Tutor - Helen Gordon

1-day workshop

Friday 13 March 2026, 10am - 4pm

The RWA is thrilled to be partnering with national creative writing charity Arvon to launch a series of Writing Days, using the RWA's lead exhibitions as a stimulus for different forms of writing.

The next workshop, focused on fiction and creative-nonfiction, is led by writer and editor Helen Gordon. Her most recent book, The Meteorites, combines nature and science writing with memoir and biography, and is one of Waterstone’s Best Books of 2025. Her other books include Notes from Deep Time, Being a Writer and the novel, Landfall. A former Granta magazine editor, she teaches Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire.

In this welcoming and stimulating Writing Day, Helen will share ideas and techniques for writing fiction and nonfiction. Taking inspiration from the artworks on display in the RWA's Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space exhibition, she will lead the group through writing exercises and prompts designed to spark the imagination and expand your writer’s toolkit.

The day will include free exhibition entry throughout the day, a tour of the Cosmos: The Art of Observing Space exhibition by its Curator, Ione Parkin RWA, and a delicious lunch provided by Spicer + Cole.

It is suitable for anyone with an interest in fiction or nonfiction writing. Participants will need to bring a notebook and pencil. You can find our more about Helen in our blog post.

Subscribe to the Drawing School newsletter to be first to know about our latest classes.

Buying as a gift?

When buying a course or workshop you will be automatically emailed a confirmation which you can print off and include in a card for your loved one. Gift vouchers can also be bought if you aren't sure which course they would prefer. Please email us the name and email address of the person attending on drawingschool@rwa.org.uk 

Before booking we ask everyone please read our updated Terms and Conditions below.  

Participants must be 18 or over.

If eligible, discounts must be applied when first purchasing your class and cannot be given retrospectively. Please contact us if the discount code is not working.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or mental health issue which you feel may affect your participation in your chosen class, please either email drawingschool@rwa.org.uk or call 07745694563, prior to booking, so we are aware of any needs you may have. 

Refund/transfer and Cancellation Policy: We are unable to offer full or part cash refunds, but you are eligible for an RWA gift voucher or transfer, minus an admin fee*, provided you notify us more than 14 days before the start of your class with us. If we cancel a course or workshop for any reason, then participants will be offered a different date, course/workshop or RWA gift voucher. 

*Admin fee for courses £25, Admin fee for workshops £15