Writing Workshops

The MILDMAY CLUB, Newington Green Hackney based publisher, Indie Novella, are hosting a monthly in-person Writing Group in Stoke Newington, London. This is open for anyone working on a novel who is looking for a supportive group to provide advice and help to take it forward, be it if you’re struggling with writer’s block or you’re looking to submit to a literary agent and want to bounce around some ideas. The format will be in two parts. The first hour will be led by Indie Novella editor and author, Damien Mosley, focusing on a specific writing related topic. The first week at the Mildmay Club this will be the challenges of structuring our novel and we can discuss issues we face regarding plotting or where to begin or share examples which inspire us. The second hour each month will be dedicated to peer reviewing a sample of our writing. Authors Rose Diell and John McMenemie spoke of the importance of Writing Circles in helping writers develop at Stoke Newington Literary Festival and as such we hope this monthly space will allow writers to convene and share their experiences. Those interested please do come along. We do review one of the group's work each month and we can add you to the email list if you email [info@indienovella.co.uk](mailto:info@indienovella.co.uk).

Maybe you're a bit like me. Even though I write poetry, I don't read that much of other writers. That's one reason why I created an opportunity to take a deeper dive into the work of some prominent Queer poets, writers such as Wilfred Owen, Carol Ann Duffy and Kae Tempest. All drawn from the book *100 Queer Poems.* You are very much invited to join this Queer Poetry Jam. In it, we’ll take it in turns to read a poem from the book. We’ll then spend some time discussing each. So, a fun and engrossing way of experiencing some great poetry, It’s completely free! All part of Morley College’s LGBT+ History Month celebration which I curate. Come and see, too, an exhibition of the college's Queer history, going back to the early years of the last century, This event is open to all. If you’re Queer, that’s great! If you’re not, that’s fine. Naturally, sensitivity and respect is, of course, expected... Please message me on here if you have any questions. Best wishes, Caprice Jackson

Dear Poetry enthusiasts, Newham Poetry Group focuses on amplifying marginalised voices, supporting young locals, LGBTQ+ individuals, migrants and people from the global majority. We know poetry has the potential to change not only individuals' lives but also communities. **Full programme** available at [www.newhampoetrygroup.com](http://www.newhampoetrygroup.com/). We have a maximum capacity of 20 participants per session, so book early to secure your spot. **Event details** Location: The Gate Library, 6-8 Woodgrange Road, E7 0QH Date: Every Thursday Time: 6:15 pm - 7:45 pm Our sessions are free of charge. However, we welcome donations. Light refreshments are provided. We look forward to welcoming you to our poetry sessions and creating meaningful experiences together.

A casual Thursday night writing session in Crouch End, North London, for anyone who is looking for writing accountability and to make some likeminded friends! Writers of all levels, backgrounds and genres are welcome, whether you’re working on a novel, a screenplay, a short story, or something else entirely, feel free to join for some focused writing, editing, or plotting time. This group is purely for accountability and quiet writing time, nobody will see what you’ve written and we don’t host critiques or readings (this is part of the Shut Up and Write! ethos). Time: 7pm-9pm Venue: 26 Broadway Parade Crouch End, London N8 9DE Exact timings: 7-7.15pm Welcome/introductions 7.15-8pm Silent writing #1 8pm-8.15pm Break 8.15-9pm Silent writing #2 9pm End of session/social time I look forward to writing with you! Your host, Anna :) **Other Important Details:** WiFi name/password: [PLEASE INCLUDE DETAILS] Travel / Parking info: [PLEASE INCLUDE DETAILS] For our full event schedule, visit https://shutupwrite.com.

Join us for Pink Ink - our LGBTQ+ creative writing support group! Pink Ink offers a safe writing space to all LGBTQ+ people to come together to write, share and discuss work. Each workshops will offer up 2-3 creatives writing exercises in a a fun sociable setting - refreshments, snacks and an opportunity to chat about writing, poetry, authors and a whole lot more! Our January workshops will also include a poetry exercise which will support any creative writers looking to enter the LGBT Swichboard [Poetry Competition ](https://switchboard.lgbt/switchboard-news-poetry-comp/) Every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month 7-9pm 86 Caladonian Rd

