I want to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed: “No short story cuts on Radio 4″
 http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/noshortstorycuts/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=system&utm_campaign=Send%2Bto%2BFriend

 I really think this is an important cause, and I’d like to encourage you
 to add your signature, too. It’s free and takes just a few seconds of your time.

 Thanks!

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As a commitment to our members this page is available, free of charge, to Writing Groups who are members of NAWG, their members and NAWG Associates, who have news of creative writing courses/workshops, or wish to post information that they feel might be of interest to others.

Other groups, individuals or associations who are not members will be charged a fee for the privilege.

Starting on the 1st January 2011, the fee for a one off submisson will be £8.00. Should you require further submissions thoughout the year, a fee of £20.00 will cover all advertisements for 12 months following payment.

All payments should be made by cheque, payable to NAWG and sent to Webmaster, 65 Riverside Mead, Peterborough, PE2 8JN.

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New entry –

WRITING TO BE HEARD

Have you ever wanted to hear your words broadcast across the airwaves? To celebrate this year’s National Short Story Week (12th – 18th November), the organisers are developing a “Short Story Network” of local, community and hospital radio stations which will broadcast short stories by local writers throughout week. National Short Story Week (NSSW) has teamed up with NAWG to get members involved in this great opportunity.
 
The aim of the project is to have members submit short stories to their local station, with the best being chosen to be read out by actors and broadcast in their area. It’s a chance to have your words enjoyed by thousands of listeners and, who knows, make you a celebrity in your area or at the very least increase your profile as a writer.
NSSW are currently talking to radio stations around the country to sign them up to the project. Further news about which stations are taking part in the network, and on how to submit your work, will be posted on the NAWG and National Short Story Week websites (www.nawg.co.uk/ and www.nationalshortstoryweek.org.uk) in the coming months, and in the next issue of LINK.

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‘My piece was rejected. I should give up writing, yes?’ NO!
As a creative writing tutor, workshop facilitator and regular speaker at writers circles, Simon Whaley frequently comes across this statement from prospective writers. But drawing upon his own writing experience of over twenty years, the last seven as a full-time freelance writer, Simon knows how rejection can be misinterpreted.
 
Writers will always be rejected, both beginners and professionals, so it is imperative that writers understand what rejection really means and equip themselves with the necessary skills to cope with this emotion and identify any opportunities that may arise. When one of his book proposals was rejected by a publisher, the rejection actually led to two book commissions from the same publisher!
Having a positive frame of mind is key to remaining a productive writer. The more positive a writer is, the more productive they are, and the more productive they are, the more opportunity for writing success there is.
 
At his positively productive workshops, he asks: ‘What is a productive writer?’ to which his attendees shout back, ‘A POSITIVE WRITER!’
 
The Positively Productive Writer
ISBN: 9781846948510
Price: £11.99

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“A brand new writing school and retreat opens this spring in the Loire Valley and is offering a special discount to Writer’s Group members.
 
Just quote NAWGcc12 when you contact Ian or Natalie Moore on info@leschampscreatifs.com and check out their exciting courses on leschampscreatifs.com” 

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NAWG Member Keith Large, a member of  the affiliated writing group, Turning the Page, introduces his film, Summer Ice.

Watch this trailer:-http://www.youtube.com/user/gazdakin1

For more details contact Keith:-Keith Large <keith.large2@btinternet.com>

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I am writing in the hope that some of your authors
may like to contribute to a
Fundraising Book for Alzheimer’s Research UK,
Angie Cox rupertandangie@btinternet.com

My Mother-in-law, Nina Cox, has Alzheimer’s and as a family we have watched the devastating effects of this terrible disease on her life. 

I am putting together a “Memory” book and am asking authors, public figures and the general public to contribute one “memory” from their life that they would like to record and are happy to share with others.  The idea is to put together a diverse collection of stories with a wide-ranging appeal. With the backing of a few “high profile” names I am hoping to create a must have quality book that people genuinely want to buy.  I hope it will appeal, in particular, to your unpublished writers as it could showcase their talents to a wide audience. 

We have the full backing of Alzheimer’s Research UK.  According to their information dementia affects 820,000 people in the UK and 25 million of the UK population have a close friend or family member with dementia.  I hope that this book will highlight the tragedy of losing one’s memory and to raise some money for their good work in stemming the affects of this terrible disease on the individual, their family and society in general.  We also have the support of our local newspaper, the Western Gazette, who intend to follow our progress through to publication.

I am looking for a memory of approximately 500 words. The “memory” could be from a personal or professional life, be serious or more light-hearted – just something the writer does not want forgotten. 

I look forward to hearing from you in the hope that you can support me in raising funds for this worthwhile cause. Please be assured that 100% of all profits from this project will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

For more details:- Angie Cox <rupertandangie@btinternet.com>
Email your copy now for the Fundraising Book.
 

