London Workshops
London Workshop
Saturday 5 October 2024 – SOLD OUT
Saturday 22 March 2025
Saturday 7 June 2025
Saturday 13 September 2025
Set off on your writing journey with an intensive one-day writing Workshop designed by industry insiders who have helped numerous critically and commercially successful writers find their way.
Led by Alexandra Pringle, former editor-in-chief of Bloomsbury publishing, with bestselling historian and screenwriter Alex von Tunzelmann, and editor and consultant Faiza S Khan, the Silk Road Slippers one-day London Workshop shares the tricks of the trade – the first of which is that writing well isn’t a gift bestowed on the few; it’s a skill that improves with practice and training.
The London Workshop runs from 10am to 5pm. In the morning, we look at the building blocks of storytelling, including how to approach your first draft, and how to create memorable characters. After a delicious Lebanese lunch, we proceed to an afternoon of editing and redrafting, followed by an opportunity to ask questions on any aspect of writing, from how to find a writing community to finding the right publisher.
Intimate, immersive and practical rather than theoretical, our London Workshop is a day of hands-on writing exercises followed by personalised editorial feedback. The feedback will focus on identifying your strengths, providing workable solutions for things you find difficult, and reinvigorating your writing practice. The class also serves as an excellent foundation for our acclaimed five-day Writing Masterclasses in Marrakech.
The location for our masterclass is a beautiful houseboat belonging to Alexandra Pringle, moored on the Thames in the heart of bohemian Chelsea. The area is famous for its artists and writers, from J.M.W. Turner to George Eliot.
This historic houseboat community, established in the 1930s, is the setting for Penelope Fitzgerald’s Booker Prize winning novel Offshore and features in Elif Shafak’s new novel There Are Rivers in the Sky. Writers including Khaled Hosseini, Elizabeth Gilbert, Ann Patchett, George Saunders and Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah have eaten and talked around Alexandra’s kitchen table, where we too will gather for an inspirational, transformative day of writing.
Price: £485 (including lunch and refreshments)
Contact us at shopsilkroadslippers@gmail.com to make a booking.
Places strictly limited.
Frequently Asked Questions, and Terms and Conditions
What level are the Workshops and Masterclasses? Do I need to be a published writer?
The only requirement to join Silk Road Slippers Workshops and Masterclasses is passion! Our courses are suitable for everyone, from aspiring writers who have yet to pick up a pen, to working writers who want to expand their skills into narrative and creative writing. Our goal is to create an informal and supportive atmosphere in which everyone can benefit from the best possible tuition and experience, whatever their own level of expertise.
What sort of food can I expect? Do you cater for vegetarians and other dietary needs?
A Lebanese lunch is provided as part of the London Workshop, along with soft drink refreshments throughout the day. We certainly cater for vegetarians and can adapt for most dietary needs. Please let us know any requirements when you book.
Can I record or film the sessions?
We respectfully ask that you not record or film our sessions except with permission, to protect the privacy of your fellow participants.
What equipment should I bring?
You may bring a laptop if you would like to use it in your own writing practice, but it is not necessary. We provide notebooks and pens for the sessions.
What if I need to cancel?
You may cancel your booking for the London Workshop until four weeks (28 days) beforehand for a full refund. Cancellations between four and two weeks beforehand will be eligible for a 50% refund. Cancellations of less than two weeks (14 days) are non-refundable.
What if the London Workshop is cancelled?
In the event that Silk Road Slippers is unable to run the London Workshop, you will be offered an alternative date subject to availability, or the cost of the Workshop will be refunded to you in full. Silk Road Slippers reserves the right to cancel any booking for any reason and in this eventuality all monies paid will be refunded in full. Please note that Silk Road Slippers cannot guarantee the appearance of any particular team member at any Workshop or Masterclass, as this is subject to a variety of factors including illness, injury, and events beyond Silk Road Slippers’ control. London Workshops are planned to feature three members of the Silk Road Slippers team. If any member of the Silk Road Slippers team is unable to appear, the Workshop will continue. No refunds will be offered as a result of any team member's unavailability to appear.
How do I book?
Email us at shopsilkroadslippers@gmail.com letting us know you’d like to join the London Workshop and including any questions you may have. We'll get back to you as soon as possible with availability.