2 Day Crime Fiction Workshop – November 2018:
Forensic focus
If you love reading crime fiction, if you have ever played with the idea of writing your own crime novel, then this is the place for you.
Taking place in the luxurious setting of the Oxfordshire Cotswold’s Weston Manor Hotel, Thriller School Oxford will take you on an amazing journey of two days of learning, friendship, and fun. Over these two days you will be taken behind the scenes of real-life crime, you will learn the secrets of successful crime-fiction writing, and you will be given expert guidance on how to publish and market your book. Not only that. As well as the fascinating talks from experts and specialists, there are a series of highly practical workshops held over the two days, in which you will:
- learn all about the powerful Flimsy Structures® Book Creation Process
- fully plan your own book
- set up your writing schedule
- select your publishing preference
- structure your marketing plan
- leave knowing exactly what you want to do – and how to do it!
And there’ll be a Gala Dinner on the Saturday night where you can meet and talk with the guest speakers – and enjoy some fabulous food as well!
What is the Flimsy Structures® Book Creation Process? Developed by experienced writer and book coach Sarah Williams, the Flimsy Structures® Book Creation Process is an astonishingly powerful and effective system which enables sustained creative thinking and writing. Some have described it as “the Heineken of creative thinking systems, reaching parts of the brain to which other systems don’t go!” Simply learning this system will be transformative. A half-day’s Flimsy Structures® course usually costs £375 – here it is included as part of the course.
Planning your book Planning a book is a delicate process – you need to know where you’re going, but at the same time you need to leave room for flexibility, creativity, discovery, and development. In this workshop you will learn how to hold this delicate balance so that you can find a way of writing exactly what you want, in the way that works for you.
Set up your writing schedule So many people start off with high ambitions and the best of intentions, meaning to get their book done in a few weeks or months. Sometimes years later, the book still lies barely half written, because they run out of energy and focus. We will help you identify the best writing schedule for you, working out how it will fit in realistically with your other commitments, and giving you clear short-term, achievable goals to make sure that, this time, the book gets done.
The publishing process that’s right for you There are so many different ways of publishing and marketing your book so that it reaches the readers you want to communicate with that sometimes it feels impossible to work out which is the best way for you to get your book out there. Working with book publishing specialists, you will leave the workshop with a clear plan about where and how to publish your book so that it reaches your chosen readers.
Structure your marketing plan With well over 500 million books being published this year in the UK and US alone, it is crucial to have identified the right way to get your book seen, noticed and bought by the readers it is intended for. Book marketing experts will show you the most effective, and cost-effective, way of getting your message across. Due to the intensive and focused nature of the workshop, places are limited.
To secure your place book now, and make sure that thriller gets written and published at last!
The Venue
Weston Manor Hotel
Weston Manor was built in the late 15th century on the site of an earlier, 13th century moated building. The moat survived until the early 1800s, when it was filled in. In the 16th century, the house was re-fronted, with the beautiful entrance hall and the magnificent Tudor fireplace all being built at this time. They survive unchanged to this day. There is panelling in the drawing room dating from the reign of William and Mary, and, towards the end of the 18th century, the Great Hall was revamped with a timber rooftop outline and linenfold panelling which had been transferred from Notely Abbey in Buckinghamshire.
A building steeped in history, with nooks and crannies everywhere to delight the mystery reader’s heart, and with luxuriously appointed bedrooms, each with its own character, for a well-earned rest at the end of the working day.
Staying over?
An overnight stay in the hotel on the Saturday night is included in the full package. If you want to stay an extra night at the beginning or end of the course, simply contact the hotel, quoting the code WESTONCRIME to get the special rate the hotel has arranged for Thriller School delegates.
Want to dine with the speakers on Saturday night?
Included in the full package is a 4-course silver service dinner available in a private dining room at the hotel on the Saturday night, where you can share insights and information with your colleagues, and talk informally to some of the speakers on the course. If you are a day delegate, you can still book on to the dinner, though, as a separate extra item.
Thriller School Oxford 2016
Saturday 5th November
| 9:30 | – | 9:45 | Registration & refreshments |
| 9:45 | – | 10:15 | Introductions |
| 10:15 | – | 10:45 | Outline, schedule & aims |
| 10:45 | – | 11:15 | BREAK |
| 11:15 | – | 12:15 | Writing forensics, Sarah Williams |
| 12:15 | – | 13:15 | Crime Scene Investigation – an introduction, Clare Heron, Principal CSI for Thames Valley Police |
| 13:15 | – | 14:30 | LUNCH |
| 14:30 | – | 15:30 | Forensics in the field, Dr Nicholas Marquez-Grant, Lecturer in Forensic Anthropology, Cranfield Forensic Unit |
| 15:30 | – | 16:15 | Planning your writing |
| 16:15 | – | 16:30 | BREAK |
| 16:30 | – | 17:30 | Forensics in the courtroom, David Martin-Sperry, Criminal Defence Barrister |
19:30 – 23:30 PRIVATE DINNER
Sunday 6th November
| 9:30 | – | 10:30 | Writing workshop |
| 10:30 | – | 11:30 | Forensics for different audiences, RM Cartmel/Michael Cayzer |
| 11:30 | – | 11:45 | BREAK |
| 11:45 | – | 12:45 | Keynote speaker: Elizabeth Little, bestselling author of Dear Daughter |
| 12:45 | – | 14:00 | LUNCH |
| 14:00 | – | 15:30 | Getting published – routes to market, Sarah Williams |
| 15:30 | – | 16:30 | Getting known – The Practicalities of PR, Rachel Kennedy, MIDAS PR |
| 16:30 | – | 16:45 | BREAK |
| 16:45 | – | 17:30 | Planning the way forward – setting goals |
Don’t miss out – book now!
Set in the glorious English Cotswolds, Thriller School Oxford runs over 2 days, taking delegates through the hard facts of true-life crime, the skills and insider secrets of well-known crime fiction writers, and effective advice on the best publishing route for you from agents and specialist crime fiction publishers. Insider information and hands-on advice provide insights and understanding for you to deepen your enjoyment of reading and to learn to write crime fiction yourself. The course ensures that you will go away from the weekend with your notebook full of information, inspiration and ideas, ready to really get going on your own book, and to explore familiar and unfamiliar authors with new relish. Don’t forget – places are strictly limited to 16 delegates and allotted entirely on a first-come, first-served basis.