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Don’t let poor spelling and grammar distract your reader – have your writing professionally proofread by purely proofreading and give it the best chance of getting noticed for all the right reasons!
www.purely-proofreading.co.uk
purelyproofreading@gmail.com

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Mslexia Writer’s Diary 2012

This year, the Mslexia Writer’s Diary has been chosen of one of 2012′s top ten diaries by the Independent. As well as the usual week-to-view diary pages, the diary includes ideas and exercises specially devised to help writers gain a fresh perspective on their work, plus reading recommendations from top authors, a need-to-know directory of writers’ resources and plenty of room for notes.

This year the diary has a theme of ‘getting away’ and has been produced in collaboration with Anam Cara, The Arvon Foundation, Circle of Misse, New Writing North, Tŷ Newydd and Writing West Midlands.

The sturdy user-friendly format has a rigid plastic outer cover, wiro binding, ribbon bookmark and stout elastic to keep extra papers secure – and measures 14 x 18 x 1.5 cm. It’s the essential toolkit for the creative woman on the move. Visit www.mslexia.co.uk/diary for more information.

Diary Contents:
■ weekly inspiration and reading recommendations from top authors
■ need-to-know directory of writers’ resources
■ key dates in the literary year
■ lots of blank pages for your own notes
■ table for recording submissions
■ section for logging books lent and borrowed
■ week-to-view diary pages
■ A-Z telephone and email contacts
■ editing symbols and manuscript layout guide

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Holmfirth Writers Group
Open Poetry Days

Holmfirth Writers Group hold an Open Poetry Day on the first Saturday of the month. We meet in room HWG 07, The Harold Wilson Building, Huddersfield University (this room is just off the main entrance to the university) at 9.15am.
The session begins with a short workshop on a particular poet or school of poetry. Recent workshops have looked at Early English poetry, Caedmon’s Hymn and The Dream Of The Rood; The Metaphysical Poets, Donne and Marvell; the poet and artist William Blake.

On December 3rd we will have a workshop by Chris Preddle on the Greek poet Sappho in which he will read from his own translations. In the new year we will look at some Roman poets with the classicists Ken Walker and Tim Taylor then, in a later workshop, at the book ‘Lyrical Ballads’ by Wordsworth and Coleridge.
The rest of the morning is taken up by writing verse and after lunch we review poems brought in by participants who each bring along ten copies. The session finishes around 3pm. The cost is £15 and £12 concessions and we have free parking.
This is a friendly and exciting day in the company of good local writers. Please email Chris Huck, chris.huck@ymail.com or ring me at 07968095164 for further information. All are welcome.

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The Greenacre Writers Anthology

The Greenacre Writers Anthology comprises the winning stories in our first short story competition and a selection of work from members of  The Greenacre Writers.
 
We were delighted with the variety of stories entered into our competition – from fantasy and thrillers to domestic adventures and emotional journeys – narrated with an extraordinary range of voices. Each of these illustrated the writers’ insights into different worlds. We are particularly keen in encouraging new talent to be acknowledged and we know that sending work to be read and judged takes courage. The first publication of work is important and this anthology is the first step for some writers. We must remember that all great writers were once unpublished.
 
The Greenacre Writers, based in Finchley, encourages new writting and strives to help members develop their creative skills. We are novelists, auto-biographers and short story writers, and here we offer a small selection of our short stories.
 
Greenacre Writers Anthology, Volume 1 £7.99 plus P+P send cheque/postal order for £9.00 to Greenacre Writers, 25 Chislehurst Avenue, London N12 0HU

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NAWG WRITING RETREAT

Wentworth Castle, South Yorkshire
NAWG, in partnership with Holmfirth Writers Group, have just returned from a weekend of writing and socializing. It was a great success and we are planning to arrange another one in the spring.

The venue has a website, www.wentworthcastle.org, which is worth visiting to see where the retreat was held.  it was in the Northern College which is attached to Wentworth Castle House.
The full board delegate price for the weekend is….£90 + £28 for Friday evening.

If you would like details of future events please contact chris.huck@ymail.com or:
The Old Vicarage, Scammonden, Huddersfield, HD3 3FT.

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Could you help with a Channel 4 TV series?
Are you changing your life for love?
Are you leaving your home, family, or friends to be with your partner?

The BAFTA award-winning team at The Garden Productions is making a new documentary series for Channel 4 about love and relationships.

We are looking to talk to people who are about to make a big change in their lives.  Perhaps you are moving to an entirely new city to be with your partner?  Maybe you’re changing your lifestyle or giving up something important?

Whatever your story we would like to hear from you.

Please email anna.dangoor@thegardenproductions.tv or call Anna on 020 7645 3324  to find out more.

Calling does not oblige you to take part in the series. 

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Verulam Writers’ Circle is hosting its sixth annual ‘Get Writing’ one day conference
on the 11th February, 2012. 
We’ve once again linked up with the University of Hertfordshire and are based at their prestigious de Havilland Campus on the outskirts of St Albans,
giving us enough room for 200 delegates.
We’ve got top authors, agents, publishers, and editors.
And there are some fabulous workshops and networking opportunities.
The whole day costs just £55 (which includes lunch)
Sessions are available to pitch your writing to editors and agents.
And you can book one on one face time to discuss previously submitted pages.
 
