What is it?
Writing the Past is an 8-week online course designed to guide you into writing historical fiction.
We meet via Zoom every Monday evening, 8pm - 9.30pm GMT. This course begins on the 12th January 2026 and its final session is the 2nd March 2026.
You'll find we don't look at texts anywhere near so much as stuff. On our course we look at all kinds of material culture (buildings! clothing! bowls! portraits!), plus human remains and the history of emotions, to find new ways to fully inhabit the past.
It's devised and led by Imogen Hermes Gowar, Sunday Times bestselling author of the critically-acclaimed The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock, ex museum worker, and graduate of UEA's Prose Creative Writing MA.
Who's it for?
The course is open to anyone with an inclination towards historical fiction. Have you never written it before? Maybe you're an old hand but you're looking for a fresh approach? Are you a historian, academic or an arts/heritage sector worker who'd like to direct your expertise into storytelling? Whatever your background or experience, you've got this. Together we'll:
- explore the art of weaving research subtly through your storytelling
- enliven your era through characterisation, setting, language, and the senses.
- find community with other writers
How Does It Work?
Writing the Past comprises of weekly live group video workshops (1.5 hours including a brief comfort break): these include teaching from Imogen that covers the principles of writing craft with an eye to historical fiction. Images, objects and texts are all used to prompt gentle writing exercises designed to help you get words on the page. There's always lively class discussion and the tone is friendly, supportive, and collaborative: we can all learn from one another and we all have our own insight to contribute.
You'll also have the opportunity to have a short piece of your writing workshopped by the group. This is entirely optional and always facilitated by me in a gentle and supportive manner. Additionally, we'll have two Q&A surgeries in which to discuss anything you'd really like to know about the nuts and bolts of craft and research.
