Fundamental to every good book is the strength of the story - and this applies to non-fiction as much as it does fiction. In biography, whether the subject matter is serious or light, and whether it focuses on one person or a group of people, it is crucial to tell your story engagingly and intimately.

In an evening, biography writer Lara Feigel will take you through the essential elements of writing biography, whether you’re a beginner with a desire to learn more about the creative process behind biographical writing, or you’ve identified a person or group you’d like to write about, and you’re raring to get started.

You will come having completed some pre-course homework that will enable you to arrive ready to build on your preparation, and over an interactive evening, you will learn the importance of selecting your subject and identifying why you have chosen them, where to begin and end your story, how to find and refine your narrative voice, how the non-fiction book market works - and more.

Drawing on elements of writing fiction to strengthen your creative toolkit and leave you feeling confident in your ability to take your research further and deeper, this practical, interactive workshop will provide the foundation for the rest of your biography-writing career.

Course Content

Choosing a subject: a single person versus a group
Where to begin and end: the story of a whole life versus a section of a life
Finding your voice, using techniques drawn from novels
Practical exercise
Advice on writing book proposals and finding an agent; Q&A

This course is for ...

Beginners who want to learn more about the creative process for biographical writing as well as writers from other fields who would like to make a start in biography.
Those working on a biographical project but a pre-existing project is not required to attend.

You will be sent a link to the webinar 2hrs before the start time of 6pm (BST).

Tutor Profile

Lara Feigel is the author of two group biographies (The Love-Charm of Bombs: Restless Lives in the Second World War and The Bitter Taste of Victory: Love, Life and Art in the Ruins of the Reich) and a book which blends memoir with biography (Free Woman: Life, Liberation and Doris Lessing). She is a Professor of Modern Literature and Culture at King’s College London and writes regularly in the Guardian.

You will be sent a link to the webinar 2hrs before the start time of 6pm (BST).

Course Details

Date: Tuesday 28 September 2021
Time: 6pm-8.30pm (BST)

6.00pm BST | 7.00pm CEST | 10.00am PDT | 1.00pm EDT

This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.

You will be sent a link to the webinar two hrs before the start time. Please email masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have not received the access link within one hour of the scheduled start time.

All Guardian Masterclasses are fully accessible but please contact us at masterclasses@theguardian.com if you have any queries or concerns.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website

How to write a biography: A practical workshop with Lara Feigel