It’s our biggest and best conference yet.
The programme can be found here http://www.vwc.org.uk/comps/gw12provisionalprogramme.pdf 
  

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WRITE BY THE SEA

Iron Press and Northumbria School of English present a new venue for residential Creative Writing Weekends in Whitley Bay on the North East Coast of England. Join us and be inspired by the sea and landscape. Experienced tutors, own room, all meals provided and plenty of space to write.

The first Write by the Sea residential writing weekend takes place from:

6pm Friday evening, September 30th to 2pm Sunday afternoon, 2nd October 2011.

The title of this workshop is Fiction Foundations and it is aimed at those just starting out on the fiction-writing highway. Participants will be invited to send, in advance, up to 3000 words and a brief synopsis of a piece of fiction, which will be read by the tutors. They will give one-to-one feedback on the work during the weekend.

The tutors running this first course are two well-published, experienced writers: Carol Clewlow and Kitty Fitzgerald and on Saturday evening, after dinner, the founder and editor of IRON Press, Peter Mortimer will talk to the participants and answer questions about the publishing industry and independent presses in particular. Christine Goodwin, owner and principal of Northumbria School of English, which is located on the seafront in Whitley Bay, will host the writing weekends, The following writers have been booked for future weekends:

Oct 28th -30th: Wendy Robertson & Avril Joy on Writing a Novel Nov 25th -27th: Michael Chaplin & Karen Laws, Scriptwriting David Almond, (Fiction) & Pete Scott, (Song Writing) are in line for 2012 and we are in discussion with others.

For more information or to book a place please contact Write by the Sea.

Cost: £275 including full-board accommodation.

You can download a brochure:-  

WritebytheSea brochure

For further information please contact: E:writebythesea@btconnect.com

T: Peter Mortimer – IRON Press 0191 253 1901

T: Christine Goodwin – Northumbria School of English 0191 252 5265

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London Writers’ Cafe meets twice a month to give creative writers the opportunity to share their work and get supportive and constructive feedback from other writers. Despite our popularity, our meetings are informal, friendly and social events and with good contacts to the publishing industry (please see our sponsor list) we host an array of workshops, author talks and special events for writers too. LWC is free to join and is inclusive of all writers; from novelists, playwrights, poets, essayists and short story writers. So if you are looking for a lively community, feedback group or just an excuse to socialise with other writers please take a look at our website:  http://www.meetup.com/londonwriterscafe or email us or like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/londonwriterscafe

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Latest News:- The new term at the Poetry School is now booking.

Courses, workshops, classes, tutorials for all levels of poet, beginners to advanced, all round the country and online. Taught by poets, taught to poets. More details at www.poetryschool.com

 Discover the pleasures of poetry with the T S Eliot Prize reading groups

Poetry was recently described by the Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy as ‘a necessary and nourishing part of our lives’. The Poetry Book Society wholeheartedly agrees and we’d like to offer you the chance to engage with the best in contemporary poetry through the T S Eliot Prize reading groups. The scheme is based on the shortlist for the 2011 T S Eliot Prize for Poetry. We hope to encourage fiction reading groups to try poetry, using the work of the poets shortlisted for the Prize.

The judges, Chair Gillian Clarke, Stephen Knight and Dennis O’Driscoll, will meet in mid October to decide on the ten-book shortlist, which will be announced on Thursday 20 October. From that day, reading groups will be able to download a biography and photo of each poet and three poems from their book, together with reading group notes on the poems, from www.poetrybooks.co.uk/projects/13. The PBS website will offer readers the opportunity to vote for their favourite poet online, the result of which will be announced at the award ceremony.

Generous reading group discounts will also be available. Readers can also sign up for a weekly email which will cover the ten poets in turn and keep them up-to-date with news on the Prize.

There will also be a prize draw for tickets for the celebratory T S Eliot Prize Readings in the Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank on Sunday 15 January 2012. The 2010 Readings were a great success, attracting one of the biggest audiences for a single poetry event of recent times.

The PBS is keen to encourage fiction groups to give poetry a go, so, to help you on your way, the poems will be available to download from the site so that you can incorporate them into your reading plans. You can also order books from the PBS if you wish to explore any of the poets in more depth. In addition, we’ll be providing helpful advice on how to set up and run a poetry reading group.

The winner of the 2011 T S Eliot Prize will be announced at the award ceremony on Monday 16 January 2012, when Mrs Valerie Eliot will present the winner with a cheque for £15,000.  The shortlisted poets will each receive £1,000.

The four Poetry Book Society Choices from 2011 are automatically shortlisted for the Prize. This means we already know that Night  by David Harsent (Faber), November by Sean O’Brien (Picador), Profit and Loss by Leontia Flynn (Jonathan Cape) and Armour  by John Kinsella (Picador) will be on the shortlist.

The T S Eliot Prize was inaugurated in 1993 to celebrate the Poetry Book Society’s 40th birthday, and to honour its founding poet. Now in its nineteenth year, the T S Eliot Prize is the ‘world’s top poetry award’ (Louise Jury, The Irish Independent). The Prize is awarded annually to the writer of the best new poetry collection published in the UK or Ireland. It is unique as it is always judged by a panel of established poets and it has been described by Sir Andrew Motion as ‘the Prize most poets want to win’. Last year’s winner was Derek Walcott, for his collection White Egrets (Faber).

