Gouzon
Join us in Gouzon for friendly, practical creative writing workshops in a relaxed and supportive setting. Our Gouzon group is warm, upbeat, and welcoming, with plenty of laughter alongside the writing! Whether you're working on a novel, experimenting with short stories, or simply want to get more creative, you're very welcome to join us.
Each workshop explores a different aspect of creative writing, with a mixture of discussion, practical guidance and writing exercises. Sessions stand alone, so there's no need to attend every month — simply come along to the workshops that interest you.
We meet on the first Thursday of every month from 2.30pm–4.30pm at ZI Bellevue, Gouzon, 23230. Workshops cost €15 per session, including tea, coffee and biscuits.
New to my workshops? Your first session is completely free! There's no need to book or reserve your free place — simply choose a workshop you'd like to try and come along.
After your first session, workshops are €15 each, with no ongoing commitment and no need to attend every month. Places are limited to a maximum of 10 writers per session, keeping the group small, friendly and interactive.
2026–2027 Workshop Programme
1st October 2026
Back to Basics: Awakening the Writer
Reconnect with the simple joy of putting words on the page. We’ll explore what gets us writing, what gets in our way, and how to nurture creativity without putting ourselves under pressure. Perfect for new writers, returning writers, or anyone whose writing mojo could use a gentle kick up the backside.
November 2026
No workshop this month
We’re taking a little break in November, but we’ll be back in December for our end-of-year session
11th December 2026
The Writer’s Year in Review - FREE SESSION
Before we rush into another year, let’s take a moment to look back at the writing year we’ve just had. We’ll reflect on what worked, what didn’t, what we learned, and what we’d like to carry forward. A relaxed, positive session celebrating progress in all its forms and looking ahead to what comes next.
7th January 2027
Scene or Summary? Controlling the Pace of Your Story
Not every moment of a story needs to unfold in full - and not everything should be brushed past in a sentence. We’ll explore when to slow down and immerse the reader in a scene, when to speed things up with summary, and how the balance between the two affects pace, tension, and engagement.
4th February 2027
Flashbacks, Dreams, and Visions
Used well, flashbacks, dreams, and visions can reveal secrets, deepen character, and bring another layer to your story. Used badly... well, we've all read those books! We’ll explore how to use these techniques purposefully and without leaving your reader wondering what on earth is going on.
4th March
2027
Dealing with Death: Crafting Powerful Death Scenes
Killing someone off is easy. Making your reader care is considerably harder. We’ll look at what makes a fictional death genuinely affecting, from the moment itself to the emotional consequences that follow, and explore how to avoid melodrama while still giving important deaths the weight they deserve.
1st April
2027
Body Language & Non-Verbal Clues
Characters communicate long before they open their mouths. A glance, a hesitation, or the way somebody occupies a room can tell us things dialogue never could. We’ll explore how body language, micro behaviour, and other non-verbal clues can reveal emotion, create tension, and add subtlety to interactions between characters.
6th May
2027
Reading Like a Writer: Exploring How the Greats Do It
Reading is one of the best tools a writer has — especially when we start looking at how a story creates its effects rather than simply enjoying them. We’ll take a closer look at published writing, explore some of the choices behind it, and consider what techniques we can borrow for our own work.
3rd June
2027
Worldbuilding: Making Your Story Feel Real
Worldbuilding isn’t only for fantasy and science fiction. Every story takes place somewhere, and the right details can make that world feel vivid, convincing, and lived-in. We’ll explore ways to create settings that feel real without drowning the reader in description or information.
1st July
2027
Full of Heart: Writing Romance and Love Scenes
From first sparks and simmering attraction to established relationships and declarations of love, convincing romance is about far more than getting two characters into the same room. We’ll explore how to build chemistry, emotional intimacy and romantic tension — whether romance is the whole story or just one part of it.
5th August 2027
Creating a Hook
What makes a reader think just one more page? We’ll explore the different ways writers can create curiosity and anticipation from the opening lines right through the story. Whether you're starting something new or strengthening an existing piece, we’ll look at ways to make readers want to know what happens next.
2nd September 2027
The Supporting Cast: Creating Side Characters that Count
Your protagonist might get top billing, but they shouldn’t be surrounded by cardboard cut-outs. We’ll explore how to create memorable supporting characters who have personalities, purposes, and lives of their own — without accidentally letting them run away with the entire book.
7th October 2027
Foreshadowing: Planting Clues & Promises
The best twists often feel surprising and inevitable once you look back. We’ll explore how writers can plant clues, create expectations, and prepare readers for what’s coming without making the destination obvious. A workshop about the little details that can make a story feel cleverly put together.
4th November 2027
Said, Whispered, Growled: Mastering Dialogue Tags
Said is invisible. Except when it isn’t. And sometimes your character really does need to whisper, mutter, snap, or yell. We’ll explore dialogue tags, action beats, and all the other ways of showing who’s speaking, looking at how to keep dialogue clear and expressive without letting the tags steal the show.
2nd December 2027
The Writer’s Year in Review - FREE SESSION
A chance to finish the year by looking back at what you've written, learned, attempted and achieved - including the things that didn’t quite go according to plan. We’ll celebrate progress, take stock of where we are as writers, and start thinking about where we’d like our writing to take us next.