Bournemouth Writing Festival

05/09/2026

Join us on Friday 13th November for a special evening celebrating our famous, local Gothic authors.

Enjoy an atmospheric evening of live entertainment and networking with your fellow writing peers. Together, we’ll toast to the legendary authors who shaped Gothic literature right here on our coast, including Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde.

The Mysterious Bookcase will be bringing some of the classics for you to purchase during the evening.

There will be a limited number of stalls available for independent, local Gothic writers and authors to sell their books. If you are interested in hiring a stall, then please get in touch.

Soft drinks, tea and coffee will be available with proceeds to the church, with BYO alcohol.

Details and ticket prices to come so save the date for now.... if you dare.

04/09/2026

We are almost ready for the Romance Writing Festival Bournemouth on Saturday 3rd October!

Panels, talks, walks, masterclasses and literary agent 1-2-1s all happening at the award-winning Marsham Court Hotel Bournemouth for our one-day event celebrating the romance genre. Early bird discount now available on tickets, masterclasses and accommodation.

Romance legends Katie Fforde, Sue Moorcroft, Lola Jaye Author , Rhoda Baxter Jeevani Charika , literary agent Nicky Lovick and Suzan Holder Author with be joining a host of other writing professionals to help you with your writing journey and get your words out into the world.

Check out all the details on the Romance Writing Festival website.
https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk/

03/09/2026

Attention Screenwriters and Scriptwriters!

Our friends at Lighthouse Poole have a new course to help you on the writing journey. Here's the blurb:

Writing Stories for Stage and Screen - a play/script-writing intensive led by Mike Garley (EMMY nominated writer, lecturer at AUB/Bournemouth University).

Join Mike on a ten-week writing journey designed to help create or refine creative ideas into scripts for stage or the screen.

This developmental course includes sessions devised to breathe life into the written word, looking at format, structure, character, scene, editing and read-throughs to the point of sharing submittable scripts. If price is a barrier for you to attend, please email [email protected]

To book, visit their website.
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/writing-stories-for-stage-and-screen/

Please note we do not receive any commissions or revenue from this post. We thought it would interest our community so passing on :0)

Writing Stories for Stage and Screen - a 10 week play/script-writing intensive led by Mike Garley at Lighthouse.

02/09/2026

Did you know we have six literary agents offering 15-minute 1-2-1s at the Romance Writing Festival in Bournemouth. And two have already sold out!

Here are a selection of photo's from April's 1-2-1 which is the same room as the will be in on 3rd October.

This could be your chance to book in a 1-2-1 with a top literary agent.

You do not need a festival ticket to book in a 1-2-1 but please research the agent to make sure they are right for you.

Here are the agent's coming to Bournemouth:

Nicky Lovick

Nicky is an editor turned agent bringing over twenty years of editing experience to her role as an agent with WGM Atlantic Talent and Literary Group. WGM represents actors, authors, and screenwriters.

Megan Carroll

​Megan graduated from Goldsmiths with a BA in English and American Literature in 2013 and has been at Watson, Little since 2014 – first as an assistant and now as a Literary Agent.

Maddalena Cavaciuti

Maddalena studied English Literature at the University of Bristol and joined David Higham Associates in 2017.

Florence Rees

Florence joined AM Heath in 2016, becoming the first person in the agency’s history to be promoted from assistant to agent. AM Heath represents Katie Fforde.

Saskia Leach has already sold out but will also be leading a masterclass during the festival on Getting Your Submission Pack Sorted which sold out for April's Bournemouth Writing Festival.

Juliet Pickering has also sold out.

Find out more about the agents and what they are looking for on the website here.
https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk/literary-agents-publisher-editor-121

01/09/2026

Bournemouth Library display!

Head down to the Bournemouth Library to see our refreshed Writing on the Wall displays!

There are TWO new displays to view.

Firstly, the amazing words that were written on Chris Aziz's giant washing line during writing festival in April. There are some fantastic, creative poems and stories that were penned on fabrics, hung up and the sea breeze wafted them in the sea air.

A HUGE thank you to Medi Bernard and the Bournemouth Social Stitchers organised by Fiona with help from Gloria and Rekha for the embroidery & mounting of fabric.

In addition, C.W. Blackburn has compiled and curated the new Writing on the Wall entries, continuing to showcase and celebrate the amazing variety of poetic voices in the local community. The latest display features the following contributions:

‘Together’ by Dario Splendido
‘Confetti’ by Marbellys Bayne
‘Poole in the Summertime’ by Laura Sargent-Edney
‘What If?’ by Alison Nuorto
‘Chocolate Yoghurt’ by Birdie Dorian
‘Ceci n’est pas un poème fait d’argile’ (‘This is not a poem made of clay’)’ by Abby G. Poetree
‘Three Tanka Poems’ by Tim Heywood
‘The Lock That Turns When You Blink’ by Phoenix Ford
‘High as the Sky at a Hawkwind Concert’ by C.W. Blackburn

The display also features a dedication to the memory of Colin W. Hunt and his poetry, featuring two of his poems that were previously displayed on the Writing on the Wall board, ‘The Red Door’ and ‘Two Hundred Men’.

