Following the success of the Platform Conference in April, we’ve produced The Middle Way Mentoring Writing Week, a week-long professional development opportunity for Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic writers based in the UK that runs from June 30th until July 5th.
The programme consists of daily online write-ins, expert-led workshops on craft, and demystifying the publishing industry, a one-to-one coaching call with Farhana Shaikh and an in-person writing retreat in Birmingham. The week is designed to be a safe space for writers working at any level to focus on their writing and take their craft to the next level.
Your tutors are writer Catherine Menon, editor Richard Sheehan, and literary agent Rowan Lawton. The week will be hosted by publisher Farhana Shaikh.
Applications are now open. The deadline is 24th June 2025.
Spaces are limited and by application. If selected, there is a heavily subsidised fee of £125* payable to confirm your place. Food, travel, and accommodation for the in-person element are not included.
All sessions except the in-person element will be held on Zoom.
*Scholarships are available for low-income writers, students, and anyone facing financial hardship. Please state this on your application. Platform Conference 2025 ticket holders can also use their ticket fee against payment.
FULL PROGRAMME
Monday 30th June
10-11 AM – Morning kick-start, check-in and goal setting – building the right conditions to write
2-4 PM – Independent writing time – guided by a series of prompts, games and exercises
6.30-7.30 PM- Short stories to novels: sustaining interest through plot, character and prose with Catherine Menon
When you move from writing short stories to writing novels, one of the most difficult challenges is how to sustain interest throughout a longer piece. This session will look at how to use elements of plot, character and prose to take advantage of the extra length offered by the novel form. We will look at building twists into your novel, what to do when the pace slows and – most crucially – how to keep *yourself* interested throughout the process. This session will be recorded so you can watch it back in your own time.
Tuesday 1st July
10 – 11 AM – Morning kick-start: Beyond the inspired moment – building the foundations for a writing project
2-4 PM – Independent writing time / individual one-to-ones
Wednesday 2nd July
10-11 AM – Morning kick-start: How to keep going? Your writer’s toolbox – building momentum & Mid-week check-in and goal tracking
2-4 PM – Independent writing time / individual one-to-ones
5.30-7.30 PM – Polishing your prose: Editing your manuscript with Richard Sheehan
How do editors work with authors and what does the editorial process involve? In this editing workshop, we will discuss different types of editors, outline common errors that writers make, and have a go at putting some editing tools into practice. In this practical workshop, you’ll develop editing skills that will help you to polish your prose. That way, your writing will be at its sparkling best as you complete your masterwork. This session includes an editing booklet and will be recorded so you can watch it back in your own time.
Thursday 3rd July
10-11 AM – Morning kick-start: Call I call myself a writer? Building a community of practice
2-4 PM – Independent writing time / individual one-to-ones
Friday 4th July
10-11AM – Ask the Literary Agent with Rowan Lawton, The Soho Agency
What do literary agents do and how can they help a writer find a publisher? In this open session, you’ll have the chance to put your questions to literary agent Rowan Lawton and learn more about the role of a literary agent and how they help to shape and guide your writing career.
2-4 PM – Afternoon Forum and Open feedback session
Saturday 5th July
11 AM- 4PM – In-person Writing Retreat in Birmingham & Celebratory Lunch
Your tutors
Catherine Menon is the author of Fragile Monsters, published in 2021 by Viking and shortlisted for the Society of Authors Gordon Bowker Prize and the Authors’ Club First Novel Award. Her debut short story collection, Subjunctive Moods, was published by Dahlia Publishing in 2018. She has a PhD in pure mathematics and an MA in creative writing from City University, for which she won the annual prize. She’s won or been placed in a number of competitions, including the Fish, Bridport, London Short Story, Bare Fiction, Willesden Herald, The Asian Writer, Leicester Writes, Winchester Writers Festival and Short Fiction Journal awards. Her work has been published in a number of literary journals, including The Good Journal and Asian Literary Review and has been broadcast on radio.
Richard Sheehan I am a qualified copyeditor and proofreader, and I have worked on over 375 books, specialising in fiction and general non-fiction. I have also worked on hundreds of otherprojects, including commercial reports, catalogues, brochures, website content, newsletters and many other types of documentation.
I am a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and have been trained by the Publishing Training Centre and the CIEP. I wrote part of the Introduction to Fiction Editing course run by the CIEP, and I have also provided editing workshops and masterclasses for De Montfort University, The Literary Consultancy, the Society of Authors, Middle Way Mentoring, the Historical Novel Society, Leicester Writes, Writing East Midlands and Leicester Writers’ Club. I have worked with many big and small publishers, as well as directly with many independent authors who self-publish.
Rowan Lawton joined The Soho Agency in 2019 after nearly two decades in agenting and is now Managing Director. She represents internationally bestselling and award-winning writers, recognised by the British Book Awards, CWA Daggers, Irish Book Awards, and more. Rowan has judged fiction prizes such as Richard & Judy ‘Search for a Bestseller’ and the Bristol Short Story Prize. A Bookseller Rising Star in 2012, Rowan continues to champion literary talent across genres.
Your host and mentor
Farhana Shaikh is a writer and publisher born in Leicester. She is the founding editor of The Asian Writer, an online magazine championing Asian literature. In 2010 she established Dahlia Books to publish regional and diverse writing talent. She has facilitated creative writing workshops and judged competitions in the UK and India. In 2010, Farhana received an Arts bursary from the Royal Shakespeare Company. She writes feature articles, poetry, short stories and scripts. Her first novel was longlisted in the Women’s Prize/ CBC Creative Discoveries Award in 2023. Recently Farhana was selected for the Writing East Midlands Mentorship. Farhana can still be found on Twitter @farhanashaikh talking about books and publishing.