Founded by T S Eliot and friends in 1953, the Poetry Book Society is a unique poetry organisation which provides its members with its Poet Selectors’ choice of the best new poetry books. The PBS has two websites; an online bookshop (www.poetrybookshoponline.com) offering 90,000 poetry books and CDs, including the Poetry Archive recordings, together with a wide range of poetry news, articles, reviews, information and events listings, and the PBS website, www.poetrybooks.co.uk, which has a special members’ section and houses the PBS’s projects, including the T S Eliot Prize and its Shadowing and reading group schemes.                                                                                                

For further information please go to www.poetrybooks.co.uk/projects
or contact: Hilary Davidson or Chris Holifield at the Poetry Book Society
tel 020 7831 7468 emails hilary@poetrybooks.co.uk and chris@poetrybooks.co.uk

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The Kati Nicholl Editorial Agency

http://www.knicholl.co.uk/

Specialists in: Appraisal. Abridging. Editing. Proofreading. Scanning

Our prize-winning team – a BAFTA nomination for The Magician of Samarkand, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and 41 major audiobook abridging awards – know what makes a book work and how to present it.

Over 30 years of editing, buying, abridging and reviewing for major publishers and agents, national magazines and newspapers

Whether you are a brand-new writer wanting constructive criticism or editorial help, or an established author whose publisher is demanding more finish, we offer a full and wide-ranging service, either electronically or physically, with guaranteed delivery dates.

Contact us via our website or by phone:
020 8361 6241

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Writers’ Services News – January 2011
News of our year-long programme of workshops for 2011 at the Writers’ Centre Norwich Office, 14 Princes Street, Norwich, NR3 1AE

Hold On To Your Hats: day course with Trezza Azzopardi and more… Prose Fiction Workshops Get your prose fiction up to scratch. Whether you’re after a challenging masterclass with Rachel Hore, a character building short course with Stephen Foster or simply a day course with MBE awardee, Bernardine Evaristo, then read on we say!

BOOKING: Call: 01603 877177 or email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk If you need any other information on the workshops, click on the title link…

Get Your Poetry Fighting Fit
Poetry Workshops New Year equals new health regimes, and this applies to poetry too! From writing great poetry with the likes of Esther Morgan and David Harsent to exploring poetry environments with David Morley, your poetry will never have felt better.

BOOKING: Call: 01603 877177 or email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk If you need any other information on the workshops, click on the title link…

Want To Branch Out?
Specialist Workshops We love to provide variation when programming workshops. So how about taking on some of these challenging forms of writing:

BOOKING: Call: 01603 877177 or email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk If you need any other information on the workshops, click on the title link…

Get Your Work Out There
Professional Development Workshops Our two professional development workshops with Richard Skinner and Juliet Pickering are already fully booked. Don’t miss out on the new addition: Feedback & One to One with Literary Agent Rachel Calder.

BOOKING ALL WORKSHOPS:

Call: 01603 877177 or email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk If you need any other information on the workshops, click on the title link…

++Don’t forget that you can post your literature events on our website (click ‘Post event’ tab) and we’ll do our best to flag them up for you…++

Contact

Writers’ Centre Norwich 14 Princes Street Norwich NR3 1AE Tel: 01603 877177 Fax: 01603 625452 www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

General email enquiries: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

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Writers’ Centre Norwich has a number of inspirational literary events programmed for the summer.

With upcoming readings from acclaimed poets Wendy Cope, Simon Armitage and Glyn Maxwell there’s a lot to look forward to. We’ve also organised events to complement our Summer Reads – a selection of great new poetry and fiction – including a reading and Q&A with Evie Wyld and others.

For further information and events, visit www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Wednesday 20th July. Robin Bayley Reading and Q&A. 2pm Dereham Library – free. 6.30 pm. Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, £2.

Summer Reads author Robin Bayley will read from and answer questions about his travel-writing-come-family-history journey to Mexico, and the amazing discovery he made there. 
For further information and events, visit www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Saturday 23rd July.
A Sense of Place Prose Masterclass with Geoff Dyer.
About the workshop: Geoff will provide you with key methods to convey a sense of place in your writing giving you the skills you need to transform your backdrop or setting into something that is an intrinsic part of the action – a character in its own right, even.
Workshops with Geoff Dyer are few and far between, so don’t miss out and book your place today.

“…Dyer has spent the past 20-odd years devising a way of writing that appears to float calmly along the surface of things but is actually very busy paddling underneath.”
Andrew Motion, The Guardian.

For further information and bookings: http://tinyurl.com/3mgstnt
|Call 01603 877177| email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Summer Reads Book Clubs

A Writers’ Centre Norwich Event. Find out more on www.summerreads.org.uk. | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Join in the discussion at our Summer Reads Book Club, running once a fortnight from June-August offering lively, informal chat about six great books. You’ll get to meet fellow readers and will have the chance to share your thoughts with others. This week we are discussing The Good Angel of Death by Andrey Kurkov.

