Last weekend my writing group ran a writing workshop with Phillipa Martin , who writes crime as PD Martin. Actually it was more of a masterclass than a workshop. Phillipa gave us so much information, so much to think about. It was an intense day, but one that left us really thinking about the writing process. Not only did we look at the basics of writing- character, dialogue, plot - we also looked at what makes good writing. We discussed research,writing styles, genre writing, and then the nuts and bolts of getting published. Definitely a masterclass. One of those where you go home to debrief and thoughts scurry round and round in your head till the early hours. Phillipa said that she would go over a wide variety of information, some of which we would know, some would be new to at least one of us. And as long as we went home with five new pieces of information it was worth it. Frankly I think we all went home with more than five. I for one am not big on research, unless...