Closing out Mental Health Awareness week, we want to highlight our incredible Beyond the Spectrum project 🤍 This year there are 16 groups with 190+ neurodivergent participants finding community through writing, and in March, the 'Words Unwound' wellbeing festival was attended by 120+ writers.

Meet Garry Martin, another WEM Mentoring Scheme alumnus! 👋 Garry's mentor was Anne Zouroudi. Since his time on the scheme, he has published 10+ books with Colley Books. His latest, Spindrift, is out now! 👀📖 Don't forget: Applications for our FREE writer Mentoring Scheme open soon!! 📝

Two back-to-back panels plus networking time between. PANELLISTS CONFIRMED SO FAR... 📚️ ✍️ Self-publishing panel: Troubador Publishing and Global Wordsmiths. MORE TBA. 👀 📖 Indie publishing panel: Bad Betty Press, Comma Press and Bearded Badger Publishing. BOOK YOUR TICKETS ➡️ bit.ly/ARTPWEM

FREE half-term activity for families! 🖌️🫟 On 26th May, writer Ben Macpherson and illustrator Katy Dynes will be running a drop-in workshop with exercises to fuel your family's imagination! 💡 No sign-up required. Just turn up from 2.30 - 4.30 pm on the day for an afternoon buzzing with creativity! 🎉️

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we're taking a look back at our 'Surviving by Storytelling' project 👥 Running from 2021 to 2023, we invited carers from Lincolnshire to express themselves and reflect together, in a judgement-free space. You can read our participants writing here! 🤍

We're celebrating 15 years of the WEM Mentoring Scheme! 🎉 Meet mentee Elvire Roberts! 👋 Mentored by Professor Harriet Tarlo in 2018, Elvire has since won competitions, been published in anthologies and released two pamphlets. 📖 Find out more about Elvire here: www.elvireroberts.co.uk

NEW interview with Joanna Greaves! 🎞️✍️ Co-founder of the Belper Scribes and newly published author, Joanna sits down with WEM to talk about her new book, 'Love, Labour and Loss' 📚 Learn more about Joanna's writing journey, and how her weekly writing group helped her along the way: buff.ly/sr7NZ82

George Forster of Comma Press confirmed for our Indie Publishing panel! 🎉 What support can a small press offer you as a writer? 🤔 Find out in panel no.2 of our back-to-back publishing panel double-feature. Tickets only £25 (£10 concessions). Get yours here: bit.ly/ARTPWEM

Happy birthday! 🎉✨️ ...To the Mentoring Scheme! We're celebrating 15 years of matching writers with established writing mentors as part of our annual mentorship programme. ✍️ Keep an eye out over the next few weeks as we celebrate the achievements of mentees both past and present. 🥳🙌

Poetry publisher Amy Acre of Bad Betty Press joins us for Alternative Routes to Publishing, our upcoming masterclass. 📖✍️ Find out what publishers are looking for, how to approach them and why you might choose an indie over a 'Big Five.' 📚️ Book your tickets here. ➡️ bit.ly/ARTPWEM

Let's talk strategy! ⚡️ Last week, we were joined by consultant Christina Lister for an audience development workshop. Huge thanks to Christina for joining us (and keeping us on track despite how chatty the WEM team can be...) More conversations incoming! 💡

Could you be our new CEO? 📚 Applications close in 3 weeks! 🚨 See our website for full listing and how to apply: buff.ly/59zMBPm

In an increasingly competitive publishing industry, how DO you get published? 📚️ We'll be answering this common Q and more in our June 26 masterclass. Featuring indie publishers, self-publishing services and self-published authors for a comprehensive overview. Book your tickets here: bit.ly/ARTPWEM

A glimpse into the Northern Publishers' Fair! 🔖 Come with us to Manchester! 📍 Where we chatted with nearby publishers, learnt about local writers, and got our hands on books, books and more BOOKS! 📚️ Organised by @flyonthewallpress.bsky.social 🪰

Calling all creatives in the East Midlands 🌈✨ We want you to design our Pride Bookmark! 🫵 Find out how to get involved: buff.ly/Q5EGDRt

Last Saturday, WEM headed to Manchester for the Northern Publishers' Fair! 🚂 Organised by @flyonthewallpress.bsky.social, with stalls from some absolutely cracking local presses (full lineup on the Fly on the Wall website). So great getting to chat with nearby publishers and fellow book lovers! 🫶📖

