Join the writer Laura Beatty for a masterclass on getting your writing project (re)started, using prompts, memories and more. We all take and share photos almost every day. But what happens if we take photos in words, instead of with our phones? Words that are shared, unlike photos, pass through our minds and leave us changed. They become part of our own experience, part of our selves. The first thing that happens with a word photograph is that we make some part of our own lives directly experienceable by someone else. By drawing on the one thing we are all expert in: our own lives, and memories, we will make the beginnings of an album of our selves, to share or to keep or to pass on to our children. As a participant in this writing masterclass, you’ll write word photographs and give a fresh feel to your writing. Writing to prompts and working with diverse sources and from our own memories, you’ll try out a number of different exercises, exploring different forms: prose, poetry, lists and freestyle, in a warm, playful and collaborative atmosphere. Expect to be surprised. Expect to come away with an increased curiosity about the world, a feeling of community, an appreciation of what constitutes happiness and a voice that you recognise as your own. _ _ _ _ _ What is a Masterclass at Gladstone’s Library? A Masterclass at Gladstone’s Library is a group-based day led by an expert (or experts) in their field – this might be a writer, historian, academic, artist, or another specialist with knowledge and experience to share. The Masterclass will be held in one of our meeting rooms. You will typically sit either on one large table with all participants, or split into smaller tables, with enough space for your notebook, laptop etc. The facilitator will lead you through a series of sessions which may include writing, discussing, listening to the facilitator, watching or listening to clips, and so on. They may have accompanying slides shown on a screen, and you can request printed copies in advance by noting this on your ticket. You will have a morning and afternoon break, as well as a lunch break for a two-course lunch in our on-site Food for Thought restaurant. The speaker will typically not use a microphone but, if access requirements are declared when buying a ticket, you will have a reserved seat which our team will show you to on arrival. Whether you’re new to Gladstone’s Library or returning, Masterclasses offer a deep-dive into a topic of interest and a chance to learn, think, and engage with a community of curious minds. All are welcome, and we look forward to seeing you! If you have any questions, please email enquiries@gladlib.org . _ _ _ _ _ About Laura Beatty Laura Beatty is the prize-winning author of two biographies, two novels and two genre-defying books (a mix of travel, history, memoir and fiction). Pollard , her first novel, won the Authors’ Club First Novel Award, as well as being shortlisted for the Ondaatje prize for books which evoke a spirit of place. Her most recent book, Looking for Theophrastus , was shortlisted for the Runciman Award. Laura combines writing with teaching and work in the social sector. She has worked in the voluntary sector with families, with young offenders and trained to work as a volunteer child therapist with Place2Be. As a fellow of the Royal Literary Fund, she teaches writing skills at University College Hospital in London, as well as life-writing to union workers, and writing for wellbeing in recovery colleges up and down the country. She is an Arvon tutor and runs residential writing workshops for children and adults at Ty Newydd, in Wales.

Description supplied by the event organiser.