International Symposium: Epistolary Friendships Between Writers and Readers June 13-14, 2024

Epistolary friendships between writers and readers

International conference June 13-14, 2024

For several years, ILLE researchers have been interested in the writers’ correspondence. Their interest has
produces a cycle of conferences, of which the one projected here is the fourth part. After Exploring Friendships (2020)¹
and enmities (2021)² writers in their correspondence and recently their political friendships (2023),
we propose to turn to the relationships of writers with their readers.

One of the objectives of the conference will be to establish a typology of friendship relations, in the broadest sense, which
form between writers and their readers: from admiration to veneration, from volunteerism to complicity, from
sympathy for the feeling of love… whether reciprocal or not. We will explore how literature creates a
need to address, beyond reading, the person who is at the origin of the emotions felt during the act
to read. Readers perceive the author’s personality from their own feelings. What they find in
the reading, the stories and scenarios told, the subjects, the places and the music of the styles form points of
encounters with their personal history and experiences. It is often direct and strong communication that continues
in correspondence, direct link with the author.

The study of correspondences will be able to reveal how epistolary activity influences the enunciative statuses of the
fiction (author/reader, author/narrator, recipient/receiver). Correspondence is sometimes established easily,
sometimes with hesitation or procrastination, it can be very long and winding and last a lifetime, or
not. Beyond the status of each person, the personality of the reader meets that of the author, who sometimes hides his person
behind his status as author, by remaining distant, or by deciding to partially lift the veil. In this act, the author,
by hiding, already reveals itself without knowing it. In the correspondence, the two exchangers sometimes express
emotions, beyond the literary considerations discussed (the work and its details, its genesis, its context, its meaning,
etc.).

The study of correspondence is also a criticism of reception. This free interpersonal link which
is then established, where the reader has chosen and read a book and its author, brings material to the writer, for the rest of
his work of inspiration and composition. It also informs him about reception and his capacity to move, touch,
transform its readers. For him, it is a form of direct recognition of his creative activity. This
Epistolary communication has an unexpected force, it also underlines the freedom of an interpersonal relationship
chosen and reversible.

Another possible approach is that of archival science. The correspondences form a random heritage.
But more and more, in the archives which preserve them, we find a large batch of letters from readers who
constitute interesting points of study for criticism. These letters have a special place in the legacy of
writers, they can be considered as personal archives, documents or reviews on their
work, or personal testimonies. This random heritage evolves over time (we regularly update
day of letters from writers to readers, which will increase funds that are sometimes already well stocked).
The conference will also attempt to raise the central question of the status of the letter, and in particular its literary value.
For readers, this type of link with an admired author has sometimes been an entry into literature, a trigger for
writing talent. For a writer, correspondence can be a kind of epistolary exercise allowing
perfect and maintain the act of writing. He will draw new ideas, or impulses, from this pool.
It is also the content of the exchanges which proves interesting, sometimes giving new or different insight.
on the work. Writers can call some of their readers to witness the gropings and impasses of
their creation. They can also be recipients of readers’ confidences. In certain correspondences, the
Roles can also be reversed and we do not know who is reading whom. Sometimes also, some give advice
to others, and sometimes also these letters can be read ignoring the context of their writing and the
recipient is reduced to the rank of foil, where the sender practices a monologue which is similar to the diary
intimate, a bit like a journal of literary work.

Finally, the correspondences can be read through the prism of gender studies. It is not uncommon for a relationship
personal, even intimate, is formed between the writer and his readers. We will ask ourselves
what processes take place depending on the sex or gender of the letter writers. Similar questions may arise in
depending on age, class or nationality relationships.

Beyond these suggestions, any approach is welcome which will feed into theoretical reflection or a case study.
on epistolary friendships between writers and readers in European literatures from early modernity to
These days.

^{1 Volume published: Régine Battiston, Nikol Dziub and Augustin Voegele, Friendships of writers in their
correspondence, EPURE, 2021, XX p.
2 Recently published volume: Régine Battiston, Nikol Dziub and Augustin Voegele, Enmities of writers in their
correspondence, EPURE, 2022, XX p.}

^—

Epistolary friendships between writers and readers

International Symposium 13-14 June 2024

For several years, ILLE researchers have been interested in writers’ correspondence. This is the fourth in a series
of conferences on this topic. After exploring the friendships (2020) and enmities (2021) of writers in their
correspondence, and more recently their political friendships (2023), we propose to turn our attention to the
relationships between writers and their readers.

