Karen's blog: National Centre for Writing newsletters

Here are the latest National Centre for Writing newsletters, including a free downloadable writing resource pack, for my followers to peruse:

Download our free writing resource pack on 'Structure'

September 2021

Free writing resources: Structure
Writer interviews plus techniques and tips for you to try

There are countless ways to structure a story. The decisions you make will fundamentally define the experience of your readers. In our latest pack of free writer resources, we're talking all about structure and the firm foundation needed to make your story successful.

Journalist Chitra Ramaswamy interviews Rebecca Watson, author of the Desmond Elliott Prize-shortlisted novel little scratch, about how the story and its structure are inseparable
Award-winning writer Rob Shearman argues that structure is every bit as important as the more commonly discussed aspects of a novel
Science fiction and fantasy writer Simon K Jones takes a more technical look at how to practically handle the structure of a large project using the writing software Scrivener

Don't forget to check out our other resource packs...

Top picks from The Writing Life podcast archive

Kate Mosse and the Women's Prize for Fiction →

Working collaboratively on a translation →

Winnie M Li on writing dual narratives →

Kate Mosse and the Women's Prize for Fiction →

Working collaboratively on a translation →

Winnie M Li on writing dual narratives →

Read Like a Writer – online event with Vahni Capildeo
Saturday 25 September, 10am - 12noon BST, online, £35 / £25 conc

Our popular 'Read Like a Writer' event is back! Learn how Forward Prize-winning poet Vahni Capildeo draws inspiration and technique from the books that they love. Discover how to be an attentive and creative reader, and how to use this skill to strengthen your own writing.

This friendly online session is perfect for anyone who writes poetry or is interested as a reader in how the process works – especially if you are fascinated by choice of language on a word-by-word level, or are seeking new ways to write the environment, the senses and physical or emotional sensation.

Ten-week intermediate fiction writing course with Ian Nettleton
Begins Monday 27 September at Dragon Hall in Norwich

Take your writing to the next level and discover ways to make your novel or short stories stand out with this friendly, supportive, ten-week intermediate course led by expert tutor and published writer Ian Nettleton.

Through a combination of group discussion and one-to-one feedback, Ian will equip you with the skills and knowledge to progress on your writing journey. Teaching will take place in person at Dragon Hall.

From Monday 27 September, 7 - 9pm, Dragon Hall, Norwich, £225 / £200 conc

Last few places remaining!

Last chance to book – online tutored courses co-designed with UEA

Make space for your writing this autumn with our online writing courses designed in partnership with the University of East Anglia. Over 12 weeks of inspirational teaching, exercises and assignments, you will receive personalised feedback on your work from the tutor and gain confidence in your chosen field.

Most courses are now fully booked for the autumn semester, but there are a handful of places remaining on...

Start Writing Fiction – one place left!

An Introduction to Scriptwriting – one place left!

Tune in for International Translation Day!
Thursday 30 September, online and nationwide

Every 30 September, English PEN hosts a programme of talks, workshops and networking opportunities for literary translators, in celebration of International Translation Day.

This year, English PEN is also working with the National Centre for Writing to gather events happening throughout the country in celebration of ITD into a nationwide programme.

Tune in online for a series of conversations, workshops and opportunities from organisations across the country.

ITD 2021 is supported by the Booker Prize Foundation and ALCS.

You may also be interested in...

Writing Happiness – workshops for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent writers

Application deadline: Thursday 30 September

A creative writing workshop course exploring writing happiness for D/deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent writers, including those with long term mental health problems and chronic illnesses. The workshops are free and will be held online on Zoom throughout November. Find out more →

Call for proposals for NAWE Conference 2022

Deadline: Monday 1 November

Calling everyone who teaches, studies, or organises creative writing in education! Proposals for workshops, talks and panels exploring the theme of renewal and resilience in creative writing and teaching practice are invited for NAWE’s 2022 conference. Find out more →

Open call: Silence Awareness Existence residency program in Finland

Deadline: Thursday 4 November

Silence Awareness Existence is a thematic residency program in Finland for artists and creative minds across artistic, scientific, meditative and existentialistic fields. Residencies are available for 1 - 2 months in January - March 2022 in Hämeenkyrö, Finland. Find out more →

Donate to the National Centre for Writing

As a UK registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to make our work possible. Please consider making a donation today to ensure that the writers of tomorrow get the support they need to thrive and tell their story, whatever their background. Find out more →

The National Centre for Writing is supported by:

Copyright © 2021 National Centre for Writing, All rights reserved.

