Workshops give you the opportunity to try out new things, learn new techniques and stretch yourself. Creative writing, poetry or craft workshops can give you new ideas and inspiration while helping you to develop your skills. Equally, they can lead you to a new area of study or a new hobby, give you a focus and allow you to make new friendships.
How to choose the best writing workshop for you
The industry in writing workshops has grown dramatically in recent years, which means that you have to sift through many different options to find the one that’s right for you.
Does the person leading the workshop have plenty of experience as a tutor? Some will teach creative writing courses at local universities and for others you could check out online reviews from their previous workshops.
Think carefully about what you want to gain from the workshop. Are you attending to progress your skills in the subject being taught, or are you more interested in the wellbeing aspects of a shared activity with a group of like-minded people?
Writing workshops in Yorkshire
Our Festival theme this year is ‘Yorkshire’ and we have engaged mostly Yorkshire-based tutors to deliver our workshops. If you live locally, this is a great opportunity to hone your craft and take inspiration from established writers and poets.
Yorkshire poet Chérie Taylor Battiste will be teaching a ‘Origins’ Poetry Workshop at this year’s HuddLitFest, exploring ideas around identity, heritage and self-discovery. You can also catch her performing at our Poetry Slam later that day.
If you fancy performing your own work, Rose Condo who presents the Slam each year often teaches workshops on performance techniques, which can improve your breathing, presentation and confidence. It might even help you to be shortlisted as one of the 10 poets at our 2026 Poetry Slam.
Advice on self-publishing your work
If you are working on a personal memoir or thinking of self-publishing a novel, it’s worth looking into our Self-Publishing Crash Course. Experienced publisher and author Rachael Hardcastle will guide you through the basics and offer no-nonsense advice on the often-confusing minefield of self-publishing.
Our workshops often sell out well before the date, so it’s worth booking early rather than leaving it to the day if you want to secure your place.
Workshops for wellbeing in Huddersfield
One of the most recognised ways of boosting wellbeing is to immerse yourself in nature.
Huddersfield-based creative coach and writer Juliet Thomas has delivered workshops for us in the past and this year she will be leading Finding Stories in the Park.
After igniting your inspiration investigating the flora, fauna and history of Huddersfield’s Greenhead Park, Juliet will guide you to create stories in the Community Room. We’ll even throw in refreshments! What better way to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon?
Free and low-cost workshops
If you’re concerned about cost, we offer concession prices at our workshops and there are usually some free and low-cost workshops to choose from, such as Balbir Singh Dance Company’s Photography Workshop, which is just £4 for a two-hour workshop. This will give you the opportunity to try something new without breaking the bank.
All HuddLitFest workshops are listed under the Workshops tab on our website. These include workshops for children and for people with learning difficulties and/or autism. We’d love to hear any ideas you have for future workshops at the Festival.