Writing Berlin / Writing Venice - Workshop at Shakespeare & Sons

You are crazy, my child. You must go to Berlin.

—Franz von Suppé, Austrian Composer, 1800

Every time I describe a city I am saying something about Venice.

—Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities

Berlin has captured the imagination of writers and artists throughout history. In this creative writing workshop led by poet and travel writer Demi Anter, we will explore poetry, prose and visual art inspired by the city and explore ways of telling our own Berlin stories.

With Berlin as the starting point, writers are welcome to branch out into other locations of interest. We will discuss what strategies help writers communicate a sense of place and how to access all of the senses to depict our surroundings on the page.

And Venice? In early December, Demi is in Venice with a group of writers, exploring the city through a literary lens. Therefore, we'll bring a bit of Venice into this special edition of "Writing Berlin" for a touch of mystery, fantasy, and a new way of looking at connections between cities.

This workshop will be conducted in English (Demi can also give feedback in German), but attendees are welcome to write in any language. The workshop is suitable for writers of all experience levels and is not constrained to any one genre.

In this city my own actions became memories, and a part of Berlin's history too, not so much because I did anything of importance here, but because others did, and their deeds became enmeshed in my life.

—Rory MacLean, Berlin: Imagine a City

In the end, there's always this city. As long as it exists, I don't believe that I, or for that matter, anyone, can be mesmerized or blinded by romantic tragedy.

—Joseph Brodsky, Watermark

About the Instructor

Demi Anter is an award-winning writer and performer whose teaching focuses on the power of writing from personal experience. She has conducted workshops at various institutions throughout the world, including the Royal National Theatre, London’s Irish Cultural Centre, and YEN. Her poems have been published by Magma, Banshee, and The Times (UK), and have been featured at Glastonbury Festival, the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh Fringe, Poetry Ireland, and more.

In 2023, she and Rory MacLean co-presented "Bowie in Berlin" at the inaugural Sherborne Travel Writing Festival. Her poetry collection Small Machine, which documents her five and a half years in Berlin, was published by Write Bloody UK in 2022. Chanel Miller called it, "Strikingly luminous and soothing." Musa Okwonga called it, "Tender, visceral, beautifully vulnerable."

This workshop was first conducted—and sold out—at Shakespeare & Sons in 2023. Demi later expanded "Writing Berlin" into a six-week online course, and now organizes "The Venice Workshop," based on her experience writing and teaching about Place.

Since early 2025, Demi has taught workshops in connection with Architects for Tempelhofer Feld, encouraging participants of all backgrounds to explore creative writing as a tool for preservation and activism.

What others have said

“Demi is an incredible teacher and inspiring leader. She holds the space for curiosity, allowing questions as you go, while creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and conducive to learning.”

“Without question, my time with Demi in her workshop pushed me to become a better, more focused and productive writer, and I look forward to working with her again.”