Talks, Workshops and Other Engagements

“Learn, as I have, from John-Paul Flintoff. Highly recommend” – Terry Szuplat, speechwriter to US president Barack Obama


This page is about my own events – upcoming first, then most recent.

If you would like me to speak at your event / company / conference / please click the blue button on this page to book a short conversation with me.


I’ve delivered talks and workshops at many events, festivals, companies and other organisations.



The work on this site is supported in part by paid memberships.


Current And Recent Past

2024


10 to 31 January 2025
Public Speaking | Adequate to Excellent In 30 Days
Fridays, 12pm UK on Zoom, with a private online group

20 November 2024
Public Speaking: Adequate To Excellent In One Day
In person session. NO MORE SPACES

13 November 2024
Public Speaking: Adequate To Excellent In One Day
In person session. NO MORE SPACES

October 2024
How to Enjoy Teaching Online | Arvon Online
A workshop for fellow authors, teaching online

14-21 September 2024
How To Make Your Writing More Delightful | Winchester, England
How to avoid complacency, without being harshly self-critical?

14-21 September 2024
The Idler Renaissance Retreat | Umbria, Italy
Shape ideas in writing, and as they emerge from your mouth

16 July 2024
Artist In Residence | Galley Beggar Press, Norwich
Small but mighty publisher of fiction

Eloise Millar stuffing envelopes at Galley Beggar Low Res.jpg

20 May to 18 June 2024
Five-Week Non-fiction Evening Course | Arvon, Online
Life writing: you know in your bones how much it matters

23 to 25 April 2024
One Percent Change | Sofia, Bulgaria
How To Change The World, ten years on

March 2024 Thursdays at 4pm UK
Interview Club | Zoom
What would the world be like without interviews?

6 March
Artist In Residence | Eland Books
Small but mighty publisher of classic travel books

21 February, 6pm-7pm UK
Spectrum of Publishing | Occasional series
Rachel Hazell, author of Bound, on the range of options for authors

16 February, 1pm UK
Classical Rhetoric, AI and You | LinkedIn miniseries
Use It Wisely


Back to top

Earlier

This archive is incomplete. I aim to backfill the past with whatever is most interesting

2023


19-20 October
Impro for Speechwriters | London
With the European Speechwriters

8 November
Dreaming In Books 📚 | Online session
Even if you “can’t draw”, making pictures helps with storytelling

19-20 October
You, The Speaker | European Speechwriters Conference, The Hague
If you write speeches for others, learn what it’s like to deliver one

14-15 October
Sponsored Writing | virtual
24 hours to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support

9 October
Artist In Residence | The Redstone Press
Small but mighty publisher of the legendary Redstone Diary, and more

7-20 September
Show Yourself With One Great Video | Two-week course, online
Overcome nerves, master the tech, and tell stories with the right pictures

1 September
Artist In Residence | Sort Of Books
Small but mighty publisher of this year’s Booker Prize winner

21 August
Therapists | How To Make An Introductory Video
LinkedIn Live

4 August
One Track Minds | Wilderness Festival
A talk inspired by Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here”

21 July-4 August
Show Yourself With One Great Video | two-week course, online
Overcome nerves, master the tech, and tell stories with the right pictures

11 June
Theatre Of You | EA Festival, Castle Hedingham
Taking stories from the audience and bringing them alive

1 and 2 May
Tough Talk Training | Hybrid (Brussels and online)
Public speaker training for activists across Europe and Africa

17 to 22 April
More Than Memoir | Arvon, residential course
Fiction and non-fiction. Co-tutor, with Alice Jolly

14 April
Adequate to Excellent | Soho, London
3-Hour Taster in Rhetoric + Impro.

13 April
Adequate to Excellent | Soho, London
All-Day Training in Rhetoric + Impro.


2022


5 and 6 December, Central London
Effective Writing for Journalists Short Course | UAL
Sharpen your writing ability

MONDAYS at 4pm UK, 21 November to 12 December, online
How To Start A One-Page Book | Live webinar
Make something small that may become big

7 to 12 November
Starting To Write | Arvon, residential course
Fiction and non-fiction. Co-tutor, with Elise Valmorbida

July to August
Bring Your Story To Life | Arvon, online
On writing non-fiction. Co-tutor, with Melanie McGrath

July – Speaker
Impro for Writers | Idler Festival, London
Using theatrical exercises to shape better stories

June – Speaker
How To Change The World | Venice, Italy
On better collaboration

April – Speaker
On Friendship | One Track Minds
“Your story was so wonderful – and delivered with such charm and warmth. I don’t know if you could see from the stage, but the whole of the front row were in floods of tears by the end. It was an incredibly moving thing to witness” – Kristian Brodie, OTM

February – Speaker
Creative Change Makers | Creative Conscience
A talk about creativity, and staying sane

January – Speaker
Barabadabada | One Track Minds
A talk about my former teacher, Ivor Cutler

