Write Across Bradford - From Wannabe Writer to Writer

In 2022 we launched the first Write Across programme, a development scheme run in partnership with local organisations, in which each iteration focusses on a specific area of the UK.

The Write Across development programme runs for eight-weeks and is specifically designed to support emerging writers and creatives who are at the early stages of their writing careers. Through a series of engaging workshops, expert-led sessions and networking opportunities, we explore the art of crafting compelling stories for television, empowering participants to develop their own new original series idea. 

The latest Write Across took place in Bradford over the summer following a callout for submissions back in the spring. It formed part of the legacy of Bradford City of Culture 2025. For this iteration of Write Across we worked with local partners Screen Yorkshire, Bradford Arts Centre, New Writing North, Bradford Producing Hub and Word Up North. The ten writers now go on to a three month mentorship with writers Ben Tagoe, Lisa Holdsworth and Kat Rose-Martin.

Stephanie Firth was one of the writers in the group and sums up her her experience so far below.

When I saw the advert for Write Across Bradford, I quietly thought to myself, if anything has my name on it, it’s this!

Fast forward a couple of weeks and I found myself in a room full of wonderfully vibrant and creative people at the launch event, struggling with a serious case of imposter syndrome. We were listening to the inspirational A.A. Dhand talking about his journey to becoming a successful novelist and TV writer. I remember wondering whether I really belonged in a room full of such talented people.

I went away and spent the next week or so brainstorming ideas before deciding to write a one-off drama about a single mother bringing up two children, one of whom has SEND. I felt totally out of my depth at first, but once I actually sat down and started writing, I found the words flowed and the characters started to develop. Before I knew it, I was really enjoying myself.

Being invited to take part in Write Across Bradford was such a brilliant opportunity. It was nerve-wracking but equally exciting meeting the other writers on the programme, and I soon realised that we were all at different stages of our writing journeys.

The programme was a mixture of online sessions and in-person workshops in the centre of Bradford, with a fantastic range of activities delivered by experienced writers.

One of my favourite sessions was an idea-generation workshop with Kat Rose-Martin. We were given a selection of random words and challenged to come up with a story. One of those words was swimming pool. Somehow, I came up with a story about someone who had used an AI-generated qualification to get a job as a lifeguard, despite not actually being able to swim!

Within minutes, I’d come up with a whole story. I think that was one of the first moments when I started to realise that perhaps I wasn’t too bad at this writing business after all.

We also spent time scrutinising TV dramas such as Happy Valley and The Cage, looking closely at how the stories and characters developed. I found this fascinating, but even better was having the opportunity to speak to some of the people responsible for writing such brilliant television, including Tony Schumacher.

I’ve discovered that one of the things I enjoy most about writing is character development. An afternoon session with Andrew Burrell, dedicated to developing characters, inspired me to go home and write some scenes. I love coming up with characters, imagining their personalities, their backgrounds and how they might react in different situations. I’ve even found myself thinking about them when I’m supposed to be doing something else!

As part of the programme, we had to develop our own TV series, including a logline and a pitch document. It was really helpful sharing ideas with the other Write Across Bradford writers, and having the opportunity to work with my mentor on a one-to-one basis has been brilliant. Having someone from the industry take an interest in my ideas and give me feedback has made such a difference to my confidence.

At our graduation event, we got to hear from more professional writers about how they got started. I particularly enjoyed hearing that some of them had made it into the industry through schemes like Write Across Bradford. It was encouraging to know that people who are now successful writers had once been in a similar position to us. We were also introduced to the mentors who will continue supporting us beyond the programme.

Over the eight weeks, I’ve learnt so much about writing for television. I’ve discovered that I particularly enjoy writing dialogue, developing characters and finding humour in situations where you might not necessarily expect it. I’ve also realised how much I enjoy sitting down at my laptop and seeing where an idea takes me.

Another thing I’ve learnt is that I no longer need to feel guilty about spending an entire day sitting on the sofa watching TV. I’m not being lazy. I’m doing research!

Perhaps the biggest change, though, has been in my confidence. At the start of Write Across Bradford, I considered myself to be a wannabe writer. After eight weeks of sessions, support and encouragement, I’m now ready to confidently introduce myself as a writer.