Many great writers draw upon personal experiences in their work. John Grisham famously uses his experiences as a lawyer as inspiration for his legal thrillers. And writers throughout history – from J.G. Ballard to George Orwell – have used personal memories to inspire unforgettable works of fiction.
Whether you want to write a novel or a short story, this unique masterclass with bestselling author Steve Attridge will teach you how to create compelling prose based on your own life experiences. During the course, you’ll learn literary techniques that will enable you to utilise real-life events into your fiction. Plus, you’ll learn how to use prompts – such as photographs and letters – to trigger memories and story ideas. Suitable for writers of all levels, the course includes fun, practical exercises that will improve your writing skills, as well as your ability to tell a truly captivating story.
Course content
- How to turn autobiography into fiction
- Literary techniques to help you channel your creativity and develop story ideas
- Selecting the right material – how to edit and re-arrange your experiences to create lively plots and storylines
- How map out stages in your life to inspire your writing
- Using prompts – how photographs, letters, significant objects and newspapers can create context and trigger memories
- Storytelling and decision-making techniques
- Advice on how to make characters come to life on the page
- Exploring personal experience through practical writing exercises
- Q&A and discussion
This course is for you if…
- You’re a new writer who wants to draw upon your own experiences to create a novel or short story
- You’re a fiction writer keen to learn how to utilise personal memories within your work
- You have experience writing in another field or genre and want to move into autobiographical fiction
Tutor profile
Steve Attridge is a bestselling author who has written 17 books. His latest novel, The Natural Law, came straight in at number one in the Kindle Singles Bestsellers list. He has also written a recently published history of the Boer War, as well as many scripts for TV and film. Awards include an RTS for Best TV Drama Series, two BAFTA nominations, an Eric Gregory Award and two Writers Guild Awards. Find out more about Steve on his website.
Details
This course has now passed – but we update our programme all the time. For information on our full range of masterclasses, sign up to our newsletter, follow us on Twitter, or keep an eye on our calendar.
To contact us, click here. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Returns policy
Tickets may be refunded if you contact us at least 14 days before the course start date. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
