Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.
This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
In her bold and brilliant essay, ‘Poetry Is Not A Luxury’, Audre Lorde asserts that poetry is ‘a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of light with which we predicate our hopes and dreams towards survival and change’ (1977).
In this one-day workshop you will explore how Audre Lorde developed her unique style of personal essay and poetry. This course is offered jointly by Literature and Creative Writing. The morning will focus on literary criticism, and the afternoon will pivot into creative prompts and exercises inspired by Lorde’s work.
What will we cover?
Lorde famously stated, ‘My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.
On this course we will read, analyse and discuss writing by Audre Lorde to consider the specific personal and political context in which her work was written, her radical approach to writing about self and society, and the enduring relevance of Lorde’s writing.
In the afternoon, we will discover how to transform ‘silence into language’, what ‘style’ is and how to find yours as a writer.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Understand the key features of Lorde’s literary style.
Understand the historical context of Lorde’s work.
Identify the themes and concerns in literature that matter to you.
Craft passages of writing in response to Lorde’s ideas and style, using your own writing voice.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an intermediate course suitable for those with some prior experience of creative writing and literary study. You should be an enthusiastic reader of fiction and creative non-fiction, comfortable sharing your ideas and writing, and fluent in English.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught by two tutors, Jessica Wilson (Literature) and Judith Bryan (Creative Writing). You will learn through a combination of short lectures, interactive tutor presentations, group and individual writing exercises. The tutors will provide copies of the essay/ essay extracts and poems to read in advance of the class. Please come to class having read assigned texts.
City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No additional costs. Essay extracts and poems will be provided in advance, via email, with hardcopies available on the day.
Please bring writing materials. You are welcome to bring a laptop or tablet for use during writing activities.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Look up more courses, either in the Masters of Style series or general Literature, on the website under Culture, History and Humanities at www.citylit.ac.uk
You may also be interested in taking a creative writing course: look up courses under Writing at www.citylit.ac.uk
Judith Bryan is a writer and City Lit’s Literature Coordinator. Her praxis sits at the intersection of Creative Writing, History and Literature, with an interest in Black British history from 1590, and Black British writing from 1760. With over 20 years’ experience teaching Creative Writing in universities, adult education and community settings, Judith is committed to widening participation in Literature studies. She is particularly keen to incorporate diverse texts and learning materials that reflect and expand learners’ interests, experiences, abilities and wellbeing needs. Her first novel, 'Bernard and the Cloth Monkey' (Saga Prize, 1997), was reissued by Penguin in 2021 for their Black Britian Writing Back Series, with a new introduction by Booker prize winner Bernadine Evaristo. She is working on her third book.
Jessica WilsonSee moreSee less
Trained at Cambridge University and UCL, Jessica Wilson is British-born of Jamaican descent, moving between Montego Bay and London. She has six fiction books focussed on the Caribbean, West African and Black British experience set for release within the next 3 years. She was a participant within Penguin Random House's 'WriteNow', shortlisted for an Aesthetica Creative Writing Award and, most recently, the recipient of the Royal Society of Authors' Arthur Welton Award for poetry. Her first book, 'Sofia the Dreamer and Her Magical Afro' was a National Poetry Day Recommended Read and endorsed by Benjamin Zephaniah and Afua Hirsch. Jessica has worked as a speaker, tutor and consultant for The Race Council, BookTrust Represents, University of the West Indies, Pan MacMillan and School Library Association.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/reading-and-writing-audre-lorde3074065Reading and Writing Audre Lordehttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/literature-taster-poetry-hlt373-1080.jpg7979GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Poetry22851177118711901228511771187<p>Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.</p><p>This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.</p>003074023Reading and Writing Audre Lorde7979https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/literature-taster-poetry-hlt373-1080.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2027-02-06T00:00:00+00:00Feb 2027Culture, history & humanitiesHLT4067979Reading and Writing Audre Lorde635179Judith Bryan, Jessica Wilsonreading-and-writing-audre-lorde/hlt406-2627<p>Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.</p><p>This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.</p>0000-Available|2027-02-06 00:00:00<p>In her bold and brilliant essay, ‘Poetry Is Not A Luxury’, Audre Lorde asserts that poetry is ‘a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of light with which we predicate our hopes and dreams towards survival and change’ (1977).</p><p>In this one-day workshop you will explore how Audre Lorde developed her unique style of personal essay and poetry. This course is offered jointly by Literature and Creative Writing. The morning will focus on literary criticism, and the afternoon will pivot into creative prompts and exercises inspired by Lorde’s work.