Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel

Gary Dalkin & Sophie BealSat 25 April 2026, 15:15

About Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel

How to self-edit your book without losing the plot.

Organising Chaos is an updated version of the very popular talk Sophie Beal (Cadence Publishing) and Gary Dalkin (To The Last Word) have given at the previous two Bournemouth Writing Festivals. Packed with advice on how turn a messy, chaotic draft into a publishable book, it covers both the psychological and the practical aspects of self-editing without losing the plot. Taking a realistic, sometimes wry approach, the talk covers developing a novelist’s mind-set, the ‘big picture’ (structure, characters, plotting) down to getting the fine details right, with lots of helpful, positive strategies for when your writing gets stuck. Get your chaos organised!

Further content for Organising Chaos: Turn a Messy Draft into a Publishable Novel

Audience watching two speakers on a stage

Bournemouth Writing Festival

Season Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

How are tickets for the festival purchased?

Your tickets are purchased through Pavilion Dance using this website, our phone line (01202 202360) or by visiting us in person. Whether your tickets are for an event at Pavilion Dance or elsewhere, Pavilion Dance will process your transaction.

How are tickets priced and can they be refunded or exchanged?

Tickets are priced by the festival and cannot be refunded or exchanged once purchased. There are no booking fees but you can buy Ticket Protection at the time of purchase for just £2 per ticket should you be concerned about illness, travel problems etc. Due to the complexity of running a festival across multiple sites and with different partners, there is not a subscription or pass, all events are priced separately. 

How will my tickets be delivered?

Whether you purchase by phone, online or in person from Pavilion dance, you will receive your tickets via email to either print out as a PDF or to save to your phones mobile wallet. We are unable to post hard copy tickets due to prohibitive postage costs. If you are unable to locate your tickets, you can re download them from your account here where you can also reset your password.

I have a promo code or gift voucher.

If you have a promo code or gift voucher, continue to purchase your tickets and enter the promo code in the promo code box, the gift voucher code in the gift voucher box, or both when promoted to do so. Your discounts will apply at checkout. Please note that some promotional codes will only work if they meet the eligibility criteria of an offer set by the festival.

Who do I contact with a question about the content of this session.

Please contact the festival here.

What are the terms and conditions of sale?

This event is organised by the Bournemouth Writing Festival. Their Terms and Conditions of sale can be found HERE. The festival takes place over multiple venues. Each venue reserves the right to maintain its own terms of entry. 

I am a wheelchair user or have another accessibility question?

For events taking place inside the Pavilion Dance building, please contact the venue on 01202 203630 to let us know if you require a wheelchair space or mark your request in the My Account - Access section when booking. Pavilion Dance is both the host of many festival events and also the ticket agent on behalf of the festival. For events not taking place inside Pavilion Dance, please contact the festival directly after booking your tickets as they will be managing those spaces. You can contact them here. Please note that large outdoor mobility scooters will not fit into studio and theatre spaces. Please check with staff on arrival.