New events for 2019

Are there some great stories lurking in your family history? Would you like to write something inspired by real-life events from your own life or someone in your family?  Whether you have aspirations to write fiction or biography, this workshop will provide you with the essential techniques required to turn your writing goals into reality and send you home with the outline of a new project. Writers of all levels are welcome on this special workshop.

Author of the critically acclaimed Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves, Rachel Malik brings her skills as a writer, historical researcher, and former lecturer in English at Middlesex University to lead a full day workshop using family history or true-life events as the inspiration for a work of fiction.  Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves was inspired when Rachel Malik discovered an incredible story from her Grandmother’s past. Her novel – which was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction - was partially written in Hungerford, and the surrounding area inspired parts of the novel. For this reason we thought it fitting to hold this special event in West Berkshire. (rachelmalik.com)

This one day workshop is suitable for all levels. Our events provide a friendly and supportive environment for experienced writers looking to make progress on their projects.  At the same time, the day is designed for people who just like to have fun with words. Expect lots of short writing exercises, leading to the creation of a 100 word story inspired by a family event or a character from your life. Joining instructions will provide further details on how to best prepare so that you get the best out of the day.

The cost of this event is £75 per person including refreshments and a lunch of soup or a sandwich in the pub downstairs.  This workshop is strictly limited to 15 places. Booking is available via Eventbrite by clicking the button below.  For priority booking of future events, please join our mailing list.

All you need for this course is a good basic level of written English and a desire to improve your creative writing!  If you're already working on a project, bring it along as you may wish to use it as a basis for some of the class exercises.

Joy Rhoades is the author of one of the best-selling Australian fiction debuts of 2017, The Woolgrower’s Companion, which was shortlisted for the UK's McKitterick and HWA Debut Crown prizes. Published by Penguin in Australia and the UK, Joy is at work on the sequel. Australian-born and London-settled, Joy runs creative writing workshops for London Libraries, designed to jump start the creative writing process. She is a graduate of the Creative Writing master’s program of the New School University in New York. (joyrhoades.com)

Joy will ensure you know how to put  the basics in place for good creative writing practice, teach you how to make writing part of your daily routine, and show you how to find your voice and enjoy your writing. By the end of the day you will have plotted an outline, thought about the setting and characters, and explored structure through collaborative work and a range of useful exercises.

This full-day workshop takes place a stone's throw from the Abbey and the River Avon in the inspirational World Heritage City of Bath in Somerset. The Guild is an elegant and accessible venue adjoining both the Guildhall and the Victoria Art Gallery - five minutes walk from Bath Spa station and perfectly located for making the most of the city's cafés, bars, shops and restaurants. The workshop will take place in The Library - a light, airy and appropriately named room for a writing workshop.

The cost of this event is £75 per person including refreshments.  There will be a one hour break for lunch with many cafés and shops within a stone's throw of the venue. This workshop is strictly limited to 15 places.