The Basics is a course designed for early-stage writers looking to make their first steps to write a novel. Spread over five weeks, the course will be run by four award-winning debut novelists and an experienced editor. Each session will standalone, so you don’t need to sign up to each one to take part. They will also be recorded so you can catch up. 

  In the third session, Han Smith, author of Portraits at the Palace of Creativity and Wrecking, will cover the basics of plot and structure for a fiction novel. She will discuss how she structured and developed the plot of her novel and work through a series of exercises to help you structure your project and understand how to create a compelling plot. 

A note about this being free

This workshop is free to you. We ask that you only book a space if you are committed to attending. By doing this, you are supporting Spread the Word to continue to offer free workshops. If you have booked a place and can no longer attend, please get in touch to cancel your place on [email protected]. If you only want to receive the recording of this workshop, and don’t plan to attend, please do not sign up, but email us and we’ll send you the link.

Access Notice 

• If you require BSL interpretation to take part, please email us at [email protected] by 22 May and we’ll try to secure BSL interpretation for you. Spread the Word will cover this cost.

• We’ll send through any reading seven days in advance. We can create adapted handouts to writers attending our workshops and events by request.

• If you have additional access needs or questions, please email us on [email protected]