Writing Workshop: Weaving the through-line of your Novel

Join us on 8th June for this workshop exploring how to build a through-line for your novel!

This workshop is presented in collaboration with CYMERA: Scotland’s Festival of Science-Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing.

All SBWN events will adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy. You can learn more about our policy here.

Please be mindful when booking. This is a session for Black writers & writers of colour* .

What is the driving force of your novel? How do you maintain tension and purpose and forward momentum in your novel? Uncover your novel’s through-line in this workshop! A through-line is the core propulsion in your novel. This can be your character’s main conflict or desire. More broadly, it might be the main, emotional question, with high stakes, that the story poses.

A through-line can be embodied in a central theme, conflict, motif, etc. There can be secondary through-lines that run parallel and intertwine. We will examine examples of a through-line, look at through-lines in several speculative texts, and do exercises to identify the through-line of participants’ works-in-progress!

This workshop is open to all Black writers and writers of colour.

For participants on low incomes, we have some bursaries for data (£8) and caregiver/childcare (£30) for online events available – please email us at scottishbpocwriters@gmail.com if you will need a bursary to attend, and we’ll do our best to help.

Tickets are £14 / £12 (plus 50p booking fee), bookable through Cymera’s website. By booking a ticket for this workshop, you agree to the adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Access

Before participating in this online event, please note the following:

This event is for Black writers and writers of colour.
The event will take 1 hour and 45 minutes with comfort breaks.
We have a number of data and child/carer bursaries available – please email us at scottishbpocwriters@gmail.com.
BSL interpretation provided.
Events are hosted online using Zoom (link will be sent to participants closer to the date by Cymera Festival).
This workshop will not be recorded.
To participate you will need an internet/wi-fi connection, a desktop or mobile device to join by audio and/or video and writing materials/device.
You may mute your mic/switch off video or take a break at any time.
All SBWN events will adhere to our Safer Spaces Policy.

Questions? Email scottishbpocwriters@gmail.com.

Facilitator

Z. K. Abraham is a writer and psychiatrist. She is a Scottish New Writers awardee for 2025, under the Callan Gordon Award, and a Reading Round fellow for the Royal Literary fund for 2024-2025.

She is published by Clarkesworld, the Rumpus, Fantasy magazine, Fractured Lit, JMWW and others. She is represented by Carleen Geisler at ArtHouse Literary agency.

BSL Interpreters

Lisa graduated in 2016 as a British Sign Language (BSL) / English interpreter and went freelance in April 2025.

In her personal time, she attends weekly writing sessions, monthly open mics and has had her own poetry featured as a short film in response to identity and creativity (produced by The Skinny, in partnership with Edinburgh International Festival 2021).

In addition to intersectional poetry, Lisa has co-led within pockets of LGBTQIA+ spaces and continues to volunteer time when her schedule allows. Outside of queer spaces, she has run discussion sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI), amatonormativity and topics within psychology in relation to colonialism, with university students and professionals.

Lisa strongly believes in compassionate honesty and having grace, where life is lived better by approaching it with kindness and understanding.

You can find her online on BlueSky

Layne Whittaker GMBPSS is a qualified RSLI and has been involved in the deaf community for 22 years. She first began her journey as a freelance interpreter 10 years ago. Her passion, as well as being an interpreter, is Psychology, She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a MSc in occupational psychology, with a focus on EDI within the interpreting profession.

Layne’s profile on Interpreters of Colour | LinkedIn