Registered charity number: 1110725

Our mailing address is:

National Centre for Writing

Dragon Hall

115 - 123 King Street

Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1QE

United Kingdom

Join us online for author discussions and writing workshops

Kicking off tomorrow — join us online for author discussions and writing workshops which investigate the ways in which crime writing can help us make sense of today's world.

Our headline event is the highly-anticipated Noirwich Lecture from bestselling and award-winning US author Megan Abbott. This Friday 10 September at 7pm BST, on YouTube, Megan will deliver a rich, nuanced, and thoughtful reflection on the ethics and responsibility of the crime writer, and the need to reframe the focus in news journalism.

'Abbott is a legend for good reason' – The Washington Post

'While undoubtedly one of our best crime novelists, Abbott has also always struck me as akin to an anthropologist' – The Paris Review

More free online events...
Free to enjoy – book in advance to receive a streaming link

Book club discussion: Mrs Mohr Goes Missing — limited places left!
Thursday 9 September, 5pm BST, Online

Join us for an informal and friendly discussion of the first book in Maryla Szymiczkowa's Agatha Christie-style book series set in Poland, Mrs Mohr Goes Missing.

Register your free place →

Launch of Postmortem, the UEA MA Crime Fiction Anthology 2021
Thursday 9 September, 7pm BST, Online

Enjoy short readings from future stars of UEA's creative writing school at the live online launch of Postmortem, a gripping anthology of crime fiction (published by Eggbox).

Register your free place →

How to write an attention-grabbing debut with Greg Buchanan, Femi Kayode & Catriona Ward
Saturday 11 September, 5pm BST, Online

UEA alumni Greg Buchanan, Femi Kayode and Catriona Ward reveal where to find inspiration for your story, how to write an attention-grabbing debut, and what gave them their big break.

Register your free place →

Murder in Tokyo: David Peace
Saturday 11 September, 7pm BST, Online

David Peace, the award-winning author of the Red Riding Quartet, GB84 and The Damned Utd, dissects his ‘astonishing’ (Guardian) new novel Tokyo Redux – set in Japan in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Register your free place →

Behind the Torn Curtain: Maryla Szymiczkowa & Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Sunday 12 September, 4pm BST, Online

Polish writing duo Jacek Dehnel and Piotr Tarczynski are joined by translator Antonia Lloyd-Jones to discuss the writing and translation of Karolina, or the Torn Curtain, the second book in their Poland-based crime series.

Register your free place →

Your House Will Pay: Steph Cha
Sunday 12 September, 7pm BST, Online

Join Steph Cha, author of the explosive novel Your House Will Pay, for a look at how genre writing can interrogate issues of identity, structural injustice and power in the world today.

Register your free place →

Creative writing workshops...

Courtroom & interview scenes with Imran Mahmood — limited places left!
Friday 10 September, 10am or 2pm BST, Online

Learn to write gripping, realistic courtroom and interview scenes for your fiction in this workshop led by practicing criminal defence barrister and novelist, Imran Mahmood.

Register your free place →

Poison pen writing with E.S. Thomson — limited places left!
Saturday 11 September, 10am or 2pm BST, Online

Let historical crime writer E.S. Thomson guide you through poison’s potential for storytelling; including creating a murderous atmosphere and getting your research right. Come prepared to kill your characters!

