An award-winning author will share the secrets behind her success in a free masterclass for budding writers and readers at The Hive.
Liz Hyder
Liz Hyder, who is also a Writer in Residence at the University of Worcester, will speak about her books and the novel writing process in the session on Wednesday (March 18, 6.30pm).
Liz has published both historical fiction books for adults as well as novels for young adults in a variety of different genres, from thriller to fantasy, with her fifth book due out later this year.
“My talk will look at how I got published and the things that I have learnt and the books that I’ve written,” she said. “I’ll also talk about the books that didn’t get published and the projects that didn’t work because I think that’s just as interesting. It will run the full gamut from when I first picked up a pen right through to today.”
Liz’s fourth and most recent novel, The Twelve, published last year, was nominated for a Carnegie Medal, the UK’s longest running children’s book award. It won the 2024 Nero Book Award for Children’s Fiction and the Tir na n-Og Award for Best English language book 2025.
Her debut novel Bearmouth (2019) won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers and was named The Times Children’s Book of the Year.
Liz, who has written since childhood, said there’s no set formula for a successful novel. Her first published work was her seventh attempt but hopes her experiences can encourage other writers. Her session, which was organised by the West Midlands Readers’ Network, will also include time for audience questions, giving attendees the chance to explore aspects of their own writing processes with Liz.
She said: “This session will hopefully be useful to fellow writers as I’m happy to give tips and tricks to aspiring storytellers but it’s also very much aimed at anyone who loves books and wants to find out how a book comes to life - from the initial idea through to a book you can take out of a library - and what that process is.”
Alongside her novel writing, as one of the University’s Writers in Residence for this academic year, Liz offers one-to-one sessions, supporting students with their academic writing and helping to develop their writing skills. This free service is provided by the Royal Literary Fund, which sponsors writers to work in universities across the UK.
The event is free but tickets must be booked in advance, by visiting Worcestershire County Council website’s What’s On pages.
Read more about the University of Worcester’s Writers in Residence on the University’s website.