Sun 3 July 2pm Silas Bassa

Creative Thursday Thursday 21 July | 9am - 5.30pm The Old Swan Hotel

Tickets: £100

In partnership with They say every day is a school day, but if your favourite lesson is learning how to write a bestselling crime novel then no day beats Creative Thursday.

Wherever you are in your writing journey, whether on the first chapter or the final draft, you’re guaranteed to pick up pointers which will help polish your prose and perfect your plot. Leading authors and industry professionals are on hand to share their secrets and arm you with everything you need to take that great idea and make it into a great book.

It’s a full day, packed with information, help, encouragement, and diabolically golden advice. Creative Thursday is immersive and unique, and is designed to give you the best chance of getting that publishing deal you dream of.

Sessions throughout the day include:

Join The Creative Thursday Alumni

Meet four successful authors who started their journey at Creative Thursday.

The Other Side

Vaseem Khan examines how to write outside your own cultural background.

Just Write

Greg Mosse runs a dynamic, collaborative story development workshop.

Dragon's Pen

Sell your story on our literary version of the popular TV show, Dragon's Den. For more informa�on, please get in touch info@harrogate-fes�val.org.uk or 01423 562 303

Tickets: £20 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Awards & Festival Opening Party

Thursday 21 July | 8pm

Crime writing’s most wanted accolade, the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award returns to highlight the cream of the crop of crime novels published by British and Irish authors over the last year. Who will take the title? Six shortlisted authors will put their game face on as host Mark Lawson presents the murderously good line-up. The coveted Novel of the Year Award, dubbed the crime writing fraternity’s equivalent of the Oscars, with a pint of Yorkshire’s finest thrown in, kicks off the 2022 Festival in style. An icon of the genre will also be honoured with the Outstanding Contribution accolade. Celebrations continue with the official Festival opening party.

Title sponsor

In partnership with