Register your free place →

Non-fiction writing with Paul Willetts — limited places left!
Saturday 11 September, 10am or 2pm BST, Dragon Hall, Norwich

Join the critically acclaimed author of Rendezvous at the Russian Tea Rooms for a friendly writing workshop packed with practical tips and advice on how to research, structure and write your non-fiction story. Please note: this is an in-person workshop.

Register your free place →

The Sins of the Past with Mary Paulson-Ellis — limited places left!
Sunday 12 September, 10am or 2pm BST, Online

Times bestselling novelist Mary Paulson-Ellis leads an informal, interactive online workshop exploring the ways that memory and history can be used to haunt the present in your fiction.

Register your free place →

Donate to Noirwich Crime Writing Festival

Each year the National Centre for Writing and University of East Anglia work together to bring you some of the most talented, exciting and fresh voices in crime writing. Your generosity will mean that Noirwich Crime Writing Festival can continue year on year to create innovative and inclusive events. Please donate when reserving your tickets during checkout, or by clicking the button below. Thank you! Donate today →

Noirwich Crime Writing Festival is a partnership between National Centre for Writing and University of East Anglia, sponsored by The Crime Vault. With support from Arts Council England, Norwich City Council, Norwich BID, Norfolk County Council, Jarrold and VisitNorwich.

The National Centre for Writing is supported by:

Join us online or in person and dedicate some time to your writing

Online and in-person workshops and courses for autumn 2021

Ten-week fiction writing courses with Ian Nettleton

We're delighted to announce the return of our popular ten-week fiction writing courses with Ian Nettleton! Ian has been leading sold-out fiction courses at NCW for a number of years, with many of his students going on to publish their work. Through a combination of group discussion and one-to-one feedback, Ian will equip you with the skills and knowledge to progress on your writing journey. Intermediate and advanced evening courses are available. Maximum 15 students per course. Teaching will take place in person at Dragon Hall in Norwich (intermediate) or online across Zoom and an online course portal (advanced).

‘Ian has such a wide background and packs every minute of the course with information and advice. His attitude is encouraging and non-judgmental. He is the best tutor I have ever had.' – Sheila Preston, former student

Intermediate course begins Mon 27 September, 7 – 9pm, Dragon Hall, £225 / £200 conc

Advanced course begins Tue 28 September, 7 – 9pm BST, online (Zoom), £225 / £200 conc

Read like a writer with Vahni Capildeo (poetry)

Do you love reading poetry? Are you fascinated by language on a word-to-word level? Reconnect with the joy of close reading in this friendly online workshop with Forward Prize-winning poet Vahni Capildeo.

Through a variety of examples and exercises, Vahni will share how you can use reading and the poems that inspire you to strengthen your own writing. Plus – you will have the chance to ask Vahni your questions at the end of the session.

Sat 25 September, 10am – 12 noon BST, online (Zoom), £35 / £25 conc

Exploring voice in fiction with Olumide Popoola

Voice and point of view are a crucial aspect of writing memorable characters and compelling stories that spark the reader's imagination. In this online workshop multi-talented writer, speaker and performer Olumide Popoola will explore the creative potential of different perspectives and how to establish a compelling voice from the very first sentence of your story

Sat 9 October, 10am – 1pm BST, online (Zoom), £45 / £35 conc

How to write about climate change with Lynn Buckle

Join Lynn Buckle, experienced tutor and author of What Willow Says and The Groundsmen for an online workshop exploring how you can address and find positive solutions to climate change through your writing.

This workshop is open to writers of any level and genre; whether you are looking to tackle big issues in your work, or simply interweave subtle solutions into the backdrop of your stories.

Sat 23 October, 10am – 1pm BST, online (Zoom), £45 / £35 conc

Try writing through body movement with Sally-Anne Lomas

Can the way we move influence our writing? Join YA author Sally-Anne Lomas and Story Machines producer Sam Ruddock for an online workshop which will help you bring mind and body together.

