Every family has a story to tell. Whether you want to capture everyday experiences, such as mealtimes and holidays, or write a family story for future generations, this course will show you how to get started. Led by writer and performer John-Paul Flintoff and Guardian Family editor Harriet Green, the course gives practical advice on how to create unique records of family experiences in words and pictures.
Using their experience as journalists, Harriet and John-Paul – a married couple and joint-authors of The Family Project – will share tips and tricks on how to observe, interview and collaborate with your nearest and dearest. You’ll learn how to craft your personal memories into compelling written narratives, as well as how to record experiences in sketches and doodles.
This course goes beyond genealogy by showing you how to use lived experiences and conversations to create truly captivating family projects. You’ll hone your storytelling techniques and learn creative strategies for capturing the things that really matter to you. Most importantly, you’ll fine-tune your observational skills and learn how to find stories within your everyday life. Perfect for families, couples or individuals who want to discover their family story but don’t know where to start.
This course is for you if…
- You want to develop your storytelling and general creative skills, with a view to capturing your family story in words and/or pictures
- You have a strong interest in the people closest to you, and want to learn how to convey family stories through creative projects
- You would like to create a book about your family story, but aren’t sure where to begin
Course description
This inspirational evening course teaches creative strategies to capture your family story in words and pictures. Attendees will get involved in practical exercises using pen and paper. Topics covered include:
- How to capture family experiences and memories
- How to free your creativity and get started on a family project
- Recording family experiences – from mealtimes and holidays, to disputes and resolutions
- Tips and tricks for interviewing family members
- Using heirlooms and family photographs for inspiration
- How to collaborate with family members on creative projects
- How creative projects can enrich and deepen personal and family stories
- Tips for writing family stories and crafting compelling narratives
- How to create sketches and doodles and use them within creative projects
- Q&A with John-Paul and Harriet
Tutor profiles
John-Paul Flintoff is a writer, performer and educator. For much of his career, he was a journalist for the Guardian, The Sunday Times and the Financial Times. John-Paul is the author of numerous books including How To Change The World, the bestselling title of The School of Life Series, and Sew Your Own. Most recently, he wrote The Family Project with his wife Harriet Green, a creative handbook for anyone who wants to discover their family story. Find out more about John-Paul on his website.
Harriet Green is the editor of the Guardian’s Family section. She was previously deputy editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Harriet is the co-author of The Family Project, published by Guardian Faber in March 2015. Find Harriet on Twitter here.
Details
Date: Wednesday 25 March 2015
Times: 6.30pm-9.30pm
Location: The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £49 (includes VAT, booking fee and drinks)
Event capacity: 100
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.
