Friday 29 November 2013

BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit open for submissions

  •  BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit open for submissions from writers new to radio:

    Submission guidelines

    The BBC Radio Drama Readings Unit welcomes submissions from writers new to radio* for their annual series, Opening Lines which is broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

    The next window for sending in material is January 6th – February 14th 2014. We are unable to respond to unsolicited stories submitted outside this time-frame.

    As well as broadcasting the three strongest stories we publish transcripts of the best stories submitted within this period on the Opening Lines programme pages. The three successful writers will be invited to London for an afternoon in Broadcasting House and the chance to see their stories recorded.

    *Writers who have previously had a story/stories broadcast on network radio or have substantial writing credits in other areas of radio (e.g. comedy and drama) are not eligible for this series.

    CONTENT & FORMAT
    We are looking for original short stories which work being read out loud i.e. with a strong emphasis on narrative and avoiding too much dialogue, character description and digression. Pay particular attention to how the story opens and closes. We’ll be looking to see whether the beginning of a story successfully links to how it ends.

    We are interested in seeing stories which cover a broad range of subject-matter but material which explores particularly dark, harrowing themes is not best suited to Opening Lines. We recommend visiting the Opening Lines programme pages to read transcripts of stories which have featured in recent series (bbc.in/r4openinglines).

    Stories must not contain defamatory, obscene or any other unsuitable material which is likely to cause offence to a wide audience of all ages.

    The time allotted for each story is up to 14 minutes, which means submissions must be between 1,900 and 2,000 words in length. We are unable to consider stories which fall outside these parameters.

    SUBMISSION DETAILS & PROCESS
    When submitting your work, you must include a brief covering letter giving your name, e-mail address (if applicable), the story’s title, word count and details of writing track record. Please could you also tell us how you heard about the creative window and Opening Lines. Stories can be submitted either electronically or typed and double-spaced on A4 paper. We regret that we can only accept one submission per writer. Please send us a copy of your story, not your original work as we are unable to return submissions.

    We will read all eligible submissions and get in touch with those writers whose stories have been shortlisted for the 2014 series of Opening Lines by Friday 16th May, 2014. We regret that we are unable to respond to those writers whose stories haven’t been selected.


    If you would like to submit work to the London office you can e-mail your story to us at OpeningLines@bbc.co.uk or you can send it to BBC Radio Drama Readings, Room 8015, Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA.
  • Thursday 28 November 2013

    The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie review

    The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) Poster

    I went to see this movie with my husband and daughter last night and as fans of the first film, was very much looking forward to the second.  Having read all of the books previously, I was interested to see how the book would translate as a movie and I have to say it was very similar to the book, which is a nice surprise.

    IMDB says of the movie: Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.

    Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, Silver Linings Playbook) reprises her role as feisty Katniss Everdeen, still torn between her feelings for Gale Hawthorn played by Liam Hemsworth (The Expendables 2, Paranoia) and Peeta Mellark, Josh Hutcherson (The Bridge to Terabithia, The Kids are Alright).

    Thrust back into the limelight as Capitol darlings, they must tour the Districts and pretend that their relationship is real.  Woody Harrelson (Now You See Me, Cheers) as mentor Haymitch Abernathy, Elizabeth Banks (The 40 Year-old Virgin, The Next Three Days) as escort Effie Trinket and Lenny Kravitz (Bad Boys II, Precious) as stylist Cinna, can only help so much against evil President Snow (played with scary aplomb by Donald Sutherland of The Italian Job, MASH) and new Head Game-maker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman of Moneyball, Mission Impossible).

    When trying to quell the hope in the Districts by force does not work and to avoid a rebellion, Snow and Heavensbee decide to hold the 75th Hunger Games Quarter Quell as a tribute-only games and Katniss and Peeta are forced to risk their lives once more.  They must work together with fellow tributes, including Finnick (Sam Claflin of Snow White and the Huntsman, United), Johanna (Jena Malone of Sucker Punch, Into the Wild) and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright of Quantum of Solace, Source Code) to survive.

    Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada, The Terminal) is back as Host Ceasar Flickerman and Director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Constantine) uses him to great effect to lighten the mood from the quashing of the rebellion scenes.

    I look forward to the final movie, which I hope I enjoy more than I did the book.


    Tagline: Remember who the enemy is.                                                     8.5/10

    #CatchingFire

    Wednesday 27 November 2013

    When Saturday Comes writers' competition

    Thanks to my fellow blogger Displacement Activity for the following competition information:

    WSC writers' competition
    We are pleased to announce the return of the annual WSC writers' competition, in memory of contributor David Wangerin. Entrants are invited to submit an article of between 800 and 1,500 words, about any aspect of the 2013-14 football season. The award was David's idea and he requested that it should only be open to amateur writers, i.e. those who don't make their living from writing. The closing date for submissions is May 31, 2014.
    Send entries by email to writers.competition@wsc.co.uk This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . This address should also be used for any questions you may have as we will not take phone enquiries.
    The judging panel will be made up of WSC editor Andy Lyons, co-founder Mike Ticher and regular contributor Harry Pearson. There will be a cash prize of £250 for the winner and the winning article will be published in the magazine next summer.
    Read the winning article from the 2013 competition by Mark Sanderson
    Rules and conditions of entry

    Tuesday 26 November 2013

    The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult book review


    Front Cover

     

    As with all Jodi Picoult books, The Tenth Circle features a moral dilemma, this time about date/rape and explores the relationship between a father and his daughter.   Daniel’s life is thrown into turmoil when his 14-year-old daughter Trixie is date/raped and all the pent up anger he has worked so hard to tame over the years, threatens to spill out once more, revealing his past and affecting his relationship with his daughter.

     

    Trixie is in love for the first time with Jason, star hockey player and when their relationship ends, she becomes depressed, feels out of control (so begins to self harm) and desperate to do whatever it takes to get him back, deciding to take her best friend Zephyr’s questionable advice.

     

    Confessing what has happened at the party to her father, opens up more secrets than she would have expected, including her mothers’ duplicity, her fathers’ past and the stigma of reporting a rape when you are not being completely honest. 

     

    Daniel is a graphic artist and the addition of comic strips to the book work really well (though I did struggle with the written speech as I was reading the book on Kindle and I think the font sizes needed to be bigger to be honest), as we get his version of the story (helped ably by Dante’s Inferno) alongside Trixie’s ,as he vents his emotions through his drawings (not just about his daughter, but the secrets he has now found out about his wife). 

     

    When she presses charges, everyone but her family shuns her and then things take an unexpected turn as Jason’s body is found.

     
     
     
    This book explores a complicated mix of dysfunctional relationships.                                         6/10

    Monday 25 November 2013

    Huddersfield Literature Festival 2014

    The Huddersfield Literature Festival tickets are now available to buy:


    Tickets are now on sale

    Be the first to book your tickets for three of our confirmed events. Don't miss out - click on the names to book your tickets early:

    Kate Adie
    Polari Up North
    Sunny Ormonde (The Archers' Lilian Bellamy)

    OR call 01484 430528 or visit the LBT Box Office to book.

    MORE INFORMATION on each event below. We'll update you with more events as they go live.

    Please keep visiting litfest.org.uk for regular updates and follow us on Twitter @Hudd_Lit_Fest and Facebook: Huddersfield Literature Festival 2014.

      

    Kate Adie
    In Conversation With Alison Fell

    Thurs 13 March
    7.30pm, £4 (£2 conc), Town Hall

    Not-to-be-missed event with the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent and the former chief news correspondent for the BBC.

    Katie Adie OBE talks about her work as an award-winning war reporter and her latest book, Fighting on the Home Front: The Legacy of Women in World War One, a vivid, compelling account of the pioneering women who helped win the war and had a major impact on how women live today.