Hey WEM friends! Here's a few of the newest events, opportunities and awards from the East Midlands and beyond✍️ Find out more on our website: buff.ly/yOHDjtd

🌍️ Happy World Earth Day! 🌏️ The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and today we're getting ready to launch one of our biggest annual environmental projects: The Solstice Nature Prize for Young Writers! 🌳🌱🌻 Solstice returns a little earlier this year, on Sunday 24th May 2026. 💚

Where can I get feedback? What genre is my novel? How do I know when my poetry collection is done? 🤔💭 All these questions and more are answers in our latest Writer's Journey blog post. Read it here ➡️ bit.ly/EDIT101

The writer's journey isn't always as straightforward as we think! And every writer's route to success, whatever that may be, is different. ✍️ Keep an eye out for new Writer's Journey posts from us. Covering some of the need-to-know info for a few of the stops you may encounter on your own journey.🚶

This weekend's Notts lineup for poets includes: ✍️ An evening workshop with VO artist, actress, singer & writer Charlie Sanderson TOMORROW! 🎤 A Saturday afternoon open mic where you can share the poetry you wrote the night before! All 100% FREE. Sign up here ➡️ bit.ly/SPEAKEASYC

Big thanks to the NTU Creative Writing students for having us on Monday! 🫶 We chatted with the students on the 'Writing in a UNESCO City of Literature' module about the many writing opportunities they can get involved with in Notts. It was lovely chatting with you all! ✍️❤️

Introducing the three writers who entered our magazine's open call! ✍️✨ Claire Thomas-Hawnt explores the plurality of truth, Ellen Taylor tells the story of a compulsive liar and Matt Roberts reflects on representing your community in writing. Read them here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

In Pulse #5 we interviewed WEM Mentoring Scheme alumnus Lauren-Jane Bowyer! 📝 Lauren-Jane discusses her recent agent representation, her work with mentor Rebecca Mascull and her upcoming novel HORRID. 📖 For insights and advice, read it here: bit.ly/WEMPULSE

What happens when our literary heroes aren't all that they seem? 🧐 From Raynor Winn to JK Rowling, Henderson Mullin talks about the emotional transaction between reader and writer, and what happens what that trust is broken. Read it here: bit.ly/WEMPULSE

Hey WEM friends! 👋 Bringing you the latest news, competitions and events for the East Midlands writing community 🧡✏️ See our What's On page for all this and more: buff.ly/mhnri0x

Accompanying Sabrina's article: This gorgeous artwork from Jimmi Darbyshire! 😍🎨 Jimmi's work was inspired by the masks we wear socially, our relationship to our outward-facing selves and how this is shaped by our own anxiety. 🎭️ You can see the full piece here: bit.ly/WEMPULSE

Sabrina Mei-Li Smith talks about masking in her writing as a Neurodivergent author. ✍️🌈 Plus, alternative fiction, life as a costume party and the myth of being "normal". Now available to read in the latest edition of Pulse magazine, here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

Due to the retirement of our current CEO, Henderson Mullin, we're looking for a strategic, values-driven Chief Executive Officer to lead Writing East Midlands into its next phase of growth and stability. Find out more about the role here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMCEO26

The hand behind issue #5's gorgeous cover art: Sophie Gresswell! ✍️🎨 Sophie is a local artist, poet and facilitator whose work explores interconnected 'living' heritage and storytelling. The cover art she submitted to our open call is inspired by a pack of cards. 🃏 Take a look 👉️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

How much of your real self do you owe your audience? In an age of ever-invasive social media, how much can an author really protect their private life? Editor, author and publisher Victoria Villasenor talks public persona in Pulse magazine's latest edition. 🎭️ Read it here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

Pulse Magazine featured artist: Elizabeth Blades! 🖌️🎨 Elizabeth is a visual storyteller, artist and art course facilitator, working in ink, paint, printmaking, stitch, paint and puppetry. 🎭️ Find her piece in print, here 👉️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

From Leanne Moden's article, 'Outsourcing Our Humanity', in the latest edition of Pulse magazine. All about artificial intelligence and its very real impact on authors today. Read it here 👉️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE

Happy 10th birthday to Inspire Culture! 🎂 We've been lucky enough to work with Inspire Culture as a partner of Beyond the Spectrum, our national writing programme led by and for Autistic writers. 🌈✍️ Here's to 10 years encouraging the people of Notts to read, learn and enjoy culture! 🎉

You can find my short story 'The Liar' in this latest edition of Pulse by @writingeastmidlands.com; a creative exploration of truth-telling from the perspective of a pathological people pleaser

Read the fifth edition of Pulse here! ➡️ bit.ly/WEMPULSE The latest issue of our digital magazine has launched! 🎉 Exploring the theme 'Masks' and examining a writer's relationship to concealment in their writing. 🎭️ Featuring articles on AI, public persona, ND masking, trust and betrayal, and more.

