8th - 13th AUGUST 2026
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SHORT COURSES
​Our Short Courses - there are 12 in total - cover a wide range of subjects and genres. Each course is two hours in total. The short courses are taught as two hour long sessions, normally separated by a break. You do not have to sign up in advance for any of our courses or workshops - just pop along to the ones that take your fancy!
MONDAY - Simon Hall
AI for authors
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Following on from his successful workshop in 2025, Simon unpacks the hot topic of our time - Artificial intelligence.
You have to know how to use it - and how very much not to use it - to create content.
AI isn’t a great threat to authors, it’s a great friend - if used well.
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This course will explore best practice of artificial intelligence for authors.
Including when and how to use it for help with research, characterisation, plots, settings, advanced writing skills, even checking grammar…
And just as importantly, when NOT to use AI.
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MONDAY - Esther Chilton
rediscovering your love of writing
Are you suffering with writer’s block? Perhaps you’re partway through a novel and everything has come grinding to a halt. You may have lost your enthusiasm for writing. Or has life simply got in the way?
We all seem to lead busy lives these days, with work, family commitments and health often preventing us from having spare time to do the things we love. This course is all about helping you to get back into writing and to fall in love with it again.
In the first session, we’ll focus on how important it is to enjoy your writing, so we’ll begin by having some fun. There will be some exercises to unlock your creativity and to get you writing.
In the second session, we’ll look at ways of generating ideas when you find you need that little bit of help. We’ll also talk about booking yourself time to write, what to write about and writing regularly as well as making some achievable writing goals. You’ll have the opportunity to work on some ideas during the session.
By the end of the course, you should feel inspired, motivated to write and have started to rediscover your enjoyment of writing.
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MONDAY - Jennifer Page
SUCCESSFUL & SUSTAINABLE SOCIALS
​Join author and former BBC TV producer Jennifer Page for a two-hour interactive adventure that will transform your online presence from a monotonous monopoly into a thrilling, multi-dimensional game of engagement!
Building on the successful workshop that Jennifer ran last year, this expanded course will take participants from social media overwhelm to confident content creators.
You'll learn how to develop a professional visual style, create content
that showcases your unique author voice, and build a sustainable
strategy that works alongside your writing life.
Part 1: Finding Your Audience
We'll look at how to identify your specific target audience, moving
beyond broad categories like 'crime readers’. We’ll discuss how to
choose the right social media platforms, and discover how to create
content that hooks people in.
Part 2: Creating Your Social Media Strategy
We'll learn how to create a social media strategy, with the focus on
sustainability. We’ll discuss time-saving techniques and explore helpful
software like CapCut and Canva. Working in pairs and small groups,
participants will develop their content themes and discuss the
importance of authenticity in creating a distinctive author brand.
Please note: due to time constraints, these sessions won't cover
technical setup but will focus on effective strategies and inspiring
content. The session concludes with open Q&A.
The aim: participants will leave with practical skills, increased
confidence, creative content ideas, and a time-efficient strategy to
market their books.
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MONDAY - Della Galton
Writing Winning Flash Fiction and The Very Short Story
This is an interactive course of practical tips and hints on how to make your writing more vibrant using colour. Suitable for beginners or more experienced writers.
This course will cover the following:
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SESSION ONE:
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What is flash fiction?
What isn’t.
Ideas that work.
Ideas that probably won't.
Examples.
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SESSION TWO:
Markets for flash.
Terrific titles.
Research.
How to stand out from the crowd.
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TUESDAY - Kate McCormick
writing cosy crime
Crime fiction is the second biggest selling genre globally with around 15-20% of the market. Cosy crime (which is the gentler side of crime fiction, focussing on solving puzzles rather than portraying violence and building tension) is a growing sub-genre, especially in English-speaking markets.
​​But it is also a crowded marketplace and to be successful, authors need to fulfill the expectations of their readers. Which means understanding those expectations.
In this two-part workshop, we will examine the key elements of a cosy crime novel, using well-known examples: the victim and their back story; amateur sleuths versus the police; a range of credible suspects; setting; what to include and what to leave out; and writing a series versus a standalone.
We will then work through the planning steps, applying everything we’ve reviewed. This will be done by way of both full-group and individual exercises. There will be time at the end of the second session for participants to share their plans, should they wish to. Each participant should leave the workshop with a detailed plan of their story, ready to start writing.
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TUESDAY - Steve Pottinger & Emma Purshouse
HAVE I GOT NEWS
FOR YOu?
Writing poetry about current affairs.
At its best, poetry is personal and individual, giving each of us a platform to explore our own unique voice, and share what we have to say.
But what happens when the personal becomes political, when poets decide to write in response to current affairs, and give their take on what’s in the news?
Is it possible to pen a piece for or against [insert your preferred issue here] without compromising your craft? Should we do this at all?
In this workshop, we’ll explore the art of writing and crafting political poetry. We’ll map the pitfalls you’ll want to avoid, we’ll share examples of poems which make their point effectively, and we’ll think about where and how you can share your poem once it’s done.
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TUESDAY - Jacqueline Jeynes
submitting non fiction to a publisher
Whether it is technical and educational, informative, special interest or hobbies, there are particular things that your proposal should include to get a contract for publication.
This Short Course will give real examples of successful proposals on a range of topics. Of course, there will be relevant pointers for fiction writers too.
