A WRITING RETREAT & LITERARY TOUR IN THE COTSWOLDS

WITH KATE FORSYTH

& BETTER READ LITERARY TOURS

A literary experience you’ll never forget! Here are the dates for the next two Writing Retreats in the Cotswolds with Kate Forsyth:

Sunday 30 August to Monday 9 September 2020
In mid-to-late August 2020, both the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Historical Novel Society (UK) conference are being held in the UK.

Other late summer events include the St. Giles Fair in Oxford, the Christchurch Medieval Festival in Dorset, the famous Horn Dance in Abbots Bromley, and the Great Autumn Flower Show in Harrogate.

Sunday 25 April to Monday 3 May 2021
Shakespeare’s Birthday is celebrated in fine style on April 21st in Stratford-upon-Avon, with a week-long literary festival and theatre performances. May Day is also a day of celebration and festivities, with spring gardens everywhere blooming. Bluebell woods offer enchanting walks, and you can visit the famous May Morning Celebration in Oxford, with singing, dancing, storytelling and revelries.

Other spring events include the Flower Parade in Lincolnshire, the Furry Dance in Helston, Cornwall, the Chippenham Folk Festival in Gloucestershire, the Bath Festival of the Arts and the Chelsea Flower Show.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jenny Gordon
Better Read Literary Tours
[email protected]

HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!

Join internationally bestselling author Kate Forsyth for a week in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, at a writing retreat designed to help you re-discover your creativity and joy in writing.

This retreat is for writers at any stage of their careers, from those who have always wanted to write but never found the time, to those who are deeply immersed in a creative project and want to find the way to boost it to the next level.

Spend your mornings talking, listening, laughing and playing with words with Kate and your fellow students. Spend your afternoons exploring the glorious countryside of Oxford and the Cotswolds, a landscape that has inspired some of the world’s most beloved authors.

Discover Oxford, ‘the city of dreaming spires’, and have a restorative ale in the pub where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien first shared their enchanted worlds. Walk the streets where Shakespeare once trod, and read the curse he cast on anyone who disturbed his grave. Wander through some of England’s most beautiful gardens, and be inspired by the romantic setting of castles and yew mazes, mysterious circles of standing stones, and haunted manor halls.

Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, steeped in culture and history

You will be staying in the in the picturesque 17th century Shakespeare Hotel, which is situated in the heart of the medieval market town of Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s a short stroll away from many of the town’s most famous sights, such as Shakespeare’s birthplace, Holy Trinity Church where his body rests, the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre, and the River Avon.

With more than 800 years of history, Stratford-upon-Avon also has all the shops, pubs, restaurants and modern conveniences you could hope for, without losing any of its period charm. You can walk along the river or sit and watch the swans glide by. Visit the butterfly farm, or take a ghost tour. See a play performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company, or drift over the Cotswolds in a hot air balloon.

Your Tour Director and Writing teacher – Kate Forsyth

Kate Forsyth wrote her first novel at the age of seven and has now sold more than a million copies internationally. Recently voted one of Australia’s Favourite 15 Novelists, Kate Forsyth has been called ‘one of the finest writers of this generation’. She has written more than forty books, for all age groups and across many genres, and published in almost 20 countries.

Her most recent book, Beauty in Thorns, is a reimagining of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ set amongst the passions and scandals of the Pre-Raphaelites. Other novels for adults include Bitter Greens, which won the 2015 American Library Association award for Best Historical Fiction; and The Wild Girl, which was named the Most Memorable Love Story of 2013. Kate’s books for children include the collection of fairy-tale retellings Vasilisa the Wise & Other Tales of Brave Young Women, illustrated by Lorena Carrington; and The Impossible Quest fantasy series which has been optioned for a film. Kate has a BA in literature, a MA in creative writing and a doctorate in fairy tale studies, and is also an accredited master storyteller with the Australian Guild of Storytellers.

She is a direct descendant of Charlotte Waring Atkinson, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia.

What You Will Learn

All genres of fiction have their own conventions and characteristics, which can sometimes seem like unbreakable rules. By drawing together different elements of different genres, however, the writer can create ground-breaking novels of great freshness and originality.

