Linda Green and Rachel Connor at Hebden Bridge WI

We were absolutely delighted to welcome Rachel Connor and Linda Green, 2 local professional writers, to our last meeting.  Rachel contacted us through the power of Twitter to say she would be really happy to come along to a meeting to talk about writing and perhaps organise a workshop.  We jumped at the opportunity and were over the moon when Linda agreed to join her.

At Monday’s meeting we were spoilt with two fantastic fiction writing workshops focusing on story and character development.  It was obvious both Rachel and Linda had taken time, care and attention organising their workshops for us and the enthusiastic feedback from WI members is well deserved.  We’ve got our fingers crossed to get Rachel and Linda back to do more with us next year.

Working on story development

Multitasking: knitting and writing

Concentration as Rachel speaks to us

Linda running through her group’s work

Creativity at work

Taking the task seriously

Q&A with Rachel and Linda at the end of the workshops

Want to know a bit more about Rachel Connor and Linda Green?

Rachel Connor

Rachel Connor used to be a University lecturer in English before she realised she preferred making up stories to analysing them. She has taught creative writing for the WEA and has run numerous day workshops throughout the north of England. Her debut novel, Sisterwives, was published last year, and is now working on the next one. She has also been commissioned to write an afternoon drama for Radio 4 (to be broadcast early in 2014).

Linda Green

Linda is the author of four top thirty bestselling novels which have sold more than 200,000 copies between them. Her fifth novel, The Mummyfesto, will be published by Quercus in February next year and tells the story of three women from Hebden Bridge who decide to set up a new political party and stand in the general election – in between sorting out their various family problems.

Prior to her career as an author, Linda worked as a journalist for fifteen years and has written for The Guardian, the Independent on Sunday and The Big Issue.

Linda is also a qualified adult education teacher and has taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 80 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale.

Written and posted by Amy