Please note, the Summer Festival of Writing will not be returning for 2023, but worry not! We’ve got an incredible line-up of free live events for our members this year (including some exciting competitions) and we’d love to see you in person in October for the London Festival of Writing!
The biggest online writing event of the year
The Summer Festival of Writing will be back for 2022 to keep you focused on your writing career – whether you’re just starting out, are submitting to agents, or want to start self-publishing seriously.
Every year since 2010, over three hundred writers have travelled to York, England to attend our Festival of Writing. In 2020, we brought you our first fully digital festival which saw over a thousand writers across the world tuning in to watch over one hundred hours of live events with the best in the business.
Now, the Summer Festival is completely free to anyone who is a member of Jericho Writers at the time.
Join a worldwide community of writers
Sibo M.
Writer, Summer Festival 2020 Attendee
Summer Festival of Writing at a Glance
A Summer of Events
From June – August.
30+ Interactive Sessions
Watch live or on replay.
The Biggest Names in Writing
Authors, agents, publishers, & more.
Festival Highlights
During the summer, you’ll have chance to attend over thirty-five online events. Below is a highlight of some we are excited to share with you.
Our 2022 Summer Festival of Writing Programme
Select each month to see our full online lineup
Ask an Agent, a Publisher and an Author Anything
with the Sophie Flynn, Liv Maidment and Joelle Owusu-Sekyere
1 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
It’s not often that we sit in the same (albeit virtual) room as an agent, author and publisher, so we decided to kick off the Summer Festival by giving you access to some of the best in the business. Come armed with questions for our panel of industry experts.
Demystifying Point of View
with Debi Alper
3 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
How many POVs can you have in a novel? Can you switch POV mid-scene? What is meant by a ‘close POV’? Is there a connection between POV and voice? All these and any other questions you have about this crucial aspect of creative writing will be answered in this session.
Keeping your Crime Novel Authentic
with Graham Bartlett
8 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Starting with a gruesome death, Graham will take you through the first 24 hours of a murder enquiry. He’ll talk forensics, fast-track enquiries and the hunt for a killer. Then he’ll show you how to write authentic protagonists, antagonists and their supporting cast. Finally, Graham will teach you how to write plausible police dialogue.
Dissecting Your Opening Page
with Harry Bingham
9 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
We’re going to ask for volunteers to submit their opening pages. Harry will take four examples and edit them live on screen talking about his thought process as he goes. It’ll be an eye-opening, practical and transformative session. Only the brave should volunteer!
The (Dreaded) Second Novel
with Peng Shepherd
10 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Everybody loves an amazing debut – but what’s it like to publish your second book? How was writing it different, what was the publication process like? Peng Shepherd (The Cartographers, The Book of M) joins Jericho’s Drew Broussard to talk about the settling-in, the unexpected changes, and the excitement of publishing a second book.
Blending Fact and Fiction to Create Historical Characters with Depth
with Jacquie Bloese
13 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
We may not always remember the ins and outs of a novel’s plotline, but we’ll never forget a good character. In this webinar, we’ll look at how to approach historical research with a novelist’s eye, using it as a route to character development, and discuss ways of fictionalising real people from the past to create vivid, memorable characters.
In Conversation with Manjeet Mann and Sarah Ann Juckes
15 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Join us for an evening in conversation with winner of the 2021 Costa Children’s Book Awards, Manjeet Mann. Manjeet will be interviewed by Young Adult and Middle Grade author Sarah Ann Juckes discussing all things writing for children, publishing, polishing your ideas and appealing to the masses.
Exploring Memory, Reliability and Truth in Fiction
with Louise O’Niell
16 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Louise O’Neill’s new book, Idol, is preoccupied with memory, exploring how two people can experience the same event in totally different ways. How reliable is memory if it is so malleable, so easily shaped by the re-telling? What is ‘truth’ in fiction? Louise will be joined by Anna to discuss all of this and more.
Combatting Nerves: Make the Most of Your Public Readings and Q&As
with Ross McKay
20 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Many new authors talk with dread about their first live reading or Author Q&A but in today’s market this is an essential tool for a writer to promote their work. This workshop is full of practical techniques designed to calm nerves, build confidence and refine your presentation skills.
The Power of Language
with Sarah Mahfoudh
22 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
As writers, we wield one of the most powerful weapons in the world: language. But are we always aware of how our word choices impact others or how subtle changes in language and imagery can be used to challenge, rather than perpetuate, prejudice?
Exploring Psychology in Fiction
with Maxine Mei-Fung Chung and Anna Burtt
24 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Human psychology plays an important part in many thrillers, but how do authors research and write the human mind accurately and believably? Anna will be asking Maxine Mei-Fung Chung about the process behind writing a protagonist with a series of alternate personalities in her novel, The Eighth Girl.
In Conversation with Paula Hawkins
with Elsie Granthier
27 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Paula Hawkins is one of the most successful writers of the last decade. The Girl on the Train took the world by storm, but what happens for writers after huge success? How do you keep up the momentum to deliver gripping work? Elsie Granthier will be digging deep with Paula Hawkins in this unmissable event.
