‘Collage is a metaphor for any discovering, gathering ad reweaving of energy bits already formed and present in the universe. A new and personal creation can be made from the ever-present divine chaos of images all around us. Just choose, assemble, name and then inhabit your SoulCollage® cards’ -Seena Frost. Originator/birther of SoulCollage® When we come together to make SoulCollage® in community, amazing things happen. There is a magic in the subtlety built into this journeying that only requires you coming along with your curiosity and imagination. No artistic genius recquired whatsoever. Just your presence! Images have things to say to us. They can call us through our hearts, our instinctual knowing, and our open intuitive minds. In this sense, images offer us potals and openings to a deep wisdom stream. All you need to do is be open to the images that are asking for your attention. Then you make a collage, then you listen to what it wants you to know. It is simple, and prodound. Saturday offerings of SoulCollage® at The Soul Shed are a new online offering this year, following on from my other online offerings: A three part Soulcollage® primer and SoulCollage® with a friend. This one in May is the scond of these , and I am offering it bi-monthly. Its ideal for both beginners who would like to try SoulCollage®and experienced SoulCollagers who would like a boost of community creative energy to their practice ! It also will pair beautifully with the lunar-monthly New Moon offering at The Soul Shed - Sunday Openings. If you would like a collaging pack of 50 mixed images and six blank cards and are in the UK, please add on at the check out This is available until 12th May in the UK! I will also send out a free download of images before the event. Please bring your own magazines/old greetings cards/wrapping paper along to for a good stock of images to collage with too! More guidence on that after booking. Because SoulCollage® is a transformational experience, it is hard to convery this in writing. Here are some things past participants have said: Here are some things people have said about a SoulCollage® session at The Soul Shed: "Loved this workshop, from start to finish it made my heart sing. It was a feast for the soul with words and images that were crafted into something rich and deep for me" -J.E "What stood out for me was how it just happened ....one thing alchemised into another thing” - L.B "I'd describe it as a good way to reconnect with your creative side, relax and maybe gain insight into what is happening inside you" - D.F. To receive the Soul Shed newsletter each month, please sign up here.
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Publisher / editor Scott Pack is now in his third decade working in the world of books. During that time he has been Head of Buying for Waterstones, worked for publishers big and small - including a lengthy spell at HarperCollins - and taught numerous workshops and classes on all aspects of writing. These days he splits his time between writing his own books, editing other people's, teaching the editors of tomorrow as part of the Oxford Brookes University MA in Publishing, and he is one of the question setters for BBC's Mastermind. His latest book, Tips From A Publisher, is out now. As a publisher, Scott has published across most genres in fiction and a wide range of non-fiction and is happy to read any style of writing. He will assess your sample and provide feedback on any issues he identifies, the manuscript's commercial potential and what steps he would advise before you submit to agents or publishers. Scott is very direct with his feedback, so expect robust, but always constructive, comments! Scott would like you to submit your fiction as a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. For non-fiction, he would like to see:- 1-page synopsis – to give an overview of what the book will offer the reader and how it's different from other books out there on this topic A detailed proposed contents list, including proposed sub-section headings as well as chapter headings – to give a sense of the overall reader journey 1000-1500 words of intro text - to showcase context, tone etc 1000-1500 words from later in the book - to showcase the progression of the book (In addition to the paid sessions, Scott is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 12th May 2025
Rally training webinar covering making pace notes for special stage rallying.
