MASTERCLASSES
Introducing our online masterclasses...
Our online masterclasses are designed specially for historical fiction writers and feature a wide range of distinguished speakers and useful topics. We run one masterclass every month, usually on or around the first week of the month, with each masterclass lasting three hours and including a mix of presentation and Q&A, with an optional writing burst, discussion session, or exercises at the end. All of our masterclasses take place live and online via Zoom, with recordings available afterwards. Masterclasses are exclusively available to members of The History Quill.
Our next masterclass:
Mastering dual timelines and interwoven histories, with Amanda Geard
Thursday 3 September 2026 at 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Your tutor
Amanda Geard
Amanda Geard writes multi-timeline historical fiction published by Headline Review. Her debut novel, The Midnight House, was a Richard and Judy bookclub pick and stayed in the Kindle UK top 100 for five months. Her second novel, The Moon Gate, was published in 2023.
Throughout 2022/23 she taught commercial fiction strategies to creative writing students at the University of Galway, and appeared on panels across Ireland discussing her love of the historical novel and what it’s like to research stories that cross generations.
Her latest novel, The Glass Key, is set in beautiful Arctic Norway and was published in June 2026.
Key topics
Two stories, one novel
Dual timeline fiction is one of the most popular forms in historical writing – and one of the hardest to pull off. Amanda Geard, author of The Midnight House, The Moon Gate and The Glass Key, opens by looking at what defines the genre and why readers love it: the secret buried in the past, the mystery unravelled in the present, and the pleasure of watching two eras speak to one another. She'll examine how leading novels in the field handle their structure, and what separates the ones that grip from the ones that lose us halfway.
Balance, pacing, and the thread that holds it together
Every dual timeline novel needs a reason for its two strands to share a book. Amanda will show you how to find that reason – whether it's a house, an heirloom, a piece of music or a secret – and how to use it to carry readers across decades without friction. You'll look at how to weight your timelines against each other, when to reveal and when to withhold, how to build settings vivid enough to transport, and how to keep your historical research working quietly beneath the surface rather than crowding the page.
Process, pitfalls, and putting it into practice
Structure is one thing; finishing the book is another. Amanda shares how she plans, drafts and revises a multi-strand novel, the tools she relies on to keep two timelines straight, and the mistakes she's made along the way – including the draft that had to be dismantled and rebuilt. The session ends with a practical writing exercise designed to get your own timelines moving.
Structure and schedule
The masterclass will take place on Thursday 3 September 2026. All times are given in British Summer Time (BST) and US Eastern Time (ET).
6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
The masterclass begins. The tutor will welcome all participants and deliver a talk covering the key topics. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions during the talk, allowing plenty of time for interaction. This is the main section of the masterclass and will last two hours.
8:30pm BST / 3:30pm ET
The final hour will consist of an interactive session where you can have a go at practising and discussing the skills you’ve just learnt.
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Both parts of the event will be delivered live and online via Zoom. You must have access to a computer or smart device capable of supporting Zoom and a reliable internet connection in order to participate.
Join this masterclass!
$45.00 USD per month
Membership
As a member, you’ll be able to enjoy this masterclass, and subsequent masterclasses, all included in the price of your membership. You’ll get indefinite access to the recordings of masterclasses that take place while you’re a member, as long as your membership remains active. You can cancel at any time.
Future masterclasses
Thursday 1st October 2026, 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Writing alternate history, with JC Duncan
Tuesday 3rd November 2026, 6:30pm GMT / 1:30pm ET
The four layers of marketing, with Melissa Addey
Wednesday 2nd December 2026, 6:30pm GMT / 1:30pm ET
From fragments to fiction: how objects, archives and overlooked stories become novels, with Sophie Haydock
Testimonials
See what previous participants have said about our masterclasses...
"Thank you to The History Quill for organising such an excellent masterclass; I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot but was also reassured that I'm moving in the right direction with my writing."
"I was engaged from beginning to end. I really enjoyed the tutor's presentation and the exercise afterwards. I’m usually too shy to participate, but I really wanted to join in. I am so pleased I found The History Quill!"
Frequently asked questions
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How can I participate in the masterclasses?
Masterclasses are exclusively available to members of The History Quill, so you'll need to join us as a member. The masterclasses are included in the price of your membership – there is no additional fee.
We will email you a link the day before each masterclass, and you’ll use this to join the event on the day. We’ll also send you a reminder about an hour before the masterclass begins.
All our masterclasses take place live and online via Zoom. You must have access to a computer or a smart device capable of supporting Zoom, and you must have access to a reliable internet connection to take part.
Are the masterclasses recorded?
Yes, our masterclasses are recorded. The first two hours, consisting of the talk and Q&A sections, are always recorded. We sometimes record the optional hour-long session at the end as well, but it depends on the content and format.
You’ll get access to the recordings of masterclasses that take place while you're a member indefinitely, as long as your membership remains active.
Which masterclass recordings will I have access to?
You will only have access to recordings of masterclasses that take place after you become a member, with one exception: we’ll give you access to the recording of a recent masterclass of our choice when you first join, ensuring there will always be a masterclass to watch when you sign up.
Which countries do you accept members from?
We welcome members who are resident in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and any EU country. If you are not resident in one of these countries, unfortunately we won’t be able to accept you as a member at this time.
Please note the stipulation about time zones below.
If I become a member, when will my membership fee be taken?
We take membership fees monthly. Your first payment will be taken when you join, and it will renew automatically every month on the same date.
I'm a member – where can I find the recordings?
You can find the webpage with all the masterclass recordings here. You can also find the link in your user portal.
Can I cancel my membership at any time?
Yes! You can cancel whenever you like. Members aren’t locked in for a minimum period, so you can join for as little as one month if you like.
You can cancel via your online account here. Go to the subscription section in order to cancel. Alternatively, you can email us at membership@thehistoryquill.com and we’ll cancel your membership for you.
How interactive are the masterclasses? Can I ask questions?
There is lots of scope for interaction during our masterclasses. You will be able to ask questions during the Q&A sections, and afterwards there is always an optional one hour session involving a group writing burst, exercises, or discussion.
Equally, if you’d prefer not to interact, you don’t have to. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the talk. You don’t have to participate in the optional one hour session at the end if you don’t want to.
How does the optional one hour session at the end work?
At the end of the talk and Q&A, we will invite you to join an hour-long session at the end, which will normally consist of a writing burst, exercises, or discussion.
If you wish to watch the session but not directly participate, you're very welcome to do so.
Do you accommodate different time zones?
Our masterclasses are live events, and we schedule them to align well with time zones in North America and Europe. If you are outside of these locations, you can still participate, but it may not align well with your local time zone. You also have the option of watching the recordings instead.
What accessibility options do you provide?
We use live AI captions for the masterclasses, and these are also included in the recordings. Please note, these captions won’t be 100% accurate and may be delivered with a short delay, but they should help people who are deaf or hard of hearing to participate.
How do I pay?
You can sign up for a membership subscription with a credit or debit card. Future payments will then be taken on the same day each month until you cancel your membership.
Which payment currencies do you accept?
We accept three payment currencies: USD, GBP, and EUR. The currency you pay in will depend on your country of residence. People resident in the UK will pay in GBP, people resident in the EU will pay in EUR, and people resident in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa will pay in USD.
What are the full terms and conditions?
You can view our full terms and conditions here.
More questions?
If you have any additional questions, don't hesitate to get in touch by emailing us at events@thehistoryquill.com.