A Writers’ Centre Norwich Event. Find out more on www.summerreads.org.uk. | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

New Writers’ Services Workshops for 2011

Writers’ Centre Norwich has a lot to offer writers looking to develop their skills. Seminars and courses include fiction and poetry masterclasses with experienced tutors, as well as professional development seminars and one to one sessions with agents.

For more information, and to stay up to date with future workshops, visit our website www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk where you can also sign up for e-news.Saturday 16th July: An Inside Look at Publishing with Juliet Pickering. £50/£40 Conc. 10am-5pm, Writers’ Centre Norwich. Would you like to know how the publishing industry is changing and how you should present yourself to an agent? If so, discover where you might fit in and get detailed one to one feedback on your own work. This workshop will take place in the workshop room situated on the ground floor of the Writers’ Centre Norwich office, on 14 Princes Street. For bookings and more information please visit www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Saturday 26th November: Agent Seminar & One to One with Isobel Dixon. 10am-12pm seminar and a 20 minute one to one in the afternoon. Isobel Dixon joined Blake Friedmann in 1995 and represents writers from around the world. Here’s your opportunity to learn how to secure an agent, discuss your experiences and get a professional read. This workshop will take place in the workshop room situated on the ground floor of the Writers’ Centre Norwich office, on 14 Princes Street.

For bookings and more information please visit www.writerscentrenorwich.org.uk | Call 01603 877177 | email: info@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

Edward Cottrell
Creative Media Officer
Writers’ Centre Norwich│14 Princes Street│Norwich│NR3 1AE
Tel: +44 (0)1603 877177│

Edward.cottrell@writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

writerscentrenorwich.org.uk

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Nottingham Writers’ Club Programme for 2011

1st June

Carole Coates, Poet who will talk about her life and work.

6th July

Jeremy Duffield, A workshop on ‘The Short Story’

7th September

Alex Davis, Writer and publisher on ‘Inside Publishing’

5th October

Carl Fellstrom, Journalist giving a talk – ‘Truth is Stranger than Fiction.

Meetings are held at The Nottingham Mechanics, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham, NG1 4EZ, from 7 to 9 pm. Visitor’s fee is £1.50.

If you’d like more details about the NWC, please visit our website www.nottinghamwritersclub.org.uk

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I am a PhD research student (aged 76!) in Creative Writing at Loughborough University and need to contact as many writers as possible to help with my research. Rather than explain in detail here, I shall give you my web site address where everything will be made clear: www.writersofloveafter65.com

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NAWG website enquiry: internship
Message from: “mitra harding” mitraharding@hotmail.com

This is something that might be of interest to some of our groups: -
I have MA in comparative literature, I am multilingual and would like to do some voluntary work with a writer’s group. Thank you.

If you would like to contact Mitra, please feel free to do so.

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The School Creative Centre

Press Release 17.03.2011

BAFTA Winner launches new writers’ hub

A new writers’ hub is set to launch later this month, offering writers in Kent and East Sussex an opportunity to network, share ideas and explore development opportunities. Co-ordinated by BAFTA-winning writer Roy Apps, the Rye Hub of New Writing South, a creative writing organisation, will provide emerging and professional writers from all media with a focal point from which to organise networking and creative opportunities and discuss project ideas.

Following the successful launch of a similar initiative in Portsmouth, the Rye Hub will be launched at The School Creative Centre in Rye on Tuesday 29 March and will feature guest speaker Carole Hayman, a writer, producer and film-maker whose most recent novel, political satire Hard Choices, was shortlisted for the Silver Booker Prize.

The Rye Hub will go on to meet for lunch on the last Tuesday of each month. Each session will feature a guest speaker plus plenty of discussion on a range of issues affecting creative writers and their industry. Forthcoming topics include e-publishing, copyright and writing for soundscape.

Co-ordinator Roy Apps is the author of 58 children’s books, and has written dozens of TV scripts. He is one of only four writers to have received a personal BAFTA Children’s Film & Television Writers’ Award.

Inaugural guest speaker Carole Hayman was born in Kent, which features in her trilogy of novels, The Warfleet Chronicles. Carole’s work has featured on radio and television, for which she co-wrote the BBC Radio 4 and ITV series Ladies of Letters.

The first Rye Hub session is free, and will be held on Tuesday 29 March from 12noon to 2pm. Subsequent Hub meetings will be free to New Writing South members, and £5.00 to visitors.

For more details, please contact Roy Apps on ryehub@newwritingsouth.com or visit www.theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk

Notes to editors: The School Creative Centre is a creative and cultural hub and studio facility for professional artists and makers of outdoor work, offering a varied performance and live music programme and dynamic visual and performing arts workshops for children, young people and adults in Kent and East Sussex.

www.theschoolcreativecentre.co.uk

New Writing South works with all kinds of creative writers and new writing in the south east region: authors, playwrights, poets, screen writers, radio writers, journalists and more. They offer writers’ development, encouragement, resources and opportunities to make new contacts. They also programme numerous events that aim to enhance skills, stretch creativity and broker partnerships with those who produce and publish work. Membership is open to everyone involved in creative writing in the south.

http://www.newwritingsouth.com/development/ryehub.php

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How to win a short story competition

 Mslexia’s Women’s Short Story Competition 2011 is open for entries, with a first prize of £2,000.(see Open Competition page)

To help you craft a winning story, here’s some guidance from previous judges.

