
Writing Creative Non-Fiction
This course will take place online, for a reduced rate of Full £89 / Conc. £67
We will do practical creative exercises and develop the techniques used in the personal essay, the autofiction novel, the review, and other more experimental hybrid forms. As a supportive group, we will push one another to be braver, more self-reflective, and more deeply engaged in our writing practice.
Who is this course for?
This course is for anyone who is curious about language and ideas. It is for anyone who wants to develop their creative writing skills, take risks, and engage in discussions about what it might mean to write the "truth". It is a course for anyone interested in exploring how different narrative forms offer us new ways to understand and write the reality around us.
Will I need any equipment or materials?
This course will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
How will the course be taught?
Each week we will look at and discuss extracts from contemporary writers working in different creative non-fiction forms. We will explore the possibilities of each form and undertake practical and experimental exercises to better understand the techniques being used. We will also discuss ideas around "truth", "reality", and narrative, exploring how the political, the personal, and the imaginative intersect to create powerful and original writing.
Are there any follow-on courses I can take?
Bishopsgate Institute runs a range of creative writing classes, including classes in playwriting, life writing and short story writing.
Will I be assessed?
There is no formal assessment for courses at Bishopsgate Institute. However, to monitor your learning and progress, tutors will assess your participation in classroom activities.
You will learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Learn to read like a writer, developing a critical awareness of the forms and technique being used within a text
- Use the researching, editing, and structuring skills needed to make successful decisions about your own work
- Learn to take risks and explore new forms, harnessing playful experimentation in order to develop your ideas
- Discover new writers and develop an overview of current creative non-fiction trends and possibilities.
Meet the Tutor
Carmel Doohan
Carmel holds a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow and a BA in Fine Arts. She has taught English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh and is currently a writing mentor for The Ministry of Stories and Clean Break theatre company.
Her writing practice includes the critical essay, the short story, and other more experimental hybrid forms. She is currently editing a fragmented auto-fiction novel and has written on arts and culture for Exeunt Magazine, Gutter, The Arts Desk, Tribune and Film International, amongst others.
Course Overview
Week 1
What is Creative Non-Fiction?
Manifestos and hybrid forms.
Week 2
The Personal/Lyrical Essay
Week 3
Travel/Nature Writing
Week 4
Research and Auto-fiction
Week 5
Film and Book Reviewing
Week 6
Experimental Forms and Publication
Need to Know
Metadata
- Time
- 19:00 - 21:00
- Price
- Full £89 / Conc. £67
- Day
- Tuesdays
- Duration
- 120
- Venue
- Bishopsgate Institute
- Tutor
- Carmel Doohan
- Max Students
- 10
- No. of Sessions
- 6
- Course Code
- WR20309