**Bookable via our website ➡️** [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-mornings-3/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/events/clothes-making-altering-workshop-6-mornings-3/) **⋆⋆⋆** Do you want to jump into making your own clothes but have never used a pattern? Do you wish to copy a beloved piece of clothing? Would you like to learn how to adjust your own pattern to fit just you? Learn how to take body measurements, read and alter a commercial pattern to fit, lay out and cut fabric and construct a finished garment to a high standard using one of our Janome 525s or Bernina 1008 series sewing machines. During the sessions of this small group of learners you will gain confidence and improve any sewing skills you already have. If you have never used a machine, we can guide you through making a simple garment from a purchased pattern. Bring your own pattern or use one of our small selection. If you have sewing experience but want to start creating your own patterns, you can learn how to create a bespoke piece of clothing. You can also bring a piece of clothing to alter or fix. We supply the basics and the calico you will use to make a ‘toile’ (an inexpensive mock up) to save you ruining your chosen final fabric. Along the way, talented tutor and seamstress will teach you lots of techniques and tips to ramp up your sewing passion. This is a perfect class if you have been teaching yourself so far, or if your last project was made a long time ago at school. **Suitable for:** Suitable for beginners, enjoyable for those with experience. A good level of English and basic math skills are useful. **Next start date:** Check our website for more dates: [https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/](https://www.thegoodlifecentre.co.uk/clothes-making-altering/)

This event is a **poetry social**, a chance to meet poets and share your poetry and poetry thoughts informally. Please be aware this is not our regular session of around the table poetry sharing, but a **chance to chat and connect with other London poets**. That said, you are of course welcome to read and perform your poetry for those who want to hear it. Just be aware there can be some background noise in the area where we meet. There will be some tables and chairs set up for us **outside the poetry library on the fifth floor**. Coffee and tea are available in the cafe on the ground floor. Also be aware there may be some external noise from the nearby children's library and south bank centre members attending events. If you have not attended our group before, please introduce yourself to David, the organiser. This session is right next to the poetry library, so a perfect opportunity to browse and share published poetry with others as well. Make sure to be quiet when inside and using the library.

A chance just to work in company on your writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing or work stuff. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. WE FILL THE ROOM, so you MUST SIGN UP below AND ARRIVE BY 11.40 at the latest, or we can’t guarantee you a seat. And if you can't make it CHANGE YOUR RSVP to "not going" ASAP to give someone else a chance, thanks. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 11.00 - Café starts serving 11:30 - Host of the day will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 11.40 - Brief introductions for everybody - your name and what you’re working on 11:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 12:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 11.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places ASK THE CAFE STAFF, they may be able to seat you in the adjacent restaurant section (without having to buy food). If not then there's sofas on the sales floors below as well as one cafe at the back of the ground floor and another in the basement. The hosts won't have any other alternatives to offer you. Please feel free to join us for the break and afterwards. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura and Anna

**Torture is a messy business but we writers must transform our characters by any means necessary.** Join a torturous seminar on how to surface core conflicts into cruel but useful tensions that will transform your main characters as the story unfolds. Character growth, development, transformation - call it what you will - is a fiction fundamental but not every story achieves the promise of the premise when it comes to delivering for readers. First though, you must understanding your story's capacity to 'torture'. This seminar will show how to create character transformations with practical writing techniques and you'll engineer more compelling stories for your readers, as a result. If a character doesn't grow, they die. How will your story inflict the appropriate level of emotional and psychological pain to produce change in your core characters? Sounds tough but it is not. I believe this is the stuff that keeps readers guessing, hypothesising, riven mad, turning pages frantically until 3am to find out what happens and every writer must aspire to be read with greed, no? In three hours (with a short break) we'll go through how to expand and apply internal and external conflicts for your protagonist, recognise which conflicts will drive your character forward, and pull that tension so tight it threatens to snap on any page. Brilliant. 'The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself ' - William Faulkner LEVEL: This session is designed for writers with a basic understanding of plotting, story structure and character development. If you're unsure if that's you, please message me and I'll be happy to advise. TIMING: Saturday, February 28th from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. LOCATION: The Artillery Arms, 102 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8ND. Nearest stations are Old Street, Barbican and Moorgate. We have hired the room but please don't bring your own food and drinks. The pub landlord will have my head! TICKETS: £20.00 to pay for content, preparation, venue hire and event organising. Please follow the steps to pay via PayPal when you RSVP. Refunds or credits will only be offered if the meetup is cancelled by admin. Please change your RSVP to 'Not Going' if you can no longer attend as we often have people waiting and we'd hate for them to miss out. Download the Meetup app to manage your RSVPs quickly. Please post below if you have questions above the above. Hope to see you there!

