WRITING WORKSHOPS

WRITING WORKSHOPS

Spring 2026

Hosted by Steven John

  • Six weeks, starting Tuesday 31st March to Tuesday 5th May 2026 inclusive, 7.00pm to 9.00pm every Tuesday evening in The Cleeve Bookshop, 2, Mill Parade, Church Road, Bishops Cleeve, Glos., GL52 8RL.
  • There will be generative content to the workshops, in other words, we’ll write some new stuff. We’ll look at various writing craft skills. There will also be supportive critique (workshopping) of writing generated within the group, or of work previously written, and some voluntary, weekly homework.
  • There will be a maximum of nine and a minimum of six workshoppers.
  • All levels welcome, from beginners to experienced writers. Minimum age, 18 years.
  • We’ll be working on fiction and including short stories and novel extracts, in any genre e.g., sci-fi, romance, horror, crime, literary, and some creative non-fiction e.g., memoir or travel. You’ll be encouraged to finish at least one short piece of publishable work for submission to a competition or suitable publication.
  • We won’t be looking at poetry in this workshop. Contact Cleeve Bookshop for details on poetry workshops. Please also note that the workshops won’t be suitable for writers of fiction directed at children under 14 years old.
  • The cost of the six weeks of workshops is £85. To secure your place on The Cleeve Bookshop Writing Workshops, please email Steven at stevenjohnwriter@gmail.com who will send payment details.
  • Please be aware that places on previous workshops have sold out quickly.

Success Stories!

  • One of our past workshoppers shortlisted for the King Lear Prizes https://www.kinglearprizes.org.uk/
  • One of our past workshoppers shortlisted in the West Word short story competition https://westword.uk/westword-prize/
  • Several of our past workshoppers published in online literary magazines
  • Three of our past workshoppers longlisted in the Stroud Short Stories competition https://stroudshortstories.blogspot.com/
  • One of our past workshoppers twice chosen to read at Stroud Short Stories
  • One of our past workshoppers accepted for 2026 publication of their novel.

Terms and Conditions

  • Payment in full will be due by 5pm Tuesday 10th March 2026. If payment not received by then, your reserved place will be offered out to others.
  • Cancellations
  • Cancellation of paid for places received up to 10th March will be fully refunded
  • Cancellation received from 11th March to 18th March will only be refunded if the place can be filled with someone else
  • Cancellation received after 19th March cannot be refunded
  • Cancellation by the organisers of the entire workshops due to insufficient numbers joining will be fully refunded
  • Sessions missed
  • Session(s) missed by the participant, for whatever reason, once the workshops have started will not be refunded, (in part or in full).
  • If a session(s) is cancelled by the organisers, for whatever reason, then in the first instance a replacement session will be scheduled. Failing that, a full refund will be given for the cancelled session(s) only, at a rate of £14.20 per session.

Steven John has been extensively published in online literary magazines and his first collection of short fiction ‘Blood and Electricity’ was published in October 2024. He holds a Master of Arts Degree (with distinction) in Creative and Critical Writing and is now a part-time lecturer in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of Gloucestershire where he supports postgraduate students with their dissertations. Steven was the Joint Founder and Managing Editor of The Phare magazine from 2020-23 www.thephare.com and Fiction and Special Features Editor at New Flash Fiction Review from 2018-20