Stereotypical Tropes in Working Class Writing with Kathy Hoyle

What even is a working-class story anyway?

In this workshop, Kathy Hoyle discusses working-class stereotypes and how we can subvert the traditional tropes of poverty, misery and hopeless characters and instead write rich, vibrant stories that cover the vast breadth of the working-class experience.

Working class stories are still woefully under-represented simply because publishers aren’t open stories that stretch beyond familiar stereotypes, and working-class writers have long been encouraged to write ‘to type’ by publishers who set silent parameters for our stories. It’s time to smash through the class boundary and give ourselves the permission to write with authenticity and celebrate our heritage, our community and our landscapes in wild and imaginative ways!

Why can’t we write working class stories about love, hope, joy, folklore, myth, queer stories, climate change stories, magical realist stories, all with a strong sense of place and community? The answer is…we can!

In this workshop, Kathy will give you the prompts and toolkit you need to help you write YOUR own working-class stories with a sense of confidence and inspiration.