How can family-history research become a starting point for creative work?
Writer and theatre-maker Carran Waterfield shares how she has drawn on family research to create performance and fiction, with examples from 'Looking for the Tallyman', 'The House' and her novel 'Pink Granite'.
Through personal stories, readings and discussion, she explores the relationship between research, memory and imagination: what we discover, what remains unknown, and how those gaps can open possibilities for storytelling.
This is a conversational talk for anyone interested in family history or working creatively with the past, with space for questions and for listeners to reflect on their own discoveries.
Views: 394 | Enquiries: 0Carran Waterfield is a writer, theatre-maker and creative educator based in Southport, with longstanding creative roots in Coventry.
Her author talks bring together personal story, readings, conversation and, where appropriate, song. Drawing on her books and a lifetime of performance-making, she explores how family history, memory, landscape and imagination find their way into writing. She enjoys informal, responsive encounters, with room for questions and discussion throughout.
Carran founded and was Artistic Director of Triangle Theatre Coventry from 1988–2016. Her extensive experience of touring performance, teaching and community work informs how she shares her writing and works with groups.
Her books include the BookFest Bronze Award-winning literary historical fantasy Pink Granite and the Purple Dragonfly Award-winning Redhair and Daffodil Friend. She is currently completing the first pamphlet in Walking Words, a poetry series growing from her walking and outdoor creative practice.
Talks and conversations can explore:
The creative journey from theatre and storytelling to writing books.
Pink Granite: family history, memory and imagination becoming fiction.
Walking, place and the emergence of stories and poems.
She also offers participatory writing workshops exploring how lived experience can become a starting point for memoir, poetry or fiction. Sessions combine practical exercises, discussion and opportunities to share, drawing on her own creative process.
Carran welcomes enquiries from libraries, writing groups, book groups, literary societies, older people’s organisations and arts or community venues. The format and length can be agreed with the host to suit the group.
Further information about her books, current projects and earlier work: https://carranwaterfield.co.uk/
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