</p><p>Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.</p><p>This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.</p><p>Lorde famously stated, ‘My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.</p><p>On this course we will read, analyse and discuss writing by Audre Lorde to consider the specific personal and political context in which her work was written, her radical approach to writing about self and society, and the enduring relevance of Lorde’s writing. </p><p>In the afternoon, we will discover how to transform ‘silence into language’, what ‘style’ is and how to find yours as a writer. </p><ul><li>Understand the key features of Lorde’s literary style.</li><li>Understand the historical context of Lorde’s work.</li><li>Identify the themes and concerns in literature that matter to you.</li><li>Craft passages of writing in response to Lorde’s ideas and style, using your own writing voice.</li></ul><p>This is an intermediate course suitable for those with some prior experience of creative writing and literary study. You should be an enthusiastic reader of fiction and creative non-fiction, comfortable sharing your ideas and writing, and fluent in English.</p><p>You will be taught by two tutors, Jessica Wilson (Literature) and Judith Bryan (Creative Writing). You will learn through a combination of short lectures, interactive tutor presentations, group and individual writing exercises. The tutors will provide copies of the essay/ essay extracts and poems to read in advance of the class. Please come to class having read assigned texts.</p><p>City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.</p><p>No additional costs. Essay extracts and poems will be provided in advance, via email, with hardcopies available on the day. </p><p>Please bring writing materials. You are welcome to bring a laptop or tablet for use during writing activities.</p><p>Look up more courses, either in the Masters of Style series or general Literature, on the website under Culture, History and Humanities at www.citylit.ac.uk </p><p>You may also be interested in taking a creative writing course: look up courses under Writing at www.citylit.ac.uk</p>LiteraturePoetryvirtual637951HLT406NONESat06/02/2710:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetJudith Bryan, Jessica WilsonAvailable courses2027-02-06T00:00:00+00:00Feb 2027Culture, history & humanities7979Reading and Writing Audre Lordereading-and-writing-audre-lorde/hlt406-2627<p>Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.</p><p>This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.</p>0000-Available|2027-02-06 00:00:00<p>In her bold and brilliant essay, ‘Poetry Is Not A Luxury’, Audre Lorde asserts that poetry is ‘a vital necessity of our existence. It forms the quality of light with which we predicate our hopes and dreams towards survival and change’ (1977).</p><p>In this one-day workshop you will explore how Audre Lorde developed her unique style of personal essay and poetry. This course is offered jointly by Literature and Creative Writing. The morning will focus on literary criticism, and the afternoon will pivot into creative prompts and exercises inspired by Lorde’s work.</p><p>Publishing essays, poetry and autofiction across three decades, from the 1960s to the early 1990s, Audre Lorde was one of literature’s most radical thinkers. A self-described ‘black, lesbian, mother warrior, poet’, her writing sought to transform 'silence into language and action'.</p><p>This one day workshop provides a literary critique of some of Lorde’s key texts, and an opportunity to create new writing in response.</p><p>Lorde famously stated, ‘My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you.</p><p>On this course we will read, analyse and discuss writing by Audre Lorde to consider the specific personal and political context in which her work was written, her radical approach to writing about self and society, and the enduring relevance of Lorde’s writing. </p><p>In the afternoon, we will discover how to transform ‘silence into language’, what ‘style’ is and how to find yours as a writer. </p><ul><li>Understand the key features of Lorde’s literary style.</li><li>Understand the historical context of Lorde’s work.</li><li>Identify the themes and concerns in literature that matter to you.</li><li>Craft passages of writing in response to Lorde’s ideas and style, using your own writing voice.</li></ul><p>This is an intermediate course suitable for those with some prior experience of creative writing and literary study. You should be an enthusiastic reader of fiction and creative non-fiction, comfortable sharing your ideas and writing, and fluent in English.</p><p>You will be taught by two tutors, Jessica Wilson (Literature) and Judith Bryan (Creative Writing). You will learn through a combination of short lectures, interactive tutor presentations, group and individual writing exercises. The tutors will provide copies of the essay/ essay extracts and poems to read in advance of the class. Please come to class having read assigned texts.</p><p>City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our <a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/expectations-for-participating-in-writing-courses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit</a>.</p><p>No additional costs. Essay extracts and poems will be provided in advance, via email, with hardcopies available on the day. </p><p>Please bring writing materials. You are welcome to bring a laptop or tablet for use during writing activities.</p><p>Look up more courses, either in the Masters of Style series or general Literature, on the website under Culture, History and Humanities at www.citylit.ac.uk </p><p>You may also be interested in taking a creative writing course: look up courses under Writing at www.citylit.ac.uk</p>LiteraturePoetryconfigurable
11901187Poetryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature/poetry1/2/285/1177/1187/11901/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Poetry
