With it being 20 years since Charles Causley passed away, this month we are focusing on the theme of commemoration. You may have questions on how to begin to explore this area of writing, so I am here to (hopefully) answer them! 

STEP 1: 

Ask yourself, what do you want to commemorate?  The act of commemorating can vary depending on the tone you are aiming for in your writing.  Do you want to commemorate one person in particular or a group of people?  Or perhaps you can commemorate a particular period in history, or something such as a pet – it does not have to be a person. 

STEP 2: 

Identify the tone of your piece.  Usually, for commemoration, the tone of which one ‘commemorates’ is perhaps more solemn, but that does not mean anything positive has to be omitted.  Commemoration can be used to evoke happiness in a way, or something that may perhaps be bittersweet to then increase one’s appreciation for the past, and present. 

STEP 3: 

What are the key images you wish to focus on? Sometimes, the best writing comes from a visual aid, which can be images, other forms of media – or even real life.  Where have you sourced this media as well?   Is it an appropriate for what you wish to write about?  If you can, it’s a good opportunity to look into your family history and see what photos etc you can uncover from over the years. 

To find out more about our Commemorative Festival weekend, see our dedicated website page. All ticket information can be found here.  

Words by Will Mirakian