In March and April, we are organising a unique four-day writing workshop led by a duo who truly master the art of storytelling: Dorota Karaś and Marek Sterlingow.

The sessions will be based, among other things, on content presented in the permanent exhibition of the Sybir Memorial Museum, allowing participants to work with authentic and deeply moving source material.

This is an intensive course spread over two weekends (28–29 March and 18–19 April, Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.), in which one group works together throughout the entire programme – from the first exercises to the final text.

Hosts:

Dorota Karaś – journalist and writer, specialising in biographical and historical reportage, author of award-winning books, including Cybulski: Double Somersault.

Marek Sterlingow – journalist, writer, and former war correspondent in Afghanistan. Co-author of The Birth of Solidarity.

Together, they created the acclaimed biographies Walentynowicz. Anna szuka raju and Urban, both adapted for the stage by the Łaźnia Nowa Theatre. For years, they have been teaching the art of reportage at the European Solidarity Centre and conducting workshops for cultural institutions across Poland.

Through these workshops, you will develop your writing and narrative skills, enabling you to create engaging, credible, and well-structured texts based on historical and academic sources.
You will learn how to extract compelling stories from factual material – including that presented in the permanent exhibition of the Sybir Memorial Museum – and transform them into narratives with a strong emotional impact on the reader.

DETAILED WORKSHOP PROGRAMME

Weekend I – Foundations of Narrative (theory + exercises)

March 28

• Informative vs. narrative text – what is the difference?
• Analysis of selected museum and narrative texts
• Elements of a strong story: protagonist, scene, conflict, detail
• An artefact, photograph, or eyewitness account as a starting point

March 29

• Quotations and references – how to build credibility without overloading the text with academic detail
• How to select facts that matter to the reader
• How to avoid information overload
• Language, style, and rhythm of storytelling
• Preparatory assignment for the following weekend

Weekend II – Practice and Editing

April 18

• Discussion of participants’ topics and source materials
• Structuring a text: lead, narrative flow, and conclusion
• Individual work and consultations with the instructors

April 19

• Titles, subtitles, and elements that enhance readability and engagement
• Group discussion of selected texts
• Editing and refining your text
• Workshop summary