706 The City as Character: Writing Urban Memory and Living Archives (ENGLISH)

Cities are more than settings. They carry memory, conflict, transformation, and the emotional histories of the people who inhabit them. In powerful fiction, place is not simply a backdrop — it becomes an active narrative force.This workshop explores techniques for transforming cities into living characters within narrative. Drawing on examples from contemporary literature and urban storytelling traditions, participants will examine how writers can weave geography, history, and personal memory into compelling narrative structures.We will discuss how cities marked by migration, violence, economic change, or cultural complexity can shape the emotional landscape of a story. Through close reading and discussion, participants will analyze how writers construct atmosphere, embed historical layers into narrative space, and use sensory detail to create a vivid sense of place.The workshop will also include guided writing exercises designed to help participants experiment with place-driven storytelling. Writers will explore how urban spaces influence character decisions, emotional tone, and narrative tension.Although the workshop draws inspiration from Latin American urban narratives, the techniques discussed are widely applicable to fiction set in any city or cultural context. Participants will leave with practical tools for developing setting as an active narrative element and for transforming lived environments into rich literary landscapes.

Instructor

Macaria España