Explore various resources for autobiography, such as dreams, fantasies, memories, diaries and photos. Whether you are writing for self-discovery, testimony or to tell your story, you'll learn how to make your writing evocative and powerful.
What is the course about?
The skills of autobiographical writing, including how to focus and craft your work. Insight into the sources of powerful autobiographical writing. Developing confidence in giving constructive criticism, and in using it to revise or edit your work.
What topics will be covered?
Depending on the participants' interests the course will include some or all of the following:
- how to start writing autobiography
-exploring different sources of autobiographical writing eg dreams, fantasies and lateral approaches to self-knowledge as well as conscious experience, thought and memory
-how to find themes and other ways of unifying your work
-the relevance of fictional techniques to help you dramatise and structure your writing into something which will fully engage the reader
-use of memorabilia (eg photos, diaries, family, and official records) where appropriate
Students may also explore:
-the different drives to write autobiography
-how to retrieve memories
-how to approach writing about sensitive areas of your life
-issues such as self-exposure, betrayal, and confidence
-selection of material
-the concept of truth or fact in relation to autobiography
-how to get published
What level is the course?
Suitable for people with some experience of creative writing, whether or not autobiographical. Students will be expected to be writing outside class and to read their work out to the class on a rota basis.
How will the students be taught?
Presentations by the tutor on particular topics
Suggestions for writing at home and writing exercises where appropriate
General discussion of approaches, issues and skills
Tutor and group discussion of your written work
Tutor and group discussion of any issues you have around your writing
Most sessions will consist of a balance of teaching and students sharing and discussing their work. Each week two students will be scheduled to share their work for half and hour each. The rest of the session will consist of an open reading, for students to read and discuss shorter pieces of work, and teaching and discussion on a particular topic. The tutor will generally give the first response to a piece of work before opening up the discussion.
If students do not want to read their work aloud other arrangements can be made for sharing the work.
Confidentiality will be respected by the tutor and students, and the atmosphere will be supportive.
The Tutor
Caroline Natzler's collection of autobiographically based short stories Water Wings was published by Onlywomen Press and her stories and poems have appeared in many anthologies and journals. A selection of her poetry Speaking the Wetlands was published by Pikestaff Press in 1998 and her first full length collection of poems Design Fault was published by Flambard Press in 2001. A second, Smart Dust (Grenadine Press) appeared in spring 2009. Caroline has been running writing workshops for many years, both in adult education institutions and on a freelance basis, and is a contributor to Taking Reality by Surprise: Writing for pleasure and publication, ed Susan Sellers (The Women's Press).
Key Course Information
Dates: 13/09/11 - 20/03/12 (24 weeks)
Day: Tuesday
Time: 12.30 - 14.30
Fees: Full fee: £258; Senior fee: £146; Concession: £70
Venue: City Lit, Keeley Street, Covent Garden, London
To enrol call: 020 7831 7831
Still got questions?
humanities@citylit.ac.uk or call 020 7492 2652
http://www.citylit.ac.uk/
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