We are delighted to announce our autumn programme, running from October-December.
Come and be part of an online writing community with our free Write Together workshops led by Rachel Long for writers of all levels.
Our Developing Tutors workshop programme is back with Bunmi Ogunsiji and Elaine Williams delivering ‘Writing in Your 50s: Menopause’, Merrie Joy Williams will be running ‘Using the Music of Poetry to Magnify Your Prose’ and Kira McPherson’s workshop ‘How to Write Humour When You’re Not That Funny.’
Rachel’s workshops and the Developing Tutors workshop are running on a ‘Pay What You Can’ basis – we invite participants to pay what they can to attend these workshops.
Our paid activities include Mummy Writes: a baby-friendly writing workshop for Lewisham-based parents and Winnie M Li will be running an online course via Slack on ‘Writing Social Justice. For both of these events there will be bursary places available to writers who are on a low income, writers of colour, disabled, LGBTQIA+ and working class. Please go to each event page for more details on how to apply for this.
Writers will also have the opportunity to book onto our series of 1-2-1 sessions led by our Writer Development Manager, Eva Lewin, which includes three Fiction Surgeries (19 October, 23 November, 14 December) and two Getting to Where You Want to Be sessions (26 October, 16 November).
As part of our create-write-connect campaign we are committed to creating free accessible opportunities for writers in recognition of the financial difficulties many people are facing. This season, Sharlene Teo will be running an online course delivered via e-mail on ‘Sound and Soul on the Page’, that will be free and we’re delighted to share that Joel Richardson will be running a workshop on ‘How to Edit Your Crime Novel.’
If you are in a position to make a donation to our campaign to support writers, Spread the Word and the invaluable work of the Trussell Trust, you can do so here: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/spreadthewordxthetrusselltrust
Details on our full programme can be found below. Please note that all workshops will take place on Zoom, and the online courses will be delivered via Slack and Mailchimp.
We welcome all writers onto our workshops. If you have access requirements and would like to attend, please email [email protected], to discuss how we can support your needs.
We know that the booking system on our website is not fully accessible to Blind writers. If you would like to book on to one of our workshops, please contact us at [email protected] and we’ll make sure your booking is put through. We are in the process of developing a new website which will be fully accessible. We recommend that Blind writers sign up to our Access List to receive priority booking of our seasonal programmes: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/access-policy/.
Autumn programme
Writing Your 50s: Menopause with Bunmi Ogunsiji and Elaine Williams
A reflective writing workshop for small groups of women in their 50s exploring themes related to the menopause. The focus is on conversation, contemplation and (re)considering menopause from a creative standpoint. This session will run three times throughout the day with writers invited to join one of them.
3 October, 10am-4pm
Pay what you can (Developing Tutors series)
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/writing-your-50s-menopause-with-bunmi-ogunsiji-and-elaine-williams/
Write Together with Rachel Long
An opportunity for writers of all levels and all genres to be part of an online writing community, engaging in fortnightly sessions themed around an aspect of the craft or an interview with an established writer. There are five sessions in the series – you are welcome to join them all or book onto individual sessions. Please note that if you want to attend them all, you need to book onto all the sessions individually.
6 October, 6:30-8pm
20 October, 6:30-8pm
3 November, 6:30-8pm
19 November, 6:30-8pm
3 December, 6:30-8pm
Pay what you can
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/workshops-events/
Winnie M Li: Writing Social Justice – online course via Slack
Are you driven to explore a particular social justice issue in your writing? Through set texts, assignments, and discussion, award-winning writer and activist Winnie M Li will help you develop an approach to balancing your writing craft with your sociopolitical impulses.
8 October-18 November
PAID – bursaries available (£79, £89, £99)
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/writing-about-social-justice-with-winnie-m-li/
Mummy Writes: A Baby-Friendly ‘Begin to Write’ Boot Camp
A workshop for Lewisham-based new parents to get creative, meet new mums and begin to write a short story, all while snuggling with their baby led by Nici West.
17 October, 10am-12pm
PAID – bursaries available (£8, £9, £10)
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/mummy-writes-a-baby-friendly-begin-to-write-boot-camp/
Sound & Soul on the Page: Finding & Developing Your Own Unique Writing Voice with Sharlene Teo – online course via Mailchimp
This practical and immersive email course guides you through the process of discovering and develop your own unique writing voice in order to write engaging stories that connect with readers.
15 October-12 November
FREE – as part of create-write-connect
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/create-write-connect-free-activities-this-autumn/
Genre-Fluid: Using the Music of Poetry to Magnify Your Prose with Merrie Joy Williams
Learn to leap across boundaries and balance on ledges to create memorable scenes, chapters, features or articles.
11 November, 6:30-8:30pm
Pay What You Can (Developing Tutors series)
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/genre-fluid-using-the-music-of-poetry-to-magnify-your-prose-with-merrie-joy-williams/
How to Edit your Crime Novel with Joel Richardson
Learn the basics of self-editing to help you take your first draft and develop it so it’s ready for agents, publishers and readers.
24 November, 6:30-8:30pm
FREE – as part of create-write-connect
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/how-to-edit-your-crime-novel-with-joel-richardson/
How to Write Humour When You’re Not That Funny with Kira McPherson
Good fiction is usually funny fiction – in this workshop you’ll learn ways to write humour without using absurd setups, broad punchlines or scathing wit.
9 December, 6:30-8:30pm
Pay What You Can (Developing Tutor series)
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/how-to-write-humour-when-youre-not-that-funny-with-kira-mcpherson/
Members of the London Writers Network scheme get 10% off our paid courses and a free space at our next London Writers Network event on 17 November. Details below!
London Writers Network: Understanding Author Finances with Curtis Brown.
Join us for a seminar that aims to give insight into the nitty-gritty of agenting with a focus on author finances. Led by literary agents, Karolina Sutton and Lucy Morris.
17 November, 7:00-8:30pm
FREE for members, £4.80 / £6 for non-members
Book here: https://www.spreadtheword.org.uk/events/london-writers-network-understanding-author-finances-with-curtis-brown/
Published 4 September 2020
Updated 5 October 2020