Online Writing Week: Autofiction

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Tutors

Joanna Walsh
Susan Tomaselli

Date Monday January 9th - Friday January 13th 2023, 14:00 GMT

Location Online

Description
Tutors
Pricing
Access

Autofiction offers ways to write about personal experience that transcend the limitations of traditional memoir. Neither personal essay, nor memoir, nor fiction, autofiction questions the politics of the genres of biography and autobiography, as well as the ‘fiction’ and ‘non-fiction’ sections in bookshops and libraries.

With Joanna Walsh and Susan Tomaselli you’ll discover some of the methods of writers who have staged events from their own lives using dramatic or playful techniques borrowed from other genres to create new forms, and experiment with writing your own experiences from a variety of different angles. Exploring a variety of literary and non-literary methods of self-creation, from diaries to selfies, find fresh and fruitful ways to tell your own story.

Tutor

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Joanna Walsh

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Joanna Walsh is a multidisciplinary writer for print, digital and performance. The author of seven books, she also works as a…

Tutor

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Susan Tomaselli

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Susan Tomaselli is founder and editor of gorse journal. She has written for numerous publications, introduced a re-issue of…

Black and white photo of Fernando Sdrigotti indoors standing against a white wall

Guest

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Fernando Sdrigotti

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Fernando Sdrigotti was born in Rosario (Argentina) in 1977. His fiction and critical writing has appeared widely online and…

Online: £400

Concessions: £280

As part of our effort to increase participation in the arts, a limited number of half-price concessions are available for this course at checkout.

We are committed to making our Arvon at Home programme accessible to as many people as possible.

Across all of Arvon at Home

All sessions will have auto-generated captioning.
During sessions we will have a text version available via screen share.
There is a Chat facility to ask any questions.

Masterclasses and Online Writing Day

A recording of the Masterclass will be available to view for one month after it is aired live.
There is a Chat and Q & A facility to ask any questions.
Zoom webinar format (your video and audio will remain off throughout, & your name will not be visible to other participants so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).

How I Write

There is a chat and Q&A facility to ask any questions.
Zoom webinar format (your video and audio will remain off throughout, & your name will not be visible to other participants so it is a ‘relaxed’ event).

Online Writing Weeks / Weekends

Courses have much smaller groups than Masterclasses and How I Write events, and are also more interactive with your fellow course participants and tutors, so cameras and audio are usually on (though both are completely optional). If you would prefer your camera and audio to be off, it would be helpful to let your course host know this in advance.

Subject to funding/permissions (please contact us for more details)

Recording of Writing Weeks and Weekends.
Downloadable transcripts.
BSL interpretation.
Live captioning.

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.

Nothing short of transformative! I can't believe how much we packed into just a few days and how much impact it has had. I'm writing in new styles, new forms, new images, new rhythms!

— Writing Week Participant

I had the chance to speak with two well respected tutors about my work. Being able to do this in one-to-one tutorials was excellent and not reduced in any way by being on Zoom. A good chance for some very good advice. I am now determined to set to work on my writing.

— Writing Week Participant

Arvon courses are always so inclusive, supportive, fun, and instructive. There is something really magical and intimate about what happens during the week.

— Writing Week Participant

Monday

14.00—16.00: Everyone gathers online in Arvon’s Zoom Writing House. Your Arvon host will welcome you and the tutors, giving you an overview of the week, technology support, and some ideas for making your writing ‘cocoon’. 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. There’s likely to be some homework for tomorrow morning

Tuesday

9.15-9.45: ‘Writing Together’ – Half an hour each morning of quiet writing time before the morning workshop. Cameras off and pen to paper until 9.45. (optional)
10.00-12.45: Everyone meets online for the morning workshop, which includes writing exercises, discussion and comfort breaks.
14.30 – 16.30: One-to-one tutorials lasting 25 minutes each. You have one tutorial with each tutor during the week, the rest of the afternoon is your time to think and write.
18.00—19.00: Tutor readings: both tutors read and speak about their work, followed by a Q&A hosted by your Arvon host.

Wednesday

9.15-9.45: ‘Writing Together’ – Quiet writing time with cameras off. (optional)
10.00-12.45: Morning workshop
14.30 – 16.30: One-to-one tutorials
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19.15-20.15: The Arvon Wednesday Live Guest Reading—you get a free ticket to this.

Thursday

9.15-9.45: ‘Writing Together’ – Quiet writing time with cameras off. (optional)
10.00-12.45: Morning workshop
14.30 – 16.30: One-to-one tutorials
18.00—19.00: An evening session, the theme of which will be decided nearer the time by your tutors

Friday

9.15-9.45: ‘Writing Together’ – Quiet writing time with cameras off. (optional)
10.00-12.45: Morning workshop
16.00-17.30: A celebratory reading where you have the chance to share some of your new writing. Expect laughter, tears and a huge sense of pride for all you have learned, written and achieved this week. There’ll be plenty of virtual hugs.

And then...

Next steps: The week doesn’t stop here. You now have a writing community. Stay in touch. Share your work with each other, and take it forward!