Sessions include:
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Examples of topics successfully submitted to traditional publishers
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The critical points of interest to potential readers
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Sections to include in Proposals
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Process for submissions including the initial approach
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Answering the publisher’s queries and amending the proposal if necessary
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Agreeing editing, cover designs, the contract
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There will be handouts summarizing points, on-screen examples of proposal forms, examples of the books published. The gap between sessions can include participants completing a section of a proposal.
It is important to see how broad “non-fiction” is and to consider the additional skills or interests you have that could result in publication with a traditional publisher (as well as any other publication routes you choose).
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TUESDAY - Gwyneth Box
Co-authoring & collaborative writing
Many publishing projects involve a small team of people at different stages of the process. But co-authoring entails a very different dynamic:
You’re in a team of two, perhaps working simultaneously at the same stage of the project.You could just wing it and hope for the best,or you could go into the project with clear ideas about expectations, rights and responsibilities.
In this course we’ll look at topics including:
1. Personal relationship
2. Meetings
3. To plan or not to plan
4. Technology & tools
5. Record keeping
6. Competitivity & compassion
7. Goals
8. Playing to your strengths
9. Ownership
10. Financial considerations
Attendees will leave with a good understanding of the potential that collaborative writing partnerships offer, backed by an understanding of possible pitfalls and with tools to manage such collaborations effectively.
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WEDNESDAY - Anne Hamilton
THE ART OF MEMOIR
Making an Ordinary Life Extraordinary.
Everyone has a story to tell, and this 2-part course is about discovering yours, andfinding the best way to write it. Life-writing. Memoir. Autofiction. Whatever you call it.
Writing about yourself puts you at the centre of a story. You become the character
and your life is the plot – good memoir tells your truth, while using all the techniques
of narrative fiction. Your distinct voice is your superpower.
In this interactive short course, we’ll look at the ways to create compelling snapshots
of life events and emotions, using ‘The Four Rs’:
Remember
Record
Resonate (with the reader)
…and what’s the role of Reinvention?
Each session will consist of a mini-presentation, writing prompts and activities –
using prose, poetry and creative non-fiction – with a chance to share your personal
snippets of life-writing. You’ll take away inspiration, confidence and practical tips for
writing the stories of your life.
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WEDNESDAY - Bettina von Cossel
how to write a 'how to' book
This course will give you an easy to follow guideline on how to write how-to books effectively. With additional suggestions and how to use the book for marketing purposes, and how to position yourself as an expert - even before the book has been written.
SESSION ONE
Why write a how-to book? Who can write a how-to book? What would you like to write about? How to position yourself as an expert: How to use your book for marketing even before you have written the first page.
Think up a rough book idea based on your own knowledge and experience, and give yourself a clear deadline for finishing the manuscript (and a terrible penalty in case you don’t). Who should read your book? What is their problem that your book is solving? Did you go through a similar problem and have learnt something from it that you can pass on? Your how-to book in one sentence (elevator pitch)
Write an elevator pitch for your book idea.
SESSION TWO
How to chunk your book into chapters, sub chapters and sub points.
Create a solution framework based on the readers’ problems: Acronym, Alliteration, or Shape/Structure.
Introduction: Your personal story in relation to the problem your book is solving.
Teaching through stories: How to structure stories effectively so that your reader can learn from them and understand the point you want to bring across.
(Homework) Chunk your book into chapters, sub chapters and sub points as explained.
Think where you could add stories.
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WEDNESDAY - Neil Zoladkiewicz
scriptwriting
Are you considering writing a playscript? Do you currently have one in development? Are you a budding screenwriter or radio dramatist? Or are you hoping to be a ‘Page to Stage’ winner?
Perhaps you are a novelist or short story writer who has problems with writing dialogue. This course may help!
By concentrating how to write an individual scene for plays and screenplays, this interactive course aims to explain and explore the craft of scriptwriting. The course will demonstrate how to plan and shape a scene for play scripts and screenplays. It will also outline the place of a scene within overall dramatic structure. It will explore ideas for shaping dialogue and developing subtext within a scene, by examining scenes from a variety of plays and screenplays and showing how actors and directors approach a script in rehearsals.
The course will also look at the single scene play and will give ideas for writing one act plays for competitions including Page to Stage.
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WEDNESDAY - Sarah Banham
ironing out issues
Join Sarah for this interactive session on troubleshooting your writing!
Session One: Getting To Know Your Main Character
For writers with an existing workable plot in mind but an undeveloped character, you'll ‘meet’ your characters via visualisations. This is a good opportunity to create the right character for your novel's needs, ironing out any issues preventing tangents and distractions. Visualisations include seeing where your character lives and visiting specific rooms to find who they truly are which will enable you to write them more effectively. Results will be unique to each writer and time will be given to jot down notes from the exercise. Participation is encouraged. Tips and exercises gleaned from this session can be adapted to future projects and used repeatedly.
Session Two: Writing Coach Q&A/Trouble-Shooting
Writers should bring their own questions to read aloud for either the tutor or fellow attendees to help resolve. Attendees are encouraged to connect through a Q&A to trouble-shoot their story’s issues. This will help them discover what works and what doesn’t using the tutor and fellow attendees as their sounding board.
This session is intended to be amusing, lively, helpful, and interactive and is an opportunity for audience interaction, forming a leveller between all abilities and stages of writing careers.
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