Dear Writerly Friends,
Happy New Year and welcome to your January newsletter.
Whether or not you buy into the idea of New Year's resolutions, January offers a natural time to look at the year ahead and consider what you would like to work towards with your writing. Perhaps it's setting aside more time to refine your craft. Perhaps you would like to connect with fellow writers or maybe you want to try something new to inspire you in your creativity.
We hope that our programme of offerings will help support you in your pursuits throughout 2026. This year we are offering courses and workshops to develop your skills, help you monetise your writing, explore different genres, guide you in applying for funding, and more.
You have a few days left to apply to join our Room 204 Writers Development Programme, and we hope that you will jot down the date for our National Writers Conference taking place in June.
Enjoy! |
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| WRITING SHORT STORIES with Jane Rogers
Discover the techniques involved in writing an effective short story, from crafting an arresting opening to vivid characterisation and an evocative setting.
Mondays from 2nd March to 30th March 2026, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT via Zoom. |
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| WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION with Alison May
Romance is an eternally popular genre and right now it’s making waves with a new generation of readers. Established romance author Alison May will share the skills and knowledge to create romance on the page and incorporate emotion and love stories in your fiction.
Tuesdays from 17th February to 27th March 2026, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT via Zoom. |
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| FREELANCE FEATURE WRITING: FROM PITCH TO PUBLICATION with Caroline Butterwick
Discover how to write and sell feature articles for newspapers and magazines with freelance journalist Caroline Butterwick.
Wednesdays from 7th January to 4th February 2026, 19:00 – 21:00 GMT via Zoom.
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Are you a writer looking for funding to develop your craft? An Arts Council England's Developing Your Creative Practice (DYCP) award gives writers, storytellers and performers the time and funding they need to develop their creativity.
With DYCP Round 24 opening in April 2026, this two-part workshop is designed to help you work out how you want to develop your creative practice, define your goals and shape a compelling application.
Whether you're new to Arts Council England funding or want to refine your approach, these sessions will equip you with practical tools and insights to take the next step in your creative journey.
This double online workshop runs on Wednesday 18th March and Wednesday 25th March 2026, 19:00-20:30 GMT Led by Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands
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SLOW POETRY: WRITING THROUGH HIBERNATION WORKSHOPS with CARA THOMPSON
Our friends at WasafiriMag are running three workshops with writer, performer, artivist, and Nottingham's first Nature Poet Laureate, Cara Thompson. Workshops can be booked separately or a pass is available for all three workshops.
Workshop 1: ‘Resting in Poetry’ Drawing on images and examples of natural dormancy and hibernation, we’ll experiment with restorative, unhurried writing that embraces slowness as a creative companion. When: Tuesday, 13 January, 7 - 9pm GMT
Workshop 2: ‘Nesting in Poetry’ By responding to examples of sheltering, cocooning, and quiet preparation in the natural world, we’ll explore how writing can offer comfort, steadiness, and a sense of inner refuge during the final stretch of the season. When: Tuesday, 17 February, 7 - 9pm GMT
Workshop 3: ‘Renewal in Poetry’ By responding to examples of natural emergence and early growth, we’ll reflect on what the winter months have taught us about slowness and how these lessons can accompany us into the brighter season ahead. When: Tuesday, 17 March, 7 - 9pm GMT
Tickets: £35 (Concessions available), £95 (Workshop pass to attend all three workshops) |
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LAST CHANCE TO APPLY TO ROOM 204 |
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Room 204 is our annual writer development programme which allows writers from across the West Midlands to develop their skills through mentoring, networking, one-to-ones with Writing West Midlands staff, performances and access to the wider Room 204 network of 205 writers.
It has been running since 2012, and we recruit annually. Writers join for an initial year, but their membership never expires and we will continue to support Room 204 writers for as long as they wish us to.
Please read the submission criteria carefully before you start your application.
