I’m leading a writing course on the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos from 5-12 September 2026. A few places are still available!
Have you ever tried writing something? Many people dream of crafting a novel or a memoir. But what are the basic building blocks of writing? What are the pitfalls? How do you get started? How do you keep going?
A Sigri Arts Retreat group by the water’s edge
My writing course: how to write and publish a novel
My writing course “How to write and publish a novel” will take place for the second time from 5-12 September 2026 in Sigri, on the beautiful Greek island of Lesbos. Full details are at the Sigri Arts Retreat website, or contact me for more info. The view of the sea at the link is from my bedroom in Sigri in 2025 – not sure I’ll ever stay in a more perfect space. You can see my course under “Workshops“.
Places on the course are limited. We have fun, interactive sessions with plenty of feedback on participants’ work and practical advice, including on the opportunities and pitfalls of finding an agent or publisher, use of social media, and the road to publication. The price of €950 include tuition, 7 nights’ accommodation and a welcome dinner.
Sigri, September 2025
How a writing course can help
Over decades of writing, I’ve concluded that other people are a key to progress. Writing is often seen as a solitary occupation. But too much isolation can be counter-productive. Meeting other writers and exchanging ideas can turbo-charge your creativity and, equally important, motivation. A writing course offers opportunities to explore technique and discuss the experience of others in a new environment. All this helps move projects forward.
Plus – a bonus – a writing course can be in a stimulating environment, such as a sun-kissed Greek island.
What’s Sigri like?
At dawn, the sun creeps across the waves, painting the ancient stones of the Ottoman castle a ruddy orange. Early-rising bathers wade into the gently shelving water of the sandy beach. After a swim, it’s a ten-minute walk to the bakery for fresh pastries, past historic drinking fountains and blue-and-white painted village houses.
Sunset from the Plaza taverna
Finding your perfect Greek village is a matter of taste. But Sigri, a hamlet on the westernmost tip of the island of Lesbos, is one of the most beautiful I’ve visited. A single road connects it to the rest of the island. Sigri seems to abound in excellent, good-value tavernas, such as the Plaza on the town beach. Another nearby beach features a grand sweep of sand, a chapel hewn from a cliff, and a bar called “The End”, complete with rusting antique vehicles and a classic rock soundtrack.
A tractor at “The End”
A chilled beer (and plenty of water) at “The End”.
Joining a writing course: what to do next
If you think a writing course in Sigri might be for you, drop me a line. I can give you more details, or put you in touch with the Sigri Arts Retreat team. Or you can contact them direct through their website. Interacting with other writers in a beautiful, relaxing place? What’s not to like?
In Sigri
For a look at my own books, see my books page.
