Workshop: Make a Start with Character with Okechukwu Nzelu

Part of The Coast is Queer 2023.

‘Starting a fiction project can be daunting and tricky, with lots of choices to make and a blank page staring back at you. Creating compelling characters is a great place to start, and after that you might well find that plot and setting come fairly easily. In this workshop from creative writing lecturer and award-winning writer Okechukwu Nzelu, we will explore different approaches to crafting character. What makes engaging characters? What’s a good way to start thinking about your protagonist? How does character lead to plot? In this workshop we will explore engaging characters from fiction texts, and work our way through a series of prompts, exercises and discussions. Together, we will explore a range of approaches, and you’ll find a great starting point for your fiction.

Okechukwu Nzelu is a Manchester-based writer. In 2015 he was the recipient of a Northern Writers’ Award from New Writing North. His debut novel, The Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney (Dialogue Books, 2019), won a Betty Trask Award; it was also shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Polari First Book Prize, and longlisted for the Portico Prize. In 2021, it was selected for the Kingston University Big Read. His second novel, Here Again Now (Dialogue Books, 2022) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Encore Award and longlisted for the Polari Prize, the Jhalak Prize and the Diverse Book Awards. He has made several appearances on national radio, and is a regular contributor to Kinfolk magazine. He is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Lancaster University.

Please note: Workshop tickets are not included in day or weekend passes and need to be purchased individually.