Deadline to apply for the 2026 cohort is noon on the 7th January 2026. |
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Match-Funded Donation Week - Save the Dates! |
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Will you help us make Creative Writing accessible to all?
In March 2026 we will be raising funds to allow us to keep giving free places for our Spark Young Writers Programme, courses, workshops and events to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.
“This gives my child access to creative learning that is so valuable to every aspect of her development and gives her the opportunity to feel seen and to dream of what else she might be capable of in the future, whether it's in this field or in a completely different one.” – parent of Spark Young Writers Group participant
During the 17th-24th March 2026, all donations will be match-funded, meaning that any contribution you make will be doubled - a fantastic opportunity for us to make double the impact. Please save the dates! |
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*More tickets released*
Join prose writer Sally Jenkins and Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands, for a conversation about getting into print and developing as a writer. Sally Jenkins has been writing for three decades and her career has spanned magazine letters’ pages, short stories, articles, self-publishing, partnership publishing, working with an agent, choosing to part company with that agent and, finally, in 2022 signing a three-book traditional publishing deal with Choc Lit, an imprint of Joffe Books. The third of those books, Out of Control, came out in March 2025 and Sally has been re-signed by Choc Lit to write two further later-in-life romances, the first of which will be out in 2026.
Find out more about Sally at: https://linktr.ee/SallySJenkins7 Sally and Jonathan will be happy to answer questions following their conversation, and there will be time for informal networking after the event. Our thanks to Core Creatives and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council for kind provision of the venue. Venue: Rehearsal Room, Core Creatives, The Core, Theatre Square, Homer Road, Touchwood, Solihull B91 3RG Date/Time: Saturday 31st January 2026, 11:00 – 12:00 GMT |
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NATIONAL WRITERS CONFERENCE |
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The Libraro Book Deal Prize is a new global competition designed to open up publishing opportunities for emerging writers and discover new voices through the Libraro platform.
Submissions can be from any adult fiction genre, including crossover YA. Writers are invited to submit: - The Story About Your Story: a short reflection on the work and inspiration behind it
- A Blurb: a concise description of the work
- Sample Chapters: up to 10,000 words
- Full First Draft: secure upload only, visible to judges and partners with permission
One winner will receive a £50,000 publishing package (£30,000 advance and £20,000 marketing contribution), with additional support for shortlisted authors to refine and present their work to publishers. Entry is free and open to writers aged 18+ worldwide who are currently unrepresented by a literary agent.
Entries open from 8 January 2026 to 31 January 2026 Upload now for FREE: Register as a WRITER on Libraro.com with the LIBRARO2025 code before entries formally open.
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| Win the chance to stage YOUR PLAY at Stoke Rep Theatre! |
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Writers are invited to submit an extract from a play they have written.
This must be new and original work and not any form of adaptation.
Entries should consist of a synopsis of the plot and an excerpt from the script. Please contact scriptcomp@stokerep.co.uk for full instructions and entry form.
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This year, Penguin Books are excited to be parting with Puffin and Ladybird to find new Children’s writers in the UK & Ireland.
WriteNow is Penguin UK’s award-winning programme to seek out, nurture and publish writers from under-represented backgrounds - Open to aspiring Children’s writers aged 18 or over residing in the UK or Republic of Ireland to apply
- Selected writers gain workshops, one-to-one feedback, and the opportunity to join a year-long editorial development programme.
Application deadline: 7 January 2026 at 11:59 pm |
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Footnote x Counterpoints Prize for Fiction, is a new award celebrating writers from refugee and migrant backgrounds. The prize is supported by Footnote Press (an imprint of Bonnier Books), Counterpoints Arts – and the Southbank Centre. The award is open to anyone from a refugee or migrant background, agented or unagented, if they are a resident of the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. It is worth £15,000 and a publishing deal to the winner.
