The Franschhoek Literary Festival, the annual winelands celebration of books, is almost upon it. Along with an opportunity to engage with authors and poets, and their mind-bending ideas, it is also an opportunity to learn a little bit about becoming a better wordsmith yourself.
Here is a round-up of events that deal with how to create impressive literature, with a focus on topics such as form, structure, subject matter and collaboration.
Some of the highlights include a life-writing master class by acclaimed biographer Lyndall Gordon, a conversation about writing collaboratively between Michael Cope and Ken Barris and “The Joy & Job of Literature”, a discussion about what happens to one’s passion for writing when it becomes your career.
The numbers in square brackets reflect the number for the event, for booking purposes.
Tickets can be booked on Webtickets.
FRIDAY, 15 MAY
10 AM to 11 AM
[5] Just do it…
COUNCIL CHAMBER
What does it take to write a book? asks Palesa Morudu of Máire Fisher (Birdseye), Rosamund Haden (Love Tastes Like Strawberries) and Nkosinathi Sithole (Hunger Eats a Man).
[6] The Joy & Job of Literature
HOSPICE HALL
Karin Schimke asks Ekow Duker (Dying in New York), Futhi Ntshingila (Do Not Go Gentle) and Elaine Proctor (The Savage Hour) when the joy of writing becomes the job of writing. Or does it?
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
[31] Words to Spare
HOSPICE HALL
A book is only as good as the words a writer chooses to use — or to leave out. Alison Lowry speaks to three writers whose words sing, paint, and speak their stories in extraordinary ways: Craig Higginson (The Dream House), Nthikeng Mohlele (Rusty Bell) and SJ Naudé (The Alphabet of Birds).
(17 March: We regret that due to ill health, Marguerite Poland, who was originally to appear in this event, has had to withdraw from the Festival this year.)
2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
[34] Life-writing Masterclass (tickets R120; 2 hours)
FRANSCHHOEK LIBRARY
Intrigued by the possibilities and challenges of life writing? This masterclass, presented by literary biographer and memoirist Lyndall Gordon, will deliberate on the choice of subject, research and technique, and the different approaches to the subject. Space is limited.
4 PM to 5 PM
[39] Building Character
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Victor Dlamini asks French writer Romain Puértolas (The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe), Jaco van Schalkwyk (The Alibi Club) and British author Sarah Waters (The Paying Guests), about the process each follows in creating and developing their characters.
SATURDAY, 16 MAY
10 AM to 12 PM
[55] Food-writing Workshop (2 hours, R120)
FRANSCHHOEK LIBRARY
The rise of TV celebrity chefs and cooking means more people are interested in food and food writing. Award-winning writer and broadcaster Gwynne Conlyn offers an entrée into the essential ingredients for writing blogs, cookbooks, and features, as well as getting published and promoting yourself.
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
[59] When Less Is More
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Four masters of the short story gather to talk about the art and craft of the form. Ivan Vladislavić leads the discussion with Helon Habila, Jackie Kay (Reality, Reality), and SJ Naudé.
1 PM to 2 PM
[70] Telling Tales or Tub-thumping?
HOSPICE HALL
Palesa Morudu from Cover2Cover Books, considers whether social issues have a place in storytelling, and asks Karin Brynard (Weeping Waters), Carol Campbell and Olivier Truc how they avoid using their novels as soap boxes.
4 PM to 5 PM
[85] Talking About Writing
CHURCH HALL
Deon Meyer chews the fat with Imraan Coovadia, Masande Ntshanga and Ivan Vladislavić.
[86] What a Plot I’ve Got!
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Michele Magwood asks Belinda Bauer, Karin Brynard and Franck Thilliez how they plot and plan the structure of their novels.
SUNDAY, 17 MAY
11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
[107] Writing Head Space
COUNCIL CHAMBER
Does writing require a special space, be it in the head or the home, for creativity to flourish? Michele Magwood peeks into the minds of Rehana Rossouw, Beverly Rycroft and Jaco van Schalkwyk to find out where and how they work best.
(17 March: We regret that due to ill health, Marguerite Poland, who was originally to appear in this event, has had to withdraw from the Festival this year.)
[108] Subverting Genre
HOSPICE HALL
Tom Eaton asks Belinda Bauer, Romain Puértolas and Sarah Waters about the problems of writing to expectations in their chosen genres – whether of their readers or publishers. Do they cut their cloth to suit requirements, or go their own ways, regardless?
1 PM to 2 PM
[117] Finding Your Voice
HOSPICE HALL
The director of the UCT Creative Writing Programme, Imraan Coovadia, speaks to Thando Mgqolozana, Nthikeng Mohlele and Alexandra van Tonder (This One Time) about their decision to start writing, how they found their voices (or deliberately resist writing in only one voice), and what it took to get published.
Book details
- Forty Days Without Shadow: An Arctic Thriller by Oliver Truc
EAN: 9781847445865
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- Bred To Kill by Franck Thilliez
EAN: 9780670025978
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- Birdseye by Máire Fisher
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EAN: 9781415207048
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- Love Tastes Like Strawberries by Rosamund Haden
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EAN: 9780795706639
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- Hunger Eats a Man by Nkosinathi Sithole
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EAN: 9780143538967
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- White Wahala by Ekow Duker
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EAN: 9781770103948
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- Do Not Go Gentle by Futhi Ntshingila
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EAN: 9781920590505
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- The Savage Hour by Elaine Proctor
EAN: 9781782066538
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- What Will People Say: A Novel by Rehana Rossouw
EAN: 9781431420247
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- Esther’s House by Carol Campbell
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EAN: 9781415207406
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- The Dream House by Craig Higginson
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EAN: 9781770104105
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- Rusty Bell by Nthikeng Mohlele
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EAN: 9781869142872
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- The Alphabet of Birds by SJ Naudé
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EAN: 9781415207130
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- Divided Lives: Dreams of a Mother and a Daughter by Lyndall Gordon
EAN: 9781844088911
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- Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe by Romain Puertolas
EAN: 9781846558405
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- The Alibi Club by Jaco van Schalkwyk
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EAN: 9781415207178
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- The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
EAN: 9781594633928
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- A Slim, Green Silence by Beverly Rycroft
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EAN: 9781415207383
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- 101 Detectives by Ivan Vladislavic
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EAN: 9781415206904
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- Reality, reality by Jackie Kay
EAN: 9780330515726
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- Weeping Waters by Karin Brynard, edited by Maya Fowler, Isobel Dixon
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EAN: 9780143539124
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- Literary Landscapes: From Modernism to Postcolonialism by Harry Garuba, Ina Grabe, Merry M Pawlowski, Carrol Clarkson, Johan Geertsema
EAN: 9780230553163
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- Dying in New York by Ekow Duker
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EAN: 9781770103924
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- The Reactive by Masande Ntshanga
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EAN: 9781415207192
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- The Trigger by Tim Butcher
EAN: 9780802123893
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- A Man of Good Hope by Jonny Steinberg
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EAN: 9781868424429
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- Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
EAN: 9781439149454
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- Ikarus by Deon Meyer
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EAN: 9780798169776
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- Tales of the Metric System by Imraan Coovadia
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EAN: 9781415207239
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- Unimportance by Thando Mgqolozana
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EAN: 9781431409525
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- This One Time by Alex van Tonder
EAN: 9781770104235
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