Val McDermid & Jo Sharp: Shaping a Better Future - at Edinburgh International Book Festival 2020

The Open University in Scotland is pleased to support this free online event as part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival 2020. 

At last year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, bestselling author and Open University honorary graduate Val McDermid, and professor of geography Jo Sharp, were inspired by the festival theme, 'We Need New Stories'. So inspired, in fact, that they turned to a loveable rogues gallery of Scottish cultural folk to submit a piece of writing about their dreams for a better future.

Edited by McDermid and Sharp, Imagine A Country is the result. In this event, McDermid and Sharp will host acclaimed writers Doug Johnstone, Jo Clifford and Leila Aboulela, who read their contributions and discuss how we might create a better future for the greatest number of people. 

This event is free and available to watch on the Book Festival's website. You can go to the Val McDermid & Jo Sharp event webpage and click on 'Save my place', to recieve an email reminder just before the event.

You can try Creative Writing course content on the OU's free learning site OpenLearn, such as the 8-hour course Writing what you know, or the 12-hour course Start writing fiction.

The OU also offers creative writing courses and qualifications, such as the modules Creative Writing and Advanced Creative Writing, a BA (Honours) English Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Writing.