Saddle up for a new adventure...

... or even sign up for it, if you're interested.

I am starting a new series of creative writing workshops.

And here’s why…

I have taught creative writing in one guise or another for the last fifteen years, and I have taught all around the world, starting as a visiting lecturer at the then (and much missed) University of Wales, Newport, up in the glorious green pastures of the Caerleon campus (made famous most recently as the set for the school in Netflix’s runaway hit Sex Education). After that esteemed establishment was squeezed into a “merger” and became the soon-to-be annihilated Newport arm of the University of South Wales, I went off to run Wales Arts Review for a few years and travel the world writing and running workshops and publishing novels and non-fiction books. Five years ago I went back into education to get my PhD (which I finished last year) at Cardiff University, and there I was reminded how much I loved teaching, how much I missed it, and just how much, as a writer, I got out of it.

It’s been a year now since I stopped teaching at Cardiff. In that time I have published a new book and opened my own record shop. But as 2025 hurtles along, I realise just how much I miss sitting around a table with emerging writers, discussing their work and ideas, and offering guidance and experience where I can. And so, I’ve decided to start something up.

I am starting a series of creative writing workshops in Monmouth. The series will take in fiction and non-fiction, and at a later stage there will be a special focus on the daunting and dynamic world of publishing.

They will be two hour workshops, and members of the group will have the opportunity to read each other’s work and give constructive feedback. This is the model I have worked with for over a decade, and I have seen what great things can come out of it. We will discuss great works of literature, classics and modern, and apply the lessons from these discussions to your own work. There will also be opportunities for one-on-one discussion with me about your work.

At the end of the workshop series you will be much closer to your goal -- be that finding your voice, structuring your story, establishing your characters (fictional or real), or any other of the myriad roads a writer needs to travel down to tell their story.

The workshops will be in-person, very friendly, supportive, creative, and productive — the focus will always be on the craft of writing, and you will be compelled to get writing done.

You can be at any stage of your development as a writer, and at any stage of a work-in-progress. If you would like to know more, I am keen to hear from you.

Here’s the blurb…

A series of new creative writing workshops with novelist, non-fiction author, playwright, editor, and BBC broadcaster, Gary Raymond.

Author of six books, including the best-selling novel The Golden Orphans, and the hilarious hit non-fiction book, How Love Actually Ruined Christmas, Gary will be bringing his years of experience tutoring creative writing at Cardiff University and the University of South Wales to an intimate group setting in Monmouth.

“Since leaving Cardiff University after four years teaching creative writing and researching for my PhD in novels about climate change, I have deeply missed the discussion of the workshop environment, unpicking the idea of the writing craft and helping emerging writers find their voice. And so I have been inspired to start a new creative writing workshop group in Monmouth.

“The thing I enjoy most about leading these workshops is guiding aspirant writers to find their voice, find their form, and help them on the journey to expressing themselves in a wide variety of creative ways.”

The workshops will focus on fiction and non-fiction, and will work towards having a special focus on the world of publishing.

Gary Raymond has written three novels and three books of non-fiction, was the editor of Wales Arts Review for over ten years, and has presented arts programmes for BBC Radio Wales for the last eight years, including The Review Show and the flagship Arts Show. He has written on art and culture for The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Western Mail.

He has a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing, and has run creative writing workshops for the British Council on programmes in India, Africa, Europe and East Asia. He has devised and delivered countless creative writing workshops, including Introduction to Novel-writing, The Short Story, Writing for Media, Writing Memoir, Finding Your Form, Writing for Stage, and many others.

If you’re interested in finding out more and want to discuss signing up for the workshops, don’t hesitate to get in touch (you can do that by just replying to this newsletter).