Writing Events
Upcoming Writing Events
Here are details of my upcoming writing events.
Subscribers to my premium writing newsletter can attend writing workshops and other events for free – the fees are included in the monthly subscription.
Non-subscribers can buy tickets for some of the premium writing newsletter writing events and workshops.
You can learn more about the benefits of subscribing to my premium writing newsletter here.
Writing Events Calendar
WORKSHOP on Wednesday 25th February 2026:
"Deal-Breakers: How to test your readers’ attention (and their patience!)" workshop hosted by Dr Lynda Nash in association with Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom.
A fiction is a collaboration between writer and reader. When we pick up a book or a short story, we enter into a deal with the author. Some books ask for a simple handshake while others demand a full-blown contract scrutinised by lawyers. The sentiment is the same: the writer agrees to entertain us and we agree to keep reading. But what happens when one or the other breaks their side of the agreement…?
SPOKEN WORD EVENT on Thursday 26th February 2026:
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales #40 at The Robin Hood in Bristol. The theme is "Hibernation". Talking Tales is a warm, friendly story-telling / poetry / spoken word night, showcasing the talent of Bristol and beyond. Free to attend. Full details here.
WORKSHOP on Wednesday 25th March 2026:
"Form & Fiction: A Literary Rebellion" workshop hosted by James Woolf in association with Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom.
James Woolf has had many short stories published that ride a coach and horses through traditional storytelling methods. For example, 'R v Sieger – additional document disclosed by the Crown Prosecution Service' is structured like a bundle of court documents. Other stories that significantly play with form include a transcript of a documentary about a man’s disastrous appearance on a naked TV dating show, and 'ARMAGEDDON – A Game of Daring and Duplicity' which is simply the rules for a board game and has neither characters nor narrative. If you’ve ever thought about breaking free from conventional ways of telling stories, this is the workshop for you.
SPOKEN WORD EVENT on Thursday 16th April 2026:
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales #41 at The Robin Hood in Bristol. The theme is "Spring". Talking Tales is a warm, friendly story-telling / poetry / spoken word night, showcasing the talent of Bristol and beyond. Free to attend. Full details here.
PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER ONLY critique meeting on Wednesday 22nd April 2026:
Critique meeting hosted and facilitated by Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom. Participants submit a piece of writing up to 2,000 words in length. It can be ANYTHING: flash fiction, non-fiction, a novel opening, poetry – any form of creative writing. All attendees read every submission prior to the meeting and provide some feedback. Any constructive criticism is delivered in an honest but kind and respectful manner. The idea is to help and encourage people.
If you're interested in becoming a premium subscriber, you can learn more here.
2 x WORKSHOP on Saturday 13th June 2026:
"Flash Fiction Writing" and "Using Humour in Short Story Writing" workshop hosted by Christopher Fielden for Axe Vale Arts at Axe Vale Arts Centre, Axbridge, BS26 2AA.
You can find out more on the Axe Vale Arts website.
Flash Fiction Writing
What is flash fiction? It’s a short form of writing, with low word limits (usually under 1,000 words). Flash focuses on a single moment or idea, hinting at a larger world and leaving room for reader interpretation. At the workshop, we’ll discuss the art of very short fiction and undertake a variety of practical writing exercises. Two of the exercises will focus on bad writing habits:
- Overusing adverbs: this can weaken a piece of writing by making it wordy, vague and “telling” instead of “showing”.
- Overusing sensory description: inundating the reader with too many details regarding sight, sound, smell, taste or touch, resulting in “purple prose”.
Participants will be offered the opportunity to have their work published in support of charity via the writing challenges I run.
You can learn more about the challenges here.
Using Humour in Short Story Writing
I’ll share the 'To Hull And Back' humorous short story competition judging criteria to help illustrate the art of writing humorous stories. An example story will be read, showing how the advice given has been used in practice to achieve publishing success. Then, we will all discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the example story.
This workshop will include at least one humour writing exercise – maybe more, if time allows.
