Monica Ali Masterclass — Silk Road Slippers

Monica Ali

3 – 8 March 2024

Writing Masterclass

Internationally bestselling author Monica Ali has written five books, including Brick Lane and Love Marriage. She has been nominated for the Booker Prize, the Women’s Prize, the Orwell Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the National Book Critics’ Circle Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.

She has taught creative writing at Columbia University, New York, where she was a visiting professor, and from 2015-2018 she was Distinguished Writer in Residence at the University of Surrey.

Brick Lane was produced as a feature film by Film Four, written by Abi Morgan, directed by Sarah Gavron, and starring Tannishtha Chatterjee. Monica is adapting Love Marriage for television.

Upcoming Masterclasses

Schedule

Sunday

Welcome!
Participants arrive in Marrakech
After settling in, meet the Silk Road Slippers Team and fellow participants for the first of many conversations about the art of writing. Embark on lifelong creative connections with fellow writers at a friendly and relaxed dinner amid the honeyed Moorish arches of our magical venue.
Famed for its paradisiacal gardens tended to by a passionate ethnobotanist, the name Jnane Tamsna means Big Garden and dinner is prepared using the freshest ingredients largely sourced on their 22 hectares of landscaped grounds.
Monday

STORY & STRUCTURE - Unpack the principles of storytelling; learn how to structure your work and create a compelling narrative.
CHARACTER & VOICE - Learn how to find your voice, how to create and grow your characters, and write dialogue.
CREATIVE PRACTICE - Use this time for writing practice, nurture your imagination on the grounds of Jnane Tamsna, or take a trip to the city.
Tuesday

FIND YOUR VOICE with Monica Ali. Monica Ali explains her process and shares how to find your creative style.
DRAFTING & REDRAFTING - Conquer the fear of the blank page. Learn to revise and refine as you redraft. As Ernest Hemingway, said ‘writing is rewriting.’
CREATIVE PRACTICE - Use this time for writing practice, nurture your imagination on the grounds of Jnane Tamsna, or take a short trip to the city.
Celebratory Dinner with Monica Ali - A reading by Monica will be followed by an elegant candlelit dinner at Jnane Tamsna with the whole team.
Wednesday

A CRUCIAL ELEMENT with Monica Ali and the Silk Road Slippers Team. Monica will discuss an element she considers essential to her work. This may include Character, Dialogue, Sense of Place, Language, or any other aspect of writing, to be determined by Monica.
WRITING WITH SIX SENSES with the Silk Road Slippers Team. We take you to lunch in an enchanting rooftop venue and on an insider’s tour of the Medina in Marrakech, to stimulate all your senses – with a focus on capturing a sense of place in your work.
Marrakech’s medina, founded 1070-72, is one of the most wondrous places on earth. A major cultural centre, it is filled with stunning monuments including the Koutoubia Mosque with its matchless minaret, mosaics, ornate courtyards and secret gardens. Covered spice, textile and leather souks line the maze of cobblestone lanes leading to the fabled Jemaa el-Fnaa square teeming with snake charmers, dancers and street food vendors.
Thursday

Guided walk at Jnane Tamsna - a tour through the beautiful organic gardens with ethnobotanist Gary Martin.
PERSONAL FEEDBACK SESSIONS - Each participant will have a one-on-one session with a member of the Silk Road Slippers team. This is a unique opportunity to discuss your personal progress and future aspirations, to get tailored advice on how to achieve them, and to get advice on how to find an agent and publisher.
FINAL SESSION with the Silk Road Slippers team.
Farewell Dinner at Jnane Tamsna with the Silk Road Slippers team
Friday

Participants depart for the next step on their writing journey!