You can have a brilliant premise for a story, wonderful characters and a gripping plot – but none of that is any good if the words that you put on the page don’t bring them all to fresh and vivid life. Agents and editors talk about the voice of a novel, but if you want to develop as a writer and sustain your career, you need a wider, deeper, richer understanding of the business of writing prose.

In this practical, all-day workshop led by Emma Darwin, we will dig deep into every aspect of how you choose which words get onto your pages: not only the all-important narrative voice, and characters’ voices and dialogue, but the underlying craft and technical skill which will raise your writing to a new level.

The Away Day will have limited numbers of like-minded writers at a similar stage in their writing journey. The event is in a beautiful country house in a garden setting. Costs include lunch and afternoon tea.

You should leave feeling stretched and inspired, with a notebook full of exciting experiments – some full of potential, some more polished – and a stronger sense of the possibilities that you, personally, want to explore and develop in the future.

Literary Agent Q&A

Over afternoon tea Charlotte Seymour, literary agent and Bookseller Rising Star 2021, will talk about what she is looking for in debuts and will go through the submission process commenting on cover letters and synopses with tips for what to include and what to avoid. She will share her thoughts on industry trends and the commercial side of the business.

In an increasingly competitive market, it’s more important than ever to be well informed and prepared when seeking representation.

To find out more, click through to the Blue Pencil website.