SPOKEN WORD EVENT on Thursday 16th July 2026:
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales #42 at The Robin Hood in Bristol. The theme is "Hot, hot, hot". Talking Tales is a warm, friendly story-telling / poetry / spoken word night, showcasing the talent of Bristol and beyond. Free to attend. Full details here.
WORKSHOP on Wednesday 23rd September 2026:
"Around the World of Poetry" workshop hosted by Emilie Lauren Jones in association with Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom.
Bookings will open in April 2026.
Emilie's poetry has been featured on local and national radio, including BBC Radio 3, 4, 5 Live and 6 Music. Her poetry has also featured on national television including Sky Arts and BBC4. She has performed alongside poets such as Simon Armitage, Roy McFarlane and Hollie McNish. In 2021, the year Coventry became UK City of Culture, she became the city's first Poet Laureate. In this workshop, Emilie will deliver a whistle stop tour of different poetry genres, each from a different continent. We will look at haiku (Asia), praise poetry (Africa) and Golden Shovel (North America). If time allows we will also look at ekphrastic poetry (Europe).
SPOKEN WORD EVENT on Thursday 29th October 2026:
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales #43 at The Robin Hood in Bristol. The theme is "Spooks". Talking Tales is a warm, friendly story-telling / poetry / spoken word night, showcasing the talent of Bristol and beyond. Free to attend. Full details here.
Past Writing Events
WORKSHOP on Wednesday 21st January 2026:
'Flash Fiction Writing' workshop hosted and facilitated by Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom.
Bookings are now closed. Premium subscribers have access to the workshop video. If you're interested in becoming a premium subscriber, you can learn more here.
This is a practical workshop, focussing primarily on a variety of short fiction and flash fiction writing exercises. It's all about having fun with words, brain storming ideas and then sharing what you've written with other attendees. We'll get the creative juices flowing and there will be an opportunity to see your work published after the workshop.
PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER ONLY critique meeting on Tuesday 16th December 2025:
Critique meeting hosted and facilitated by Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom. Participants submit a piece of writing up to 2,000 words in length. It can be ANYTHING: flash fiction, non-fiction, a novel opening, poetry – any form of creative writing. All attendees read every submission prior to the meeting and provide some feedback. Any constructive criticism is delivered in an honest but kind and respectful manner. The idea is to help and encourage people.
WORKSHOP on Saturday 29th November 2025:
'Micro Fiction is the New Rock ‘n’ Roll' workshop hosted by Allen Ashley in association with Christopher Fielden, online via Zoom.
Bookings are now closed. Premium subscribers have access to the workshop video. If you're interested in becoming a premium subscriber, you can learn more here.
In this welcoming and active workshop, led by British Fantasy Award winner Allen Ashley, you will be learning about the various forms of Micro Fiction, focusing on lengths of 6, 10, 25 and 100 words as well as being guided to write your own micros during the session. Tell it slant? Nah, tell it short!
SPOKEN WORD EVENT on Thursday 30th October 2025:
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales #39 at The Robin Hood in Bristol, celebrating the launch of the To Hull And Back Short Story Anthology 2025.
