There are so many ways we can write about health, care and illness. For those of us with health and care needs, or who have been disabled by society, first we may need to give ourselves permission to tell our story. In a world where the medical language of diagnoses, prescriptions and prognoses can obscure our stories, and possibly even silence our perspective, this workshop is an opportunity to look at our story afresh.
What story are we even telling? Many of us have a complex story to tell, so how might we begin to express it, without overwhelming ourselves? How might we use words to describe, on our terms, what health, care and illness mean to us?
An introduction to embodied writing, or writing what we feel is going on within our bodies (and in our minds, too), this Live Online workshop will pave the way for a course, Writing what’s within: our stories on health, care and illness, to follow in spring 2025.
At this workshop, short reading samples will help us to think through points of view and styles we can choose to use when we write about health, care and illness.
- A two-hour live zoom workshop with writer and coach, Andrew Kaye Kauffmann, including a combination of reading, discussion and gentle writing exercises
- Reading material provided outside of the Zoom session
- Resources on telling your story within safe boundaries and with wellbeing in mind
- Content rooted in the social model of disability, open to people with health and care needs, and those who provide care
Paced to be a comfortable writing experience, suited to writers of all levels. There will be a comfort break of 15 minutes in the middle. There is no expectation to be on camera, if you don’t feel comfortable appearing on camera.
Learning online
This Live Online workshop will take place on Zoom, so you will need to have access to the internet. The course tutor will share the Zoom link for the workshop via email the evening before the event.
This workshop will be recorded for the purpose of sending to ticket holders who can’t make the event, or who miss a portion of the event, or who need the recording as part of their access needs.
If you do not receive an invitation link, or if you have any other questions, please contact us at ennis@londonlitlab.co.uk.
