Writing

We are sorry to say that Tindal Street Press is not currently considering new manuscripts for publication.

Tindal Street Press has achieved renown for encouraging and developing new writers. We hope aspiring writers will enjoy and learn from our series of creative writing masterclasses written by our published authors.

Our Submission guidelines are to the right. There is also a ‘Dos and Don’ts Guide’ to submitting writing to agents and publishers.

Tindal Street Press Writing Masterclasses

What’s the best advice for a writer of stories? Learn from the acknowledged masters of the form – look closely at their technique and improve your own craft. This is the philosophy that Tindal Street have carried through to their masterclasses. As a taster of what you can enjoy on our courses, we have compiled twelve articles for you to download. Publishing Director Alan Mahar commissioned authors to choose their favourite master of the short story form and offer practical writing advice for fiction writers. The authors of the articles – and the writers that they have chosen – are as follows:

1. Alan Mahar – Eudora Welty – ‘Keep Your Eyes and Ears Open’
2. Alan Beard – William Trevor – ‘Be Indirect’
3. Jackie Gay – E. Annie Proulx – ‘Be Inspired’
4. Joel Lane – J. G. Ballard – ‘Use Your Characters’
5. Helen Cross – Emily Perkins – ‘Be Fearless’
6. Julia Bell – Raymond Carver – ‘Showing, Not Telling’
7. Alan Mahar – John Cheever – ‘Build Tension’
8. David Gaffney – Etgar Keret – ‘Be Short’
9. Paul McDonald – James Thurber – ‘Be Funny’
10. Gaynor Arnold – Alice Munro – ‘Observe Closely’
11. Alan Mahar – Cynthia Ozick – ‘Use Simple Language’
12. Josie Barnard – Joseph Conrad – ‘Know Your Setting’

You can download all masterclass articles from the right hand column, under ‘Downloads’.

For those looking for some more general writing advice, and unable to benefit from the masterclasses above, below you can find a few quick tips:

• Shake off the writers block - The best way to avoid writers block is simply to start writing. Try not to overthink things and let your mind wander as you start crafting your story
• Declutter your office space/writing area - clutter and junk can stifle even the best creatives, so carry out an office clearance and get yourself a writing space that will help you find your flow
• Look for inspiratoin - Reading your favourite stories (or any of the classics) is a great way to find inspiration and get your creative juices flowing
• Take a walk - Odds are that you will have your best ideas when you are not looking for them, so if you're feeling stuck then try going out for a nice walk and some fresh air