ESF CULTIVATE PROGRAMME: BIOGRAPHY

Explore benefits of biography and autobiography

What makes a successful autobiography or biography? Do you have a story to tell? Do you know someone whose story you want to tell?

In this course we will explore ways to go about writing a biography and autobiography – what to leave in, what to take out, tone, structure and format. We will also discuss the motivations behind wanting to share a story and try out some short snippets of biographical or autobiographical writing.

After completing this workshop you should be able to:
Understand the difference between biography and autobiography
Compare different autobiography and biography subjects and styles with examples from the past and present across different genres
Create a reading list to enhance your critical abilities
Summarise key elements within autobiography and biography
Understand how to structure and edit autobiography and biography
Know how to develop your idea into a biography or autobiography
Compare different Interview techniques and methods in biography
Understand motivations behind writing autobiography and biography
Understand research techniques and know where to find supportive resources
Explore writing biography and autobiography yourself

About the workshop series

Our ESF Get Creative! Cultivate Programme workshops are open to everybody – no dress code, no qualifications. We strongly believe everybody is creative, everybody ‘writes’. Writing is what you think, say, see, touch, feel and do – you just need to choose how to express it. These workshops will be fun, engaging and accessible – valuing everyday creativity.
The focus will be on exploring ways to express yourself and find your voice, where your creativity is also part of your wellbeing. There will be opportunities to explore poetry, journaling, haiku, scriptwriting, blogging/vlogging, oral and written storytelling, novel writing and biography.