New for Michaelmas Term 2026! - Life-Writing Discussion Seminar with Anna Beer
Tuesdays, 1pm-2.30pm (see dates below)
With a particular focus on biography, each session will offer a blend of practical exercises and creative analysis of powerful examples of life-writing by established authors, past and present. Content will centre around group discussion of published extracts and themes in biographical writing.
Topics covered will include:
what is biographical writing, and how is it written?
the porous line between biographical fiction and non-fiction
finding the best narrative voice for your own work
how to discover and articulate the unique qualities of your project
strategies to support your development as a writer
This seminar is suitable for anyone interested in learning more about how biographies are written, and anyone working on a life-writing project themselves. No prior experience is necessary.
Seminar format: the seminar takes place in person at Wolfson College, and hybrid via Zoom.
Term dates for Michaelmas Term 2026: please note that this term these sessions have an irregular pattern:
[3 sessions fortnightly:]
29 September
13 October
27 October
[then 5 sessions weekly:]
17 November
24 November
1 December
8 December
15 December
About Anna:
Dr Anna Beer is a renowned early-modernist, biographer, feminist cultural historian and novelist. The majority of Anna's work is biography aimed at non-specialist audiences. Her books include: Eve Bites Back: An Alternative History of English Literature (Oneworld, 2022); Sounds and Sweet Airs: the Forgotten Women of Classical Music (Oneworld, 2016); as well as biographies of Sir Walter Ralegh, Lady Ralegh, and John Milton. She has collaborated with the BBC and with Classic FM, is on the Advisory Board of the Kellogg College Centre for Creative Writing (University of Oxford), and regularly teaches for OCLW.
New for Michaelmas Term 2026! - Life-Writing Discussion Seminar with Anna Beer
Tuesdays, 1pm-2.30pm (see dates below)
With a particular focus on biography, each session will offer a blend of practical exercises and creative analysis of powerful examples of life-writing by established authors, past and present. Content will centre around group discussion of published extracts and themes in biographical writing.
Topics covered will include:
what is biographical writing, and how is it written?
the porous line between biographical fiction and non-fiction
finding the best narrative voice for your own work
how to discover and articulate the unique qualities of your project
strategies to support your development as a writer
This seminar is suitable for anyone interested in learning more about how biographies are written, and anyone working on a life-writing project themselves. No prior experience is necessary.
Seminar format: the seminar takes place in person at Wolfson College, and hybrid via Zoom.
Term dates for Michaelmas Term 2026: please note that this term these sessions have an irregular pattern:
[3 sessions fortnightly:]
29 September
13 October
27 October
[then 5 sessions weekly:]
17 November
24 November
1 December
8 December
15 December
About Anna:
Dr Anna Beer is a renowned early-modernist, biographer, feminist cultural historian and novelist. The majority of Anna's work is biography aimed at non-specialist audiences. Her books include: Eve Bites Back: An Alternative History of English Literature (Oneworld, 2022); Sounds and Sweet Airs: the Forgotten Women of Classical Music (Oneworld, 2016); as well as biographies of Sir Walter Ralegh, Lady Ralegh, and John Milton. She has collaborated with the BBC and with Classic FM, is on the Advisory Board of the Kellogg College Centre for Creative Writing (University of Oxford), and regularly teaches for OCLW.