Head on down to Bournemouth Library to read and enjoy these fantastic poems.

And if you want the chance to have your work featured on a future display, just e-mail [email protected] with one poem that is community friendly and no longer than one side of A4.

01/09/2026

Attracting top writing talent to Bournemouth!

"Nine months later, I had an agent and a three-book deal."

31/08/2026

ENDS TODAY!

Get 25% off our three masterclasses at the Romance Writing Festival this Bank Holiday weekend!

Designed to get your writing up a level, they take place on Saturday 3rd October (that's FOUR weeks this Saturday!) at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth. All masterclasses also include a Ploughman's buffet lunch.

Remember you don't need a ticket to the Festival to purchase a masterclass, but if you did want to join for the full day and evening, there is a discounted joint ticket.

Literary agent Saskia Leach redelivers her sold out masterclass helping you to get your submission pack sorted. She'll give you tips and insights as to what literary agents look for in covering letters, synopsis and elevator pitches.

Writing romantasy? Then join top romantasy author Amy de la Force to help you stand out from the crowd of the fastest-growing genre in publishing and make sure it's commercially viable. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

Bestselling author Lola Jaye will be delivering a masterclass on writing Historical Fiction, exploring how you can achieve success in your writing through a contemporary lens. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

This offer only runs for the three day bank holiday. Spaces are extremely limited, so when they're gone, they're gone!

Check out the details on the Romance Writing Festival website here: https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk/masterclasses-romance-writing

30/08/2026

Two year's ago today, we held a celebration event for Mary Shelly's 227th birthday at St Peter's Church - where she is buried.

Last year, we held an event at Robert Louis Stevenson's old house to celebrate his 175th birthday - the very place he wrote Jekyll & Hyde.

This year we are planning another special event celebrating our famous, local authors who were inspired by Bournemouth.

Put Friday 13th November in your diaries for a Gothic literary night. If you dare......

30/08/2026

BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND ONLY OFFER!

Get 25% off our three masterclasses at the Romance Writing Festival!

Designed to get your writing up a level, they take place on Saturday 3rd October (that's FIVE weeks this weekend!) at the Marsham Court Hotel in Bournemouth. All masterclasses also include a Ploughman's buffet lunch.

Remember you don't need a ticket to the Festival to purchase a masterclass, but if you did want to join for the full day and evening, there is a discounted joint ticket.

Literary agent Saskia Leach redelivers her sold out masterclass helping you to get your submission pack sorted. She'll give you tips and insights as to what literary agents look for in covering letters, synopsis and elevator pitches.

Writing romantasy? Then join top romantasy author Amy de la Force to help you stand out from the crowd of the fastest-growing genre in publishing and make sure it's commercially viable. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

Bestselling author Lola Jaye will be delivering a masterclass on writing Historical Fiction, exploring how you can achieve success in your writing through a contemporary lens. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

This offer only runs for the three day bank holiday. Spaces are extremely limited, so when they're gone, they're gone!

Check out the details on the Romance Writing Festival website here: https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk/masterclasses-romance-writing

29/08/2026

We don't usually do this but as the Summer has been extra special, here's an incredible offer for our small-group masterclasses at the Romance Writing Festival in October.

Get 25% off our three masterclasses, designed to get your writing up a level. They take place on Saturday 3rd October (that's FIVE weeks today!) at the Marsham Court Hotel. All masterclasses also include a Ploughman's buffet lunch.

Remember you don't need a ticket to the Festival to purchase a masterclass, but if you did want to join for the full day and evening, there is a discounted joint ticket.

Literary agent Saskia Leach redelivers her sold out masterclass helping you to get your submission pack sorted. She'll give you tips and insights as to what literary agents look for in covering letters, synopsis and elevator pitches.

Writing romantasy? Then join top romantasy author Amy de la Force to help you stand out from the crowd of the fastest-growing genre in publishing and make sure it's commercially viable. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

Bestselling author Lola Jaye will be delivering a masterclass on writing Historical Fiction, exploring how you can achieve success in your writing through a contemporary lens. You'll also receive a free copy of her book!

This offer only runs for the three day bank holiday. Spaces are extremely limited, so when they're gone, they're gone!

Check out the details on the Romance Writing Festival website here: https://www.romancewritingfestival.co.uk/masterclasses-romance-writing