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All about the Milford SF Writers'
Critique Week - and how to book.

Milford Saturday 12th - Saturday 19th September 2026 is now fully booked.
The next Mlford crtique week will be 11th - 18th September 2027
Cost £1,070

BOOKING FORM for Milford 2027 HERE

Questions? Email the secretary jacey@jaceybedford.co.uk

Gladstones LibraryVENUE: Gladstones Library, Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire, North Wales, CH5 3DF. (Close to Chester)

Note: Hawarden is pronounced Ha'rden

Milford is the longest-running SF writers' event in the UK. It has been a regular (and almost) annual occurrence since 1972, drawing members from the UK, Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australia. It has settled into a comfortable, workable format: demanding and exhausting, but also convivial. In short, it's a social as well as a literary event--a chance to connect with other SF writers.

Many famous names have passed through Milford in its (more than) five decades in the UK. : Anne McCaffrey, Brian Aldiss, Charles Stross, Chris Priest, Diana Wynne Jones, George R.R. Martin, Alastair Reynolds, Jaine Fenn, Kari Sperring and Liz Williams. Some attendees are novel-writers, others specialise in short stories.

Minimum qualification for attending Milford

  • Minimum qualification for attending Milford is one fiction sale to any recognised market.

What Happens

  • Writers give and receive critique of ongoing work, discuss ideas, and socialise.
  • At least 2 weeks before the event, each participant submits up to 10,000 words in one or two pieces (short stories or novel excepts) for critting. Any story-so-far, notes, synopses or specific queries should be in the manuscript document and should be included in the word count.
  • The pieces are timetabled for critique using the Milford Method throughout the week.We encourage constructive rather than destructive critique. It's the work being critiqued, not the individual authors.

Milford Method

  • Milford rules allow even the shyest member's voice to be heard.
  • Each participant, in rotation, spends up to three minutes (timed) giving their critique of the work at hand. Once the three minute timer goes off, you may complete your sentence and wind up.
  • No interruption, whether by the author or anyone else, is allowed during this stage of the proceedings.
  • After everyone has spoken the author gets an uninterrupted right of reply.
  • This is followed by a more general discussion.

Outline of the Week

  • Beforehand — Participants must distribute their manuscripts by email at least 2 weeks before the workshop begins, and preferably 4 weeks.
  • Saturday — Arrive any time. You can get into your room from 3 p.m. onwards. There's no programme on the first day, just dinner at Gladstone's cafe, and getting to know each other.
  • Daily Timetable — Breakfast from 8.00 to 9.30. Lunch (optional) is 12.30 . Dinner at 6.30 p.m.
  • Sunday to Thursday — Mornings are free. Critique sessions are in the afternoons, from 2.00 p.m. until 5.00 p.m.-ish) in a private room. As a resident you can work in the library any time between 9.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m.
  • Wednesday — Milford is lobliged to hold an AGM and elect officers for the coming year, thus each Milford provides for the next.
  • Thursday — The evening generally includes a markets session, discussing where the week's pieces could usefully be submitted on completion.
  • Friday — Usually this is a free day for group or individual outings. Or you can stay in and work in the library.
  • Saturday — Depart after breakfast. Vacate your room by 10 a.m.
  • Afterwards — Attendees go on the Milford mail list. Groups often keep in touch. If your story is published please let us know for our Success Stories page.

Preparation

  • Our one truly inflexible requirement is that you must send, in advance, one or two pieces of unpublished work for critique. Aim for below 10,000 words in total. Complete stories or novel excerpts are acceptable. Leading and/or trailing synopses must be in your document and included in your word count.
  • Works may be any kind of speculative fiction.
  • Correct manuscript format isn't necessarily required as long as it's clear and readable. Word doc or .docx is the norm, but you can also submit in RTF.
  • What to bring. Just yourself and your work. If you haven't been to North Wales in September before, please be aware that the weather can be changeable. Dress for comfort. There are walks around Hawarden village and through the castle grounds (though the castle itself is privately owned).

Venue

  • Gladstone's Library is the only residential Library in the UK. Yes, it was built by THAT William Gladstone, Queen Victoria's prime minister, and is now a registered charity.
  • It is 8 miles from Chester, accessible by taxi or bus from Chester where there is a mainline railway station. It's easily reached by road via the motorway network and there is a small car park. Please note if you are driving - a lot of Welsh speed limits are reduced to 20 miles per house in built up areas.
  • As a resident you have full use of the pin-drop-silent library itself from 9.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m.
  • Gladstones is a Victorian Gothic building with the library, restaurant, comfy common room and well-appointed ensuite bedrooms, each complete with a writing desk and radio. There are only two ground floor rooms plus bedrooms on the first and second floors..There is no lift.
  • There is a dedicated conference room on the ground floor.
  • Accommodation is bed, breakfast and evening meal. The menu choice includes vegan, vegetarian and meat or fish meals. There are tea/coffee making facilities in your room or the cafe serves drinks all day. You can buy lunch in the cafe or there are pubs, a couple of small cafes, and a small post office and general store in the village (it has a small selection of sandwiches and snacks). There's also a pharmacy. Everything is within very easy walking distance. There is a large supermarket a short drive away.

What it Costs

  • The total cost of the Milford week in 2027 is £1070 for accommodation in an ensuite room.
  • There's a non-refundable deposit of £300 payable on booking, and the balance payable 12 weeks in advance.
  • Once the event fills up, there is a waiting list which you can join by filling in the application form and paying the deposit. We will hold this until the booking is either confirmed or cancelled. If no one drops out and you don't get a place you will get a full refund or you can carry your deposit over to the next Milford.
  • Though there is a ceiling of 15 members for the workshop.
  • You can do a personal writing retreat alongside the critiquers, depending on room availability. Talk to us if that's what you want to do.

Cancellation - The Small Print Writ Large

  • We regret that deposits, once paid, are non-refundable.
  • We advise Milford attendees to take out cancellation insurance to protect themselves from loss in the case of lost deposits or full fees.
  • PLEASE NOTE IN THE EVENT OF A NATIONAL COVID/PANDEMIC CANCELLATION, DEPOSITS CAN BE REFUNDED OR ROLLED ON TO A FUTURE MILFORD.
  • Once the balance of payment has been made there is no refund if you don't attend.

Inclusion, Access, and Equal Opportunities

  • STATEMENT OF INCLUSION. Milford's critique week is open to all professionally published writers of SF/F, over the age of eighteen and writing in English.
  • EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY. All published writers of SF/F are welcome, regardless of gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age, or planet of origin.
  • ACCESS. Milford will always do its very best to ensure access for writers with mobility problems. Please note that Gladstone's Library is a listed building and has no lifts. The library, common room and meeting room are all on the ground floor with level access. There are only two ground floor bedrooms which will be allocated on the grounds of greatest need. They have level access and a walk-in shower. Please talk to us if you have access needs.

Web site by Jacey Bedford