Start Creative Writing!

Kathryn Burnett

The Art of Self-Editing

Lee Murray

Writing Short Story

Ruby Porter

Beat The Block! Smash Procrastination

Kathryn Burnett

BOUNCE BACK FROM REJECTION

Kathryn Burnett

Telling True Stories - Writing YOUr Memoir

Janice Marriot

Beginner’s Guide to Self-publishing

Kirsten McKenzie

How to Write Great Sex Scenes

Ruby Porter

Plot Like a Pro

Ellie Kivinen

Special Guest Panel

Michele A’Court, Te Radar

HOW do i SIGN UP?

So many ways you can join us at Writefest 2021! Choose the ticket option that suits you best...

• Buy an All Day Ticket and indulge in a day of writerly goodness - as many workshops as you like PLUS this ticket includes the Coffee & Pastries Breakfast, our amazing discussion panel and Happy Hour.

• Time poor? Buy a Half Day Ticket and come for just the morning OR just the afternoon. NB: Morning people are invited to the Coffee & Pastries breakfast while afternoon people are welcome to attend our discussion panel and Happy Hour.

• Just want to nip in and out? Buy a One Off single workshop or two - and we might even sort you out with a coffee.

Writing Great Sex scenes

This workshop will explore what to do (and what not to do) when writing sex scenes. Its lessons will include how to build atmosphere, how to vary your pacing, and how to stay true to point of view. It will focus on one of the building blocks of any good storytelling – the emotional and dramatic moment – and the restrictions and possibilities these scenes entail. 2 hours. Tutor: Ruby Porter

bEAT tHE bLOCK!

Procrastination! It sucks. You wanna write - so why don’t you? This workshop helps you discover why you procrastinate, different ways all writers procrastinate and how you can beat the block and train yourself to be a more productive writer. 1 Hour Tutor: Kathryn Burnett

Telling True Stories - Writing memoir

The workshop will involve exercises in remembering past moments vividly, techniques for creating characters through words,ways of structuring your memoir, sharing experiences with others, and plenty of opportunity for questions and answers and discussion. 2.5 hours Tutor: Janice Marriot

Beginner’s Guide 2 Self-Publishing

Andy Weir did it with The Martian. Hugh Howey did it with Wool. LJ Ross did it with her series of crime stories set on a tiny Northumberland island, and Rupi Kaur did it with her poetry book milk and honey. You can do it too. Learn the simple steps required to independently publish your work, in both digital and print form. Whilst the workshop covers print, this workshop will focus more on the digital side of indie publishing, which is the easiest platform for a debut author to navigate. 2.5 hours Tutor: Kirsten McKenzie

BOUNCE BACK FROM REJECTION

Rejection is part and parcel of choosing to be an artist but that doesn’t make it sting any less. Drop in to join Kathryn Burnett in a informal chat about how we can be more resilient and not let rejection derail our writing goals. NB: Discussion will partially take place over lunch. Tutor: Kathryn Burnett

Writefest workshop details

START CREATIVE WRITING!

Dying to write and just starting out on your creative writing journey? This fun, inspiring “how to” workshop is for you. 1.5 hours. Tutor: Kathryn Burnett

THE ART OF SELF-EDITING

Take your novel, short story, novella or flash fiction to the next level. In this practical half day session, Lee Murray presents her tips and strategies for whipping your manuscript into shape and making your prose pop. 3 hours. Tutor: Lee Murray

the art of WRITING SHORT STORY

This workshop will cover everything you never knew about point of view. It will teach you how to get deep inside your protagonist’s perspective, give nuts and bolts advice about characterisation, dramatic arcs and emotional arcs. It also offers ways to make your language more concrete, specific, and more evocative. 2.5 hours Tutor: Ruby Porter

PLOT LIKE A PRO

A solid plot forms the backbone of a good novel. Learn the different plot ‘formulae’ that recur in fiction and how these can be adapted. Our exercises let you trial different approaches to plotting, at different levels of detail. Find a method that works for you in planning a structure for your novel. 1.5 hours. Tutor: Ellie Kivinen

12.30 - LUNCH

5.00PM - PANEL DISCUSSION & HAPPY HOUR

“Surviving The Writing Rollercoaster” - a lively and inspiring panel discussion on weathering the ups and downs of being a creative writer. It’s never peaches and cream - not even for some of our most successful writers - find out why.

Facilitator: Kathryn Burnett

Special Guests: Michele A’Court, Te Radar, Lee Murray, Scott Butler