Shared planning
We’ll talk with you about your members, aims and calendar, then suggest a small number of workshops or short courses that would fit your year – from one-off sessions to mini-programmes.
Writing Group Affiliate Programme
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Big Thinking School of Writing
Writing Group Affiliate Programme UK
Partner with Big Thinking Publishing to bring a structured programme of creative writing and publishing workshops to your members – with priority booking, preferential rates, anthology support and free resources.
Overview
A partnership programme for writing groups across the UK
The Writing Group Affiliate Programme UK is a free partnership scheme designed for writing groups, book clubs, university societies, libraries and community organisations who want reliable, professional support for their writers throughout the year.
As an affiliate, your group connects directly with the Big Thinking School of Writing – the teaching arm of Big Thinking Publishing. You gain priority access to our full programme of workshops and courses, plus a curated menu of sessions that can be brought to your group online or in person.
The programme is light-touch and collaborative: your group stays fully independent while benefiting from the experience, teaching materials and publishing knowledge of a working small press.
How it works
What it means to be an affiliate partner
Preferred access
Affiliates hear about new workshops, courses and pilot sessions first, giving your members extra time to book before events open more widely.
Ongoing support
Throughout the year, we’ll keep in touch with opportunities, resources and ideas for your programme, adjusting things as your group’s needs evolve.
Benefits
Affiliate partner benefits
Priority booking & reserved slots
Your group receives early access to School of Writing events and has the option to reserve affiliate-only dates for key workshops across the year.
Preferential rates
Affiliate partners can access reduced or package rates on standard workshops and courses, making it easier to plan regular development opportunities for members.
Anthology & project support
Where groups wish to publish a small anthology or collaborative project, we can offer guidance on shaping the material, basic layout support and access to print options at reduced cost.
Free resources for your sessions
Affiliates gain access to prompts, worksheets, mini-guides and recommended reading lists that group leaders can use between or after workshops to keep the momentum going.
Branding & visibility
Affiliate groups may display “In partnership with Big Thinking Publishing” on their publicity, with optional co-branded posters or digital assets. We can also list and occasionally spotlight your group on our website and social media (with your permission).
Direct access to a working press
Members benefit from sessions led by people actively working in publishing, including “Ask the Publisher” Q&A events where writers can ask candid questions about submissions and routes into print.
Affiliate status is flexible: if your group’s needs change, we can adapt the way we work together from year to year without long-term contracts.
Requirements
What we ask from affiliate partners
The Writing Group Affiliate Programme UK is designed to be mutually supportive and manageable for busy volunteers. To remain an affiliate, we simply ask that groups:
- Share selected Big Thinking School of Writing opportunities with their members.
- Host at least one workshop, talk or Q&A per year (online or in person) through the programme.
- Allow us to mention the group in School of Writing promotional materials (photos only used with consent).
- Provide a main contact email for communications about events and opportunities.
We don’t ask for exclusivity – you’re welcome to continue working with other organisations and providers alongside this partnership.
Guide pricing
Workshops, courses & affiliate rates
Standard workshops
As a guide, standalone one-hour workshops are typically costed at around £50 per session, with options to extend sessions or build a short series at an agreed package rate.
Courses & programmes
Multi-week courses usually run over 4–6 weeks and are priced according to length and format. For affiliate partners, we can offer either per-person pricing or a flat group fee depending on what suits your context.
Bespoke arrangements
Community groups, charities and volunteer-led organisations are welcome to discuss sliding scales, shared-funding models or collaborative projects where costs are balanced against access and impact.
Exact pricing will be confirmed in writing before you commit to anything. Affiliates always see a clear breakdown of costs, including any optional extras such as anthology printing or additional feedback.
Feedback
What participants say
“It really helped to build my confidence”
“The journalling workshop run by BTP really helped to build my confidence – it’s been a long time since I
wrote anything and I didn’t know where to start.”
Ellen – Library workshop participant
“I loved it!”
“It was so much fun! We made up characters and then had stickers to make a storyboard. I loved it!”
Jack – Comic book workshop participant
Affiliates often tell us that having an external facilitator and ready-made resources takes pressure off group organisers, while giving members something special to look forward to in the calendar.
Next steps
Become an affiliate partner
If your writing group, library, university society or community organisation would like to join the Writing Group Affiliate Programme UK, the first step is simply to get in touch. There is no fee to join, and we’re happy to start with a single pilot workshop if you’d like to try things out.
When you email, you’re welcome to include a brief description of your group, how often you meet, and any particular themes or access needs you’d like us to keep in mind. We can then send over our current workshop & course catalogue along with a small number of tailored suggestions.