Courses

Guided Writing Week November 8th-15th 2024

space, inspiration, and support

Every year for the past four years we’ve run a writing week at Rushay, on the Jurassic coast near Lyme Regis. The course has evolved over that time and is now practically perfect in every way.

Rushay is an Arts & Crafts country house set in its own gardens and grounds, with nine beautiful bedrooms between the house and cottage. With three further sitting rooms, the house provides plenty of space for quiet work and reflection. It stands a mile from the Dorset coast, on the edge of the Marshwood Vale.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, we want to inspire you, and fire your urge to work and create. 

The writing workshops and guidance were invaluable, inspirational and motivating. It was also tremendous fun with two great hosts who were not only willing to generously share their time with helpful feedback but kept us entertained with charm, wit and warm hospitality. Evenings around the dinner table were as enjoyable as the writing sessions, also time out to think, write, walk or even take a dip in the sea for those brave enough in the face of a howling gale - several people were!
JW
Writer

A Guided Writing Week with Jason Goodwin, Greg Mosse and Jeremy Seal

Friday 8th November to Friday 15th November 

Part I is a literary work-out, runs through the weekend, and is led by Greg Mosse, whose ‘A Novel in a Weekend’ course was such a hit at Rushay last year. The title of Greg’s workshop for 2024 is yet to be decided, but it will certainly involve the same level of creative energy, participation, and the dispensing of expertise, with lots of original writing tasks and time for questions. The weekend is open to residential and non-residential writers between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. 
 
Part II continues for the residential writers on Monday morning, offering writers five more days of private writing, mentoring and conversation. 
It’s led by Jason Goodwin and Jeremy Seal. From Monday to Friday 15th they will hold daily sessions to explore different elements of writing, and address issues like character, dialogue, plot, pace, setting and research. We’ll be talking about different forms, including fiction, memoir and travel writing. After lunch there’ll be plenty of private writing time, through to tea and supper, with Jeremy and Jason in attendance.

Residential writers arrive on the Friday evening for supper. 

We want to inspire you to progress with your own fiction or non-fiction. Whether you are a new writer or an established one, we think that you will draw energy from the relatively informal mix of tutoring, guidance and peaceful writing time.

What a week! I am buzzing and grinning all over my face. Rushay was the perfect environment in which to bathe in words and writing … I feel I unlocked something at Rushay, thanks to many things, not least the chance to air ideas with new people.
MB
writer

Dining
Residential writers get freshly made breakfast, lunch and supper served every day, and weekend non-residents get a delicious lunch both days. 

Walks
Weather permitting, we’ll have some (guided) walks in the surrounding countryside: solvitur ambulando is a writing precept, ‘it is solved by walking.’ You might also want to explore the Dorset/Devon borders, or go fossil-hunting on Charmouth’s famous Jurassic beach. Bridport and Lyme Regis are each under fifteen minutes away by car, and Charmouth has two pubs and a café.

Rooms
All the rooms are king size or doubles, except for the attic dorm with four single beds. They are all set up with writing desks and power outlets, with lovely views, and there is fibre broadband and wifi throughout the house, cottage and garden, with good 4G phone reception on all networks.

Getting here
There is ample parking at Rushay, and a taxi from the nearest railway station (Axminster) costs about £15. Axminster is on the Waterloo-Exeter mainline.

Prices

Part I: weekend only (non-residential, with lunch) £150

Part I&II: (seven nights full board)

Master bedroom and green bedroom (king size) £1250

Double bedrooms £1100

Attic singles (up to four sharing, ladies only) £750

An exceptional location. An incredibly gracious host. I would do it again, in exactly the same format, in a heartbeat.
CG
Writer

Mentors

Jeremy Seal is the author of acclaimed non-fiction books which combine travel and history, including A Fez of the HeartSanta: A Life,  and Meander, about his solo canoe journey down Turkey’s eponymous river. A Coup in Turkey was published by Chatto in 2021. He has taught creative writing for the Arvon Foundation and ICE Cambridge. He is working on a novel, and often leads people through Turkey via his amazing website.

Jason Goodwin is an award winning writer, whose works of fiction and non-fiction have been translated into more than 40 languages, including Albanian and Korean. He won the coveted Edgar Award for Best Mystery Novel but the roots of his writing are in travel and history. He also writes a monthly column for Country Life Magazine.

Jason has taught creative writing at West Dean College, and given masterclasses at the South Bank and The Guardian. There’s more about Jason, his books, and projects, on his website

Greg Mosse’s first career was in theatre as actor, director & writer. He has lived and worked in Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Madrid and is married to the celebrated writer Kate Mosse. Having worked as an interpreter at a variety of international institutions, in 2015 Greg returned to theatre. Since then, he has written and produced 25 plays and musicals. He took advantage of 2020’s lockdown to fulfil a long-term ambition to write a powerful thriller. 

The most wonderful and inspirational week…Thank you for restoring my confidence in my writing. FW
FW
Writer