Residential Arvon Plus: Memoir

Memoir is not so much a life story as a way of generating a story from a life. Join acclaimed memoirists Lily Dunn and John-Paul Flintoff, along with guest speaker Clover Stroud, for an inspiring, interactive course that will help you find original and dynamic strategies to bring your life to life on the page.

In this course, you’ll be introduced to a variety of writers in memoir and related forms of narrative non-fiction. You’ll see how to move between showing and telling, and the importance of the imagination when writing from memory. You’ll work on dialogue and scene-setting, and find a structure for your work that is original and surprising. We’ll also consider how you can protect yourself and others from exposure and hurt when drawing from personal experience.

After a celebratory reading following your final session with your tutors, you will stay on for two more days of writing, putting into practice all you have learned so far. Over the course of the week at beautiful Totleigh Barton you will be given the guidance, time and space to fall in love with your writing, a community of writers for support, and the inspiration to carry on.

*Please use the expandable links below to reveal timings and further details of the course schedule.

Room with indoor shared bathroom: £1500

Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway: £1250

Concessions: Room with indoor shared bathroom: £1050

Concessions: Room with shared bathroom accessed via outdoor covered pathway: £875

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.