Calling All Authors: The Leeds Writing Festival Needs You
After a highly successful debut in 2025 the Leeds Writing Festival returns this September with an equally impressive line-up of expert authors, literary agents and publishing professionals, for a day of inspiration, craft, and community at Leeds Trinity University.
Sponsored by a group of Leeds authors, Writers of the North, Leeds Writing Festival offers a choice of ten courses or workshops over four sessions, showcasing the craft of writing. Lectures include The Critical Eye, Love Your Villains and Psychic Distance whilst talks on what publishers want and self-publishing address the practical steps writers need to take to send their work out into the world.
Leeds authors Caroline Bond, Sally Hart, Roger Webster and Jaye Sarasin all contribute their advice on the writing skills required to produce a best seller, and literary agent Mia Dakin from Green & Heaton will tell us what is needed to catch a publisher’s eye.
Caroline, famous for her book The Second Child and now writing psychological thrillers under the pen-name Caroline North, is giving the opening address and a workshop on ‘genre’. Sally is talking about self-editing, Roger discusses research and Jaye will talk about writing for young adults and children.
One of our speakers, Christie Newport, is the very successful author of the Raven series and is running the Preston Crime Festival later in September.
The Festival is run on a not for profit basis, and tickets are from £106, however there are three bursaries on offer, sponsored by Parfoys Press, for underrepresented writers to attend the festival for free. The bursaries are aimed specifically at writers who are disabled, of BAME descent or of low income.
To apply for a bursary to attend the Leeds Writing Festival please email info@writersofthenorth.co.uk to express your interest, outline why why you qualify for a bursary, list any other writing courses you have attended and provide a 250 word sample of your work.
The Leeds Writing Festival is dedicated to aspiring and established writers in the North of England. Bringing together expert authors, literary agents, and publishing professionals for a day of workshops, seminars, and meaningful connections.
Whether you're refining your debut novel, exploring self-publishing, or navigating the route to a literary agent — there is a session for every stage of your journey.
The Leeds Writing Festival 2026 will take place on Saturday 5 September at Leeds Trinity University, Writers of the North hope to see you there! Find out more on our website here www.writersofthenorth.co.uk.