Writing Workshops with Vandana Sehgal – autumn 2026

Writing Workshops – Autumn 2026

Workshops in Stockholm with writing coach Vandana Sehgal

Back by popular demand, Vandana Sehgal’s Writing Workshops return to Stockholm for a third term.

Whether you’re ready to transform personal pain into prose, start building your memoir, or nail that all-important opening line, there’s a session for where you are right now.

Sign up for whichever themes speak to you – most modules come in two parts and are booked together, the Children’s Picture Book module is one part.

Contact the Stockholm shop today to reserve your spot. 

VANDANA SEHGAL is a teacher, writer, and book writing coach. She enjoys reading and writing nonfiction blogs and books. Recently, she wrote a children’s book – ‘Stand Up for Yourself,’ Brando Tells Dory – and realised that a child lives in her who is eager to share innumerable of stories with the world.

The workshops are 1,5 hours (18:30–20:00 at the Stockholm bookshop), see dates and themes below.

Workshop fee is 600:- for the two-part modules, and 300:- for the Children’s Picture Book module.
Email stockholm@bookshop.se to book your spot – limited number of participants at each workshop. Sign-up is final once the group fee is paid (contact the bookshop to sign up first). 

Choose between these themes

– Transform Your Pain to Prose – Part 1 and 2: Wed 9 Sept and Wed 16 Sept
– Defining The Structure of Your Memoir – Part 1 and 2: Wed 14 Oct and Tues 20 Oct
– First Line and First Paragraph – Part 1 and 2: Wed 11 Nov and Wed 18 Nov
– Writing Children’s Picture Book – One Session: Wed 9 Dec 

Transform Your Pain to Prose

Part 1 and 2: Wed 9 Sept and Wed 16 Sept

Transforming Pain into Prose is a two-session nonfiction writing workshop designed to help participants explore difficult experiences through writing in a safe, compassionate and reflective environment.

The workshop does not promise to “fix” pain, nor is it a substitute for therapy. Instead, it introduces writing as a tool for expression, reflection, and self-understanding.

Session 1: From experience to expression
The first session is about approaching personal experiences gently and intentionally. Participants will explore how memories, emotions and unfinished experiences can become material for nonfiction without feeling overwhelmed by the process.

Session 2: From pain to perspective
The second session moves from emotional expression towards the craft of nonfiction. Participants will learn how to shape raw experiences into a story that has movement, meaning and a sense of purpose.

Topics covered
1. Finding the story beneath the pain
2. Writing into pain — without getting lost in it
3. The body remembers
4. The distance between “then” and “now”
5. Shaping the story
6. From victim to narrator

Defining The Structure of Your Memoir

Part 1 and 2: Wed 14 Oct and Tues 20 Oct

Session 1: Defining the Structure of Your Memoir
Outline helps to see the big picture and provides a direction. It helps to answer, “what next?” to maintain the momentum of the story. In first session we will dig deep to lay the foundation to get clarity on the outline and cover following topics:
– Find clarity on core concept
– Know your audience
– Chose the right structure of your nonfiction book

Session 2: Defining the Structure of Your Memoir
In this second session we will go step by step and understand how a life story unfolds, deciding what moments to spotlight, what to withhold, and how meaning is revealed over time.
– High-level outline
– Chapter level design
– Testing and refining the outline

First Line and First Paragraph

Part 1 and 2: Wed 11 Nov and Wed 18 Nov

Learn how to create openings that make readers pause, feel curious and want to read on.

Session 1: The Power of the First Line
– Why the first line matters
– Different types of effective openings
– Creating curiosity and tension
– Common mistakes to avoid
– Practical exercises to write and experiment with multiple opening lines

Session 2: Building the First Paragraph
– How to develop the promise of the first line
– Introducing character, setting, conflict and context
– Showing rather than explaining
– What to include – and what to leave out
– Analysing opening paragraphs from published books
– Writing and refining your own first paragraph

Writing Children’s Picture Book

One Session: Wed 9 Dec

An introduction to the art and craft of writing picture books for young readers.
– Finding a strong and child-friendly story idea
– Creating memorable characters and a simple story arc
– Building a beginning, middle and satisfying ending
– Knowing what to show, tell and leave for the illustrator

 

VANDANA SEHGAL is a teacher, writer, and book writing coach. She enjoys reading and writing nonfiction blogs and books. Recently, she wrote a children’s book – ‘Stand Up for Yourself,’ Brando Tells Dory – and realised that a child lives in her who is eager to share innumerable of stories with the world.