Secrets and lies are not only great tools for creating tension, pace and misdirection in our stories, they are great to use as prompts as well. In this interactive and generative workshop, we'll look at how we can use secrets and lies to create new flash fiction stories that can send our work in unexpected directions. Come armed with some secrets and be prepared to be creative with the truth to leave with some new story starters and ideas to develop.

Everyone who has a ticket will also be sent the recording afterwards to download and watch again.

Workshop Host

Amanda Saint started Retreat West in 2012 and launched Retreat West Books in 2017 (Winner: Most Innovative Publisher 2020 Saboteur Awards), which published 24 books between 2018 and 2023. She has been designing and teaching online courses, and live workshops, for many years and has worked as an editor on hundreds of manuscripts.

She’s the author of two novels, As If I Were A River (2016), which was longlisted for the Guardian Not The Booker Prize, a NetGalley Top 10 Book of the Month and a Book Magnet Blog Top 20 Book of 2016; and Remember Tomorrow (2019 ). She has just completed a novella-in-flash, has almost finished a flash fiction collection and is now working on her third novel. Amanda is training to be a mindfulness teacher and counsellor. She writes The Mindful Writer and The Tao of Storytelling on Substack.

Amanda’s short fictions have been widely published; long/shortlisted in the Mslexia Flash Fiction Competition, Fish Flash Fiction Prize, Ink Tears Short Story Prize, Cranked Anvil Short Story Competition, Flash 500 and V300; nominated for Best Small Fictions 2023; and won the Editor’s Choice Prize at 101 Words.