Where does life end and fiction begin? It is a never-ending debate, but there has been much discussion recently of the strange, delicate and sometimes confusing relationship between the writer and their novel. Where once the semi-autobiographical novel was a staple of the form, now people talk of the novelised memoir, or (as in Sheila Heti) the 'novel from life'. At the same time, the centenary of the First World War throws into relief the effects that our ever-more digital lifestyle will have on future generations' understanding of who we were, in the first decades of the 21st Century, and what our life was like. This workshop will bring together these themes to look at ways of writing 'from' our lives that moves beyond the straightforwardly autobiographical. Come ready to write - about yourself, and not about yourself.

Jonathan Gibbs(@Tiny_Camels) recently completed a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of East Anglia, where he was awarded a Malcolm Bradbury memorial bursary. He has written on books for the Independent, the Daily Telegraph, the TLS and elsewhere, and he writes the Independent's weekly Friday Book Design Blog. His short fiction has been published in Lighthouse, and by Shortfire Press, The South Circular and The White Review (where his story The Story I'm Thinking Of was shortlisted for the 2013 White Review Prize). His first novel, Randall, or The Painted Grape, about the London art world and the YBAs, will be published in Spring 2014 by Galley Beggar Press.

This workshop is the first in a series of three, to be followed by What Are You Waiting For? With Shelley Silas at 11am and Based on a True Story - with James Owen at 12noon.

This event forms part of LSE Space for Thought Literary Festival 2014, taking place from Monday 24 February - Saturday 1 March 2014, with the theme 'Reflections'.

Suggested hashtag for this event for Twitter users: #LSElitfest

Podcast

A podcast of this event is available to download from Me, but not Me: using your life as a springboard for fiction with Jonathan Gibbs

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.

Twitter and Facebook

You can get immediate notification on the availability of an event podcast by following LSE public lectures and events on Twitter, which will also inform you about the posting of transcripts and videos, the announcement of new events and other important event updates. Event updates and other information about what's happening at LSE can be found on the LSE's Facebook page.

CPD

This event has been certified for CPD purposes by the CPD Certification Service. Self-Assessment Record forms will be made available for delegates wishing to record further learning and knowledge enhancement for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPD) purposes. For delegates who wish to obtain a CPD Certificate of Attendance, it is the responsibility of delegates to register their details with a LSE steward at the end of the event and as of 1 September 2014 a certificate will be sent within 28 days of the date of the event attended by the CPD Certification Service. If a delegate fails to register their details at the event, it will not prove possible to issue a certificate. (For queries relating to CPD Certificates of attendance after a request please phone 0208 840 4383 or email info@cpduk.co.uk).

LSE Literary Festival 2014