Nonfiction: Writing Creatively

Your research and ideas are begging to be shared with the world. But every time you set pen to paper, you are beset by myriad questions: What is the best premise around which to structure my findings? How do I make my prose engaging while also preserving its rigor? How can I convey my topic on different levels to different audiences? And how can I inject more of my own personality into my writing? This intensive workshop addresses all these questions and more.

Over the course of 2 days, participants will gather from 10am to 5pm, discussing their work in a challenging and supportive atmosphere as well as engaging in writing exercises designed to expand their creative horizons. Novice and experienced writers alike are welcome to participate—no previous experience is necessary! The workshop can be booked as a 2-day package or for a single day.

Day 1: Fiction for Nonfiction: Creative Writing as a Tool for Researchers and Specialists

On Day 1, we will discover how the techniques and principles of fiction can enrich our writing on research and specialist subjects. We will familiarize ourselves with basic terms of fiction such as point of view, voice, tone, and narrative arcs. We will then put these ideas into practice by testing them on our own nonfiction subjects. Finally, we will end the day by sharing our insights into how fiction can help us approach and convey our subjects in unexpected, innovative ways. The group will be led by Amal Chatterjee, award-winning author and creative writing tutor at the University of Oxford.

Day 2: Tailoring to the Audience: Help Your Nonfiction Writing Reach the Right Readership

On Day 2, we will learn how to tailor our nonfiction projects to different audiences. Do you wish to convince a readership of researchers and scholars? Do you hope to spread the word to a broader, informed public? Or do you want to introduce the subject to a completely novice audience? Through a variety of informal exercises followed by group discussion, we will explore just how to calibrate our writerly aim. The group will be led by David Selim Sayers, whose nonfiction work has been published by Penguin Classics and reviewed across the globe from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung to International Affairs.

Maximum enrollment: 10

Schedule

Saturday-Sunday, 10:00-17:00
15-16 April 2023
7 hours each (including a lunch break)

Location

75016, Paris