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From the field | Shining a light on the diversity of writing courses
There is perhaps more training on the subject of writing being offered in Finland than ever before. Courses can be short or long, in evenings or on weekends, face to face or remote, multi-year and multi-format, degree-oriented or just for fun. The course offering is scattered, however, and anyone interested must search the websites or brochures of various libraries, adult education centres, folk high schools, summer universities and literary organizations to find it. This makes it hard to identify just the right course or group, unless you know exactly where to look.
The literary calendar at Kirjallisuuskalenteri.fi will help writers and course providers find each other better than before.
What do I expect from the literary calendar? As a long-standing creative writing teacher at folk high schools and summer universities (and currently at the Theatre Academy of the University of the Arts in Helsinki) I can only rejoice in the fact that it will shine a light on the great variety of writing courses that I know exists. I also hope that this improved visibility will encourage course providers to “fill in the gaps”, i.e. to develop new courses that may lead to the discovery of great new writers. New course ideas may also attract more young people to the crucial survival skills that are reading and writing.
From a literary point of view, I hope that the ability to compare the available writing courses will encourage more people who are interested in writing to take steps to educate themselves, and perhaps to find themselves as writers – and as readers, because learning about writing develops us not only as writers but also (and perhaps primarily) as readers. To write, one must know how to read diversely and from a variety of perspectives, switching points of view as necessary.
Finally, I want to emphasize the fact that writing enhances people’s sense of social belonging. Well-functioning writers’ groups bring diverse people together and make their opinions heard, while also teaching them to listen and to make room for diversity. The literary calendar will make these opportunities for belonging and inclusion more visible than before.
Get involved!
Miia Toivio
The writer is a writing lecturer at the Theatre Academy at Uniarts Helsinki, and a member of the steering group for Kirjallisuuskalenteri.fi.