Writing what we hear

“Writing is ninety percent listening. You listen so deeply to the space around you that it fills you, and when you write, it pours out of you” – Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones.

On September 8 we're taking a small group of writers into Highgate Woods to explore what it means to really listen, and to see how we can use whatever we hear as inspiration for writing. This doesn’t just mean listening more closely to the sounds of this leafy haven in London, although that’s certainly part of it.

We'll be experimenting with some playful approaches using creative writing and applied theatre practice to explore writer Natalie Goldberg’s advice to “listen with your whole body, not only with your ears, but with your hands, your face, and the back of your neck.”

What does it mean to listen “to the past, future, and present right where you are” as Natalie suggests in her classic guide, Writing Down the Bones? How might this deeper kind of embodied listening help us in our writing, and in our work and lives more widely?

Who is running the workshop?

This workshop is a collaboration between Neil Baker and special guest facilitator Natasha Freedman. Neil is a partner in writing group Dark Angels and Natasha has an amazing record of developing interdisciplinary encounters that explore what it is to be human and our place in the world.

Natasha is chair of the improvisation company Improbable Theatre, a regular visiting tutor at the National Film and Television School, and Creative Producer for Cavendish Arts Science. She has previously directed learning programmes for English National Opera and Complicite theatre company and led creative projects for Tate, Royal College of Art, Royal Academy of Arts and Central St Martin’s.

Costs and other details

A normal ticket is  £175 with a limited number of early bird places at £125. There are also two 'scholar' places available at just £20 – please reflect on your current financial resources before taking one of these slots.

We'll be meeting near the Pavillion Cafe and probably won't be straying too far from there. You can buy lunch at the cafe or bring a packed lunch if you prefer. There are public toilets next to the cafe. The woods are right next to Highgate tube station.

We'll send you details on how to find us nearer the time.