Submissions must consist of a sample of 8,000 to 10,000 words, a detailed synopsis of a minimum of 1,500 words, an author bio and video, and the answers to a few further questions about the author and their proposed novel. The submissions window will be open until February 13th 2026, with a shortlist chosen in May and the winner announced to coincide with Refugee Week in June 2026.
You can find all the details below, and the link for more information is here: |
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Opportunities For Writers |
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The Rubery Book Award 2026 The Rubery Prize is a prestigious international book award is seeking the best books by indie writers, self published authors and books published by independent presses, judged by reputable judges.
Your entry must either be self published or published by an independent press. Closing date 31st March 2026 click here for more information.
Mentoring One to One for Developing Novelists Worcester-based author, editor and writing tutor, Alison May, is currently offering a limited number of book mentoring one-to-ones for developing novelists on a 'pay what you can' basis.
As a writing mentor, Alison is happy to discuss any genre of fiction or narrative non-fiction, and has worked with authors who have gone on to be published by imprints including Avon, Bookouture, Boldwood, HQ Stories, and Headline, and who have self-published successfully. During these one-to-ones you can brainstorm a new idea, get advice on a niggling problem with your novel-in-progress, or discuss a publishing or writing career quandary. The idea is that it's simply a chance to get direct one-to-one support with your writing, without the cost getting in the way. How you use that time really is up to you.
More information and booking here: https://tidycal.com/alison5/55-minute-meeting
Europeana Creative Climate Action Award Launched in collaboration with the Europeana Network Association’s Climate Action Community, the Europeana Creative Climate Action Award is now open for entries. These must be 500 words of creative writing, fiction or poetry inspired by one or more of the images in our Europeana Creative Climate Action Award gallery, which has been curated by the Europeana Climate Action Community.
Up to ten winning entries will be published in a special Europeana exhibition in the spring of 2026 and celebrated at the Digital Storytelling Festival in May 2026. In addition, the first-placed writer will receive one year's 'gold' membership to Writers' HQ, giving them access to every event, course and tool Writers' HQ provides! There will also be a prize for the top-placed entry by a member of the ENA Climate Action Community.
Find more information here: https://bit.ly/488sVeq
Stratford Scribes Creative Writing Group Unlock your creativity in 2026. Explore fiction, poetry and memoir writing. For beginners and experienced writers alike. Course starts Wednesday 14th January 2026, 10 weekly sessions. 10.45 am -12.45 pm. Venue: Stratford Methodist Church Hall, Old Town, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 6BG Contact via http://www.stratfordscribes.co.uk/
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| The Way the Water Held Me, the debut poetry collection by Room 204 member Catherine Redford, has been acquired by The Emma Press and will be published in March.
A mesmeric plunge into the caring, grief, loss, and love experienced by a young widow, the collection has been described by Fiona Benson as ‘essential, transformative reading […], a gorgeous wound and wonder of a book’.
The Way the Water Held Me is available to PRE-ORDER NOW. |
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| Primordial Dance:Paintings by Helen Garrett with Poetry by Kate Innes (Room 204 Writer- 2015 Cohort) Kate’s work in poetry and fiction is inspired by her background working in archaeology and museums. She seeks out the stories held within places and objects – exploring the physical and spiritual lives of our ancestors.
Check it out: Helen Garrett - Befriending The Mystery - Official Trailer |
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Farewell, Peggy!
The end of 2025 brought with it the end of an era for WWM with our finance manager Peggy Long retiring after 16 years of working with us and over 50 years in the workforce.
Peggy has been an integral part of our team for many years, not only in her role as finance manager but also as a valuable contributor to the delivery of our events and to our weekly team meetings, and for many of the team as a wise and caring friend and 'office mum'. Suffice to say we will miss her very much and wish her all the best on her next adventure.
Jonathan Davidson |
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We hope this newsletter has brought something to inspire, develop and encourage you in your writing journey.
If you have any questions or feedback, don't hesitate to contact us.
See you next month!
Best wishes,
The Team at Writing West Midlands |
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Writing West Midlands is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. |
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