WORKSHOP | Writing Between Languages

Hong Kong-born, Indonesian-Chinese-American author Xu Xi holds a workshop for writers using English as a second language.

Writing Between Languages

Speaker: Xu Xi

Date: March 7, Sat

Time: 9:30am - 11:00am

Venue: Fringe Club - Fringe Dairy

Address: Fringe Club, 2 Lower Albert Rd, Central, Hong Kong

Price: HKD298

Language: English

Format: Workshop

Description:

This creative writing workshop is led by Hong Kong-born, Indonesian-Chinese-American author Xu Xi, designed for writers whose first language isn’t English. Xu Xi, a celebrated English-language novelist and essayist raised in a multilingual environment, explores how bilingual and multilingual writers can harness their unique linguistic experiences to craft expressive, authentic English prose.

The workshop emphasizes embracing one’s cultural and linguistic background rather than viewing it as a limitation, encouraging participants to play across linguistic borders and discover how their native languages can enrich voice, imagery, and narrative perspective. By foregrounding creative expression over perfection, Xu Xi supports writers to navigate identity, voice, and fluency while writing confidently in English and finding strength in “between-language” writing practices. This workshop is for aspiring and active adult writers.

About the Speaker:

Xu Xi

Xu Xi is an Indonesian-Chinese-American from Hong Kong. She has published sixteen books— five novels, nine prose collections, one memoir, one co-authored textbook—and also edited four anthologies of English Hong Kong literature. She held the Jenks Chair in Contemporary Letters at the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts, was writer-in-residence at Arizona State University, City University of Hong Kong, University of Iowa, and directed two international MFA’s. Earlier, she held management positions at The Asian Wall Street Journal, Federal Express, Pinkerton’s. A diehard transnational, she now lives between New York and the rest of the world.

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Purchase 3 tickets to any events under HKILF 2026 and claim a complimentary seat at one of these exciting talks at Central Library:

•⁠ 3rd March (Tue): On Muscle: The Stuff that Moves Us and Why It Matters (7:00-8:30pm)

⁠•⁠ 4th March (Wed): I Deliver Parcels in Beijing (7:00-8:30pm)

•⁠ ⁠5th March (Thu): Amitav Ghosh: Ghost-Eye (7:00-8:30pm)

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ABOUT HKILF

The Hong Kong International Literary Festival (HKILF) inspires the joy of reading by bringing the world’s writers and stories to Hong Kong’s diverse communities. A dynamic year-round programme and an annual festival offer dialogue, entertainment and perspective, while the Young Readers Festival (YRF) motivates students to engage with all aspects of the written word, improving communication skills, while nurturing the art of writing and storytelling.

The annual festival features established and emerging writers from around the world, alongside local literary talents, in a programme that includes panel discussions, book talks, readings, workshops, walks, school programmes, performances, and more.

We are a registered charity non-profit organisation dedicated to bringing the best in the literary arts to Hong Kong. To find more, please visit our official website: https://www.festival.org.hk.

Please note that:

*We are unable to process refunds, please consider your ticket purchase a donation to the festival.

*Photos and videos of participants may be taken during the activities,which may be used by the organiser and the major sponsor for educational and promotional purposes in any way deemed appropriate, including disseminationthrough printed and online channels. Participation in the programme will constitute the participants’ consent to the above arrangement.

*The views and opinions expressed by the speakers do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hong Kong International Literary Festival. HKILF disclaims any responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the information shared by the speakers.

*If the Black Rainstorm Warning or the Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 8 or above is in force 3 hours before the start time of an event, the event will be cancelled and participants will receive a refund. If the Red or Yellow Rainstorm Warning or the Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 3 is in effect, the event will be held as scheduled.