    Alison Fell is Professor of French Cultural History at Leeds University.
    Organised with Kirklees Library Services
    Sponsored by Wilkinson Woodward

    ********

    Polari Up North

    Sat 8 March
    7.45–10pm, drinks & music ‘til 2am, £5 (£2.50 conc). Age guidance 16+
    Byram Arcade

    First time north of Watford!
    Recently named one of the world’s best LGBT events by ArtInfo, Polari is based at the Southbank Centre and hosted by author and journalist Paul Burston, with guest authors, poets and performers. This evening’s Polari, in partnership with the Huddersfield Literature Festival, is the first in a series of national events planned for 2014. Authors include Mari Hannah, Keith Jarrett and VG Lee.

    “London’s most theatrical salon” The New York Times
    “Lively, funny and inspiring – a gay-themed salon of interest to anyone remotely interested in literature, whatever their sexual bent” Patrick Gale
    “Always fun, always thought-provoking – a guaranteed good night out” Sarah Waters
    www.polariliterarysalon.co.uk

    *********

    An Evening With… Sunny Ormonde

    (The Archers’ Lilian Bellamy)

    Friday 7 March
    £12 (£10 conc, £6 for under 26s).
    Age guidance: 13+ (under 18s should be accompanied by an adult)
    Lawrence Batley Theatre

    Behind-the-scenes stories from the world’s longest running soap, BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. Sunny, who has been playing Lilian Bellamy, one of the listeners’ favourite characters, since 2000, presents an evening of anecdotes, banter and favourite pieces from her distinguished acting career. Includes an audience Q&A with a signed Archers’ script for the most original question.
     

    Sunday 24 November 2013

    Yorkshire Writers newsletter

    Thought my followers might be interested in the latest Yorkshire Writers newsletter, including competitions and bursary information:



    Yorkshire Writers' Newsletter

    November 2013




    Welcome to our latest newsletter and a big "Hello" to our many new subscribers!
    We're now covering the whole of Yorkshire - we hope to encourage, support, advise and promote writers and creative writing throughout the whole region and we can only do this with your help - we need and welcome your details of events, writing groups, courses, workshops, open mics, in fact anything to do with creative writing. If you have anything that you would like us to publicise then please send the details to us at this address: info@writingyorkshire.org - we'll be happy to pass the details on via the newsletter or our website. If you know of anyone that you think may be interested in the newsletter then please do forward a copy on to them.

    NEWS

    Northern Writers’ Awards now open for submissions
    £40,000 of prizes and support available to talented writers in the north of England
    Deadline for submissions: Friday 17 January 2014, 5pm

    New Writing North is delighted to announce that the Northern Writers’ Awards are now open for submissions. The Northern Writers’ Awards were established in 2000 as a pioneering programme that aimed to support both new and established writers in the pursuit of their creative ambitions. Since then the awards have supported over 150 writers, many of whom have gone on to achieve publication of their work in the UK and internationally.

    Originally open only to writers in the North East, the awards, thanks to the support of Northumbria University, are now open to writers in the North East, North West and Yorkshire. The awards support writers of prose, poetry, creative non-fiction and children’s fiction. From this year there will also be a new programme of awards for young writers: the Cuckoo Young Writers Award and the Matthew Hale Award.

    For new writers, winning a Northern Writers’ Award helps to get them noticed by agents and publishers and lifts them onto the first rung of the ladder towards publication. For more established writers, awards can buy precious time to undertake a new project or to support work in progress that has not yet been commissioned. The support that winning writers receive includes cash awards alongside mentoring, editorial feedback and support and help with professional development within the writing industry.

    For more information and to enter, go to www.northernwritersawards.com


    Wanted - Young Writers!
    Barnsley’s very own group for young writers, has been meeting up since January 2009 and is part of a support network for the development of writing across South Yorkshire.
    Do you know any young people aged 13-19 years who might be interested in joining? They will be made very welcome at our start up session on Monday November 18th (5-7pm, Barnsley Central Library, Shambles Street, Barnsley) or, to join at a later date then just email Sue for details of the next session: sueshaw@btinternet.com
     
    Barnsley Young Writers (BYW) take part in creative workshops and projects aimed at inspiring new writing by exploring ideas, themes, prompts and ways of working. Stories, poems, diary entries, letters, characters, descriptions, prose, dialogues, monologues and soap operas have emerged from diverse starting points; including recycled text, ‘celebrity’ points of view, the 5 senses, objects, images, headlines, horoscopes, real or imagined locations and borrowed plots.
     
