Are you embarked upon or considering a work of historical fiction? Unless you’re writing science fiction, you probably are! All fiction requires imagination, but writers keen to recreate a particular moment in time must find a way to balance imagination with fact. Research is paramount. But after you become involved in research, and find it utterly engrossing, there comes a time to pull yourself out of the library, away from the alluring rabbit holes of Wikipedia. Then, you can use all that information to help you create living, breathing characters.
On this course you will consider the period in which your story is set, thinking about how people then were different from or the same as us. About how they saw themselves, lovers, children, friends, and their relationship to nature, God, sex, food, travel, power, money, health. You will find new ways to bring the past to life and look at authors who do just that in innovative and powerful ways. Are we obliged to stick to the historical record or can we wander off? And who decides what history is anyway? Join acclaimed writers of historical fiction Joanna Quinn and Tim Pears to explore these and other exciting challenges of writing stories set in the past – whether in the ancient Ghana Empire or the Miners’ Strike of the nineteen eighties.
We ask each writer to bring a passage from a novel or short story that for them represents successful historical fiction – and will share some of our own.
What to Expect:
• Supportive workshops to deepen your craft: Morning workshops with exercises to provoke your writer’s brain with helpful new aspects of writing historical fiction
• Expert guidance from your tutors: Acclaimed writers of historical fiction share their experience
• Personal Feedback: Focused 1:1 sessions with your tutors for constructive feedback on your work
• Inspiration from a range of texts: Learn more about technique from the very best of historical fiction
• Community: Share meals and workshops with a supportive group of fellow writers
• At the end of the short course: You’ll leave with fresh energy to create compelling narratives and new insights on how to improve your work-in-progress
*Please use the expandable links below to reveal timings and further details of the course schedule.
Room with indoor shared bathroom: £640
Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway: £590
Concessions: Room with indoor shared bathroom £448
Concessions: Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway £413
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.
Physical Access at Totleigh Barton:
We do not currently recommend this house if you are a wheelchair user. Totleigh Barton is a sixteenth-Century manor house and has many steps and tight corners. In the future we hope to redevelop the property to provide level access. For additional detailed information on physical access in bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, dining, shared spaces and the grounds please visit our dedicated access page.
Please see our access page for general access information for residential courses.
Our grants scheme may be able to cover a portion of your course fees. Disability costs and additional living/support costs are taken into account when considering your grant application. You may also be entitled to concession pricing on selected courses.
If you have any questions or concerns and want to chat to a member of staff prior to booking please contact us on access@arvon.org
Totleigh Barton, the first ever Arvon centre, is a 16th-century manor house in one of the most peaceful and idyllic parts of Devon.
Totleigh Barton is a thatched manor house with single occupancy rooms and shared bathrooms. The house offers many comfortable lounge and spaces to relax and write throughout the house and a renovated barn offers a comfortable space for evening readings. Mobile and Wi-Fi signal is limited. We invite you to think of a retreat to this beautiful old house as a full ‘digital detox’ – a chance to make real progress with your writing with no distractions.
All your meals are provided, locally and sustainably sourced wherever possible. Help yourself to breakfast, our team will prepare lunch, and dinner is prepared in groups each evening using the delicious recipes and ingredients provided.
Totleigh Barton lies two miles from the village of Sheepwash, with walks along the River Torridge nearby. There is a beautiful and productive garden and quiet spaces on-site for writing.
See here for more information on Totleigh Barton.
Tim Pears
Joanna Quinn
