English Literature and Creative Writing

Join the BSLS or renew your membership here.

The annual cost of membership is £26. 

Reduced membership, costing £11, is available to postgraduates and others not in full-time employment.

Please note that renewal of membership takes place in April of each year, to align with the BSLS Conference, and runs to the end of the following April, not a year after the date you joined. Memberships purchased after 1st Jan will run to the end of April of the following year.

https://www.bsls.ac.uk/membership/join-us/

Street Food Dinner on Thursday, 10th April and Conference Dinner on Friday, 11th April 2025

The twentieth in-person conference of the British Society for Literature and Science is being held at Lancaster University on 10th to 12th April 2025.

A Street Food Dinner will be held on Thursday evening (optional):

• Waged delegates: £30
• Postgraduate/Unwaged delegates: £20

The Conference Dinner will be held on Friday evening (optional):

• Waged delegates: £45
• Postgraduate/Unwaged delegates: £2

Conference – The British Society for Literature and Science (bsls.ac.uk)

The twentieth in-person conference of the British Society for Literature and Science is being held at Lancaster University on 10th to 12th April 2025.  An online meeting will be held on 8th and 9th May 2025.

Registration fee includes refreshments and lunch, only: Thursday Evening and Friday Evening Dinners need to be purchased separately.

To buy Dinners please use this link : The British Society for Literature and Science - BSLS Conference 2025 - Street Food Dinner 10th April and Conference Dinner 11th April | Lancaster University Online Store (lancaster-university.co.uk)

https://www.bsls.ac.uk/events/conference/

Writing for Wellbeing: A 3-Session Online Course for Ex-Members of High-Control Religions. Join a supportive, a small closed group for pre-met attendees.

This mini course is designed for those recovering from religious trauma after leaving high-control religious environments. Led by Zoe Lambert, writer and Creative Writing Lecturer from Lancaster University, this group uses the power of writing as a recovery tool. Over three sessions, you’ll explore your experiences and emotions through guided writing exercises, as well as develop techniques to use writing to enhance your wellbeing. Ex-member Counsellor Claire Alison Hams who has a specialism in working with religious trauma recovery will be present at each session to co-facilitate.

Those who sign up agree to meet Zoe and Claire online for 20 mins to discuss their suitability for the course. 

Payment: £15/7 upfront for 3 sessions. Non refundable fee once a place in the group is offered after pre-meet.

Workshop 1 Beginning Writing: 16th November, 10am-12.

Workshop 2 Exploring through writing: 23rd November 10-12.                   

Workshop 3 Continuing writing: 30th November, 10-12.                                   

Dr Zoe Lambert is a writer and lecturer in creative writing at Lancaster University. She was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and from an early age writing has been a rich part of her life. She has published numerous short stories, including the collection The War Tour. She is passionate about facilitating writing and creativity. She is currently writing a memoir about her experiences. Her new personal essay, 'I'm Having Sex and I will Die: Twelve Steps to (nearly) Overcoming Purity Trauma' is out soon with Bio Stories.
Claire Alison was born to Jehovah's Witness parents and raised with a view that Armageddon was 'just around the corner'. Leaving as an adult, she has spent the past several years training as a Counsellor, embarking on understanding the complexities of recovery, as an adult, from high control. Claire has trained with Dr Gillie Jenkinson in her post cult recovery model of therapy and works with ex members of cultic dynamics, supporting them to unravel the layers of indoctrination.