We’ve got a fantastic line up of free writing sessions taking place at the Percival Guildhouse as part of Rugby’s 3rd Literary Festival this month. The sessions are delivered by experienced writers, some of whom also teach courses at the Percival Guildhouse. They are all free of charge and you can book online at Eventbrite.
Indulge your literary interests:
Write your Story: Saturday 24 October 10.30am – 12.30pm
Have you ever wanted to write the story of your life? This workshop will get you started or develop your writing further. We will be working with writing prompts and exercises to re-discover some of your memories. You will learn a bit about the craft and techniques of life writing, and we will be discussing and reading (small extracts) from contemporary memoir writers. Every life is unique. We all have a story to tell. Come along to this session at the literary festival and begin yours!
Readings and Research for a Fiction Novel: Saturday 24 October 12noon – 1pm
Warwickshire based author, Anna Byk, will read extracts from her award-winning debut novel, ‘It’s Never Really Over’. Anna will discuss the research undertaken to support the storylines, along with anecdotes that inspired the characters. Anna will also discuss the writing and self-publishing process.
Anna Byk is an award-winning author, her debut novel, ‘It’s Never Really Over’ won the ‘5 Star Winner’ award in the Open Book Awards in April 2026. The novel has also received numerous 5 star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Anna is also an award-nominated blogger and published writer. www.linktr.ee/annabykwriter
The Secret to Writing Believable Dialogue: Saturday 24 October 1.15pm – 2.15pm
We spend our lives talking to other people, so writing dialogue should be easy. Shouldn’t it?
In reality, dialogue is one of the hardest things to get right. Write it exactly as people speak and it can be rambling and dull. Make it work too hard for the story and suddenly your characters stop sounding like real people.
In this talk, author Lindsay Woodward explores what makes dialogue believable and why there is so much more going on in a good conversation than just the words being spoken.
Lindsay has written 10 novels to date across a range of genres and has a degree in Writing, specialising in scriptwriting. Using examples from her own work, she will explore how character, relationships, conflict and everything left unsaid can transform the conversations on the page.
If dialogue is something you struggle with, or you simply want to make yours work harder, come along to this session at the literary festival and discover how to get your characters really talking.
Freewriting to Enhance Creativity: Saturday 24 October 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Freewriting – a simple and effective exercise where you write continuously for a set amount of time without worrying about grammar, spelling, or structure. The goal is to let your thoughts flow freely, helping you clear your mind and access deeper creativity.
No writing experience is required—just bring your open mind and a willingness to explore.
Rediscover the joy of writing without judgment and unlock the limitless creativity within you. Join us and see how freewriting can help clear your mind, relieve stress, and inspire new ideas.
Find out more about all the events in the Literary Festival on the Festival Website.
Maybe you’d like to see what else we do at the Guildhouse?
If you’d like to see what writing courses are in our regular programme, or you’re interested in something different, why not browse the rest of our website to see what else we have to offer – you could find a different course, a Saturday workshop, a fundraising event, or a club instead!