Through writing activities and simple exercises (accessible to all), you will explore how breath, posture, and a wide range of movements can generate creative ideas and take your writing in new and exciting directions.

Saturday 4 December, 10am – 12.30pm GMT, online (Zoom)

The National Centre for Writing is supported by:

August 2021

NCW Book Club: Sudden Traveller
Join our in-person or virtual discussions of Sarah Hall's book

Join the NCW Book Club! We are currently reading Sudden Traveller by Sarah Hall – her third story collection. Featuring her signature themes of identity, eroticism and existential quest, these stories travel far afield in location and ambition. A winner of the BBC National Short Story Award 2020, the book has been described as ‘an ambitious, powerful and, at times, deeply unsettling book’ (Observer).

Discussions will take place online via Zoom (5.30pm BST, Friday 17 September) and in person at Dragon Hall in Norwich (6pm, Wednesday 22 September). Places are free but limited so we recommend booking in advance.

Free online events celebrating international writing and translation
Register for free events in our Meet the World autumn series

Our Meet the World series aims to celebrate our ongoing connections with international writers and translators by sharing their writing and ideas with new readers. This autumn we will host speakers from Singapore, Argentina, Vietnam, Nepal, Japan and more, to explore topics ranging from translation as a creative act to the ways we can write and tell stories in a more tactile way.

All events will take place on YouTube and are free to register. Start time is 7pm BST.

Translation as a Creative Act

Tuesday 14 September

Shash Trevett, Sawad Hussain and Nazry Bahrawi discuss the importance and implications of creative license in translation, drawing on their own experience. Moderated by poet and translator George Szirtes. Register now →

International Translation Day: Out in the World

Tuesday 28 September

Join Sebastián Gutiérrez, Nguyễn An Lý and Rabi Thapa for a fascinating discussion about the power of literary and theatre translation for exploring identity and equality. Tune in for a conversation that spans countries, politics and languages, from Argentina to Vietnam to Nepal. Register now →

Crossing Boundaries

Tuesday 12 October

What does it mean to be an ‘outsider writer’? Liyana Dhamirah from Singapore, Rolinda Onates Española from the Philippines and Eva Verde from the UK will share their journeys and approaches towards writing as a form of expression and engagement. Register now →

Stitching Stories

Tuesday 26 October

We explore how art and craft inform the way we can write and tell stories in a more tactile way. Jennifer Anne Champion in Singapore, Mariko Nagai in Tokyo and Sally-Anne Lomas in Norwich discuss their encounters with embroidery and where it has led them in their own literary work. Register now →

The Perfect Crime

Writing Festival

9 - 12 September 2021

Online event: Discover killer crime novels from UEA graduates
Saturday 11 September, 5pm BST, online, free to register

Discover your next favourite book from our selection of the best crime novels from graduates of the University of East Anglia. Emerging crime superstars Greg Buchanan (Sixteen Horses), Femi Kayode (Lightseekers) and Catriona Ward (The Last House on Needless Street) will reveal where to find inspiration, how to write an attention-grabbing story, and what gave them their big break.

Workshop: True crime writing

A friendly writing workshop packed with practical tips and advice on how to research, structure and write your non-fiction story. Read more →

The Noirwich Lecture 2021: Megan Abbott

The bestselling US author explores the possibilities and pitfalls of adapting books for big screen giants like Netflix and HBO. Read more →

Your House Will Pay: Steph Cha

The author of the explosive Your House Will Pay interrogates issues of identity, structural injustice and power in society today. Read more →

Noirwich Crime Writing Festival is programmed by National Centre for Writing and the University of East Anglia.

Top picks from The Writing Life podcast archive

Lewis Buxton explores boyhood through poetry →

Exploring form and feeling with Will Harris →

Ambiguity and metaphor with Thomas McMullan →

Lewis Buxton explores boyhood through poetry →

Exploring form and feeling with Will Harris →

Ambiguity and metaphor with Thomas McMullan →

Last few places remain on our tutored online writing courses
Designed in partnership with the University of East Anglia

Focus on your writing this autumn with a 12 or 24-week online writing course and get personalised feedback from an experienced tutor. All courses are capped at 15 places to ensure a tailored experience. Starting September/October.

