top of page

Writer’s Workshop: 12-Week Course

Take your writing further with this friendly and practical 12-week course.

Through guided exercises, group discussion and constructive feedback, you’ll explore the essential building blocks of effective writing, including character, plot, setting, genre and the basic rules that help bring a piece together.

You’ll experiment with prose, poetry and scriptwriting while developing your own ideas and discovering the forms and styles that suit you best. Whether you’ve completed an introductory course or already enjoy writing independently, this workshop will help you build confidence, improve your technique and keep your creativity flowing.

The course runs on Fridays from 1pm–3pm at Stoke Methodist Church, from 18 September to 11 December 2026. There is no session on 30 October.

Places are limited to 12 participants.

Sharing your work

Build the confidence to share short pieces or extracts of your writing in a supportive small-group environment.

Constructive feedback

Learn how to offer thoughtful, specific feedback that helps other writers strengthen and develop their work.

Receiving feedback

Explore how to listen to different perspectives, ask useful questions and decide which suggestions support your intentions.

Core writing skills

Strengthen essential skills including characterisation, voice, style, plotting, description and exposition.

Editing & rewriting

Recognise overwriting, identify areas for improvement and use feedback to revise your work with greater purpose.

What you'll learn

Share

Across the 12 weeks, you’ll have at least three opportunities to share a short piece or extract of your writing with the group.

Discuss

Work will be discussed respectfully using clear workshop guidelines designed to create a safe and encouraging environment.

Develop

Choose which suggestions are useful to you and apply them to strengthen your writing between sessions.

What we'll cover

Course Dates & Times

Session
Day
Date
Start time
End time
Welcome
Friday
18/09/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 2
Friday
25/09/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 3
Friday
02/10/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 4
Friday
09/10/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 5
Friday
16/10/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 6
Friday
23/10/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 7
Friday
06/11/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 8
Friday
13/11/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 9
Friday
20/11/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 10
Friday
27/11/2026
13:00
15:00
Session 11
Friday
04/12/2026
13:00
15:00
Final Session
Friday
11/12/2026
13:00
15:00

Book your place now

Plymouth

Writing by the Sea:
Finding Inspiration in Plymouth

Plymouth’s ocean horizon has long been a muse for storytellers. In this post, we explore how its coastal charm fuels creativity — and why it’s the perfect setting for a writing retreat.

Writers.jpg

Perfection: The Writer's Nemesis
Writing's dead easy. One draft and it ends up on the bestseller's list. Right? If only it were that simple. Few writers experience the single draft miracle, while the rest of us chase the perfect draft. But hey, we're writers. Quests are what we yearn for. You may have noticed last post, I mentioned the writer's nemesis: the blank page. Perfection too, according to this post's title is their nemesis. Writers, it turns out, have a lot of them. Like Hercules, the poor writer must battle a...
Writers.jpg

New Year, New Beginnings... But Where to Start?
Every story has to start somewhere. Yet starting is often the hardest part. The blank page- nemesis of writers everywhere- can be as daunting as it is alluring. But New Year is exactly the time to begin something new. And here's why... Every story starts with two magical words: What if? The possible answers are endless and that's what electrifies a writer. There's no limitation to imagination. Especially in the early stages. Before we get to the hows and whys and 'should that happen theres'....
Writers.jpg

The Perfect Time to Write? It doesn't exist.
We all know what it's like. You want to write. You need to write. But there's always something more important to be doing. W ork ,...
Writers.jpg

Writing Tips

Finding your tribe: Why every writer needs a writing community.
Have you ever felt like the writer that couldn’t write? Everything you write is drivel. If, that is, you manage to write anything at all....

Reading Room

From the Blog

Stay Inspired

Join the Orwrite newsletter for writing prompts, course updates, retreat dates, and creative encouragement.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Just yourself. Notebooks and pens will be provided as well as everything else you need to engage in the sessions. Of course, if you have a favourite pen or notebook you prefer, by all means bring them along. 

  • Not at all — Orwrite courses are open to everyone from beginners to seasoned writers, in search of a refresher.

  • We've chosen course venues around the city that are easily accessible and which offer the quiet and space to learn in a comfortable environment. All venues are on bus routes and all have parking nearby. 

  • At Orwrite, we believe the only way to learn is by doing. That's why all Orwrite courses will give you the chance to develop your skill and your confidence in writing: 

    • Through guided writing exercises designed to develop your style, approach and thinking

    • Through pair and group activities that encourage supportive and collaborative working that helps develop specific skills to be used in individual exercises

    • Through individual feedback and reassuring guidance to help you build on your learning and hone your craft

  • Don't worry. We know not everyone can be available, just in the daytime or in the evenings. That's why we deliberately offer courses on a rolling basis; offering the same courses across the day and into the evening. If a course isn't available at the time you want it, check back the following term for alternative course timings. Alternatively, sign up for our newsletter to get updates on upcoming courses. 

    In the meantime, why not book onto a retreat to get your creative juices flowing?  

  • Sorry to hear you're not enjoying the course you enrolled on. We get that sometimes courses can feel overwhelming or you chose a creative area you aren't fully comfortable with. 

    Unfortunately, we can't offer refunds beyond the first week of learning. If you find, however, after the first week that a course isn't for you, we will do our best to accommodate, either refunding the difference (excluding week 1 fees) or transferring you to a more appropriate alternative course. Just drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can. 

bottom of page