Department of English

Dates: 04/02/2026 - 01/04/2026

Location: Room G.H03, University of Bristol Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, BS8 1TB.

Wednesdays, 2 pm to 4 pm

You will be introduced to a variety of approaches to memoir and life writing through a discussion of different texts, and we'll do writing exercises to explore your material in a confidential space. There will be opportunities to share your work and get feedback if you wish.

Every week, we'll do exercises to explore aspects of the craft of writing, including how to progress and structure your writing, how to develop an individual narrative voice, mapping your plot, and how to integrate non-fiction material. Can dialogue be included/created? What kind of source material can be used? How do we navigate the vagaries of memory and differing points of view? Do we need to get the permission of others? If you want to write about your life and engage in lively discussions with other writers, then this course is for you.

Each term's teaching is designed anew, so that former students can continue to attend ongoing courses and find fresh stimulus. There are always different aspects and more layers of your writing to explore!

Dr Rachel Bentham has been Royal Literary Fellow at several universities, is a prize winning poet and script writer. She wrote the first radio docudrama broadcast on BBC (blending interview material and fiction) and subsequently has had numerous docudramas and stories broadcast on Radio Four. She has several published poetry collections and currently teaches at Bristol and Oxford Universities.

Please see detailed description for the refund policy.

Contact Info:
English-Lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
0117 455 8271

Dates:03/02/2026 - 31/03/2026

Location:
The first half of the course will take place at:
Barton Hill micro campus. Barton Hill, Bristol, BS5 0FP

The second half of the course will continue at:
Room G.H03, University of Bristol, Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TB

Tuesday evenings, 6pm to 8pm

This course will provide you with historical knowledge and critical skills to understand contemporary debates around black history.

You will explore the value of evidence, ways of interpreting evidence and the role of bias including when approaching historical sources. We will draw on a range of sources around history and memorialisation to unpack the multiple stories offered by widely differing sources.

When thinking about historical sources we often refer to archives and documents or books written about a period. Art, literature, film, and music equally tell us much about our past and present. These may also be the only sources available that provide an alternative perspective to narratives written by those in power. This course will help you focus on what makes a historical source.

Contact:
english-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
0117 455 8271

Dates: 04/02/2026 - 01/04/2026

Location: Room G.H04, University of Bristol, Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TB

Detective and Crime Fiction: cold cases

Wednesday evenings, 6pm to 8pm

This course aims to be an enjoyable exploration of detective and crime fiction. Each year, we pick a different theme and gather together experts from across the University to explore a range of novels and short stories with you.

Contact Info:
English-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
0117 455 8271

Dates: 04/02/2026 - 01/04/2026

Location: The first and last sessions will be on campus in Room G.H03, University of Bristol, Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TB, and the remainder of the sessions will take place online via Teams.

Wednesday afternoons, 4pm to 6pm

This course is for those interested in writing across medias as freelance journalists. It offers opportunities to develop skills in writing to deadlines, pitching ideas, researching and interviewing practice. Students will explore the techniques and context of writing as activism and bearing witness, and experiment with specialisms such as reviewing, travel and nature writing, lifestyle writing, current affairs and other forms by using a practical toolkit of writing exercises, feedback and discussion.

Dr Paul Evans is a freelance writer and broadcaster with considerable experience in (print and online) environmental journalism, radio documentaries, docu-dramas and teaching creative writing.

Contact:
english-lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
0117 455 8271

Dates: 04/02/2026 - 01/04/2026

Location: Room G.H03, University of Bristol Arts Complex, 7 Woodland Road, BS8 1TB.

Wednesday evenings, 6pm to 8pm

In this course you will work on developing your experiences - whether at home or further afield - into engaging pieces of prose, drawing on writing from memory as well as from the present. It will include focused writing assignments as well as examining some of the technical aspects of non-fiction writing, with the aim of producing a short finished piece by the end of the course. We will also explore the ethical issues facing travel and nature writers in an age of climate and ecological breakdown. What is a writer's role in these times? How do we write honestly about a changing world?

Nick Hunt is the author of three travel books about walking and Europe – Outlandish, Where the Wild Winds Are and Walking the Woods and the Water – as well as a work of ‘gonzo ornithology’, The Parakeeting of London, and a recently published novel, Red Smoking Mirror. His travel books have twice been finalists for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Award, and his work has appeared in The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century. He is a co-director of the Dark Mountain Project and an occasional contributor to BBC Radio 4's From Our Own Correspondent, and is currently a Royal Literary Fellow at the University of Bristol.

Please see detailed description for the refund policy.

Contact Info:
English-Lifelong@bristol.ac.uk
0117 455 8271