Join us at the top of the biggest bookshop in Europe to work in company on your own writing, be it a book, blog, screenplay, dissertation, poem, song, coursework, memoir, play, journal, travel writing or work stuff. Newcomers always welcome. No one will see what you're writing or give you unsolicited advice. Now that our Saturday events are filling the room we're testing out a Sunday, same format but an hour later. In case it's as popular as our Saturdays we're saying that you MUST SIGN UP below AND ARRIVE BY 12.40 at the latest, or we can’t guarantee you a seat. And if you can't make it CHANGE YOUR RSVP to "not going" ASAP to give someone else a chance, thanks. WHERE? FIFTH FLOOR CAFÉ, Floor 5, Waterstones, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1J 9LE TIMINGS:- 12.00 - Shop and café open 12:30 - Host will be there. Say hello, especially if you’re new. 12.40 - Brief introductions from everybody - your name and what you’re working on 12:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 13:30 – Break, chat to your neighbours if you like 13:45 - Timer starts: write for 45 minutes 14:30 - The End…feel free to stay and keep writing or chat some more. Bring whatever you need to be able to write. It’s a café, there’s some noise so earbuds/headphones/earplugs are handy. There’s very few mains sockets so charged-up laptops are a good idea too. And please remember everybody, thank our venue by buying a drink or food, and don’t consume anything from outside while you're here. IF YOU ARRIVE AFTER 12.45 - everyone will be quiet and writing. If there's no spare places ASK THE CAFE STAFF, they may be able to seat you in the adjacent restaurant section (without having to buy food). If not then there's sofas on the sales floors below as well as one cafe at the back of the ground floor and another in the basement. The hosts won't have any other alternatives to offer you. Please feel free to join us for the break and afterwards. We’re looking forward to writing with you, your hosts, Sarah, Nick, Laura and Anna

## [You're welcome to book your space directly via our website, here: https://www.writeandpint.com/events/the-unknown-spirit-chaos-and-creative-writing-food-drink-handouts-a-pub-quiz] ... ## Hello there! So, what do we mean when we say *spirit*? Is there meaning in the universe, or only stories we like to tell ourselves? Does God exist, or not, and what happens when certainty collapses? What do we do with chaos, doubt, nihilism, mystery, and the things we can't know for certain? This Write & Pint workshop invites you into **The Unknown**: the vast, unsettled territory where existential questions, spiritual longing, disbelief, myth, and imagination meet. Not to resolve these questions, but to **live inside them**, to test language against the ineffable, and create. Together, we’ll be touching on themes like: * Meaning, being, and time * God (or not), belief, disbelief, and doubt * Spirit (across traditions: Abrahamic, Buddhist, Taoist, mystical, and esoteric) * Chaos, nihilism, and creative destruction * Mystical atheism and radical unknowing * Conspiracy, esoterica, spaghetti monsters, little green men, and the stories we invent to survive/make sense 👽 This is, of course, a **creative writing day**, designed to help you generate new fiction and/or poetry through guided prompts and shared enquiry. ## What we’ll read Across the day, we’ll draw from a wide range of writers, poets, mystics, philosophers, and mythic traditions. These will be **short excerpts, fragments, and quotations** used as sparks for writing, not as material to analyse in depth. So, there will be **plenty of time to write**. The readings exist only to open doors. Texts may include brief passages or quoted lines from: ### Fiction, Philosophy & Cultural Thought * **Fyodor Dostoevsky** * **Sergey Nechaev** (via *The Master of Petersburg*) * **Albert Camus** * **J. M. Coetzee** * **Jacques Derrida** * **Simone Weil** * **Clarice Lispector** * **Anne Carson** * **Louise Glück** ### Mystical & Non-Western Traditions * **Rabia al-Adawiyya** * **Hafiz** * **Rumi** * **Kabir** * **Mirabai** * **Ryokan** * **Han Shan** * **Chögyam Trungpa** * Selections from the **Tao Te Ching** ### Folklore & Myth * **Amos Tutuola** * **Birago Diop** These voices allow us to move beyond certainty, beyond Western rationalism, beyond fixed belief, and into paradox, absence, longing, humour, terror, devotion, doubt, and not-knowing. ## What we’ll write You’ll be guided through a series of **creative writing exercises and prompts** designed to help you write fiction and/or poetry around *The Unknown*, whatever that means to you. There is **no pressure to share**, though you’ll be warmly invited to if you wish. As always, our intention is to gather **likeminded, creative, enquiring, compassionate people**, writers, readers, thinkers, believers, atheists, doubters, and question-askers alike. ## Schedule **11:00am** Arrive, order your tea or coffee, settle in, meet some friendly faces. **11:00–11:30am** Introductory writing exercises to familiarise ourselves with words, images, feelings, and intuitions around *The Unknown*. **11:30am–1:00pm** Short readings and quotations paired with creative writing prompts. **1:00pm** Lunch break: a Finch’s pub brunch. **2:00–4:00pm** More writing, more prompts, more exploration. You’ll leave with new material to take home, edit, and keep. **4:00–5:00pm** 🎉 **The Write & Pint Pub Quiz** A fun, light-hearted general knowledge quiz covering culture, films, literature, history, and society, a playful way to end the day together. ... If you have any question at all, about this full day workshop or any of our other events, you're very welcome to text or WhatsApp me on +44 (0) 7534 981 636. Cheers! Sean (A Write & a Pint).

