Hackney Festival of Learning: Introduction to Life Writing Session

On Weds 25 May, 3.30 to 5.00pm at Dalston CLR James Library, we'll be running a one-off workshop focused on life-writing and memoir. If you'd like to attend, please register on Eventbrite here.

The workshop will help us tap into the memories and events that shape us. Using prompts, examples and the techniques of fiction-writing, we'll form those events into stories. Whether you want to keep a journal, reflect on your own life and development, share your experience with the world or incorporate them into fiction, this session will help you find your voice.

The event will be run by Jon, and forms part of Hackney's Festival of Learning, a week-long celebration of lifelong learning with FREE workshops and classes across the borough for residents of all ages. View full details of all the events here.

May Meeting & More...

Next meeting of Dalston Writing Group will be at Dalston CLR James Library on Weds 11 May, 6.00 to 7.30pm. (Please note - the shift to Weds is for this month only. In June we'll be back to our usual Thursday slot on 9/6/22)

For this session we are very pleased to have Catherine Madden leading a  workshop. Cat is studying for a PhD in The Contemporary Novel Practice as Research at the University of Kent.

This workshop will explore writing about relationships from different points of view. Using an exercise partly based on chance, we'll generate a piece of fiction based around a character’s life experiences and connections with others.

Even more events!

As part of Hackney's Festival of Learning, on Weds 25 May, 3.30 to 5.00pm, Jon will be running a special memoir and life-writing workshop at Dalston CLR James Library. If you, or anyone you know, would like to come, drop us a line via the 'comment' option.

On Thurs 30 June, 6.00 to 8pm, we're delighted to have novelist Lorraine Brown back to host this year's City of Stories Home Celebration event at Stoke Newington Library. Details and registration here.

A brief compendium of other interesting things

Writing a story set in a half-remembered place? Here's how one author used Google Street View to help.

May is StoryADay Month. Here's a cool blog with daily short story prompts.

Here are details of a nature writing walk and workshop run by the London Wildlife Trust, taking place in Walthamstow Sat 7 May, at 10:30am.

If you're back on the commute (or even if you're not) here's another round-up of creative writing podcasts.

Plastic Paradise by Moira Coupe

Here's some wonderful new work from writing group regular Moira Coupe...

Plastic Paradise

When your dad is an Industrial Chemist,

High Density Polyethylene, pass the milk,

Polypropylene, why did I ask for yogurt,

Urethane, Polystyrene and PVC,

are everyday terms.

Dad taps open his egg, trying not to spill yolk

on the Bakelite eggcup his mother gave him.

He reads and marvels out loud at the contents

of the Polyunsaturated fat he puts on his toast.

Yawning, I search for the repeat pattern in our Formica tabletop.

Finally excused, I run into my future, 50 years away.

Ethereal in late winter sun, a blue planter sings to me.

Mesmerised, I watch branch shadows scud across its surface,

and, with my finger, trace a Celtic design embossed on its rim.

Yesterday, I counted at least 83 plastic flowerpots in my garden.

In 3 months, this plastic embarrassment will be covered by 

Primroses, Petunias and Forget-me- nots.

Look now and see my need for lightweight flowerpots.

Look now and see my contribution to planet destruction.

Look now and see my tribute to dad, to human invention.

New Writing from Kim Horrocks

Writing group regular Kim Horrocks got in touch with new work to share. The source material may possibly be familiar, but the treatment is brilliantly unique!