Some information on a couple of workshops I’m leading in September and October:

17 September 2023
Magicians and Fools: Tarot for Writers
Hastings Book Festival

14 October 2023
The Four Elements of Revising:
Become Your Own Best Editor
With Words Away at the Phoenix Garden, London WC2

I’ve not taught a revising workshop in some time, and I’m excited to be doing so again, bringing plenty of new insights and ideas. The world has changed in many ways – and so have we! I’m hoping to fire people up about their writing: owning their visions, expressing them clearly through the craft, finding ways to bring them to readers. It’s what I’ve been doing successfully one on one during covid and beyond, and I’m looking forward to bringing this into a classroom with Words Away again. And what a classroom! The Phoenix Garden is the best.

Yes – there are lots of workshops and courses out there! But the Four Elements practice is a sincerely different approach to writing and getting published. You can read more about it in this interview, and you can also read some endorsements of my style.

Also: I promise not to tell you to proofread your submission letters. In fact, I will have things to say about this, as well as other practical matters in the lottery that is publishing. But mostly we’ll focus on the writing – your writing, your stories. Writers of fiction or nonfiction are welcome, as are writers in poetry, screenplay or other forms. It will be of use to writers with complete manuscripts, as well as writers who’ve reached a stage where work-in-progress needs a boost – though given my emphasis on drafting it ought to be helpful to writers at any stage of the development of a piece of writing.

And the tarot workshop is with the lovely people at the Hastings Book Festival, where I ran a workshop last year. They have some great events for writers and readers – check them out if you are in the area. Such gorgeous sun on the sea last year: such light along the coast there. This is a new workshop, but it draws on years of practice, and I’m glad to have the chance to talk about one of my favourite subjects as it relates to writing.

Also:

* Among the current rescrambling on social media, I’m finding much of the most engaging content on Substack: thoughtful, intelligent, well written. I have a slight concern about word overload, but we can be selective. Its potential for interaction is promising. Not much action from me other than Restacks at the mo – but I might reboot my blogging and/or online teaching there. More to come. Find me here: Andrew Wille Substack. Do connect if you are there too.

* I’m also on Threads now. It’s not on browsers right now, I guess, so maybe you can find me via Instagram if you are on your phone app? TwitterX seems pretty inert, and I’m not sure I’ll be keeping that much longer.

* I also have spots for mentoring. Mentors have priority for developmental edits and manuscript reviews. If you’re interested, contact me with details of projects and your intentions in writing and publishing – if it seems a good fit, I can send more information.

I’m taking a break from manuscripts and editing for the rest of August, so I might not be at my desk to answer emails right away. The plaster cast is off! And I’m just about caught up. So now is the time for a bit of rest and physio. I need a break. Just not another fracture!

Summer reading recommendation: Yellowface by Rebecca F. Huang. I’m hoping to reread/read Kent Haruf this month. Support your local libraries and independent bookshops!

The tree above is the black walnut at Marble Hill. Just because! It’s been growing there for 300 years.