May 17
Online
Masterclass: Exploring Autofiction
Stealing content
Life writing can feel lonely and self-indulgent. But you know in your bones how much it matters. Whether you’re writing about your own life or someone else’s, this five-week non-fiction course will show you how even the dustiest research can be made to shine, how to turn bald utterance into dramatic dialogue, and galvanise frozen moments into driving narrative. Two multi-talented tutors, Alice Jolly and John-Paul Flintoff, will share fresh approaches from fiction, theatre and journalism – and general non-fiction too, of course. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out, you’ll be eager to try these ideas on your own material. As the final week approaches, you’ll be tweaking furiously up to the last minute, and the warm support you receive – as you read aloud to each other on the last session – will assure you that the time was well spent.
Do you want to commit time to your writing but can only manage a couple of hours a week? Would you like a writing boost and a network of writing buddies? Then join us for this Arvon Evening Course which unpacks our popular 5-day online writing week over 5 weeks of evening classes. Each week, your tutors will deliver a workshop designed to propel your writing forward, with one-to-one tutorials offered mid-course, alongside tutor readings and weekly socials. You will develop a regular writing routine and come away from the course with a whole new network of contacts and companions for your writing years ahead.
Tutor
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John-Paul Flintoff is a journalist, performer and author. His books, published in 16 languages, include a novel, two memoirs, a creative…
Tutor
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Alice Jolly has won the Pen Ackerley Prize for memoir and teaches life writing at Goldsmiths. Her most recent novel …
Online: £450
Concessions: £315
As part of our effort to increase participation in the arts, we offer limited concessionary places at a 30% reduction. You can select this option at checkout if available.
We are committed to making our Arvon at Home programme accessible to as many people as possible.
Across all of Arvon at Home
Masterclasses
Online Writing Day
How I Write
Online Writing Weeks and Evening Courses
Subject to funding/permissions (please contact arvonathome@arvon.org for more details)
If you have any access issues that we have not covered here, please contact us on access@arvon.org
See here for more access information.
Week 1
Monday
18.00-18.15 Everyone gathers online in Arvon’s Zoom Writing House. Your Arvon host will welcome you and the tutors. You’ll get to meet everyone, ask questions, and settle in. Your tutors will ask you to start thinking about your writing, perhaps setting an exercise.
18.15-19.00 Tutors first session
19.00-19.15 Break
19.15-20.45 Tutors second session
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 2
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 Short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 1 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 3
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 Short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 2 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 4
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 1 workshop
Tuesday
17.00-19.00 Please keep this time pencilled in your diary. Over the course of the 5 weeks you will have 2 x one-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes (one with each of your tutors). These will be allocated for you and sent to you a week before the course starts.
Week 5
Monday
17.45 Arvon host opens up Zoom room for any questions/queries
18.00-18.25 Sharing work from the previous week/discussion about how the week has been going (you are invited to post an extract of what you have been working on/your homework exercise to Padlet by Sunday 1pm)
18.25-18.30 short 5 min comfort break
18.30-20.45 Tutor 2 workshop
Tuesday
17.30-19.00 Closing comments by your tutors, followed by group readings. An opportunity to share some of the new words you have conjured over the past 5 weeks in a celebratory atmosphere among new friends.
And then...
Next steps: The 5 weeks don’t stop here. You now have a writing community. Stay in touch. Share your work with each other, and take it forward!