Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

Explore how to create believable characters and give them a compelling story arc. Have fun inventing new worlds for them to exist in!

Your own life is a rich source of inspiration for writing. Explore how to turn your experiences into stories that other people will want to read.

Gentle Book Writing Club is an experimental, self-directed book coaching programme for people working on books or longer writing projects who have busy lives or other limitations.

At the start of each lunar month (new moon) there is a free newsletter on the book writing process with exercises and activities for you to try.

In the middle of the lunar month (full moon) we meet online for an hour to check how our book writing is going. This support group meeting is inspired by peer coaching, coaching circles and coaching communities led by Becky Seale.

This programme is available only for paid subscribers of HoneyLeaf Substack newsletter run by Mel Parks.

Using magazines & old books, we’ll find poems and messages hidden in the pages. Great for sparking ideas and mixing words with images. Ideal also for junk journalling.

Objects are rich with stories and ideas. Bring a treasured object in to write about and we’ll work with some random objects too. You’ll never look at ordinary things in the same way again!

Scenes are an essential building block of stories, novels and memoirs. Learn how to write a good scene with three monthly creative writing workshops. Helpful if you’re new to writing fiction or if you want to improve the stories you write.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

Gentle Book Writing Club is an experimental, self-directed book coaching programme for people working on books or longer writing projects who have busy lives or other limitations.

At the start of each lunar month (new moon) there is a free newsletter on the book writing process with exercises and activities for you to try.

In the middle of the lunar month (full moon) we meet online for an hour to check how our book writing is going. This support group meeting is inspired by peer coaching, coaching circles and coaching communities led by Becky Seale.

This programme is available only for paid subscribers of HoneyLeaf Substack newsletter run by Mel Parks.

Gentle Book Writing Club is an experimental, self-directed book coaching programme for people working on books or longer writing projects who have busy lives or other limitations.

At the start of each lunar month (new moon) there is a free newsletter on the book writing process with exercises and activities for you to try.

In the middle of the lunar month (full moon) we meet online for an hour to check how our book writing is going. This support group meeting is inspired by peer coaching, coaching circles and coaching communities led by Becky Seale.

This programme is available only for paid subscribers of HoneyLeaf Substack newsletter run by Mel Parks.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

Perfect for introverts and those who want to read more free from distractions. Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour.

As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want and there is no pressure to have a structured discussion, so be sure to bring a book.

Have you always wanted to write a book but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve written a draft and you don’t know what to do next? Should you get an editor or send out to agents?

Or you have an inkling that writing might help you in some way, but would like some ideas on facing the blank page.

Whatever your writing problem, book a one-to-one, 20-minute slot with Mel Parks at the Forest Row Festival. Mel has been a freelance writer and editor for 20 years and running creative writing workshops for 10 years. She is widely published, including academic papers on the writing process.

Included in the festival wristband price or by donation to the festival.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

An online weekly guided creative writing workshop most Tuesdays 2-3pm (GMT) with Mel Parks. For the start of 2025, the theme is: Nourish. We’ll consider what feeds, nurtures and sustains us. I will offer one or two writing exercises with prompts (sometimes an object, poem or picture). You will have some quiet time to write, we’ll check in halfway through, then there will be time for sharing.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

An online weekly guided creative writing workshop most Tuesdays 2-3pm (GMT) with Mel Parks. For the start of 2025, the theme is: Nourish. We’ll consider what feeds, nurtures and sustains us. I will offer one or two writing exercises with prompts (sometimes an object, poem or picture). You will have some quiet time to write, we’ll check in halfway through, then there will be time for sharing.

An online weekly guided creative writing workshop most Tuesdays 2-3pm (GMT) with Mel Parks. For the start of 2025, the theme is: Nourish. We’ll consider what feeds, nurtures and sustains us. I will offer one or two writing exercises with prompts (sometimes an object, poem or picture). You will have some quiet time to write, we’ll check in halfway through, then there will be time for sharing.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

A monthly creative writing workshop for beginners. Plenty of fun writing prompts, games and activities to get your creative juices flowing.

Make time for yourself with this workshop, which is aimed at generating ideas as well as an introduction to taking some initial steps towards making creative writing or journalling part of your life. Whether you want to use your life experiences to write or completely make things up, if you have a love of words you’ll be on the right path!

Writing is brilliant for making sense of your life experiences or simply having creative fun. This workshop will focus on enjoying the process of writing and putting words on the page.

Whether you think of retreat as creating a nurturing space or a place and time to write without distractions, take time for yourself each Tuesday 2-3pm UK time. I will lead with gentle writing suggestions or prompts. You can respond in any way that feels right for you in the moment - whether that’s fiction, memoir, poetry, journalling or simply freewriting.

Once a month (alternating between East Grinstead & Forest Row) at our Silent Book Club, we'll meet to read together, silently, for an hour. There will be optional socialising periods before and after the reading period, so you can meet other readers and share book suggestions. As opposed to a regular book club, at Silent Book Club everyone reads what they want.

Whether you think of retreat as creating a nurturing space or a place and time to write without distractions, take time for yourself each Tuesday 2-3pm UK time. I will lead with gentle writing suggestions or prompts. You can respond in any way that feels right for you in the moment - whether that’s fiction, memoir, poetry, journalling or simply freewriting.