    BYW have taken part in several major creative projects, including an exhibition of writing and art work at The POD in Barnsley town centre and the production of a booklet,‘Reflections’. In 2011 the group explored the themes of ‘Precious Cargo’, by working on location at Canon Hall and Wentworth Castle to discover plants and the stories behind them. This culminated in a poetry tour reading around the gardens and woods at Wentworth Castle. Residentials, open mic sessions and the ‘Pick Up Your Pens’ young writers' festivals have also provided opportunities for Barnsley’s young writers to link up with others across South Yorkshire.

    Poetry Business Weekly Book Sale
    The Poetry Business book sale continues throughout November. Come to our offices in Bank Street Arts any time between midday and 6pm to get big discounts on selected Smith|Doorstop books and pamphlets and back issues of The North.
    Sale items are half price and three-for-two — e.g. a pamphlet (usually £5) is £2.50, or three for £5.
    You are also more than welcome to stop by just to browse or to read the copies of the other poetry magazines we keep in our writing room.
    Bank Street Arts, 32-40 Bank Street, Sheffield S1 2DS
    Tel: 0114 346 3037  /  www.poetrybusiness.co.uk


    The Free Read Scheme Returns
    Do you want some professional feedback on your writing? If you do then Writing Yorkshire, in partnership with The Literary Consultancy, may be able to help through our Free Reads scheme.

    Writing Yorkshire is delighted to announce that we will again be offering free feedback on manuscripts this autumn, through our participation in The Literary Consultancy's Free Reads scheme. The scheme allows writers from our region to receive expert feedback from a team of freelance readers who are selected by The Literary Consultancy for their experience as writers and/or readers for publishers and literary agents.

    To be eligible to apply for a Free Read, you need to be over 16, living in Yorkshire and on a low income. Unfortunately, writers who are currently on creative writing programmes (e.g. the MA in Creative Writing at SHU) are not eligible to apply. The process is simple. Initially, we will ask for a sample of your writing and a paragraph which gives us more information about you as a writer, what you hope to get out of the scheme and why you think you qualify to take part. The sample of writing should be no more than 5 pages long and can include either poems, scripts or fiction, in the case of novels, there should also be a synopsis attached.

    If you are interested in applying  or would like to know more about the scheme, please contact Beverley on beverley@writingyorkshire.org


    Writing Yorkshire  Website Goes Live!
    The new Writing Yorkshire website is now up and running so, if you'd like to find out more about the full range of new services that we'll be offering as Writing Yorkshire, including mentoring, writers advice sessions, and membership details then the best thing to do is to have a look at the site: www.writingyorkshire.org
    If you need any further details on aspects of our work or how we can help you as a writer then just email us at: info@writingyorkshire.org or use the contact form on the site.


    BFI Film Academy Residential Programme in Screenwriting
    Are you aged 16-19? Are you passionate and committed about writing for film? Then the BFI Film Academy residential programme in screenwriting is for you!

    We’re looking for 25 of the most talented and committed young writers from across the UK to take part in an intensive and exciting residential raining programme that could kick-start a career in the film industry for you.
    Delivered at the historic Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle upon Tyne, the BFI Film Academy Residential Programme in Screenwriting offers:
    An exclusive insider’s view of how to break into the film business
    The opportunity to work with a mentor to produce your own short film script
    Teaches the craft skills necessary to succeed as a screenwriter
    The chance to network with leading industry professionals

    The programme takes place between January and February 2014 and the cost of taking part is £50, with a limited number of bursaries available.
    If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been waiting for then visit https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/young-tyneside/bfi to find out more about how you can apply.
    The deadline for applications is Monday 25 November 2013.


    Bursaries for Writers via Sky Arts & Ideas Tap
    Sky Arts and IdeasTap are giving away five bursaries of £30,000 each to emerging artists aged 18-30.

