In this 1-day workshop we’ll be thinking about how we go about writing about place, nature, and the environment, in the context of the slow-moving climate crisis which backgrounds all our lives. We will be looking for inspiration in the work of writers like Amitav Ghosh, Daisy Hildyard, Andrew Durbin, and Judith Schalansky.

Class will take place at Tempelhofer Feld (or a nearby beer-garden, in case of wet weather), so come prepared with some water, comfy shoes, and something dry to sit on (although some picnic blankets will be provided). We will spend the first half of class discussing different readings and strategies, and will then use the space of Tempelhof to draw detail and inspiration. The final part of class will be devoted to working on composing a piece of fiction or non-fiction, and constructively workshopping those pieces.

WRITING PLACE WHILE LIVING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE is open to writers of all experiences. Together we will think about what we can use from other writers to open up new strategies and visions for writing about place, and what forms that writing might take.

A selection of texts will be sent out beforehand to prepare for the workshop.

Since this is an outdoor event, participants should bring a packed lunch, sun protection, and plenty of water.

Madeleine Watts is the author of the novel The Inland Sea, shortlisted for the 2021 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing. Her essays and short fiction have been published most recently in Harper’s, the Guardian, The Believer, Astra Magazine, and HEAT. She teaches at Columbia and Johns Hopkins Universities and lives between New York and Berlin.