Liz Hyder is an award-winning writer and creative workshop leader. She writes for both adults and younger readers and Bearmouth (Pushkin Children's Books, 2019) her debut novel for young adults, won the Branford Boase Award, the Waterstones Children's Book Award for Older Readers, and was The Times’ Children’s Book of the Year. Her latest YA book, The Twelve (Pushkin Children's Books, 2024), won the Nero Book Award for Children’s Fiction and the Tir na n-Og Award for English language Children’s Fiction. Her acclaimed books for adults are The Gifts (Manilla Press, 2022), runner-up of the McKitterick Prize, and The Illusions (Manilla Press, 2022). She’s run creative writing workshops for over 15 years, worked in the arts as a PR Consultant, and dabbled in journalism and filmmaking.
Writing Young Adult Fiction
Young Adult fiction is literature written for readers roughly between 12 to 18. It explores themes such as growing up, identity, friendship, love and self-discovery. Whether you’re struggling to finish a first draft or simply want some inspiration and top tips, this is the course for you.
Join award-winning authors and experienced tutors Catherine and Liz for creative and fun group workshops that cover structure and story, world-building and character, and research and editing. You will also get a 30-minute one-to-one tutorial with each tutor to discuss your work in more detail. Catherine and Liz both specialise in a can-do attitude towards creative writing and aim to pass that on to you too. Over the week, you can expect many creative prompts and exercises, handy hints and useful insights, and you’ll leave Tŷ Newydd with a spring in your step and the confidence to crack on with your ideas.
This will be a warm and welcoming course for anyone currently writing or thinking of writing for young adults.
Tutors
Liz Hyder
Catherine Johnson
Catherine Johnson is the best-selling author of many books for young readers as well as for film, television and radio. Her novels include Sawbones (Walker Books, 2013), winner of the Young Quills Historical fiction award and several more that have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal. Her radio work includes a 2024 play for BBC Radio 4's Medici series and her TV work includes Simon Schama's Rough Crossings, and an adaptation of Miranda Kaufmann's The Black Tudors. She has taught creative writing at several universities, and on residential courses in Wales, the UK and abroad.
Guest Reader
Iqbal Hussain (Digital)
Iqbal Hussain has been writing since he could hold a pencil. As a boy, he churned out Famous Five and Hardy Boy pastiches. In his teens, he appeared on Blockbusters, Countdown and The Crystal Maze. He studied Maths at Bangor University, then trained and worked as a magazine journalist. Originally from Blackburn, Lancashire, he lives in north London, by Epping Forest, with his partner and uber-friendly labradoodle. His debut adult novel, Northern Boy, about being a butterfly among the bricks, was published by Unbound Firsts in June 2024. Iqbal’s adult work is represented by Robert Caskie. The Night I Borrowed Time, his debut children’s novel, was published by Puffin Press on January 1st, and it is Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month for January 2026.