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 narrative viewpoint and voice, with Emma Darwin
Tuesday 3rd June 2025, 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Your tutor
Emma Darwin
Emma Darwin’s new novel, The Bruegel Boy, will be published in November 2025. Her debut The Mathematics of Love was nominated for both Commonwealth Writers and Romantic Novelists’ Association awards, and A Secret Alchemy was a Sunday Times bestseller. She is also the author of Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction and the memoir This is Not a Book About Charles Darwin.
She holds a PhD in Creative Writing and teaches at Oxford and Goldsmiths, and her Substack This Itch of Writing is linked to by writing courses around the world.
Key topics
Why narrative voice and viewpoint matter
Discover why agents and editors consistently cite a compelling narrative voice as the key to great fiction. In this masterclass, you’ll learn how your chosen narrative viewpoint has profound implications on everything from prose to structure, and how the right voice can make your story unforgettable.
Explore powerful narrative viewpoints
Through practical exercises and examples from acclaimed fiction, you’ll explore the wide range of lenses through which historical stories can be told. How can you make the narrative voice more vivid and gripping? How can you make the most of the opportunities to enrich the reader’s experience and hold them glued to your pages? We’ll cover all this and more.
Put new tools into practice
In the final hour, shift from theory to practice with a focused writing burst using your newly acquired tools. You’ll leave the session with fresh insights, feedback from group discussion, and a stronger grasp on how to make the most of your narrator, whatever or whoever you choose to work with.
Structure and schedule
The masterclass will take place on Tuesday 3 June 2025. 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 a writing burst, where you can have a go at practising 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!
$54.00 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
Monday 7th July 2025, 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Herstorical fiction: how to write novels that give women back their voice, with Annie Garthwaite
Tuesday 5th August 2025, 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Finding and working with a literary agent, with Jessica Errera
(Date TBC) September 2025, 6:30pm BST / 1:30pm ET
Writing compelling villains, with Anna Mazzola
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.