Impossible Stories
Catrina Davies
January 8–12, 2024
This workshop with renowned memoirist Catrina Davies will look at the intricate relationship between the politics of place and the craft of memoir writing.
The Basics
- Five nights accommodation in Cornwall.
- Four full days of teaching, workshops, discussions and activities.
- All inclusive - breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks included (all dietary requirements catered for).
The Highlights
- Work and learn with Catrina Davies in Cornwall.
- Create your own work in response to the Cornish landscape and with support and guidance from Catrina.
- A private reading by Catrina.
- Optional outings to walk, swim & explore the Cornish coastline.
This residential workshop costs £1,250
20% discount for Teachers & Students.
To reserve your place, click below - no payment is required at this stage.
You'll receive a booking confirmation email with secure payment links, and you'll have three days to confirm your booking by making a payment (either in full, or by starting a payment plan).
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In a supportive group environment we will delve into the nuances of the self and how understanding your unique perspective can be the key to developing your writing practice.
Catrina will guide you through a series of thought-provoking exercises and discussions, encouraging you to reflect on your personal experiences and how they intersect with the world around you. Understanding the nuances of our individual experience is crucial to developing a meaningful and authentic writing practice, and together we will hone the skills and techniques needed to turn our ideas into compelling stories.
Throughout the workshop, we will be immersed in the Cornish landscape, drawing inspiration from our surroundings and exploring the cultural influences that have shaped us. Through a series of writing exercises and discussions, we will reimagine the personal stories that we define ourselves by, unlocking new perspectives and fresh insights.
We will explore the ways in which our physical surroundings can influence our writing, and how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our understanding of place.
Participants will leave the workshop with a renewed sense of inspiration and direction, plus the foundations of a new writing practice. Whether you are an experienced writer or just starting out, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, explore your creativity, and hone your craft under the guidance of an acclaimed author.
This workshop is suited to all writers at the early stages of a writing project.
You will be guided to interrogate and organise your thoughts, exploring the conscious and unconscious elements that contribute to your point of view. You will be helped to excavate your various selves in order to find an authentic and consistent voice in which to write your truest sentences. In collaboration with each other, and inspired by the layers of contradictions that define the Cornish landscape, you will gather insights to help you navigate the twists and turns of your own impossible story. You will leave with a clearer sense of purpose, and a set of practical tools and techniques to help you proceed with your project.
_____
We have two grants designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend. One grant is available to Cornwall residents, and the other is open to anyone in the UK.
To apply for a free place, please write to us to tell us in no more than 300 words why you want to attend. You should describe how attending the workshop will help you as an individual, and what you hope to achieve through the experience.
︎︎︎ EMAIL US to apply
GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
_____
Catrina Davies was born in Snowdonia and grew up in West Cornwall. Her first book, Fearless, is a memoir about busking from Norway to Portugal. Her second book, Homesick, is the story of a personal housing crisis and a country-wide one, grappling with class, economics, mental health and nature. It won a Holyer an Gof award and was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford prize. Her third book, Once Upon a Raven’s Nest, is the story of a working class man, one Thomas Hedley of Exmoor, and of the planet during the period of its great acceleration towards the current climate emergency. Catrina is the recipient of a K Blundell award, a John Brooks award, and support from the Royal Literary Fund.
Praise for Once Upon a Raven’s Nest:
‘This is a rich, beautiful and deeply moving book. I read it in one sitting, then was sorry I had not drawn it out for longer as I enjoyed it so much.’
― George Monbiot
‘A funny, poignant and brilliantly contrary book.’
― Melissa Harrison
‘This is a beautiful, powerful and truly original book which is nature writing at its truest and finest.’
― Clover Stroud
‘Superb . . . listen to Tommy, recorded or scripted by Davies, and something gripping and honest emerges . . . a vivid picture of nature in the raw.’
― Spectator
Praise for Homesick:
‘Incredibly moving and truly inspirational.’
― Raynor Winn
‘Funny and furious, tender and true.’
― Jay Griffiths
‘Davies clearly and succinctly describes the vastness of the housing problem.’