Historical Fiction – fully booked!

Scriptwriting – limited places left

Creative Non-Fiction – one place left!

Fiction – limited places left

Poetry – limited places left

Memoir – fully booked!

Crime Fiction – fully booked!

Writing Fiction: Next Steps – apply now

You may also be interested in...

Enter Text residency programme in Hämeenkyrö, Finland

Deadline: Thursday 2 September

Enter Text is an international residency programme for writers, researchers and artists working with text, based at Arteles Creative Center, Hämeenkyrö, Finland. Both established and emerging creatives are encouraged to apply for stays in October, November or December. Find out more →

Collusion seeks Lead Artist for MANIFESTO

Deadline: Thursday 9 September

Collusion is looking for a lead artist to produce interactive climate change focused artworks for their 2022 King's Lynn project MANIFESTO. The selected artist will receive a fee of £10,000 and will work with three or four other artists from the area. Find out more →

Feedback needed from D/deaf or disabled writers, literature audience members or creative producers

Deadline: 5pm, Tuesday 21 September.

CRIPtic Arts and Spread the Word are collaborating on Access to Literature research. If you’re a D/deaf or disabled writer, literature audience member or creative producer, please share your experiences and thoughts to help them to build a more accessible literature sector. Find out more →

Donate to the National Centre for Writing

As a UK registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to make our work possible. Please consider making a donation today to ensure that the writers of tomorrow get the support they need to thrive and tell their story, whatever their background. Find out more

The National Centre for Writing is supported by:

Twelve-week online poetry course begins September

Learn the building blocks of poetry and get personalised feedback on your writing

Twelve-week online poetry course begins Monday 20 September 2021

Dedicate some time to your writing with our flexible, friendly and constructive online writing course tutored by Helen Ivory, author of The Anatomical Venus (Bloodaxe Books). You’ll read inspiring poets, explore how poems take shape, and begin to create and share your own work with a friendly supportive group.

Designed in partnership with the creative writing school at the University of
East Anglia, this course will provide a structured framework and valuable one-to-one feedback to help you progress on your writing journey.

Special offer: All creative writing online courses include a free 12-week digital subscription to Granta Magazine!

Limited spaces remaining

Feedback from previous participants

‘Helen Ivory is an excellent tutor; a warm and generous character, providing excellent feedback and helpful ideas to improve my own efforts, and giving gentle nudges to make me experiment.’

– Jacqueline Smith

'The exercises in each module were stimulating and encouraged my creativity. It gave me more confidence in my ability.'

– Angela

Building blocks for great writing

During the course you will participate in modules around the following topics, sharing ideas with your fellow students, completing guided writing exercises and receiving expert, constructive feedback.

What is poetry anyway? – exploring where poems come from, and exercises to generate ideas
The image – ways to make images with as few words as possible
The metaphor – examining what a metaphor is and how to extend one over an entire poem
White space – the importance of line breaks and stanza breaks
Who’s talking? – who is the narrative speaker of your poem?
Musicality – the use of repetition and the sound of a poem

Maximum of 15 students to ensure a personal experience.

About the tutor

Helen Ivory is a poet and visual artist. She has won an Eric Gregory Award and her fifth Bloodaxe Books collection, The Anatomical Venus, was shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards (2019) and won the East Anglian Writers ‘By the Cover’ Award

Fool’s World, a collaborative Tarot with the artist Tom de Freston (Gatehouse Press), won the 2016 Saboteur Award for Best Collaborative Work. Hear What the Moon Told Me, a book of collage/ mixed media/ acrylic painted poems was published in 2016 by Knives Forks and Spoons Press, and a chapbook Maps of the Abandoned City was published in January 2019 by SurVision. She edits the webzine Ink Sweat and Tears.