## [You're welcome to book your space directly via our website, here: https://www.writeandpint.com/events/the-unknown-spirit-chaos-and-creative-writing-food-drink-handouts-a-pub-quiz] ... ## Hello there! So, what do we mean when we say *spirit*? Is there meaning in the universe, or only stories we like to tell ourselves? Does God exist, or not, and what happens when certainty collapses? What do we do with chaos, doubt, nihilism, mystery, and the things we can't know for certain? This Write & Pint workshop invites you into **The Unknown**: the vast, unsettled territory where existential questions, spiritual longing, disbelief, myth, and imagination meet. Not to resolve these questions, but to **live inside them**, to test language against the ineffable, and create. Together, we’ll be touching on themes like: * Meaning, being, and time * God (or not), belief, disbelief, and doubt * Spirit (across traditions: Abrahamic, Buddhist, Taoist, mystical, and esoteric) * Chaos, nihilism, and creative destruction * Mystical atheism and radical unknowing * Conspiracy, esoterica, spaghetti monsters, little green men, and the stories we invent to survive/make sense 👽 This is, of course, a **creative writing day**, designed to help you generate new fiction and/or poetry through guided prompts and shared enquiry. ## What we’ll read Across the day, we’ll draw from a wide range of writers, poets, mystics, philosophers, and mythic traditions. These will be **short excerpts, fragments, and quotations** used as sparks for writing, not as material to analyse in depth. So, there will be **plenty of time to write**. The readings exist only to open doors. Texts may include brief passages or quoted lines from: ### Fiction, Philosophy & Cultural Thought * **Fyodor Dostoevsky** * **Sergey Nechaev** (via *The Master of Petersburg*) * **Albert Camus** * **J. M. Coetzee** * **Jacques Derrida** * **Simone Weil** * **Clarice Lispector** * **Anne Carson** * **Louise Glück** ### Mystical & Non-Western Traditions * **Rabia al-Adawiyya** * **Hafiz** * **Rumi** * **Kabir** * **Mirabai** * **Ryokan** * **Han Shan** * **Chögyam Trungpa** * Selections from the **Tao Te Ching** ### Folklore & Myth * **Amos Tutuola** * **Birago Diop** These voices allow us to move beyond certainty, beyond Western rationalism, beyond fixed belief, and into paradox, absence, longing, humour, terror, devotion, doubt, and not-knowing. ## What we’ll write You’ll be guided through a series of **creative writing exercises and prompts** designed to help you write fiction and/or poetry around *The Unknown*, whatever that means to you. There is **no pressure to share**, though you’ll be warmly invited to if you wish. As always, our intention is to gather **likeminded, creative, enquiring, compassionate people**, writers, readers, thinkers, believers, atheists, doubters, and question-askers alike. ## Schedule **11:00am** Arrive, order your tea or coffee, settle in, meet some friendly faces. **11:00–11:30am** Introductory writing exercises to familiarise ourselves with words, images, feelings, and intuitions around *The Unknown*. **11:30am–1:00pm** Short readings and quotations paired with creative writing prompts. **1:00pm** Lunch break: a Finch’s pub brunch. **2:00–4:00pm** More writing, more prompts, more exploration. You’ll leave with new material to take home, edit, and keep. **4:00–5:00pm** 🎉 **The Write & Pint Pub Quiz** A fun, light-hearted general knowledge quiz covering culture, films, literature, history, and society, a playful way to end the day together. ... If you have any question at all, about this full day workshop or any of our other events, you're very welcome to text or WhatsApp me on +44 (0) 7534 981 636. Cheers! Sean (A Write & a Pint).

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Greetings writers! Come down and join your fellow wordsmiths for one hour of uninterrupted writing time in the upper level of the Market District Supermarket in Upper Arlington. The main entrance of the shopping center opens onto stairs/elevator leading up to the 2nd floor cafe section where we will have a table displaying a sign with the Shut Up & Write logo. Writing is largely a solitary craft. Practicing with others in a community setting may be the thing you need to fire your own routine. We’ll meet on Wednesday evenings, starting the clock at 6:30, following a brief period of introductions. This is solid writing time and all inclusive. Any project is acceptable, be it fiction, non -fiction, work or homework assignment. All is welcome and will remain private to you. The market boasts a Starbucks, a full service bar and various affordable food options. Parking is plentiful, free Wifi is provided as well as outlets for charging your devices, though they are somewhat limited, so plan accordingly. Show up as early as you like, or stay late. This group tends to socialize some, both before and after the alloted time, but this is not mandatory to you. Feel free to come and go as you please and late arrivals are welcome. The cafe may be noisy on occasion so headphones/ earbuds are reccommended as you see fit. Please try to RSVP if possible so that we may grab enough seats for all—the venue can be busy at times. Feel free to message me privately wth any questions and/ or concerns you may have. Happy writing!

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**