The Writers’ Space
The Writers’ Space allows writers to connect and learn
Writers at all stages, join our 12-month online Writers’ Space to improve your craft, talk to industry experts and network with your peers across the North of England.
For £50, members of the Writers’ Space will gain access to:
- Digital seminars led by writers and industry experts
- Craft focussed online workshops with the Lead Writer
- Optional online Writing Hours for space to write and network
- Quarterly online drop-in sessions with New Writing North
- Access to the Writers’ Space Facebook group
The Writers’ Space offers one online session a month for 12-months. Every other month will be a seminar focussing on a range of industry topics, and the alternate month will be a practical writing workshop, using breakout groups to help you connect with fellow writers.
In addition to these facilitated sessions, there will be a choice of Writing Hours each month for independent writing and networking. New Writing North will also host an online drop-in every quarter, to offer support for specific issues, and an optional Facebook group will be available for members.
We’ve revamped last year’s programme with a focus on facilitating writers to make organic connections, alongside guided writing workshops and informative seminars. Find out practical details and what to expect below.
Session schedule and dates
Dates and times
These fixed sessions will take place on the second Thursday of the month, and seminars will be recorded for you to access in your own time.
Thursday 12 September – Seminar (recorded)
Putting the (yo)U in Community with Yvonne Battle-Felton
In this interactive session, we will use writing prompts and sharing information to begin to get to know one another better and discuss what we’d like to get out of writing networks. In small groups, we will share best (and worst) experiences, advice for creating new relationships, and craft a plan for how we plan to engage with future networks. Together, we will discuss what we want and need from writing networks and strategies (or tips) on how to get it.
Yvonne Battle-Felton, author of Remembered, is an author, academic, host, creative producer, editor, and podcaster. Remembered was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction (2019) and shortlisted for the Jhalak Prize (2020). Curdle Creek (Dialogue Books, UK/Henry Holt US) her second novel, will be published in October, 2024. A storyteller at heart, Yvonne writes short stories, creative nonfiction, and also writes for children. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. Yvonne is Senior Commissioning Editor (fiction) at John Murrays and Academic Director of Creative Writing at Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education.
Thursday 10 October – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Thursday 14 November – Seminar (recorded)
Thursday 12 December – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Thursday 9 January – Seminar (recorded)
Thursday 13 February – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Thursday 13 March – Seminar (recorded)
Thursday 10 April – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Thursday 8 May – Seminar (recorded)
Thursday 12 June – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Thursday 10 July – Seminar (recorded)
Thursday 14 August – Practical writing workshop with Amelia Loulli
Further seminar speakers to be revealed.
All sessions will be 6.30–7.30pm.
What to expect from seminars and workshops
The digital seminars will be informative sessions, led by a writer or industry expert. The sessions will offer writers the chance to ask questions and will be available as recordings to access on demand. The six topics the seminars will cover will include:
- How to form networks as a writer
- Insight into indie and self-publishing
- Practical advice on editing and goal-setting
- Informational session with a literary agent
The seminars aim to have relevant information across genres and forms – but we acknowledge that this isn’t always possible for such a broad pool. As there will be some seminars that are prose focussed, if you’re solely interested in screenwriting, scriptwriting or poetry, you might find some of New Writing North’s other offers to be a better fit.
The workshops will be practical sessions, with new exercises and prompts each time to inspire your writing. The workshops will be led by the Lead Writer, Amelia Loulli throughout the 12-months of the programme and will utilise breakout rooms to encourage writers to share their work and further connect with their peers. Whether you are interested in multiple forms or have a singular focus, the practical workshops can be used to experiment with something new or put time towards your current project.
What to expect from Writing Hours and New Writing North drop-ins
The Writing Hours will be optional Zoom sessions, at two different times each month. These Zooms will be unfacilitated, and act as a space where writers can come together at fixed times to write together and spark conversation in the chat.
New Writing North will also host an optional trouble-shooting drop-in once a quarter. Every three months at 12pm on a Friday, a member of the New Writing North programme team will be available for anyone who would like to ask a question or find further support for their work.
How will the Writers’ Space help me to connect with other writers?
As an online development group, The Writers’ Space allows writers to access learning remotely and in their own time. It also has the benefit of connecting you to writers from across the whole of the North. However, we appreciate that it can be harder to build networks online than in-person.
This year’s Writers’ Space has new elements to make this easier. The first facilitated session will focus on how writers can build networks and have more interactive elements to introduce you to members of the group. Similarly, the workshops will be a very interactive space, where you will be able to share work with different breakout groups of your peers each time. The Writing Hours each month will provide dedicated time that is unfacilitated and purely for you to connect with peers on Zoom.
The Facebook group is another optional benefit of The Writers’ Space. We understand that not everyone has or wants a Facebook account, but for those who would like an additional resource to share opportunities or just say hello to members of the group – the Facebook space is there.
For those of you looking for even more connection with peers, you can opt-in to be put directly in touch with members of the group who have similar interests.
About the lead writer
Amelia Loulli’s debut poetry collection Slip is published by Jonathan Cape. Amelia is a Creative Writing PhD candidate whose work has won a Northern Writers’ Debut Poetry Award; been highly commended in the Forward Prizes and the Magma Poetry Competition; as well as shortlisted for the Bridport Prize six times. Amelia is currently working on her second poetry collection and a verse novel.
Amelia will deliver all of the Writers’ Space practical writing workshops and will be on hand to support writers throughout the year.
“Having a monthly session helped keep my mind on my writing and refreshed my practice.”– Writers’ Space Member, 2023-2024
FAQs
Will seminars be recorded?
The seminars will all be recorded and sent to all members after each session. Workshop sessions will not be recorded.
Will workshops be recorded?
No, they will not. Seminars will be recorded, but workshops will be interactive and so not recorded for the privacy of those attending.
How do I join the Facebook group?
You will be sent the link to join the Facebook group after you purchase your membership and before the first session. If your name on Facebook is different to the name you used when you bought your membership, please let us know before requesting to join as the group will be kept private for Writers’ Space members so names that are not recognised will be rejected.
Do I have to join the Facebook group?
No, the Facebook group is optional. All information will be sent to members via email, so it is not required to be part of the Facebook group.
The Facebook group is a bonus space to get to know one another and share how your writing is going. Feel free to share links to your published work, as well as writing opportunities, grants, festivals, events, competitions, etc.
Who do I contact for questions or issues?
Please direct all enquiries about The Writers’ Space to [email protected]