Time for a weekend round up ⛅ Self Editing courses, Poetry Open Mics in Mansfield and Nottingham, Children's short story competitions AND MORE! Check out ALL NEW opportunities and announcements here: buff.ly/XrSJS5S

NEW interview with Carson Wolfe! We chatted with the author of Coin Laundry at Midnight ahead of its launch with Button Poetry this Spring. 🏪✍️ For a 5-minute read about queer storytelling, getting publishing as a poet and writing for competitions, click here ➡️ bit.ly/WEMWOLFE

Really lovely feedback from our online writing festival! ❤️ Still going 'til Saturday with recordings available for all sessions, even the ones you've missed. More info here: bit.ly/BTSFEST26

Online Sunday activity for 10-17s! FREE but signup essential 👉️ bit.ly/WUWYWD Young writers, you're invited to join our day of creative writing exercises, games and FUN. Aimed at Neurodivergent kids and teens, led by Neurodivergent authors and poets, but OPEN TO ALL. 🫶 Secure your place! ✍️

Who's speaking at our free writing masterclass for 18-25s? 🤔 Meet author, editor and publisher Nicci Robinson! 👋 As Co-director of Global Wordsmiths, Nicci has lots of experience in the writing industry and is ready to share her tips for building a writing career. ✍️💼 Register here ➡️ bit.ly/WIYCT

LAST CHANCE for full festival tickets ➡️ bit.ly/BTSFEST26 Our online writing festival kicks off this evening with a talk from Kate Oliver of the Radical Rest Network. 🎟️ Full access tickets will be on sale until the end of this week, with recordings available for any sessions you miss.

LAST CHANCE for full festival tickets ➡️ bit.ly/BTSFEST26 Our online writing festival kicks off this evening with a talk from Kate Oliver! 🎟️ Full access tickets will be on sale until the end of this week, with recordings available for sessions you miss. Book yours on our website. 💻️

What does a festival illustrator do? 🤔✏️ Meet Camille Aubry! 👋 She'll be illustrating our online creative writing festival next week. 🎨🖌️ Find out more about what she'll be up to and about our weeklong festival, here. 👉️ bit.ly/BTSILLUSTRATE

THREE DAYS TO GO! ✍️📚 Book your online writing festival tickets here ➡️ bit.ly/BTSFEST26 Featuring Keynote Speaker Chris Packham and a whole host of authors, publishers, poets and editors. Find out more on our website! 💻️

Yesterday, I had the privilege of leading a @writingeastmidlands.com BtS taster session with @literatureworks.bsky.social and gosh what a wonderful group!! So much talent, so much creativity, so much humour, so much joy. Neurodivergent writers are magic - thank you for trusting me with your words!

Kids and teens aged 10-17 are invited to our day-long festival for young writers next Sunday! ✍️🎉 🤓 Fun & educational workshops 💻️ 100% online & 100% FREE 🫶 Aimed at Neurodivergent young people but open to all! Book your young writer's free ticket here 👉️ bit.ly/WUWYWD

Speaking at our online writing festival in less than one week...!! 👀 Give a warm welcome to Kate Oliver, K Angel, Susie Wilson and Caroline Stancer! 👋 Make sure you've booked tickets to their talks, here! 👉️ bit.ly/BTSFEST26

Hi WEM friends! ☀️ We have a brand new collection of events, opportunities and competitions listed on our website - including Script Sharing in Corby, Irish reading groups in Nottingham and Swadlincote Festival of Words!💥 Click here to get involved: buff.ly/Wei9MKT 🧡

Find out what a real career as a writer looks like. ✍️💼 Our free masterclass and Q&A for 18-25s is here to give you an honest glimpse into the writing industry and your options going forward. Free to join but sign up essential, click here for more ➡️ bit.ly/WIYCT