The SW11 Literary Festival continues this week with a Wandsworth author who has proven you don't need a degree to be a success in the writing world.

Alex Wheatle was just 14 when he was turned out of school and spent most of his childhood in a children's home in Brixton.

But he has now had six novels published and was rewarded for his work as an inspirational speaker in prisons and schools with an MBE from the Queen last year.

"I come from a background that wouldn't normally suggest a writer's background," says the 46-year-old.

"I was chucked out of school at 14 and had a bit of a rough childhood and teenagehood.

"But I had this urge to tell my stories so finally I ended up being a novelist.

"I'm trying to get across to anyone that if they believe they can do it they can do it.

"You don't have to have a degree in English to be a novelist."

Alex is holding two events over the next week, a creative writing workshop on Saturday and a talk with crime author Dreda Say Mitchell on Monday.

"The workshop will just be me giving advice to any aspiring writers," he says.

"Mostly about giving them a few tips to get them started off with things like structure of character, starting a story and building narrative.

"The talk will then be mostly about my experiences in the publishing world.

"The last book I published, Dirty South, was my sixth.

"I like to call them social realism books.

"The first three were based on my experiences growing up in a children's home and living in Brixton in that tumultuous time when the riots broke out but I have gone on from there.

"A few of the books told the stories of my parents experiences in the Caribbean before they came to England but the last book was about the experiences of young teenagers today with all this knife and gun crime.

"I'm now working on a children's fantasy story as I have always wanted to try my hand at that.

"I think as a writer you should try to challenge yourself and break new ground.

"I don't like to be put in a box where I can only write one type of story."

Alex Wheatle, Creative Writing Workshop: Building Narrative and Characters, Northcote Library, Northcote Road, September 19, 10.30am to 1pm, £5.

Dreda Say Mitchell and Alex Wheatle in Conversation, Waterstone’s, St. John’s Road, September 21, 7pm, £4. Call 020 7627 3182 or visit clapham-junction.com.

Also on at SW11 this week:

- Friday, September 18, Waterstone’s, St John’s Road, 7pm, £4.

Peter Robinson and Sophie Hannah: Two world leaders in the crime thriller genre talk about their work.

- Saturday, September 19, Bolingbroke Bookshop, Northcote Road, 7pm, £3.

Wandsworth author Bobbie Darbyshire discusses her new book, the writing process and getting published.

- Sunday, September 20, Battersea Art Centre, Lavender Hill, 7pm, £3.

Poetic Frenzy, a fast-moving spoken word show hosted by Steve Tasane, this year's poet in residence.

- Tuesday, September 22, Waterstone’s, 70 St John’s Road, 7pm, £4.

Kate Williams and Miranda Carter. The authors of Becoming Queen and The Three Emperors discuss their personal methods of writing historical biography.

- Wednesday, September 23, Crumpet Cafe, 66 Northcote Road, 2pm, free.

Storytelling event for children and adults of every age.

- Wednesday, September 23, Battersea Power Station, Kirtling Street, 7pm, £6.

Alan Titchmarsh has written the second part of his memoirs, Knave of Spades, and will tell you his story.