FanStory Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #11, online via Zoom - Wednesday 15th October 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Inkspot Publishing Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #10, online via Zoom - Wednesday 24th September 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Twisting the Truth – Exaggeration and Fabrication OR How to Lie and Get Away with It! Lynda Nash Workshop, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #9, online via Zoom - Wednesday 27th August 2025 - premium subscribers have access to the workshop video - if you're interested in signing up, you can learn more here
How to Make Your Writing REAL James Woolf Workshop, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #8, online via Zoom - Wednesday 23rd July 2025 - if you're interested in signing up, you can learn more here
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales, The Robin Hood, Bristol - Thursday 17th July 2025
Guts Publishing Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #7, online via Zoom - Tuesday 10th June 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Corrine Leigh Clark (author) Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #6, online via Zoom - Wednesday 4th June 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Humour Writing Workshop, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #5, online via Zoom - Wednesday 21st May 2025 - premium subscribers have access to the workshop video - if you're interested in signing up, you can learn more here
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales, The Robin Hood, Bristol - Thursday 17th April 2025
Elegant Literature Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #4, online via Zoom - Wednesday 26th March 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Not Quite Write Interview, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #3, online via Zoom - Sunday 16th March 2025 - you can listen to the conversation on my interviews page
Publishing Workshop, Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #2, online via Zoom - Wednesday 26th February 2025 - if you're interested in signing up, you can learn more here
Stokes Croft Writers Talking Tales, The Robin Hood, Bristol - Thursday 30th January 2025
Premium Writing Newsletter Meeting #1, online via Zoom - Wednesday 29th January 2025
Elegant Literature online workshop "Publishing vs Self-Publishing" - 7th December 2024
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol - Thursday 26th September 2024
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol - Thursday 25th January 2024
Elegant Literature online workshop "How to Earn Money Writing" - 13th January 2024
Elegant Literature online workshop "Humour Writing" - 21st October 2023
Elegant Literature online workshop "Art of the Short Story" - 23rd September 2023
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol - 7th September 2023
Elegant Literature online workshop "Flash Fiction Writing" - 26th August 2023
TogetherintheUK Zoom workshop "Publishing and producing an anthology" - 29th June 2023
Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Writers Room - 18th May 2023
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol - 10th May 2023
Cardiff 75 launch, Waterstones, Cardiff - Wednesday 26th April 2023
Book of Bristol launch, Holden Foyer, Bristol Central Library - 14th March 2023
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Small City Bookshop, Bristol - 23rd February 2023
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, The Wild Goose, Bristol - 23rd September 2022
NAWGFest 2022, Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre, Staffordshire - 2nd to 4th September 2022
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, online via Zoom - Saturday 15th January 2022
The Cosy Gang, online via Zoom - Monday 10th January 2022
Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales, online via Zoom - Saturday 11th December 2021
St Padarn's Institute, The Metropole Hotel and Spa, Llandrindod Wells - Monday 22nd November 2021
The British Fantasy Society Convention, Birmingham - 24th to 26th September 2021
Sensorially Challenged Volume 3 book launch 0n Zoom - Friday 21st May 2021
British Fantasy Society 'President’s Spoken Word Special' - Tuesday 19th January 2021
Reading Writers Annual Writing Day (Zoom) - Sunday 29th November 2020
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 11th February 2020
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 10th December 2019
Alternative Afterlives book launch, Max Minerva's, Bristol - Saturday 30th November 2019
FantasyCon, Glasgow - Friday 18th to Sunday 20th October 2019
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 8th October 2019
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 20th August 2019
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 11th June 2019
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Tuesday 9th April 2019
Presentation for Caerphilly Scribes, Caerphilly Library, Wales - Thursday 28th March 2019
Flash Fiction and Poetry, Storysmith, Bristol - Wednesday 20th March 2019
Daisy Garland charity cheque presentation, Baked Bean Museum of Excellence, Port Talbot, Wales - Sunday 27th January 2019
Flash Fiction Festival double book launch, St James Wine Vaults, 10 St James Street, Bath - Saturday 19th January 2019
Newbury Book Fair - Saturday 15th December 2018