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Clare set up the Liverpool Literary Agency in 2020 to help address inequality and underrepresentation in the publishing industry. With more than 15 years’ experience of writing and editing professionally, including the publication of two novels, Definitions (2015) and We Are of Dust (2018 - which has received development funding from the Liverpool Film Office for a TV adaptation), she has developed an in-depth knowledge of what commissioning editors and publishers expect to see from a submitted manuscript. With a background in PR and marketing, alongside teaching on creative writing programmes, Clare also has extensive experience in pitching and promoting writers and has been nominated for the Romantic Novelist Association Agent of the Year Award! Clare would love to see historical fiction, crime fiction, psychological thrillers and women’s fiction, but she is open to all great writing with a strong hook in any area (excluding non-fiction, children’s and YA). She actively encourages submissions from writers who have been traditionally under-represented. Clare would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 14th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John Baker (he/him) joined the Bell Lomax Moreton agency in 2019, cultivating a list shaped around his passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, though has lately also branched out into action/adventure fiction. John focuses on authors writing in the Adult, New Adult, and YA spaces. John leads the wider agency's film & TV desk, is the Secretary of the Association of Author’s Agents, and the co-chair of the AAA’s Bridge Committee. He also serves on the Kingston University MA Publishing Advisory Board. Under the umbrella of speculative fiction, John is looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, romantasy, or literary speculative fiction. He has built a reputation as a champion of underrepresented voices and stories, be it from creators hailing from the global majority and their diasporas or neurodiverse authors, and naturally gravitates towards this kind of storytelling. In short, if he’s never read a story like yours before, he wants to see it. Adult fantasy: John loves beefy epic fantasy, especially non-Anglo Christian-inspired. Give him an immersive world, a fresh magical or mythic system, and an exciting cast of characters and he’ll be happy. He is a broad church in the genre so loves a political fantasy, swords and sorcery, courtly intrigue, monster hunting and dastardly villains. John is keen to find an urban fantasy that feels fresh and fun and he’s a sucker for a heroic quest narrative. He’s also very open to fantasy that isn’t easily categorised, but it is playing in that world. John is keenly hunting for more historical fantasy, especially inspired by modern history. He’s had fun with mythological retellings in the past, but as ever, let’s make sure it’s shining the spotlight on new stories. He would also love fantasy that centres on types of relationships less celebrated in fantasy, such as established and secure married couples, or siblings. NA/YA fantasy: In this genre, most importantly, John wants to have a good time, whether it’s swoon-worthy kisses in lush ball gowns, or gruesome gore and monsters, so send him pacy, plot-filled adventures. He’d love more books that teenage boys would love: Skullduggery Pleasant forever! Romantasy: The thriving new romantasy genre comes with its own set of challenges, so John wants to know what makes your romantasy different; what will set it out from the (very crowded!) market. Give it completely barmy stakes, cool and unique new settings, or a love story that will make your jaw drop. To be clear, he’s happily sorted for a human person meets a fae creature in the spooky woods. Also, cosmic romance is the genre of the future. Give him romantasy in space. Easy. Horror: John and horror are old friends. He loves horror inspired by myth and folklore, subversive weird horror that leaves your eyebrows in your hairline, historical horror that pulls from ghastly true stories, and anything that you’ll be reading with the light on. He also loves a gothic element and is particularly looking for horror with a strong romantic throughline, fun YA horror, and female & NB horror authors. Science fiction: SF is coming back! And John has been shouting about that. He loves to see an adventurous found-family romp through space or an epic, crunchy space opera. Speculative near-future is fun too, in the vein of Black Mirror’s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero). He loves YA science fiction as well; the more creative the better. Literary: John is open to finding more rich magical realism or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He also loves spec fic that uses the speculative lightly as a way of confronting a deeper truth in society today. Weird stuff: John wants books that will blow people’s minds and defy categorisation. This is hard to describe, but think Gideon The Ninth, The Library At Mount Char, This Is How You Lose The Time War. John loves a pitch that leaves the editors baffled but intrigued. Action/Adventure, Historical Adventure, Espionage: John is branching out into non-speculative adventures, such as John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ian Flemming, and Mick Herron. More as his taste develops, but the hunt is on! Not looking for: military sci-fi or hard SF, or anything with biblical “character wakes up in purgatory/heaven/hell” narratives. The right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, but please don’t comp Douglas Adams or Sir Terry. John would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first three chapters (or 5,000 words whichever is longest) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, John is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 12th May 2025