1. Choose intriguing subject matter.
   One of the easiest way to make your story unique is to set it somewhere exotic, or write about a topic (ornithology, millinery, billiards) that has its own wonderful language.
   ‘I longed to read about something extraordinary’, Tracy Chevalier.
   ‘Consider writing about science, history, philosophy, politics, travel… Subject matter that will set your story apart’, Sara Maitland.
2. Make something happen.
   A short story should chronicle a transformation or change; so steer clear of static scenarios and internal monologues. And make the change concrete if possible.
   ‘I like a story with movement rather than a snapshot in time’, Val McDermid.
   ‘I prefer a tale driven by events, by conflict between characters’, Kate Mosse.
3. Don’t use an extract from your novel.
   Novel extracts make unsatisfying short stories. The pace of a novel is different, because the characters are on a longer journey. The novel walks, where the story needs to run.
   ‘A short story must go somewhere, and actually arrive in the span of its short life’, Maggie Gee.
   ‘Some stories ruled themselves out by dint of their sheer formlessless’, Helen Simpson.
4. Purge those clichés.
   Raise your description to another level by spending some quality time with every adjective and adverb. Could you find better ones? Could you leave any out? Could you replace that simile with a metaphor?
   ‘I think metaphor is far stronger than simile’, Stella Duffy.
   ‘I prefer writing that is brilliant but flawed to something less ambitious that’s almost perfect’, Patience Agbabi.
5. Focus on an unusual character.
   If you decide to write about something you have experienced, try transposing it into the life of someone wilder, uglier, madder, badder than you are – and see what happens.
   ‘You don’t need to have great thoughts, just great characters’, Deborah Moggach.
   ‘Step away from yourself and look out into the world. You’re not as interesting as you think!’, Tracy Chevalier.
6. Write in first person.
   A surefire way to hook a reader and get them involved is to slip inside your main character’s skin and look at the world through their eyes.
   ‘It’s no coincidence that the top prizewinning stories were all written in the first person’. Jill Dawson.
   ‘Try rewriting your story in first person; it will come alive’. Deborah Moggach.

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‘Turning your Knowledge into Income’
by Chris Day Filament Publishing – £10

 Chris Day is a prolific and successful writer, author, business journalist and publisher whose passion revolves around the effective use of words. His latest offering, Turning your Knowledge into Income, is an infinitely useful and highly inspiring 188-page soft-back book. This cleverly constructed compendium could well provide just the push you need to develop and take control of a lucrative new income source – or even an ingeniously ‘recycled’ or parallel career.

This is achievable, says Chris, simply by converting your Knowledge into a far-reaching scenario that can add value to others’ lives. The format of the book itself succinctly and effectively epitomises exactly what Chris is advising his readers to do themselves. He has neatly pulled on his huge accumulated wealth of Knowledge to create a powerful, all-embracing ‘layman’s’ guide, all presented in a single volume.

Aimed primarily at aspiring writers but also entirely relevant to anyone finding themselves at an unexpected crossroads in their career or life journey, Chris’s book contains a vast amount of invaluable information and packages it into easily accessible, bite-sized chunks, which together create a highly achievable route to personal and financial success.

From cover to cover, Chris himself looms large as a personable, inspiring, expert, and successful entrepreneur, providing entirely relevant, positive, and realistic advice and guidance on a subject that arises from his lifelong passion for words and their manifold uses.

Throughout his own career he has used them to great effect, working on stage and behind the scenes in theatre, acting on film and on television, as a voiceover artist on radio… setting up a number of successful businesses… as a trainer and public speaker – and now enjoying a varied and fulfilling life as a multi-media publisher.

Throughout the book and in his inimitable style, Chris also calls upon a raft of highly respected, high achieving friends and colleagues, all of whom are proven experts in their particular fields. From them he has managed to extract invaluable contributions and reference guides to a host of crucial subjects from Goal Mapping (Brian Mayne), and Mind Mapping (Phil Chambers) to Working successfully from Home (Rachael Ross), Social Networking (David White) and Entrepreneurial, Marketing and Business Consulting (Jonathan Jay) – as well as including items from a number of published authors (David Barber, Colin Bennett, Ron G Holland and John Rushton) and a professional photographer (Frazer Ashford).

Turning your Knowledge into Income is divided into three parts, with Part One entitled ‘Know What You Know’, Part Two ‘Grow What You Know’ and Part Three, ‘Share What You Know’.

Each section is bursting with words of experience from Chris and his contributors, and designed to help you identify the assets you already possess – which, if properly packaged, others will willingly pay for – and through which you can take the necessary steps to create a thriving business.

