Creating Worlds, real and imagined. Place Writing in creative prose
The Open University in collaboration with the Institute of English Studies, University of London, is holding a one-day symposium which will consider the strategies prose writers use to explore place and their relationship with the environment, both real and imagined.
The creation of setting is central to the way in which writers bring their worlds to life. This conference will explore how fiction and non-fiction prose writers draw on the idea of place and identity in their creative practice. The day will take us through the streets of London, across the UK, over the coast into Europe and beyond...
The day will consist of talks, panels, and Q&A discussions, offering a variety of topics such as nature writing and fictional worldbuilding. Speakers include Professor Nicola Watson, Cal Flynn, Angela Hui, Priscilla Morris, and Freya Berry. There will also be a panel of writers from the OU discussing the role of setting in genre fiction and Writing the Coast, a project which explores the literary heritage of our coastline.
This symposium is part of a programme of events produced by the Contemporary Cultures of Writing Research Group at the Open University. It is supported by OpenARC, the Open University Arts Research Centre. With additional support from the Department of English and Creative Writing at the Open University and the Institute of English Studies, the University of London.
Date: Wednesday 28th May 2025, 9:45am - 4:30pm
Location: Institute of English Studies, London
Cost: There is a £25 conference fee. (Refreshments on arrival included)
Booking and more information here.