Strings And Ink. Creative Writing Through Songs’ Lyrics

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Worldwide Week at Harvard 2023 Event

This Creative Writing Workshop propose the creation of literary texts through the reading, analysis and inspiration of song lyrics. So that people from all backgrounds can participate, and not only students of Spanish or Spanish speakers, we will take as inspiration song lyrics in English, from some of the best singer-songwriters in this language, such as Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Baez, Nick Cave or Nick Drake. We will travel from the first person voice writing to the epistolary and the narrative one, from journals to letters and short stories.

In a first activity, we will start with songs that are portraits of characters, as “Henry Lee” from Nick Cave (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzmMB8dTwGs) or Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svitEEpI07E or Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY8EuvWnDMw)  to write a diary from the perspective of the same character, capturing the psychology and imagining the background.

In a second activity, we will choose as inspiration epistolary songs, as “Famous Blue Raincoat” from Leonard Cohen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohk3DP5fMCg or Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and rust” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ST9TZBb9v8, or “Time as told me” by Nick Drake (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8SmkwS82u4)  in which one character addresses another, and we will write the answer to that message, embodying the voice that is not heard in the song.

Finally, we will start from a song that tells a mysterious and open story, as Dylan’s “I threw it all away” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iruzIEQsL4, or David Bowie’s “The man who sold the world” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3MX-rUtS6M ) to write a short story inspired by it, as a prequel or sequel.

At the end, we will discuss the literary value of songs, the first drafts of the texts created, and the various interpretations that each one has made of the lyrics of the songs that served as inspiration.

Those interested in Creative writing are welcome, as well as those who love singer-songwriters, or wonder about the didactical uses of songs.

Workshop playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2aokJS0QBoKfgiHnz2IgdAZOpzmBOz9t&si=_81X9IJrFjzNSB5E

After the workshop and discussion, we will offer an informal reception with beverages and light food in our garden terrace.

Presenter: Daniel Sanchez Mata: Director, Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard University (RCCHU)

Main speaker: Clara Marías (Department of Spanish and Latinamerican Literature, University of Seville, Spain, Research Project +PoeMAS  https://poemas.uned.es/, Research Group PASO https://grupo.us.es/paso/)