“Most people spend a lifetime making regular deposits into their personal Bank of Knowledge and build up considerable assets” says Chris. “Very often they completely overlook what could be the most valuable things they own – their Knowledge, experience and the many insights they have gained over the years. By ignoring them, they are, in effect, letting the account at their Bank of Knowledge lie dormant!

My inspiration for this book is to bring all those assets together to create an up-to-the-moment ‘current account’ – designed to invigorate and enthuse my readers into transforming all that Knowledge into a very welcome income source, which could transform their lives forever!”

About the Author

Chris Day is an author and business journalist, whose current editorial assignments include a monthly column in Making Money Magazine. Along with co-author Phil Chambers, he compiled and wrote the first Yearbook and the Arbiters Handbook for the Mind Sport of Competitive Memory and is also the General Secretary for the World Memory Sports Council, organisers of the World Memory Championships.

In 2000 he founded Filament Publishing Ltd to help aspiring authors to find an easier route to market their words, and to take advantage of the new opportunities that the digital age and social media have now made possible to repurpose words in a variety of ever-expanding new formats.

Available for Interview

Chris is also available to provide or contribute to any press or broadcast features you may be considering, on the subjects of finding new or additional career paths, or setting up in business for yourself. He would also be prepared to put together a regular slot in your publication or for your website, or provide expert advice on any associated matter.

For more information about Chris visit www.AskChrisDay.com

“Turning your Knowledge into Income” by Chris Day Published by Filament Publishing and distributed by Gardner’s. ISBN 978-1-905493-40-1 (RRP £10) is available from major bookshops throughout the UK and online retailers such as Amazon– or you can order direct at:-www.filamentpublishing.com

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Nawg member Pat Newcombe has recently self-published her second book with Lulu.
If you enjoy a thriller/horror story this is the one to read.

The Witcheye Gene

KENDAL MACINTYRE has fought long and hard to overcome the emotional scars of an unhappy childhood to create the successful boutique business she now has. Having lost her husband to cancer she is driven by one thing only – to see her daughter APRIL have all the advantages in life that she herself was denied. So when someone appears to be snooping, she is terrified that her shameful secret will wreck April’s chances in life and she stubbornly refuses to acknowledge the hereditary trait of ‘special’ sight. But when an evil killer threatens the very existence of her family, she knows she must face her demons if she is to save the one thing she cares about.

At present the book is only available from Lulu – but it will soon be available from Amazon as well.

The link to Lulu is: -

http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=The+Witcheye+Gene

The Isbn is: -
978-1-4466-7540-3

The full title is: -
“The Witcheye Gene” by P J Newcombe and is priced at £7.41

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Call Out for Flash Fictions from NW writers

Flax will be accepting submissions of flash fictions in December/January for its forthcoming anthology, Flax026
All details and submission guidelines are here: http://www.litfest.org/submissions/ If you have any questions, contact Sarah Hymas You can read previous Flax anthologies on the Litfest website

Posted by: Sarah Hymas
Publishing Development Manager
Flax, Litfest Tel: +44 (0)1524 621 66
Web: www.litfest.org Post: Litfest, The Storey, Meeting House Lane, Lancaster LA1 1TH

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100 Words
An on-line project calling for submissions

I’m a visual artist living in Ireland and I am writing to invite you and your members to take part in an on-line project I recently started called 100 WORDS.
It examines and celebrates loss, love, life and the passing of time and asks people to describe the life they have experienced using 100 words or less.
I came across you on-line and after reading about your organisation and work wondered if you would like to take part.

You can see the project so far at www.lifein100wordsorless.wordpress.com or on facebook 100 words. So far I’ve received submissions from the USA, Canada, Finland, Italy and the UK. I’m hoping that there will be a publication and short film to accompany the project but this will be determined by the amount and type of submissions received.

Posted by Rowena Keaveny paintpolitik@live.ie

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Message from a book-seller at the NAWG Festival, Durham From Jennifer Margrave, margravejen@gmail.com. a couple of people put their names down and one person paid me direct for one of my books, details have been mislaid. If you paid and haven’t received the book, please email me.

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The Biography Club A new online biography writing club. Our biography club is a newly-launched venture for book lovers and budding writers. We specialise in biographies. The website features new book releases, news reports from the world of biographies, interviews, a chat-room, online seminars, advice pieces from authors, and more. Email:[info@thebiographyclub.com] for further information. Posted by Jennie Jones
The Biography Club
www.thebiographyclub.com

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Are you interested in a Poetry Group that meets in Nottinghamshire? On my AA map Blidworth is underneath the word ‘Sherwood’, as in Sherwood Forest. This group would love to see some of you at their meetings.

Bards at Blidworth meets every third Saturday of the month at Blidworth Library.
Telephone: 01623 794068:
email: – blidworth.library@nottscc.gov.uk We meet from 10.00am. – 12.00pm.

We are a small, friendly group of poets (and sometimes listeners!). At meetings we have readarounds so that round the circle we can hear each other read one of their poems and invite feedback if they want it. Those that would like feedback are advised to bring copies of the poem they would like feedback on.

