MK Lit Fest Autumn Festival: Writing Satire Workshop with Charlie Hill

Contrary to what you may have heard, satire is not dead. Tom Lehrer may have declared it obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, but the satirists have had the last laugh (albeit often up their sleeves)

It is often said that satire, as a form, should ‘comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable’, and Charlie Hill will help you to explore its many contradictions. Satirical writing continues to both amuse and enflame - but how do you get the balance right in a world where reality and parody seem increasingly to wear each other's wardrobes?

In this event, you'll work through a series of prompts that explore different historic approaches, and that invite you to reflect on which is most effective in today's world. You'll look at the relationship between satire and morals, and explore the unavoidable tension in satire's desire to both entertain and critique.