victoria Gallery & Museum. (Lee Miller / Play of Light / Decorative Art) Two nocturnal paintings in gold-painted frames hanging in the VG&M. An exhibition text panel for ‘Play of Light - A display of darkness and illumination.’ University of Liverpool and VG&M logos appear at the bottom.
November 9, 2024 at 8:36 PM
liverpolsen.bsky.social
Last chance to submit your 500-word flash fiction stories, inspired by Liverpool’s Canning Dock! Deadline is midnight tonight (Fri 22 Sept ’23). #flashfiction #WritingCommmunity #Liverpool #history #writing #competition

4 prompts & free entry form:
bit.ly/3RvVGKt
A sepia painting of a wooden ship lying on its side in a dry dock. A large pillared building with a dome on its roof stands in the background. The painting title reads: ‘Baboo overset in Canning Graving Dock, Liverpool’ by E D M Y. Collection of Merseyside Maritime Museum, 1987.248.2’
September 22, 2023 at 5:00 PM