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Florence has been at A M Heath for five years and represents a range of commercial fiction and non-fiction. For fiction, comforting, funny and warm reads, as well as gripping page-turners, will always be Florence's cup of tea. Her favourite thing is to escape with a story she can’t put down. If you think your book fits that, then do send it to her. Books in this vein that really left her wanting one more chapter include Marian Keyes’s character, Rachel, from Rachel’s Holiday that left Florence with a compassion for addiction that only the most skilled of writers can conjure. Florence finds Catherine Newman to be a genius for making hospice care so funny in We All Want Impossible Things. Smart page turners such as Anatomy of a Scandal, Such a Fun Age, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, wowed her with clever, gripping prose and complicated, flawed characters she hadn't met before. She also loves older classics like the Cazalet Chronicles and Georgette Heyer’s Regency novels. Florence is actively looking for writers who are under-represented in the publishing world, through non-traditional channels, as well as her submissions. She’s keen to find non-fiction and fiction writers who speak to a millennial and younger audience, be that a journalist who is looking to expand an idea, a screenwriter who is looking to try their hand at fiction or perhaps an activist with a social media platform. She is also interested in environmental and social issues. The authors she represents include Jaspreet Kaur, Salma El-Wardany, Rachel Thompson, Annie Lord, Angelica Malin and Phil Ellis. Their books range from the heart-breaking and profound to the inspirational, funny and wise, with almost everything in between. Florence does not wish to receive, YA, Fantasy or Sci-fi. Florence would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Florence is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 14th May 2025
Duration 1 Days 6 CPD hours Writing is a key method of communication for most people, and it?s one that many people struggle with. This workshop will give participants a refresher on basic writing concepts (such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation), and an overview of the most common business documents (such as proposals, reports, and agendas), giving you that extra edge in the workplace. 1 - Getting Started Workshop Objectives Pre-Assignment Review 2 - Working with Words Spelling Grammar Creating a Cheat Sheet 3 - Constructing Sentences Parts of a Sentence Punctuation Types of Sentences 4 - Creating Paragraphs The Basic Parts Organization Methods 5 - Writing Meeting Agendas The Basic Structure Choosing a Format Writing the Agenda 6 - Writing E-mails Addressing Your Message Grammar and Acronyms 7 - Writing Business Letters The Basic Structure Choosing a Format Writing the Letter 8 - Writing Proposals The Basic Structure Choosing a Format Writing the Proposal 9 - Writing Reports The Basic Structure Choosing a Format Writing the Report 10 - Other Types of Documents Requests for Proposals Projections Executive Summaries Business Cases 11 - Proofreading and Finishing A Proofreading Primer How Peer Review Can Help Printing and Publishing 12 - Wrapping Up Words from the Wise Additional course details: Nexus Humans Business Writing training program is a workshop that presents an invigorating mix of sessions, lessons, and masterclasses meticulously crafted to propel your learning expedition forward. This immersive bootcamp-style experience boasts interactive lectures, hands-on labs, and collaborative hackathons, all strategically designed to fortify fundamental concepts. Guided by seasoned coaches, each session offers priceless insights and practical skills crucial for honing your expertise. Whether you're stepping into the realm of professional skills or a seasoned professional, this comprehensive course ensures you're equipped with the knowledge and prowess necessary for success. While we feel this is the best course for the Business Writing course and one of our Top 10 we encourage you to read the course outline to make sure it is the right content for you. Additionally, private sessions, closed classes or dedicated events are available both live online and at our training centres in Dublin and London, as well as at your offices anywhere in the UK, Ireland or across EMEA.
