WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE: THE THIRD SPACE
My focus was on fiction and I chose workshops that reflected this. I went to one
with British author, Chris Cleave, called ‘How to Write Real People’ and another
with Bret Anthony Johnston on writing character. Both were excellent. There
were many other topics however. David Lebovitz gave a class on writing a
cookbook, Nadifa Mohamed’s workshops were on music and literature and
family narratives while others had sessions on beginnings or problem solving or
historical research. Chatting with other people after the sessions it sounds as if
all the workshops were well received.
Whilst the main reason for joining the retreat is obviously the workshops, the
organisers had made sure that there were plenty of other things to do while
visitors were there. Included in the package was a day trip out. For some this
was the golden circle tour taking in a geothermal area of bubbling hot springs
and a geyser. I went on the literary Borgarfjordur tour which included a visit to
the home and workplace of Halldor Laxness, Iceland’s literature Nobel laureate,
Hvalfjordur Fjord where allied troops were stationed in the Second World War
and to Deildartunguhver, a powerful hot spring where our guide boiled eggs in
water straight out of the ground.
There was no shortage of evening activities either. We had a welcome reception
at the President’s official residence and he gave a very amusing speech and
read a poem. Another evening we were welcomed at the town hall and reminded
that in 2011 Reykjavik was designated UNESCO City of Literature — the first
non-English speaking city to be so recognised.
The hotel ran a story-telling evening where a local actress gave readings from
different Icelandic works including the sagas, a Laxness novel and a lovely
children’s story about giants being turned to stone in sunlight and creating
many of the mountains that dot the country.
A literary walk around Reykjavik stopping at various places of interest with
readings from older and contemporary Icelandic writers was fascinating and
entertaining. Whilst I can perhaps leave the sagas to those really interested in
the literary history of Iceland, I did discover several new authors whose pieces I
enjoyed enough to look up again in the future.
All in all I had a great time and the retreat was a fabulous experience. I’ve come
away with some good pointers to use in my writing, new friends, new authors to
explore and a love of the Icelandic people who were warm and humorous.
This retreat might not be for everyone. It left very little time for writing, but then
who could concentrate when there is a new country to explore and so many
people to talk to? Since I spend my writing time in isolation it was a great
communicating experience for me.
I’ve only been to the Iceland Writers Retreat but if you are interested in
attending one I suggest you choose carefully and think about what you want to
get out of it so that you book the type of retreat you want. I would also advise
booking early as workshops with individual authors fill up early.
For more information visit this website.
33 | MAY 2017