The work of IHUK is dedicated to Sir Walter Scott. We celebrate his legacy in the year of the 250th anniversary of his birth. The spirit of the young Walter Scott as he explored the places, people and events of his native Scotland, is re-ignited in the collective imagination young writers living in our roller-coaster world of upheaval, online-living and re-awakening after national trauma. A study of history and a taste for exploration of the lessons of history has never been more relevant as our world rattles on.

We have devised a pattern of writing tasks, thinkspace tasks and ways to get you exploring the world around you as a primary source for your writing. We focus on gathering the information of your senses and how your own self is the starting point for all your creations.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone for putting all of it together and making the experience so fantastic. I love how in each session we were all involved and shared our ideas with each other.

We are interested in what makes your writing individual and idiosyncratic. Our job is not to tell you what kind of writing you should produce. In fact we understand the word ‘writing’ in the widest possible way – meaning that you are free to choose your mode of writing.

Our writer-tutors have ways to take you under the surface of the craft of writing, as well as to understand and celebrate the skills you already have. This process allows you to find what your next step as a writer will be.

Online

Since 2020, Imagining History UK has been running an online summer school during the month of July. These workshops are by invitation to young writers who enter and have been long-listed for the Young Walter Scott Prize. Places are offered also to writers previously listed for YWSP. Our aim is to create a community of writers who love to explore Historical events, ideas and places as a source for their inspiration.

• I had a lot of fun with the project and I’ve learnt lots of new skills which I will continue to use.
• I feel so thankful that I was able to participate in these workshops, and grateful for the expert advice and interest that we were given throughout.
• The month of sessions has definitely been very stimulating of thought-directions; every session a thousand new avenues seemed to open.
• Thank you for this experience, I have found a lot of use in it, and it’s been interesting and rewarding for me. Thank you for the lovely constructive comments on my work.

The Imagining History UK faculty is:

• Elizabeth Ferretti – writer
• Stephanie Haxton – writer/historian
• Dr Dina Gusejnova – historian
• Roxanne Matthews – art historian
• Alan Caig Wilson – arts educator, producer and Director of YWSP & IHUK

Writers on the IHUK Summerschool are granted special access to the remarkable Adam Matthews Digital Archive – a library of around 11 million documents indexed and collated. We are indebted to the team there and for allowing the writers an infinity of rabbit holes down which to travel to fuel their inspiration. www.amdigital.co.uk.

Check out descriptions of our groundbreaking 2020 and 2021 programmes here.

In real life

Since 2015, we have been organising workshops that are three-way collaborations between historical places, professional writers and historians, and local schools. The aim is to introduce young writers to ways of understanding and exploring history through live exploration of it. We have worked with outdoor historical sites, castles and museums across the UK.

Our work is holistic – it is not simply about creative writing but about benefiting a young writer in a much wider range of ways. Here is a wordcloud taken from the feedback of a group of students from Farlingaye School in Woodbridge, after they had spent a day exploring and writing outdoors in the sun at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk.

In 2026, we are planning workshops once again in Suffolk, Edinburgh, Cornwall and North Wales. More information will be available on this page as details are confirmed. You can find Imagining History UK also on facebook.

For information about how our in-real-life workshops are organised please click here

For more information about how your school or venue could become a partner in creating an Imagining History UK workshop, please contact Alan Caig Wilson, Director of IHUK.