Writing Action
with Amen Alonge
30 June | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Amen Alonge is the author of the actioned packed crime thriller A Good Day to Die. This session will focus on writing action with feeling. Write what you see, what the characters feel, and, importantly, what you want the audience to feel. It’s action… it must be exciting, but the emotions matter just as much. We’ll pick a fight scene and write it together.
Poetry Writing Workshop to Combat Writers Block
with Joelle Taylor
1 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Every writer will come up against dreaded writers block at some point in their career. In this workshop, Joelle Taylor will present how poetry writing can be the key to push through that barrier and beyond.
Book Doctor Surgery
with Debi Alper and Emma Darwin
4 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
This is your chance to ask for feedback on any aspect of writing or getting published. Got a concern about characters? Plot? Structure? Voice? Genre? Or any part of the submission process? The more specific the question, the more likely we’ll be able to give you a helpful answer.
Why are we so fascinated by other people’s writing routines?
with Heather Darwent
7 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Why are we so fixated with reading about other people’s writing routines? There is an endless kind of discussion available online, and it’s fixated around the dreaded writing routine. This session will explore how writers structure routines with personal inspiration and a discussion of famous writing routines.
Building Mystery and Tension in Your Writing
with Abby Richards
11 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
How do you imbed a juicy sense of mystery in your story? How can you create nerve-tingling tension? We’ll explore ways to build these two fundamental elements in your writing in order to elevate your work and make it stand out to agents, editors and readers.
Honest Authors Live
with Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister
13 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. The Honest Authors discuss the taboo pitfalls of the career of a traditionally published bestselling author. They will talk about bad reviews, the FAQs every author hears at parties, and the messages they receive on social media.
In Conversation with Musa Okwonga
15 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Musa Okwonga will be in conversation with Jericho Writers’ Anna Burtt talking about his writing career from poetry to football writing, to his stunning novella in the second person; In The End, It Was All About Love, to One Of Them, a memoir about his five years at Eton College, and Striking Out, a children’s novel written in collaboration with and based on the life of Ian Wright.
Writing Dystopia
with Rachelle Atalla
18 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Considering our world through the lens of dystopian fiction. What is dystopia and why are we drawn to it? In this workshop we will interrogate our need to write the stories that reflect our biggest fears, as well as consider the key ingredients which can bring these stories to life.
Writing the Supernatural
with Rosie Andrews
20 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
This practical one-hour workshop will consider how writers create a threatening setting and what makes a convincing supernatural antagonist. Using extracts from late Victorian masters of the form, you will discuss some of the generic aspects of the traditional ghost story, then develop your own writing concept, including an opportunity to craft a gothic opening.
Confessions of a Debut Novelist Live
with Chloe Timms and Louise Morrish
22 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
In a live recording of the podcast Confessions of a Debut novelist, writer Chloe Timms interviews Louise Morrish about her historical novel Operation Moonlight. They discuss Louise’s journey to publication, writing and research advice, and everything you need to know about being a debut novelist.
Trauma to Humour
with Henry Fry
25 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
One way or another, the events that haunt us force their way out. They alter our brain chemistry. But so does laughter. From Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You to Hannah Gadsby’s Nanette, this session explores how writing trauma with humour can be a way to process and heal from it.
Writing Sex in Young Adult Books
with Simon James Green
27 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Sex in Young Adult books can be a contentious issue, but it’s one many readers find relevant and want to see. Simon will explore all the benefits, pitfalls and nuance in this session, before sharing some top tips for including sexual content in your own work.
Crossing Genres
with Beth Lewis
29 July | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
What is a genre? Does your writing have to be constrained by a label? We’ll think about genres as guidelines, malleable sets of tropes we can mix and match to create something unexpected. We’ll discuss how you can meld the fantastical with the everyday, the scientific with the supernatural to turn your ideas into irresistible stories.
Writing Back: Stories for Your Inner Child
with Yvonne Battle-Felton
1 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
This interactive one-hour session will include writing exercises, questions, and advice to empower you to write the children’s stories you wanted to read as a child for today’s readers. We’ll discuss writing your way in to magical places, the joy of playing with language, and more. Every child deserves to be the hero—or villain—in their own story.
Character Writing Workshop
with Eva Verde
4 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
Join Eva Verde for a friendly workshop on creating authentic and memorable character-driven fiction. Whether you’re drafting a short story or novel, or are perfecting your manuscript, this workshop will help build the skills and confidence to create rounded and relatable characters that will win the hearts of your readers.
Voyage Into Genre LIVE!
with Sunyi Dean and Drew Broussard
5 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
Outside of Jericho, our own Drew Broussard is a podcaster and he’s bringing a live interview for the second season of his show with Tor Books to the SFoW. He’ll be chatting with Sunyi Dean (The Book Eaters) about fantasy and horror, about the helpful and hindering ideas of genre, and more.
Memoir: Have you got a story to tell?
with Cathy Rentzenbrink
8 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
How do we write about the self? How do we make sense of the glorious mess of life and tame it into a book? What about writing about real people? Do we always have to tell the truth? This stimulating, encouraging and friendly workshop will address all these questions and offer tools and techniques to help you start turning your life events into a narrative.
