Writing Narrative Non-Fiction with Sophie Elmhirst

Part of the Brunel University New Writers Programme

Creative Writing Workshop: Narrative Non-Fiction

This workshop with Nero Book Awards Gold Prize Winner Sophie Elmhirst will look at narrative non-fiction from several angles: creative, ethical, technical and stylistic. First, we'll break down the process into five key stages and analyse them in turn, moving from finding an idea to gathering material, writing the first draft, the essential work of revision and finally publication (hopefully). At each stage we'll look at techniques to help turn even the most unlikely, reluctant or dry subjects into a compelling, alive piece of work, discuss the craft of storytelling and winkle out all the opportunities for creativity in non-fiction, as well as talking about the importance of voice. By the end, I hope we will have figured out a masterplan for writing about almost anything, as long as it's true.

About Sophie Elmhirst

Sophie Elmhirst won the 2024 Nero Gold Prize for her non-fiction book Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and LoveSophie writes regularly for the Guardian Long Read, among others. In 2020, she won the British Press Award for Feature Writer of the Year and a Foreign Press Award. In 2024, she was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for Journalism. Sophie was also the Chair of the judges for the inaugural Nero New Writers Prize.

About this programme:

Brunel University is a very proud partner of the Nero Book Awards and the Nero New Writers Prize for unpublished writers. With the New Writers Programme, our aim is to support as many aspiring writers as possible with an online series of free creative writing workshops, and publishing webinars.

If you would like to develop your writing craft, learn from incredible authors, and understand more about how publishing works from industry experts, this series is for you.