On alternate meetings we have workshops with the aim of producing a poem or draft of a poem at the time followed by a readaround. We look to having the occasional visiting speakers.
We have so far run one national poetry competition and will do so again.
We are starting to collect poems for a publication ‘Bards at Blidworth and Beyond.’
Sent by Chris http://www.christinemichael.org 

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Suspense Magazine Suspence magazine is reaching out to all your members to offer them a very special offer. We are giving away 4 Free Electronic issues of our magazine, to increase readership and awareness, so readers and authors know they have an outlet to help feature their work. We are dedicated at helping authors with their work and bring the world of suspense/thriller together. All your members have to do is email me: – editor@suspensemagazine.com and they will have the magazine sent to them ASAP.

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The Really Big Dream Company,
based at Les Cerisiers, an 18th century farmhouse set in the beautiful hills of Southern Burgundy,

 ……offers the ideal location for people who wish to fuse their pursuit of a leisure interest with having a marvellous holiday. Whether attending one of our tutored events or hiring the house for your own group activity, you can be sure that the tranquillity, surroundings and atmosphere will blend to make this an amazing experience. Writing events currently on offer include Kick-start your writing with Jessica Duchen, Discover your voice through expressive writing with Tony Watts, Feel the Fear and Write it anyway with Sonia Duggan and, soon to be announced,

From Memoir to fiction with Miriam Halahmy. In addition to your chosen pass-time, why not take the opportunity to sample the excellent wines and culinary treats that the region has to offer, try your hand at archery at our on site range, wander the footpaths that meander through the surrounding hills and valleys. With horse riding, boating, golf and historic sites near by, there is truly something for everyone. Please visit www.thereallybigdreamcompany.com for more details

Other attractions? 10 metre flood-lit swimming pool ∞ archery ∞ walks in the beautiful Charollais hills ∞ bread-baking using the traditional wood-burning bread-oven ∞ visits to local historic towns and castles, master chocolatiers, honey and bread producers, and working farms.

For more details of to make a reservation please visit www.thereallybigdreamcompany.com

Les Cerisiers provides an idyllic location for creative pursuits, looking out across meadows of grazing cattle and the wooded slopes of Mont St Cyr. There is a real sense of space and tranquillity yet we are only a short distance from castles, vineyards and the historic town of Cluny. Take time to discover some of the many other joys of the locality: walking, wine tasting, site seeing or just relaxing in the gardens. Non writing partners are welcome.

For more details of to make a reservation please visit www.thereallybigdreamcompany.com

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Poetry over Coffee With Anita McNamee

www.anitamcnamee.com , is a site dedicated to all people who enjoy a creative kind of life. Anita McNamee began writing poetry as a teenager. Her poems have been published within several anthologies. In 2008 she produced her first collection of poetry entitled “Buffy & Beyond – the therapy years”.>

Her current book, “Honesty is the Best Policy” self-published in 2010 is now on sale – www.anitamcnamee.com

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Norfolk Poets and Writers

Wendy Webb

I would like to tell members, I am blogging at; http://www.norfolkpoets.blogspot.com  http://davidianmagi.blogspot.com http://tipschristmas.blogspot.com

The 2nd is for Poetry Forms New for Old (including my new poetry forms), the 3rd will always include seasonal material (all year). There is also a free ezine eTIPS directly from me at: tips4writers@yahoo.co.uk And readers/writers may be interested in a new website for free uploads (and free downloads) of books – I have included some of my work, and: 20 Tips to Keep Editors Happy Revisited (WW) 20 Tips to Keep Poets Happy Revisited (WW) 20 tips to Keep Inspiration Alive (edited WW, author: Margaret Munro Gibson, poet, RIP) http://www.obooko.com
Wendy Webb
Norfolk Poets and Writers

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How to Sell and Market Your Book
by Darin Jewell

ISBN: 9781907756399

Published 25th November 2010
Price: £9.99

Covers new media opportunities and targeted at both self-published and traditionally-published authors. All authors want to sell as many copies of their books as possible. They also want to raise their literary profile as high as possible. There are more new routes to publication and also for sales and marketing than ever before. But where does the author start in such a competitive market?

This book sets out clearly the promotional tools available and advises which paths are likely to sell the highest number of copies and which will help to establish the writer’s name as a published author. It takes careful planning and know-how, but there is nobody better to promote a book than its author. The opportunities are out there and this guide will provide the information required for an author to maximise their chance of success.

About the author:

Darin Jewell is the Managing Director of The Inspira Group Literary Agency. Previously, he was CEO of a Internet site based on biographies and lead marketing and PR consultant to the Chairman of a major international trading group. Born in the USA, Darin settled in the UK in the early 1990s. He has a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, and undertook his doctoral research at Queens’ College, Cambridge before teaching Philosophy and Religion as a Senior Fellow at the Centre for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University.

For all media enquiries please contact Lucy on 0207 448 5137
or email lucyboguslawski@legend-paperbooks.co.uk For all buying enquiries please contact Tom on 0207 448 5162
or email tomchalmers@legend-paperbooks.co.uk

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