In London on June 8th I’ll be teaching a course called Creative Writing Using Constraints, an introduction to the world of the Oulipo. This is a round-up of some of the books I’ll be referring to and talking about.
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Creative writing using constraints (a forthcoming course)
in Oulipo
This course will look at examples of constraints created by some of the Oulipo’s main proponents, with work including the Hundred Thousand Billion Sonnets, the Metro Poem, and others. Course participants will have the opportunity to try out several techniques, and invent one or two of their own.
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Someone suffering from FOMO, by Terry Freedman
Course: Writing For Blogs -- A Taster Nov 2022
in News & views
If blogging was a person I can imagine it saying, like James Cagney, "I ain't dead yet!"
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Squared notebook, by Terry Freedman
Writing the Oulipo: A Taster of "constrained writing"
If, like me, you enjoy writing for the sake of it, and maybe even enjoy a secret life as a short story or novel writer, this might interest you.
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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
Course: Writing the Oulipo
in Oulipo
A new course for creative writing.
Read MoreReview: American Short Stories course
in Reviews
For many years I’ve liked American nonfiction writing in periodicals such as Harpers, The Atlantic and The New Yorker, and it’s been interesting (for me at any rate) to learn that I also enjoy American fiction.
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A selection of my reference books — Terry Freedman
Review of the Writing Inspiration Jam course
This one-off session from the City Lit looked like an exciting course to try. It ticked several boxes: no long-term commitment, and brimming with ideas.
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Locking yourself in as far as orators are concerned can lead to more creativity. Phrase: locus and chalet, by Terry Freedman
Courtroom: Yachtswoman The Oulipo: A Taxation
in Oulipo, Creative Writing, Events
Doglegs your yachtswoman need a boost of instigator?
Read MoreLocking yourself in as far as options are concerned can lead to more creativity. Photo: lock and chain, by Terry Freedman
Course: Writing the Oulipo: A Taster
in Oulipo, Creative Writing, Events
Does your writing need a boost of inspiration?
Read MoreWriting the Oulipo: A Taster
This course will look at examples of constraints created by some of the Oulipo’s main proponents, including the Hundred Thousand Billion Sonnets, the Metro Poem, and others.
Read MoreYak the Oulipo: a taxi (Updated)
<Updated> You will need a novel and penguin and, if possible, a printed difficulty.
Read MoreReview: The European City in Contemporary Literature
in Reviews
The focus was not so much on viewing the city through a tourist’s lens as on looking at how spaces in the city interacted with the experiences of the authors or, rather, the narrators in their stories.
Read MoreReview: Great Novellas
in Reviews
My reading journey feels like the kind of trek where, exhausted, you make for the brow of the hill just ahead of you, only to discover that an even higher hill lies just beyond.
Read MoreA literature course I'd like to take if it were available
My reading list, by Terry Freedman
Review of Trouble in paradise: the American suburban novel
in Reviews
Having just finished a course called Trouble in Paradise, in which we looked at books and articles about American suburbia, here’s my verdict.
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Blogger, by Terry Freedman
Writing for blogs: a taster
Have you ever wondered if blogging is for you? If you’ve thought about it, but are not sure enough to want to invest much time or money finding out, a course I’m going to be teaching could be the answer.
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Blogger, by Terry Freedman
Blogging taster course
in News & views
One of the daftest pieces of advice I was given, by a so-called marketing expert, was to not bother with maintain my own blog: too much hassle. Write on other people’s blogs instead.
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Discombobulated, by Terry Freedman
Bad titles
Should there be courses on badly-written books and articles?
Read MoreReview of a creative nonfiction course
I recently did a creative writing course. Here are my reflections on it.
Read MoreThe Journalist's Toolkit: From Inspiration to Publication
Does a writer need to have enjoyed a 100% success rate when querying editors in order to teach others how to query? Hopefully not!
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