Ernest Hemingway wrote that 'a writer should create living people; people not characters'.

But how do we create a character so real that they read like a person in their own right? How do we get beyond the surface, to create the sort of characters that stay with us? The kind of characters that drive a story forward, and make the reader care about what happens to them?

Whether you’re a published novelist, or you just stash your scribblings in a shoebox under the bed, this 2-hour guided workshop will explore examples of characters from existing works of fiction, and follow them up with some writing ourselves, designed to create and enrich character.

I’ll also leave you with a take-home writing prompt, so you can keep on being inspired in your own time.

Who am I?

Katie Hale is an internationally recognised novelist & poet, with more than a decade’s experience of leading creative writing workshops.

Her novel, My Name is Monster, was shortlisted for the Kitschies Golden Tentacle Award, and has been translated into multiple languages. She is a former MacDowell Fellow and winner of the Munster Chapbook Prize. She has also featured on national television and radio, including programmes such as Radio 4’s Open Book and Front Row, and has created commissioned work for the National Trust, the Barbican Centre, and the BBC Contains Strong Language poetry festival.

She leads writing workshops for universities, arts organisations and schools. She also mentors emerging writers on a one-to-one basis.

Workshop cost: £20

(For each workshop, there are 2 free places available for those who would otherwise be unable to attend. Drop me a message if you'd like one of these places.)

Workshops run using Zoom & capped at 14 attendees, so it won't feel too crowded.

This is the fourth of a series of monthly workshops, running throughout 2021.