Writing The Past – Memoirs, family history and historical non-fiction
These workshops will be facilitated by Dr. Francesca Bratton, Kildare Writer in Residence 2023/2024 and Karel Kiely, County Archivist, along with some guest authors. Participants will be expected to come up with an idea and begin to shape it over the four weeks of the course. This will include some work in their own time on ideas to bring for discussion. Participants who already have a work in progress are very welcome and there will be opportunities for feedback on their work. Participants who have not yet put pen to paper will be inspired to start by experimenting with creative exercises that explore structure, time frames, subjects, and points of view. These workshops will be an introduction to the genre of life writing and its possibilities, including biography, historical fiction, family histories, and memoirs, through reading and discussing literary and historical examples.
The four workshops will cover:
- Storytelling: How to find and tell an historical story that audiences will want to read.
- Research: How to plan, organise and carry out the detailed research you need to write a memoir, family history or historical story.
- Writing: How to turn your research into a compelling manuscript that will engage readers.
- Finding an audience: Avenues for publication.
Course Details: The workshops will take place in person at Kildare County Archives and Local Studies, Harbour View, Naas, Co. Kildare. Places are limited. Participants will be shortlisted and should be available to attend all four workshops.
Dates: Thursday, 24 October, 2.30 pm-4.30pm; Tuesday, 19 November, 2.30 pm-4.30pm; Tuesday, 10 December, 2.30 pm-4.30pm; Tuesday, 14 January, 2.30 pm-4.30pm
These workshops are free of charge. Please apply below.
Organised by Kildare Libraries and Kildare County Archives.
Book here