Duration 2 Days 12 CPD hours This course is intended for Professionals desiring to be able to communicate clearly and concisely in their writing will benefit from this course. Overview Awareness of common spelling and grammar issues in business writing. Basic concepts in sentence and paragraph construction. Basic structure of agendas, email messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports. Collaborative writing techniques, tools and best practices Tips and techniques to use when deciding the most appropriate format to use for agendas, email messages, business letters, business proposals, and business reports In this course, you will learn the essential skills needed to organize your thoughts and select the best words and phrases to clearly convey them in writing. Private classes on this topic are available. We can address your organization?s issues, time constraints, and save you money, too. Contact us to find out how. 1. Working With Words Monitoring Spelling, Grammar, and Verb Tense Creating a Reference Sheet 2. Constructing Sentences Recognizing Sentence Parts Classifying Sentence Type Increasing Readability with Punctuation 3. Creating Paragraphs The Three Basic Components Organization Methods 4. Finding Facts Identifying and Using Key Resources Fact-Finding and Information Gathering 5. Collaborative Writing Clarifying the Objective Collaborative Writing Strategies and Patterns 6. Types of Collaborative Business Writing Applying Different Construction Techniques Cut & Paste, Puzzle, Sequential Summative Integrating Construction 7. Collaborative Tools and Processes Planning and Revision Creating Outlines and Storyboards Building Team Cohesion 8. Writing Meeting Agendas Choosing an Agenda Format Structuring and Writing the Agenda 9. Writing E-Mails, Reports and Proposals Addressing Your Message Using Proper Grammar and Defining Acronyms Structuring, Formatting, and Writing Your Report Additional course details: Nexus Humans Writing for the Business Professional training program is a workshop that presents an invigorating mix of sessions, lessons, and masterclasses meticulously crafted to propel your learning expedition forward. This immersive bootcamp-style experience boasts interactive lectures, hands-on labs, and collaborative hackathons, all strategically designed to fortify fundamental concepts. Guided by seasoned coaches, each session offers priceless insights and practical skills crucial for honing your expertise. Whether you're stepping into the realm of professional skills or a seasoned professional, this comprehensive course ensures you're equipped with the knowledge and prowess necessary for success. While we feel this is the best course for the Writing for the Business Professional course and one of our Top 10 we encourage you to read the course outline to make sure it is the right content for you. Additionally, private sessions, closed classes or dedicated events are available both live online and at our training centres in Dublin and London, as well as at your offices anywhere in the UK, Ireland or across EMEA.
LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA, ADULT FICTION Clare Wallace joined the Darley Anderson Agency in January 2011 and is building both the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency and the Darley Anderson Illustration Agency lists as well as taking on adult fiction for debut authors. Clare is particularly looking for funny chapter books for younger readers at the moment, as well as contemporary MG, YA fantasy, romance, and rom coms, especially with underrepresented protagonists. For picture books she has the widest taste, from daft to lyrical, rhyming to prose. As well as being busy with the children’s and illustration agencies, Clare is open to debut adult fiction submissions that could be described as book club, rom-com, romance, saga, reading group, fantasy or historical fiction. She often doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it (although she is not the person for steampunk or space opera). She represents picture books, middle-grade, teenage and YA and debut adult fiction. The clients Clare represents include Perdita & Honor Cargill, Caroline Crowe, Tom Ellen, Martyn Ford, Stewart Foster, Olivia Hope, A M Howell, Polly Ho-Yen, Rachel Ip, Beth Reekles, J.P. Rose, Lindsay Galvin, Dave Rudden, Deirdre Sullivan and Efua Traoré. Whatever the age range, Clare loves a big hook, a lot of heart, and a standout voice. She loves to discover memorable new characters, bold and unique voices, strong concepts and gripping storytelling. This list gives a good indication of Clare's taste but if your submission doesn’t fit a description here, it doesn’t mean Clare doesn’t want to receive it. Clare would like you to send a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your manuscript in a single word document. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print). By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Wednesday 14th May 2025
Aspiring author? We know how frustrating it can be to have a brilliant story idea but feel stuck on where to start. The blank page can be intimidating, and finding the time and confidence to write can seem impossible. This Two-Day Creative Writing Workshop is designed specifically for beginners like you, ready to turn your novel dreams into reality! 🚀✍️