The Writers' HQ Write A Short Story Festival

Write. Create. Celebrate. Your next great story starts here!

March 2025

Workshops, write-alongs and the best community - join the fun!

Join Sarah, Team WHQ and a specially curated gang of super awesome, award-winning short story writers for a month of short story workshops, masterclasses and write-a-longs designed to get you writing or to elevate your craft from good to great.

Throughout March, the Writers’ HQ Write A Short Story Festival will give you the opportunity to explore everything you need to know about the short form, from starting, middling and ending. We’ll go deep into the craft of short story writing and finish the month by finding out how to submit your work to lit mags and publishers.

You can start at the beginning and write a story alongside other festival writers, or you can drop in and out depending on where you are with your writing.

Plus, through regular write-a-longs we’ll help you stay on track and build a writing practice that fits into your life and goals.

Also! The best writing community this side of the internet. Aww yeah! It’s gonna be a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

This year's festival line up: writers, mentors & more

Plus! Also! Too! As well!

These awesome bonus things...

When you get on board for the Write A Short Story Festival, you will also have access to:

Every event from last year's festival!

Including

  • The Telescopic Lens: A big-picture to small-detail approach for editing your stories with Matt Kendric
  • The Craft of Short Story Writing with Kathy Hoyle
  • Dust off Your Drafts with Anika Carpenter
  • Nail Your End: Finishing the Short Story with Emily Devane

Writing Short Fiction

Our mammoth short fiction course!

Full of practical techniques for developing your writing skills and producing stellar short stories

Three Other Awesome Short Story Courses

  • Create A Short Story Collection
    Learn how to turn your short stories into a collection!

  • Short Fiction Mini Masterclass
    A quick intro to big little stories

  • The Writers' HQ Guide to Flash Fiction
    Conjure teeny flashy stories out of thin air

The Amazing Writers' HQ Community

Writing is a team sport and there’s no better place to find your writing team than Writers’ HQ. Many of our students have gone on to form close friendships and trusted critiquing partnerships. Introverted? Don’t worry! We’re all awkward writer-types here

“WHQ is sweary, witty, and incredibly good for your writing. I learned more in their six-week Writing Short Fiction course than I did in literally years of in-person courses with an instructor near me. Inspiration, pep, knowledge, swears, support, encouragement, hilarious gifs – WHQ is the best!” 

– Mary T

You ready? Let’s gooooooo!

The Write A Short Story Festival 2025 is available exclusively for Writers’ HQ Gold Star Members. Click the buttons and secure your spot.

Monthly Gold Star WHQer

The full WHQ shebang for superstar writers

£20/month

Plus members also get:

Annual Gold Star WHQer

One off payment. Save money. Eat more avocado toast

£190

EVENTS CALENDAR

All our writing events in one place

FREE ONLINE EVENTS

Online Writers’ Retreats
Spend a whole day writing with us!

Flash Face Off
Prompts every week, live reading every month

Get your free account to join the fun

REAL LIFE WRITING RETREATS

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