Are you ready for a 90-minute writing workout with one of our most prolific and exciting authors?
Get caffeinated and have pens at the ready for this engaging masterclass with the brilliant Dean Atta, who will put attendees through their paces in this fun writing workout designed to free up your thinking and inspire creativity. Packed with prompts and exercises that can be taken away to apply to your own project, Dean's 'Creative Circuit Training' is just as perfect for those looking to begin a new project as it is for those who consider themselves 'stuck' with their WIP.
As always, we'll build in some time for questions at the end of the session, and we hope to see you there!
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This masterclass forms part of our Children's Writers & Illustrators Festival 2026. A range of ticket-types are available to purchase, and to view our 2026 festival line-up in full, please visit our Weekend Pass page.
Dean Atta is an award-winning Black British writer from London known for his heartfelt storytelling rooted in his Greek Cypriot and Jamaican heritage. He writes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for all ages.
For adult readers, his poetry collection, I Am Nobody's Nigger, was shortlisted for the Polari First Book Prize, and his memoir, Person Unlimited: An Ode to My Black Queer Body, received praise from Michael Rosen as "wonderfully original".
His young adult verse novels are The Black Flamingo, Only on the Weekends, and I Can't Even Think Straight.
The Black Flamingo won the Stonewall Book Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and Jhalak Prize. Malorie Blackman praised the book, saying, "I loved every word."
Dean has also contributed to middle-grade anthologies like Happy Here: 10 stories from Black British authors & illustrators and the Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood.
His picture book, Confetti, illustrated by Alea Marley, is a colourful celebration of love and life.
Additionally, Dean is a screenwriter and executive producer of the animated short film "Two Black Boys in Paradise", which was selected for the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival and numerous others worldwide.
And there's more!
Reserving a place at this masterclass means you're also invited to 'The Power of the Pitch', a live panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and a bookseller. This begins at 2pm on Sunday 22nd March, 2026.
Ahead of this session, you will be invited to submit your own book pitch. A select number of pitches will then be chosen by our panel, and critiqued during the session itself! Look out for an email from W&A in days leading up to the festival, which will contain all the information you need about how to submit your pitch.
Festival raffle
Every festival attendee is automatically entered into our festival raffle. Weekend Pass+ ticketholders receive three entries, Weekend Pass ticketholders receive two entries, and Masterclass+, Festival Player and Single Masterclass ticketholders receive a single entry. The raffle will be drawn at the end of the festival, with the following prizes up for grabs:
3rd prize: Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2026 and Bloomsbury Children's book bundle
2nd prize: complimentary place at any W&A evening masterclass (RRP £30) + Children's Writers' & Artists' Yearbook 2026 and Bloomsbury Children's book bundle
1st prize: gratis editorial critique of up the opening of your manuscript (up to 10,000 words)
Ticketing information
Weekend Pass+ £135: Access to all festival content (3 live masterclasses, 4 pre-recorded videos + follow-up discussion, and 1 panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller) plus a bespoke editorial report on the opening of a story (plus full synopsis) by Middle Grade author Clare Povey. Limited to 25 tickets. x3 raffle entries
Weekend Pass £95: Access to all festival content (3 live masterclasses, 4 pre-recorded videos + follow-up discussion, and 1 panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller). x2 raffle entries
Masterclass+ £75: Access to a single masterclass session of your choice (with Dean Atta, Nikta Gill or A.F. Harrold), 4 pre-recorded videos + follow-up discussion, and 1 panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller). x1 raffle entry.
Festival Player £50: Access to all exclusive pre-recorded video content only (plus follow-up discussion) and 1 panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller). x1 raffle entry.
Single Masterclass £40: Access to a single real-time masterclass session of your choice (with Dean Atta, Nikita Gill or A.F. Harrold) and 1 panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller). x1 raffle entry.
Testimonials
"Treated me like a professional, motivated artist"
"Inspiring, informative, inclusive & confidence building."
"Excellent speakers, a well thought out and balanced programme, very inspiring and enjoyable."
"Made a few little idea's into a realistic possibility of being published one day; something between a big hug & a kick up the proverbial bum."
"Practical tips, inspiring and well organised."
"Something for everyone currently writing for children."
"Inspirational. I felt like I had been immersed in a world of children’s literature and heard the perspectives of many from the industry."
"Such a great sense of community and lots of really interesting workshops and talks"
"Inspiring, uplifting and made me want get back to my desk and write :-)"
"Really feels like it has been totally designed with writers in mind."
"Absolutely FANTASTIC! [...] I'm new to the world of writing - and I wasn't expecting much as a result - but I have to say that it completely knocked my socks off in every way."
"Every live session left me with loads of notes in my notebook and really inspired."
"A lovely way to enter this world and get some helpful, encouraging advice."
A booking for this masterclass enables access to a real-time masterclass session with Dean Atta and a panel discussion between a literary agent, editor and bookseller. You will also receive an single raffle entry.
This festival will take place online in full, and will be presented using video conferencing software. Joining instructions, links, and full guidance will be circulated for the above in the week leading up to the festival.
Any event materials associated to individual masterclasses will be made available to attendees at the author's discretion, and all recordings will be made available for a time-limited period.
The single masterclass booking is priced at £40 (incl. VAT), and payable in full online.
Please note that payment instalment plans are available for all W&A events, writing courses and editing services. Contact W&A Admin on [email protected] so that we can find a payment schedule that works for you.
To view our event refund and cancellation policy, please click here.
Accessible to All
It’s of real importance to Writers & Artists that our events and courses remain accessible to all.
- Writers & Artists has made one Weekend Pass+ available as part of our accessibility scheme. Please visit our bursaries page for further information about how to apply. All bursary applications must have been submitted for consideration by 1st March 2026
- At the author’s discretion, event materials will be made available to attendees after their real-time masterclass.
- A link to a recording of live masterclasses will be circulated after the event. This will be made available to event attendees only, and for a time-limited period.
- Each event will include written text and visuals. Please contact us in advance so that we can make arrangements to be sure all documents appear in a format that works for you.
- If you’d like to attend but have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, then please email [email protected]
