This course runs for five days, 10am–4pm each day, with the afternoons consisting of one-to-one tutorials and/or writing time.
Session 1 — 14 June: The Story You Wish to Tell
Julia Blackburn, Threads; Helen Macdonald, H is For Hawk
We'll begin by thinking about defining the scope and content of your subject, the foundation of any piece of life writing.
Session 2 — 15 June: Finding a Voice
Jackie Kay, Red Dust Road; Simon Gray,Coda; Stephen Bernard, Paper Cuts
Jackie Kay is utterly honest without being confessional, while Simon Gray turns his erratic interior thought processes into a wonderful narrative. In this session, we'll experiment with the impact of using different voices: child or adult; first, second or third person.
Session 3 — 16 June: Deciding on a Structure
Julia Blackburn, The Three of Us; Claire Wilcox, Patch Work
Two family stories which use very different structure to suit very different sorts of parents and childhoods. We'll discuss how to be personal without getting in too deep and how to balance the need for honesty with the wish to not hurt anyone.
Session 4 — 17 June: Short Cuts and Sideways Glances
Penelope Lively, A House Unlocked; Helen Dukes, A Honeybee Heart has Five Openings
A memoir/ life story does not have to be a continuous narrative, nor does it have to be an orthodox narrative. The books mentioned here will start you think about the many possible alternative ways of approaching your subject.
Session 5 — 18 June: The Loneliness of the Long Book
On Thursday we'll have worked out what you want to discuss and have help with during the final session, setting you up for completing the work once the group has dispersed. We'll end with readings from your best pieces.