One of the aims of the symposium will be to distinguish types of friendships, in the broadest sense of the term,
that form between writers and their readers: from admiration to veneration, from benevolence to complicity, from
sympathy to love… whether reciprocal or not. We will explore how literature creates a need to address, beyond
reading, the person who is at the origin of the emotions felt during the act of reading. Readers perceive the author’s
personality on the basis of their own feelings. What they find when they read—stories and scenarios, themes,
places and narrative styles—resonates with their personal history and experiences. These types of relationships
may be extended through correspondence, creating an even more direct link with the author.

Studying correspondence will reveal how epistolary exchanges affect the status of all subjects of the enunciation
in fiction (author/reader, author/narrator, addressee/enunciator). Sometimes a letter flows naturally, sometimes the
writer hesitates or procrastinates; correspondence can be very long and winding, lasting a lifetime, or stop
suddenly. The reader’s personality meets that of the author, who sometimes hides behind the status of author, by
remaining distant or by deciding to partially lift the veil. By hiding the author is already revealing himself without
knowing it. In the correspondence, the two letter writers sometimes express emotions beyond the literary
considerations discussed (the work and its details, genesis, context, meaning, etc.).

The study of correspondence is also related to reception studies. The free interpersonal link that is established,
where the reader has chosen a book and its author, provides the writer with material for further inspiration and
composition. It also informs the writer about reception and his ability to move, touch and transform his readers.

For the writer, it is a form of direct recognition of his creative activity. This epistolary communication has an
unexpected power, and it also underlines the freedom of a chosen, albeit reversible interpersonal relationship.
Another possible approach is that of archival studies. Correspondence is a random form of heritage, but we
increasingly find letters from readers that provide rich data for critics. These letters have a special place in the
legacy of writers, and can be considered as personal archives, documents, reviews of their work, or personal
testimonies. This random heritage evolves over time (collections of letters from writers to readers are regularly
updated, adding to the sometimes already extensive collections).

The symposium will also attempt to raise the central question of the status of letters, and in particular their literary
value. Correspondence with an author they admire has sometimes triggered readers’ own creative talent. For a
writer, correspondence can be a kind of exercise that helps to perfect and maintain the act of writing. It is also the
content of the exchanges that proves interesting, sometimes shedding new light on the work. Writers can share the
trials and tribulations of writing with their readers. They may also be the recipients of readers’ confidences. In
some letters, the roles can also be reversed, and we don’t know who is reading whom. Sometimes the recipient is
reduced to the status of a mere figurehead, while the sender engages in a monologue, as in a diary or the logbook
of a literary work.

Finally, correspondence can be read through the prism of gender. It is not uncommon for a personal, even intimate,
relationship to develop between writers and some of their readers, who sometimes become their romantic partners.
We will be asking what processes are involved depending on the sex or gender of the correspondents. Similar
questions may arise in relation to age, social class or nationality.
Beyond these suggestions, any approach is welcome that will fuel a theoretical reflection or a case study on
epistolary friendships between writers and readers in European literature from early modernity to the present day.

—

Organizing Committee:

Régine Battiston (ILLE-UHA)
Maxime Leroy (ILLE-UHA)

Scientific Committee / Scientific Committee:

Régine Battiston (ILLE-UHA)
Sylvie Crinquand (TIL-Univ. of Burgundy)
Nikol Dziub (ILLE-UHA)
Luc Fraisse (ILLE-Unistra)
Maxime Leroy (ILLE-UHA)
Anne-Marie Millim (Institute of English Studies, University of Luxembourg)
Augustin Voegele (ILLE-UHA).

—

Working languages: French, English / French, English

Method of submitting proposals: communications proposals (1500 to 2000 space characters
included), accompanied by a brief bio-bibliography, should be sent to [email protected] before 15
January 2024. Response by January 30, 2024.

Please send abstracts before 15 January 2024 (1,500 to 2,000 characters including spaces) together with a short
bio-bibliography to [email protected].

Notifications will be sent by 30 January 2024.