New Writing North’s popular Writing Conference – an event for writers at all stages of their careers – is coming to the Tees Valley for the very first time this May.

If the thought of getting your work into print feels like a byzantine process, then this event – which is being delivered by New Writing North on behalf of the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority and funded by UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – should be right up your street. Because the Tees Valley Writing Conference aims to lift the veil on that whole, often murky world, while also helping you connect with peers and industry experts. There will be plenty of big-hitters in attendance on the day including Booker-Prize winner Dame Pat Barker (pictured) who will be in conversation with her daughter Anna Barker. Middlesbrough’s Paddy Crewe – whose first two novels ‘My Name is Yip’ and ‘True Love’ have been commercial and critical hits – will also be one of the headline speakers at the event. But throughout the day there will also be a number of ‘Breakout Sessions’ in which industry experts can fill you in on all manner of subjects. Shaun Wilson and Louise Powell will talk about how winning a Northern Writers’ Award led to the publications of their debut novels ‘Underdogs’ and ‘Malc’s Boy’, while Nicola Washington will break down the essentials of “author branding” – what it means, what it doesn’t, and where social media fits within the bigger picture. Amandeep Singh will talk about her role as a literary agent, while Isabelle Kenyon will discuss her experiences of running an award-winning independent publishing company. Laura Degnan and James Harris from Writers’ Block North East will host a story development workshop (hey! Unlock your innate storytelling talent!), and Sophie Mackintosh will talk all things “speculative fiction”. The above is just a taster of what’s going on, but you can grab the full programme from the website, below.

Tees Valley Writing Conference 2026, Sunday 17 May, The Hullaballo and Darlington Hippodrome, 11am-5pm, from £65, newwritingnorth.com/event/tees-valley-writing-conference-2026