The unveiling of Captain Beany's head tattoo, Newbury - Friday 14th December 2018
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales & the 2018 To Hull And Back short story anthology book launch - Saturday 8th December 2018
Cafe Kino, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales as part of the Bristol Festival of Literature - 27th October 2018
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - 16th June 2018
Writing Challenge TRIPLE Book Launch, The Colonel Fawcett, London - Sunday 10th June 2018
Daisy Garland Ball & Auction, The Belvedere, London - Saturday 19th May 2018
Allenthology Book Launch, The King's Head, Enfield, London - 12th May 2018
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - 21st April 2018
Society of Medical Writers Spring Conference and Writing Workshop - The Art Workers Guild, London - Wednesday 18th April 2018
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - 17th February 2018
Launch of Flash Festival One, Beaufort Bookshop, Bath - 27th January 2018
The Squat Pen Rests, The Wyvern Theatre, Swindon - 26th January 2018
Caring in Bristol Survival Handbook workshop #3, Arkbound, Bristol - 26th January 2018
Sensorially Challenged Vol 1 book launch, Alexandra Park Library, Alexandra Park Road, London, N22 7JU - Sunday 14th January 2018
James Woolf In Denial script reading, Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, London - 8th Jan 2018
InkTears book launch, The Sun Pub, Drury Lane, London - 4.30pm, Sat 16th December 2017
Caring in Bristol Survival Handbook workshop #2, St Mungos, Bristol - Thurs 14th December 2017
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales & the 2017 To Hull And Back short story anthology book launch - Saturday 9th December 2017
Rhiannon Lewis book launch, Embassy of Chile, London - Thurs 7th December 2017
Caring in Bristol Survival Handbook workshop #1, St Mungos, Bristol - Weds 29th November 2017
New College LitFest, Swindon - Wednesday 8th November 2017
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales as part of the Bristol Festival of Literature - Sat 28th October 2017
Book Busk at the Bristol Festival of Literature - Sat 28th October 2017
No. 51, Stokes Croft - The Bristol Festival of Literature Flash Slam - Fri 20th October 2017
Professional Writing Academy student Q&A, Ireland - Weds 27th September 2017
A Nonsensical Reading Extravaganza, the Donnington Grove, Newbury - Sun 9th July 2017
Presentation to students at St Brendan's 6th Form College, Bristol - Mon 3rd July 2017
2 x Cliché Workshop, Bath Flash Fiction Festival - Sat 24th & Sun 25th June 2017
Arkbound & First Story's National Writing Day Workshops, Bristol Energy Hub, BS1 5UH - Wednesday 21st June 2017
Professional Writing Academy Interview, Ireland - Sun 11th June 2017
Satellite of Love's Wordathon, The Dark Studio, The Arnolfini, BS1 4QA - Sat 10th June 2017
Burdall’s Yard, Bath - SCW present Talking Tales @ The Bath Fringe Festival - 2nd June 2017
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - 22nd April 2017
Talk for Croydon Writers, Croydon, London - Monday 10th April 2017
Author Presentation at St Marys CEVA Primary School, Portbury - Monday 27th March 2017
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Saturday 18th February 2017
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales & the 2016 To Hull & Back short story anthology book launch - Saturday 10th December 2016
Trade Secrets Short Story Writing Workshop at Chip Lit Fest - Tuesday 29th November 2016
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales as part of the Bristol Festival of Literature - Saturday 22nd October 2016
No. 51, Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3QP - The Flash Slam @ the Bristol Festival of Literature - Friday 21st October 2016
Talk for Rushmoor Writers @ Farnborough Community Centre - Weds 12th October 2016
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Saturday 13th August 2016
Arkbound 'Boundless Magazine' launch, Bristol - Friday 10th June 2016
Burdall’s Yard, Bath - SCW present Talking Tales @ The Bath Fringe Festival - 5th June 2016
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Saturday 16th April 2016
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Saturday 20th February 2016
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Monday 14th December 2015
Café Kino, Bristol - To Hull & Back Anthology Launch - Friday 27th November 2015
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales (The Speakeasy) as part of the Bristol Festival of Literature - Saturday 24th October 2015
Bristol Fest of Literature Flash Slam, The Crofter's Rights, Bristol - Friday 23rd October 2015
Bristol Book Bazaar Day 2, The Green Lab, Bristol - Sunday 18th October 2015
Bristol Book Bazaar Day 1, The Green Lab, Bristol - Saturday 17th October 2015
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - 17th August 2015
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Monday 15th June 2015
Left Bank, Bristol - Stokes Croft Writers present Talking Tales - Monday 13th April 2015
Small Bar, Bristol - Small Stories reading - Monday 2nd February 2015
Foyles, Bristol - To Hull & Back Anthology Launch - Friday 28th November 2014
Learn About My Services
You can learn more about the author presentations and writing workshops I offer in the writing services section of my website.
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