Are you a writer in need of inspiration, guidance or simply some solace from your solitary ramblings?

Well look no further because London is bursting to the seams with literary goings on this week as well as lots of free resources for would-be novelists.

I have been scouring the web for helpful ideas after winning a lotter-funded grant from the Arts Council to help me spend one day a week writing a novel.

The grant is helpful in giving me actual time to spend on my novel but these events and projects are also proving vital in pointing me in the 'write' direction. 

1. Foyles Bookshop is unveiling its swanky new premises in Charing Cross with three weeks of literature and culture events (ending July 5) so there will be plenty of chances to get up-close-and-personal with your favourite authors.

Goldsmiths academic Zoe Pilger will be appearing on June 24 to discuss Eat My Heart Out which has garnered rave reviews.

2. Literary Kitchen Festival is happening this week in Peckham and is designed to prompt people to get scribbling as well as pick tips from Goldsmiths Writers Centre tomorrow evening (June 18). There is an East Dulwich Literary Festival happening later this month and a Peckham-wide Literary Festival scheduled for the Autumn.

3. The Goldsmiths Writers' Centre in New Cross hosts many free events with people such as Deborah Levy throughout the academic year and you can even listen to podcasts on the website if you miss them. 

4. The London Short Story Festival is happening at the weekend (from June 20 to June 22) in Waterstones Piccadilly with a range of events and even a free writing space where you can enjoy workshops throughout the day.

5. Womentoring launched in April to offer women free mentoring women from authors, editors and publishers. It is a project which has generated a lot of coverage and helped propel founder Kerry Hudson on to the Bookseller’s Rising Stars list for 2014.

6. Warwick University has a series of Writing Challenges podcasts to help you get started and to enable you to develop your writing.

7. Mslexia has a quarterly magazine packed with articles and tips for female writers as well as competitions with prizes worth thousands of pounds.

8. Ideastap is a creative-industry focused youth charity but has loads of general resources on writing, researching and editing for people of all ages and it is edited by a former News Shopper reporter.

9. Eltham Arts is a creative hub based in SE9 which runs meet-ups and competitions throughout the year. They recently hosted an event for World Book Night.

10. The Southbank Centre hosts a huge range of events with authors and also has a literature festival coming up in September.

Are there any other resources or London-based events you would recommend to News Shopper readers? Email hwood@london.newsquest.co.uk