Residential Writing Course: Fiction

If you want to write character-driven contemporary fiction with real heart, join bestselling authors Freya North and Matt Cain for this supportive and inspiring week in Shropshire. Learn how to conjure compelling plots, a vivid sense of place, and stories with emotional impact. Freya and Matt will reveal the craft behind their many successful novels and help you structure and edit your own work. During the week’s workshops, writing exercises and one-to-one tutorials, they will teach you how to access your unique writer’s voice – and explain what action to take when words don’t flow. Freya, who presents the popular ‘Wednesday Writers’ discussion series on Instagram Live, will help you access your natural creativity, explaining that there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to write. And Matt will draw on his background as an award-winning journalist to teach you how to pitch your work effectively, as well as making suggestions for how to prepare for – and learn from – any criticism or rejection writers may experience along the way. You’ll also enjoy an evening with bestselling author Clare Pooley, as she reads from her work and shares insights in a Q&A on Wednesday. Freya and Matt will also advise on routes to publication and how to navigate the industry, making this course particularly suitable for those with a novel-in-progress who are hoping to build a long-term career as an author and who value a strong emotional connection with their readers.