Stories or Histories? A Masterclass with Political Writer in Residence Caroline Shenton - SOLD OUT

Please note this event is now sold out.

10am

What are the challenges in creating a piece of non-fiction based on historical records? How can you write engaging and gripping history, biography, or other life-writing within the constraints of known fact? How can you tell a factual story without it being just ‘one damn thing after another’?

In this masterclass writer, archivist and historian Caroline Shenton will consider the perils and pleasures of using original sources creatively: Identifying and researching archival collections, shaping a narrative arc from what you find and dealing with the ever-present problem of how to fill in the gaps in your story when the sources you want are missing.

Suitable for anyone researching and writing about the past including family histories, community histories, houses or objects. Participants are encouraged to bring along ideas or sources to use.

Caroline Shenton is an archivist, historian and author. She was Director of the Parliamentary Archives at Westminster from 2008 to 2014.

Caroline's book Mr Barry's War was chosen by Lucy Worsley as her Book of the Year in BBC History Magazine and was also named as one of the top 50 books of the year by The Telegraph.

Tickets are priced at £35 which includes lunch and tea / coffee.

To book your place, please call 01244 532350 or email [email protected].

Read the Guardian's review of The Day Parliament Burned Down here.