Masterclass:
Isle McElroy, 'Stealing, Borrowing, and Letting Go: Using Real Life in Fiction'
In fiction, it's often assumed that everything the writer produced is fully imagined-or, in the case of autofiction, that nothing is made up, each character representative of an established, real-life parallel. The truth is normally far less interesting. Fiction writers peel from life to create their fictional worlds, sometimes borrowing heavily, sometimes very little at all.
This masterclass with acclaimed author Isle McElroy will explore strategies for bringing real life into fiction. Participants will consider questions including:
- Why might a writer borrow from real life to write fiction?
- How might real-life details undermine the narrative?
- When is it necessary to fictionalise?
Speaker Details:
Credit: Jih-E Peng
Isle McElroy is the author of The Atmospherians, a New York Times Editors' Choice, and People Collide, named a best book of 2023 by Vulture, NPR, Vogue, and the New York Times Critics. Other writing appears in The Cut, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere. They are currently a Shearing Fellow at the Black Mountain Institute at UNLV. Their third novel, The Channel, will be published in 2027 by Viking in the U.S. and Bloomsbury in the U.K.
About OCLW's Global Majority & Underrepresented Writers' Programme:
This event is part of OCLW's flagship Global Majority and Underrepresented Writers' Programme (GMUWP). The GMUWP supports talented yet historically excluded writers in developing their work, building confidence, and navigating the publishing industry by providing free lectures, workshops, and mentorship. The Programme aims to create a more inclusive writing community, ensuring that life-writing reflects the diverse range of voices that surround us.
Find out more about the Programme here.
Further Details and Contacts:
This event is free and open to:
- Those identifying as members of the global majority or groups underrepresented in life-writing (see definitions)
- Friends of OCLW (join here)
- Members of OCLW's Life-Writing Research Network (join here)
- Scholars of OCLW's Global Majority and Underrepresented Writers' Programme
- OCLW Visiting Scholars
- CWAR Fellows
Delivering masterclasses costs the Centre around £20 per attendee. If you are able, please consider making a voluntary donation of £5, £10, or £20 to help us cover these costs and keep our events accessible to all. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Places for this masterclass are limited. Registration is required. Registration will close at 17:00 on 24/02/2026. All registrants will be informed of the outcome of their registration after the closing date.
The event will be recorded and made available on the OCLW website soon after. Registration is not required to access the recording.
Queries regarding this event should be addressed to OCLW Events Manager, Dr Eleri Anona Watson.
