The Ultimate Writing Challenge
“Sebastian's experience and insight allowed me to approach my writing process
in a much more professional way”
Melanie Barnes
AROUND THE WORLD IN 7 PLAYS
(and other forms of writing that can’t fit due to lack of puns)
When: 23-28 June, 2024
Where: Isla de Crear, Úbeda, Jaén, Spain
What?
Come and take your writing to a new level, with the ultimate writing challenge.
The Literal Challenge is collaborating with Isla de Crear, a new creative space in southern Spain, to offer 6-8 bold writers a writing challenge like no other.
In one week, you will be tasked with writing in different styles, forms and on various subjects, in true TLC fashion. All this, while enjoying the Spanish weather in a secluded old farmhouse, away from people and daily distractions, and surrounded by undying olive trees, cute animals and awesome, like-minded people.
Is there a theme?
There sure is – every day, apart from changing our style, form and subject – we will also travel to a different region in the world – and tell you what… in order to create a fully Fantasist experience of holistic creation that brings together all aspects of our lives, this will also include the menu!
Fantasist what now?
Isla de Crear is a new creative centre that is guided by the Fantasism Manifesto and has inspired this carefully curated writing challenge.
So what does this include?
Every evening, at the end of dinner, you will receive a brief for a writing task – and you will have 24 hours to complete it.
During the day, you will have workshops, and group tasks to help you advance your writing and push it to the next level.
Who is it for?
The challenge is carefully created to fit all levels of experience.
If you are a professional, you will get an opportunity to try out new things that you may not have had the time to do, and challenge your artistic tendencies.
If you’re a beginner, you will be thrown into the deep-end and have to force yourself to write 5 new and complete pieces of writing in different genres.
Group size: 6-8
What do I get at the end?
If you manage to complete the challenge, you will leave with 5 new pieces of writing: A play, a short story, a short collection of poems, a short film and a non-fiction text.
You will also have challenged yourself to go to new places – metaphorically, culinary, physically, artistically and… uhm… symbolically – whatever that means.
Who is running the workshops?
For all you TLC graduates, you won’t be surprised to know that Sebastian Rex will run the workshops, as they have done the past 10 years of TLC challenges, so you know you can expect a smorgasbord of exciting things that are carefully designed to entice, enthral and mostly challenge. Why smorgasbord? Because we LOVE saying the word smorgasbord! SMORGASBORD!
Accommodation
All rooms are large, with a single, double or even bunk-beds. If you choose a bunk bed – you will get the admiration of the entire team!
Every room has its own shower/toilet, and you will also have access to communal living spaces, and your own writing space.
There is also a garden to enjoy… unless the draught kills everything (except for the olive trees… there are a lot of olive trees, so you need to really not hate olive trees!)
Food
All food will be vegetarian, and we can cater for different allergies, please make sure to include that in your application.
Price
For private room: €1,200
Price includes:
Price does not include:
Applications are now open.
The challenge is carefully created to fit all levels of experience.
If you are a professional, you will get an opportunity to try out new things that you may not have had the time to do, and challenge your artistic tendencies.
If you’re a beginner, you will be thrown into the deep-end and have to force yourself to write 5 new and complete pieces of writing in different genres.
Group size: 6-8
What do I get at the end?
If you manage to complete the challenge, you will leave with 5 new pieces of writing: A play, a short story, a short collection of poems, a short film and a non-fiction text.
You will also have challenged yourself to go to new places – metaphorically, culinary, physically, artistically and… uhm… symbolically – whatever that means.
Who is running the workshops?
For all you TLC graduates, you won’t be surprised to know that Sebastian Rex will run the workshops, as they have done the past 10 years of TLC challenges, so you know you can expect a smorgasbord of exciting things that are carefully designed to entice, enthral and mostly challenge. Why smorgasbord? Because we LOVE saying the word smorgasbord! SMORGASBORD!
Accommodation
All rooms are large, with a single, double or even bunk-beds. If you choose a bunk bed – you will get the admiration of the entire team!
Every room has its own shower/toilet, and you will also have access to communal living spaces, and your own writing space.
There is also a garden to enjoy… unless the draught kills everything (except for the olive trees… there are a lot of olive trees, so you need to really not hate olive trees!)
Food
All food will be vegetarian, and we can cater for different allergies, please make sure to include that in your application.
Price
For private room: €1,200
Price includes:
- The full writing programme
- A private one-to-one session with Sebastian to discuss your writing goals, outside of the programme
- 5 nights’ accommodation
- Transport to and from Ubeda-Jodar train station/Ubeda bus station/Linares-Baeza train station
- 3 meals a day
- A kitchenette, with complimentary tea and coffee
- Wifi
- Full use of the spaces, shared with other writers and artists in residence.
Price does not include:
- Flights
- Airport transfers (can be arranged at an extra cost)
- Insurance
Applications are now open.