― Evening Standard
_____
Important: When you sign up for a course, you're agreeing to the terms and conditions.
Catrina will guide you through a series of thought-provoking exercises and discussions, encouraging you to reflect on your personal experiences and how they intersect with the world around you. Understanding the nuances of our individual experience is crucial to developing a meaningful and authentic writing practice, and together we will hone the skills and techniques needed to turn our ideas into compelling stories.
Throughout the workshop, we will be immersed in the Cornish landscape, drawing inspiration from our surroundings and exploring the cultural influences that have shaped us. Through a series of writing exercises and discussions, we will reimagine the personal stories that we define ourselves by, unlocking new perspectives and fresh insights.
We will explore the ways in which our physical surroundings can influence our writing, and how the stories we tell ourselves can shape our understanding of place.
Participants will leave the workshop with a renewed sense of inspiration and direction, plus the foundations of a new writing practice. Whether you are an experienced writer or just starting out, this workshop is the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, explore your creativity, and hone your craft under the guidance of an acclaimed author.
This workshop is suited to all writers at the early stages of a writing project.
You will be guided to interrogate and organise your thoughts, exploring the conscious and unconscious elements that contribute to your point of view. You will be helped to excavate your various selves in order to find an authentic and consistent voice in which to write your truest sentences. In collaboration with each other, and inspired by the layers of contradictions that define the Cornish landscape, you will gather insights to help you navigate the twists and turns of your own impossible story. You will leave with a clearer sense of purpose, and a set of practical tools and techniques to help you proceed with your project.
_____
We have two grants designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend. One grant is available to Cornwall residents, and the other is open to anyone in the UK.
To apply for a free place, please write to us to tell us in no more than 300 words why you want to attend. You should describe how attending the workshop will help you as an individual, and what you hope to achieve through the experience.
︎︎︎ EMAIL US to apply
GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
_____
Catrina Davies was born in Snowdonia and grew up in West Cornwall. Her first book, Fearless, is a memoir about busking from Norway to Portugal. Her second book, Homesick, is the story of a personal housing crisis and a country-wide one, grappling with class, economics, mental health and nature. It won a Holyer an Gof award and was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford prize. Her third book, Once Upon a Raven’s Nest, is the story of a working class man, one Thomas Hedley of Exmoor, and of the planet during the period of its great acceleration towards the current climate emergency. Catrina is the recipient of a K Blundell award, a John Brooks award, and support from the Royal Literary Fund.
Praise for Once Upon a Raven’s Nest:
‘This is a rich, beautiful and deeply moving book. I read it in one sitting, then was sorry I had not drawn it out for longer as I enjoyed it so much.’
― George Monbiot
‘A funny, poignant and brilliantly contrary book.’
― Melissa Harrison
‘This is a beautiful, powerful and truly original book which is nature writing at its truest and finest.’
― Clover Stroud
‘Superb . . . listen to Tommy, recorded or scripted by Davies, and something gripping and honest emerges . . . a vivid picture of nature in the raw.’
― Spectator
Praise for Homesick:
‘Incredibly moving and truly inspirational.’
― Raynor Winn
‘Funny and furious, tender and true.’
― Jay Griffiths
‘Davies clearly and succinctly describes the vastness of the housing problem.’
― Evening Standard
_____
Important: When you sign up for a course, you're agreeing to the terms and conditions.
About
Dyski: Pronounced [dɪski], a Cornish Verb which means to learn, or to teach.
Creative residential workshops in Cornwall with a focus on immersive, experimental & place-based learning.
Dyski: Pronounced [dɪski], a Cornish Verb which means to learn, or to teach.
Creative residential workshops in Cornwall with a focus on immersive, experimental & place-based learning.
Grants
We offer cutting-edge immersive workshops that nurture creativity, emphasising community support and giving back. Each Dyski workshop includes two grants, designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend. One grant is available to Cornwall residents, and the other is open to anyone else.
We offer cutting-edge immersive workshops that nurture creativity, emphasising community support and giving back. Each Dyski workshop includes two grants, designed to assist those who may need financial support to attend. One grant is available to Cornwall residents, and the other is open to anyone else.