Literature Wales is pleased to announce a brand-new programme of Tŷ Newydd taster courses to inspire writers during the first few months of 2021. These eight short virtual courses will take place over lunchtimes on Friday afternoons in the new year, offering a whistle-stop tour of various genres and themes in both English and Welsh, to encourage you to start, or continue to write.

The courses will offer a taste of what Tŷ Newydd Writing Centre’s programme usually has to offer, hoping we can welcome you back to Llanystumdwy soon for face-to-face courses when it is safe to reopen our doors.

The Programme

Our English language courses will feature The Guardian’s Not the Booker Prize 2020 winner, Richard Owain Roberts, who will show you how to write a captivating first chapter; and one half of crime novel duo DK Fields, Katherine Stansfield, with an introduction to crime and mystery writing. For poets, Marvin Thompson will use his highly acclaimed debut collection Road Trip as a starting point to take you on a journey to explore writing poetry about place; and former National Poet of Wales, Gwyneth Lewis, will look at the basics poetry writing on a course suitable for those who are brand new to the craft.

We are also launching a longer, residential style five-day Starting a Novel course, which will be taught by experienced novelists and tutors, Tom Bullough and Tiffany Murray. Looking at character, setting and events that form the plot, this course will cover the basic areas a new fiction writer needs to begin writing their first novel. More residential style virtual courses will be launched in the new year. As a festive gift, we are offering 20% off this longer course: use code Christmas2020 when booking through our website. The code is valid until 5.00 pm on 8 January 2021.

Welsh-language writers Mererid Hopwood, Elidir Jones, Fiona Collins and Llwyd Owen will lead a series of Welsh language courses looking at poetry for children, writing for YA, storytelling and the rules of writing a good crime novel.

For course content, tutors’ biographies, or to book your place, visit our website: tynewydd.wales Spaces are limited, so please book your places early to avoid disappointment.

Please note that Literature Wales staff will be away from their desks from Christmas Eve afternoon until Monday 4 January 2021, and will acknowledge your bookings on return.