All writing draws on our experiences and knowledge of the world and the people in it, so where is the line between fact and fiction? In order to address this question, I’ll explore
- the ethical and creative pros and cons of the concept of ‘own voices’ fiction,
- the socio-political appeal to notions of ‘truth’ in fiction versus non-fiction, and
- some of the practical methods and techniques that help authors write ‘from’ their own life but not ‘about’ it
In illuminating these elements, I’ll draw on my experiences as a specialist human rights editor, my latest Young Adult novel, Sing If You Can’t Dance (Faber & Faber; also available in audio from Tantor, German from Carlsen Verlag, Ukrainian edition forthcoming), and my adult crime novel, The Best Way to Bury Your Husband (Viking/Penguin Random House UK & US; also available in audio and various languages, including German via dtv and French via Julliard).
This session will include break-out small group discussions. Please come prepared to contribute to an interactive session.