WINTERING - WRITE, RESTORE, RECHARGE - a month of creative writing.

NEW BUDGET-FRIENDLY CREATIVE-WRITING COURSE FOR WINTER 2025!

Would you like to escape December duties with two hours of weekly writing classes? If so, I'll be running this warm, restorative, wide-ranging writing class each week throughout December. My aim is to free you from seasonable obligations and allow you to write, recharge and restore your creative self!

Each week, we'll write, discuss and explore various aspects of creative writing, covering core aspects of both fiction and scriptwriting. The focus is on creative exploration, pushing yourself, exploring new things, rather than drilling down into one topic, as we do on my other courses. There will be a Wintering List of stories and plays to read, watch and listen to before the course starts, and we will discuss and be inspired by these works each week.

I am keeping the price of this one very low - just £10 for each two hour class - so as many can come as wish, and though I won't be reading work outside the class as I do on my other courses, there will be plently of chance for feedback in class.

Feedback from students of Helen's previous courses

‘It was a tremendous course... great fun and I loved the selection of short stories and really enjoyed listening to other people's writing and get all those tips and recommendations.’ Participant on the May 2024 Short Stories course.

‘I want to thank you for the course. It was an honor to be a part of your group of students. I wrote down a lot of interesting ideas that I’m sure can help me create more interesting stories in the future. And the short stories we read during the course showed me another angle of writing, at first it was quite overwhelming, but then I realized the beauty of stories, as you said, that show life. So I think I found a new muse thanks to your lessons.' Participant on the May 2024 Short Stories course.

'I've really enjoyed the class and have come away with a lot of inspiration and some fantastic tips that I will definitely try to incorporate into my writing' Participant on the February 2024 Short Storiescourse.

The course is taught by me, Helen Cross, an award-winning novelist `(including My Summer of Love which became a BAFTA Award winning film), short story writer, audio dramatist and fiction writer (www.helencross.net) and creator/writer of the current podcast chart hit, English Rose Series one and two (broadcast on BBC Radio in November/December 2024 and now available on BBC Sound and shortlisted for the Best Serial Drama in the 2025 Audio Drama Awards). My latest story is Mrs Robinson which is currently (September 2025) being broadcast in Five Parts on BBC Radio 4 and will also be available on BBC Sounds.

My short stories are broadcast on BBC Radio and widely published in magazines and anthologies, including in The Manchester Review, Popshot magazine , Digbeth Stories and 100 of the Sexist stories in Literature (Head of Zeus press) and recently Night Time Economy.

Course Content:

Through a series of writing exercises and discussion you will explore various areas of creative writing. My aim is to help you fill up your notebooks with wonderful new ideas. In the process you will strengthen, push or find your authentic literary voice. This will allow you to create credible and compelling characters for fiction and drama, write effective, sparky, dialogue and shape story structure. Your creative tank will be full by the end of the course

Each week you will be given prompts to generate ideas, then development work to complete at home, after the class.

Participants will be sent a Wintering List of dramas to watch and listen to, and stories to read. We will closely examine the writer's achievements and intentions and use these insights to shape our own work.

We will also discuss editing and revising your work, and think about what to do next with the new pieces the course has generated.

My courses have a wonderful list of alumni who have published stories or broadcast plays following their time with me

'No previous experience of creative writing is necessary.

Helen Cross Teaching Biography:

Alongside being a widely published novelist, story writer and scriptwriter I have taught creative writing around the world, including on the acclaimed MA and BA writing programmes at the University of East Anglia and currently in 2025 on the MA, Certificate and Diploma writing courses at Cambridge University, and I am soon to also start working on the BA and MA courses at the University of Hull. I have also been Writer in Residence at the University of Birmingham, The University of Mumbai and won many scholarships, including to Cove Park in Scotland and The Banff Centre in Canada.

'It’s been a great little course, I’ve got a lot out of it' Participant on the February 2024 Short STories course

‘Thanks for an excellent course. One of the things I found most valuable was the actual tips on the craft of writing and from someone who is actively making a living writing. A lot of courses talk about setting, character and the mechanics but few look are your work and make practical suggestions for improvement. So thank you very much I really appreciated your time. ‘ Participant on the February 2024 Write A Novel course

‘I really enjoyed your input and exercises, and I greatly appreciated your enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge.’ Participant on the February 2024 Write A Novel course

'I found the course very inspirational. Due to the formate it also got me writing from the get -go, so by the time the course was finished I had completed my 1st draft.' Participant on a September 2023 Write A Podcast course.

A really helpful, informative, efficient, fun and exciting course!' Participant on a February 2023 Write a Novel course.

Course Dates: Tuesdays 7-9pm. Starting on 2 December, then 9,16,23, and 30th.

Location: Live online teaching via Zoom

COST: £50 for all five sessions.

www.helencross.net

linktr.ee/helenxwriter

'I loved every minute of our course’ Participant on the February 2024 course

‘Thank you for running the sessions, I feel like it's reignited the writer in me.’ Participant on the February 2024 course

‘Straight, insightful, practical guidance.’ Participant on the February 2024 course

'A brilliant course!' Participant on the September 2022 course.

'It was terrific the way it was all broken down with homework and worksheets added.’ Participant on the February 2023 course

‘Excellent throughout.’ Participant on the February 2023 course

’I enjoyed hearing about Helen’s practical advice, and the week on structure was excellent.' Participant on the February 2022 course .

Press praise for BBC Podcast Drama English Rose:

‘Taut thriller from the impressive new drama strand Limelight...great fun.” The Daily Telegraph August 2022.

“Stranger fangs: this smart modern spin on vampire lore follows a secretive Yorkshire girl from her home in Whitby to NYC.” The Guardian July 2022

'An original modern take on vampire lore this throws up some smart surprises and the cast deliver great performances’ - The Yorkshire Post August 2022

‘Novelist Helen Cross proves a sure hand at creating both intrigue and suspense.’ The Radio Times July 2022.