2021


September – Speaker
The Art Of Writing | Hampstead, London
A recipe for writers

June – Speaker
How To Write And Deliver Unforgettable Speeches | How To Academy, online
Giving a great talk

May – Speaker
How To Write | The Idler Academy, ongoing online course
Set aside worries about being “any good”, and get on with finding your voice

How to Write

May – Speaker
Little Challenges, online
On the relationship between creativity and mental health

May – Speaker
Forton Group, online
Public speaking, for coaches

April – Host
Desktop Pilgrimage | Walking and Talking on Google Streetview, online
For the second year of pandemic, a month-long virtual pilgrimage, storytelling with guests

April – Speaker
Examined Life, online
Public speaking, for therapists

April – Speaker
The Art of Hooking a Reader | Arvon Masterclass, online
On cliffhangers, and Just Generally Being Interesting

April – Speaker
What Makes An Adequate Speech? | European Speechwriters Network, online
A talk with the pros

February – Speaker
Book Launch, with Q&A | The Union Club, Soho, online
Exactly what it sounds like

2020


November – Teacher
Better Speaker In 30 Days, online
A month-long course, developing ideas in my book

Various – Speaker
Drawsilience | A Workshop, online
Collaborative illustration, to cope in pandemic

May – Tutor
How To Write A Memoir | Arvon Foundation
Arvon’s first-ever week-long “residential” writing course to take place entirely online. With Elise Valmorbida

May – Speaker
From High Flyer To Rock Bottom, online
An illustrated talk, for Mental Health Awareness, delivered to a variety of organisations

April – Virtual Illustrator in Residence
Be Drawn | The Union Club, Soho
In which I drew a portrait of an Oscar winner, and 35 others

February – Illustrator in Residence
Be Drawn, Be Seen | Hampstead Parish Church
In which I drew 36 portraits of parishioners and clergy, for display in the church

2019


Various – speaker, illustrator
High Flyer to Rock Bottom, in person
Talks at Linklaters, Freshfields, Birketts, Clyde & Co, Macfarlanes and Mishcon de Reya. See this for details.

June – Host
Walk and Talk for Mental and Physical Health | Talk for Health
A storytelling “pilgrimage” around Hampstead Heath

March – Tutor
How To Write A Memoir | Arvon Foundation
Week-long residential writing course in Devon

2018


December – Tutor
How To Write A Memoir | Arvon Foundation
Week-long residential writing course in Shropshire

October – Speaker, illustrator
High Flyer to Rock Bottom | Slaughter and May, in person
An illustrated talk, with drawings from my time in psychiatric hospital, earlier this year

May – MC
One-Day MBA | The Guardian Masterclass
Host for a day of business-themed talks by leading business professors

2017


November – Tutor
How To Write A Memoir | Arvon Foundation
Week-long residential writing course in Yorkshire, with Alice Jolly

May – MC
One-Day MBA | The Guardian Masterclass
Host for a day of business-themed talks by leading business professors

7 March
A Cup Of Tea To Change Your Life | 5×15, Bristol
On heartfelt but brief conversations

JP Flintoff with paper cups for conversation

Various – Trainer
Be Yourself In Any Language
Better communication, when you don’t have the “right” words

2016


May – MC
One-Day MBA | The Guardian Masterclass
Host for a day of business-themed talks by leading business professors

November – Tutor
How To Write A Memoir | Arvon Foundation
Week-long residential writing course in Devon, with Alice Jolly

2015


Various – Speaker, trainer
Together Project | Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland
A series of workshops to build community across Belfast

April – Host
The Family Project | Guardian Masterclass
In which I ran a masterclass with my wife, co-author of The Family Project

2014


Various – speaker
How To Change The World | International
Speaking engagements in countries including Mexico and South Korea

April – Speaker
What If Everybody Was Interesting And Attractive? | TEDx Hackney
Lessons from improvisational theatre

2013


April – Speaker
Conversations That Change Everything | TEDx Stormont
Some of the biggest things in life start with conversations

February – Speaker
How To Change The World | TEDx Athens
My book, in 18 mins, at the largest TEDx outside the US

2012


Various – Speaker
Authors On The Road | The School of Life
Book tour with authors of the first six TSOL books: Philippa Perry, Roman Krznaric, Alain de Botton, Tom Chatfield, John Armstrong

Various – teacher
How To Be More Creative | The School of Life
Loved doing this one

2011


Various – teacher
How To Have Better Conversations | The School of Life
Regular class, tended to get very noisy

Various – teacher
How To Make A Difference | The School of Life
Regular class, led directly to me writing How To Change The World

2010


May – Speaker
Sew Your Own | The School of Life
First event at TSOL, which led to seven years of assorted events

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John-Paul Flintoff headshot, with Yours Truly written across it

John-Paul Flintoff is author of seven books, in 16 languages, including How To Change The World and A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech. He worked for 15 years as writer and associate editor on the Financial Times, the Sunday Times and other papers and magazines.