This two-hour workshop, presented by award-winning author Sue Divin, will give you a great grounding in the basics of writing for children. The session will cover everything from choosing your readership and concept to developing plot and characterisation, with time for questions. Participants will also get the chance to join a writing group after the workshop, offering further support and an all-important writing community.

Workshop organiser All Stories offers free development opportunities to talented writers from underrepresented backgrounds. The 2024 programme includes writing workshops and writing groups. To register, you must be over 18, reside in the UK and from an underrepresented group. This is defined as those who identify as a person of colour, LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodiverse, working class or socio-economically disadvantaged.

This is a free event but places are limited. If you are unable to attend please contact us as soon as possible so that your place can be offered to someone on the waiting list.

Meet your workshop host: Sue Divin

Sue Divin is a Derry based writer and peace worker, with Armagh roots. With wry humour and emotional punch, her writing often touches on diversity, reconciliation, borders and the legacy of the Troubles.

She has two Young Adult novels (Macmillan). Truth Be Told (Parent Trap meets Derry Girls) won the McCrea Literary Award and shortlisted in the Irish Book Awards and UK Literacy Awards. Guard Your Heart (A ‘Romeo and Juliet’ set in NI 2016) was Carnegie shortlisted and won the Great Reads Award (Ireland). She is currently working on her third novel, I Once Was Lost.

Her writing has been described as ‘Profoundly powerful, subtle and effective’ (The Guardian), ‘Compelling’ (Irish Times) and ‘Laced with dry wit, emotion and self-deprecating humour’ (Irish News). Of Truth Be Told, The Irish Times stated, ‘This polished novel makes space for the messy complexity of human existence, and gently offers, but does not preach, hope.’

Sue got her break into writing through the Irish Writers Centre’s Novel Fair in 2019. Her short stories and flash fiction have been published in many literary journals.