How To Edit a Sentence Effectively
with Judith Bryan
11 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
So you’ve completed a first draft, and you know you should be fine-tuning that language. But you’re not sure how to begin. Judith Bryan offers a comprehensive approach to sentence improvement, including killing clichés, improving detail and reducing wordiness. Suitable for writers working at all levels.
How to Break In (and Cling On) to Being a Published Author
with Laura Pearson
15 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
Laura Pearson will share the story of her long and rocky road to publication, and the pitfalls she has encountered since she got there. She will divulge everything she has learned, the good and the bad, and tell you where she currently finds herself, three novels in.
Evocation In Short Stories
with Hannah Vincent
18 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
‘Like being kissed in the dark by a stranger’ (Stephen King). As evocative a description as a good short story itself. It might be thrilling or it might be an assault. We will unpack some of the rules offered by the best short story writers, explore how they might serve the writer, and how we might know when to ignore them.
In Writing Romcoms: Infusing Humour and Joy with Taj McCoy
19 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
Taj will share a part of her writing process by talking through the translation of a synopsis into a broader outline that incorporates main events, setting, beats, mood, and character development.
Keep Going! Refuse to Be Done!
with Matt Bell
22 August | 19:00 BST / 14:00 ET
Writer Matt Bell knows a thing or two about the editing process, having just published a book called Refuse to Be Done that outlines his methods for authors trying to revise their book as much as they can. He joins Jericho’s Drew Broussard for an advice session and conversation about strategies to keep going.
Adapting Your Book to Screen
with Imran Mahmood
23 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
What is involved in getting your novel to the screen? We discuss everything from the optioning process to the elusive green light. If you’re adapting your own novel we discuss the practicalities of screenwriting. All followed by a Q&A for any questions from the attendees.
Starting Your Novel
with Caroline Hulse
25 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
You have a great idea for a novel – but the thought of writing a whole book feels overwhelming. This event will help you consider the strategies other writers use. You’ll learn how to take an approach that works for you, so you can turn that dream of finishing a book into a reality.
Friday Night Live Final
with Jericho Writers
26 August | 19.00 BST / 14.00 ET
Writers have walked away from the Friday Night Live Festival competition with offers of representation. Will this be your year? Join us and an expert panel of literary agents as we hear their feedback on the six shortlisted entries – and crown the overall winner of 2022.
A summer of opportunity
Sarah Clayton
Festival Attendee
Meet Your Event Hosts
Achieve your writing goals this summer
Sibo Makuza
Festival Attendee
Premium Membership at a glance
Your Jericho Writers Premium Membership gives you unlimited access to:
Frequently asked
questions
What if I can’t attend every event?
With so many events happening this summer, you’re bound to miss a few live. Thankfully, we’ll be recording all sessions and popping the replays up for free for all members.
These will be uploaded as soon as possible after the event and most will be available for you to replay as often as you wish for as long as you stay a member with us.
Please note that the chat box does not appear during replays.
Will I be able to ask questions during the events?
Yes. Live sessions take place via a webinar platform, where you can interact with the tutor and other delegates via an instant-messenger-style chat.
For some of our more popular events, a member of our team will pick questions from this chat to ask the presenter. For others, the presenter themselves will keep an eye on what’s being said. This will depend on the number of people who turn up on the day.
Many of our events have hundreds of people watching at a time, but we’ll get through as many questions as we can.
A member of the Jericho team will be moderating the chat and will be able to answer some questions there.
How long will sessions last?
Webinar workshops and “In-Conversation” panels will be approximately one hour.
How can I submit to the Friday Night Live competition?
Friday Night Live is open exclusively to ticket-holders only and more information about how to submit will be given soon. Please note, if you are attending both the Summer Festival of Writing online and the York Festival of Writing in person you will only be able to enter Friday Night Live once.
Will I be able to meet other writers during the Summer Festival of Writing?
Connect with presenters and other delegates live during the webinar using the ‘chat’ function at every event.
This chat can move quickly at popular sessions, so you can take your time to get to know fellow writers by signing up for a free account on our Community.
Can I still get involved once the festival has started?
Yes! This Festival will be going on for over three months, so there’s plenty to enjoy throughout the Festival. If you become a member once the Festival has started, you’ll have access to previous events on replay in your members’ area.
Will there be bursary places available for under-represented and low-income writers?
Jericho Writers is committed to making everything we do as accessible as possible. To view our festival bursaries, click here.
Where do I go for more information on accessibility?
The beauty of an online festival of this kind is that it opens publishing to people from all over the world. That said, there might be barriers for some writers to enjoy an online Festival.
We’d love to hear from any writer who is concerned about accessing this Festival and will always do our best to help where we can. Contact our team on info@jerichowriters.com.
I can’t see the answer to my question here. Who do I contact?
Our team is made up of writers and readers who passionate about the written word. If you have a question, pop it over to us at info@jerichowriters.com and we’ll be happy to help.
Please note that we’re a small team and currently experiencing a high number of calls and emails. We promise we’ll get back to you as soon as we possibly can.