Online via Zoom, new date TBC
Would we judge literary texts the same way if we did not know their authors? Would a text from the past pass our modern-day standards, if it were to be published now? Would we change anything in it? In this relaxed and experimental workshop, we will act as the ‘blind editors’ of a short story we know nothing about, which we will discuss stripped of its author, title, and all contextual information. We will have the chance to be wildly creative and suggest changes, cuts, additions, as our conditions to publish it. The mysterious identity of the story and its author will be revealed at the end, as we investigate how far literary value is a quality that shines through the work itself, or depends on what we already know about it.
Some thoughts from past participants:
“The Blind Editors Workshop not only opened my eyes to a new, fun, and creative way of engaging literature, but also prompted a lot of interesting reflections about the relationship between author, reader, and the written text. It was a thoroughly fun workshop at just the right pace and in lovely community.”
“The Seashore Essays workshop gave me food for thought. More than examining one text in particular, it has challenged my previous belief about the relationship between a text and its author. I would definitely enjoy attending a new session to keep my brain on its toes.”
“Mariachiara led a thought-provoking and entertaining workshop, I learned how to pay attention to details in a story by listening closely to characters, words and emotions. I found it surprising how so many of us can read the same story and interpret in such creative ways! It was refreshing to blind edit with no priming to see a particular narrative!”
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Seashore Essays 