For seven days, Kate will share with you all the secrets she has learned about writing stories which fire the imagination, touch the heart, and keep readers turning the pages long into the night.

Whether you are working on a medieval supernatural thriller, a time travel romance, a children’s fantasy adventure, a contemporary novel that draws on ancient myths, or a historical novel about the lives of forgotten women … you will discover your muse in this week-long inspirational retreat.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • The key conventions of the world’s most popular literary genres (including contemporary and historical fiction, dual timelines, crime and mystery, romance, horror, fantasy and magic realism)
  • What rules to keep and what rules can be broken
  • Storytelling patterns and structures
  • Research techniques to help you bring your story to life
  • The importance of voice, and how to find it
  • Building characters that are vivid and vital
  • Creating a strong sense of time and place
  • Suspense and the art of surprise
  • How to connect to your creative flow, and consistently find the time and space to write the story you’ve always dreamed of bringing to life

For seven days, from 9am to 12noon, you will write, read, listen, learn and discuss all aspects of creative writing, from first discovering your story to finding a publisher.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Jenny Gordon
Better Read Literary Tours
[email protected]

Testimonials

“Kate Forsyth leads you through a spectrum of spectacular backdrops in Oxford and exquisite landscapes in the Cotswolds to inspire you to keep the pace in a demanding week of lectures and audience participation. You are also introduced to food that you can only dream of.”
Manfred Claasz

“Kate Forsyth is a brilliant presenter. She is knowledgeable, warm, smart and doesn’t waste a moment. I loved her!”
Krys Saclier

The Writing in the Cotswolds retreat with Kate Forsyth was amazing. We stayed in the ridiculously picturesque village of Broadway in a 16th century hotel and lost ourselves in history and magic, visiting literary locations such as Shakespeare’s birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon. Kate’s classes were incredibly helpful and covered a wide range of topics. With the skills I learnt I was able to achieve my writing goals – I finished my first novel and had it accepted into a national emerging writers mentorship program. I also met some wonderful people who have now become precious friends. What more could you ask for from a writing retreat?
Emma Woods

Attending the History, Mystery and Magic writing retreat with Kate Forsyth has taken my writing to the next level. The course in the Cotswold’s was exciting, fun and informative. I’ve made lifelong friends with the girls who attended and we’ve evolved into an online writing and critique group. Before the course with Kate, I could never grasp the essence of the structural edit, though I’d done many other courses. With Kate’s help and direction, I can now deconstruct my writing and sort out the messy first draft. Kate has an amazing ability to adapt her teaching to each student no matter where individuals are in their writing journey. I couldn’t recommend it strongly enough. I wish I could go again.
Paul Beavan

The week-long course was educational and highly organised. I learnt more through Kate Forsyth’s teaching than any other course I’ve undertaken and exceeded my expectations. She was a fantastic presenter, in group form and individual support. Kate kept me inspired, motivated, and she helped take my writing to the next level. The venue was fabulous, as were the optional tours. Nigel, our tour guide, was friendly and a true history buff. I have nothing but praise for this event. It was worth every cent.
Carol Warner

I could never have envisioned what a fantastic experience this overseas adventure could be prior to journeying to the Cotswolds. The mystery around what to expect revealed that Kate is a knowledgeable and natural teacher. She is generous in sharing her wisdom and is incredibly encouraging. I quickly discovered what Kate has to offer cannot be learned from a book. She is a truly gifted author and to be on the receiving end of her teaching is a privilege. My imagination was ignited and I’ve been writing nearly every day ever since. The trip encompasses far more than inspiration in the classroom. It feels magical to be surrounded by like-minded people who equally are launching themselves on their journey to becoming an author. There is opportunity to further discuss writing, ideas and the books you love, while drinking in the stunning scenery, quaint cottages, flavoursome food and the Cotswolds culture. I loved being submerged in the history of this stunning part of the world. It was a unique learning experience through immersion, a career path was forged and life long memories and friendships were made.
Niamh Griffin