    The bursaries are designed to help talented individuals from a range of creative disciplines focus on their creative practice for a whole year. In addition to the funding, winners are paired with creative and business mentors to support their development.

    The Futures Fund is open to UK and Irish applicants working in the following fields:

    ·      Performing arts ­ theatre-makers including directors, producers, puppeteers
    ·      Dance ­ including dancers and choreographers
    ·      Music ­ including composers, conductors, musicians and songwriters
    ·      Visual art ­ including painters, photographers, animators, digital artists
    ·      Creative producing - for people who bring together different artists
    ·      Creative writing ­ including playwrights, novelists and poets

    The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 6 December. Find out more and apply at www.ideastap.com/sky


    Roger McGough to appear at York Literature Festival 2014
    One of the UK's most famous and respected poets, Roger McGough, has been confirmed as one of the headline acts at York Literature Festival 2014. McGough will perform at Joseph Rowntree Theatre in York on Friday 28th March at 7.30p.m.

    McGough is well known as a champion of poetry, and is the current presenter of BBC Radio 4's Poetry Please. He was one of the Mersey Poets,  alongside Brian Patten and Adrian Henri. As a member of pop group The Scaffold, he penned the lyrics for number one hit Lily the Pink in 1968. He also contributed to the script for the Beatles' film Yellow Submarine. His work has appeared in over 50 books, and has included writing for children and autobiography. McGough is an honourable fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and President of the Poetry Society. He was made an OBE in 1997 and a CBE in 2004.

    Miles Salter, Director of York Literature Festival, said: 'We are delighted to welcome Roger McGough to the 2014 festival. He has been a figurehead for the spoken word for many years, and is a nationally known presenter of poetry.'

    The 2014 festival will run from 20th - 31st March and will feature well known names as well as writers from the York area. The festival is sponsored by York St John University. The festival has recently secured funding from several sources:  £6,000 from Community York (City of York Council money for developing community in York), £7,500 from the Arts Council and £7745 from the Clore Duffield Foundation for a special project with young people.

    'We have raised over £20,000 towards the 2014 festival,' said Miles Salter, 'and have some nationally recognised names from the worlds of literature, broadcasting and politics coming to York. We're looking forward to an ambitious festival that will attract visitors to York from around the UK. It's great to see the festival developing incrementally each year. I'm grateful to York St John University, the Arts Council, Community York and Clore Duffield for their support.'

    In 2013, the festival had its most successful year to date, with gross ticket sales topping £10,000 for the first time. The festival was started in 2007 by City of York Council's libraries, and became a voluntary group in August 2009.  The festival works with local partners including York St John University, York Theatre Royal, York Museums Trust, City Screen Cinema, St Peter's School and more.

    Tickets for the Roger McGough show are priced £13.00 each and are on sale now via York Theatre Royal website:  www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

    SPOKEN WORD & PERFORMANCE

    We can't mention all of the sessions that take place in Yorkshire but what we want to do is build up our listings of as many sessions as possible and then, when anyone asks for details of what's happening in their area, we'll have some of the answers. Again we can only do this with your help so, if you run a session, or know of anything in your area, please send us the details, we'll give them a mention and add them to our listings for future reference.

    The Shipping Forecast Poetry Night
    The Shipping Forecast is one of Sheffield's longest running poetry nights and certainly the most bizarre.
    Sticking to a maritime, nautical theme, the room is decked out like a ship, with waves, dancing fish, celebrity port holes, and completed with Captain Birdseye's protégée Stan Skinny who takes the helm and leads the audience through a mixture of the finest performers in spoken word locally and nationwide. Mixing this with games such as 'celebrity poetry corner' and the naffle raffle, and regular features such as George the shark and 'Message in a bottle' with Sting, it all adds to the surreal and fun nature of the show that aims to shake the dust off ordinary beard strokey poetry nights and give them a right good kick up the bum.
    If you like Shooting Stars meets Tis-Was meets The Verb, in a sea based show set in landlocked Sheffield then come along to the Shipping forecast at the Riverside pub (1 Mowbray St, Sheffield, S3 8EN) check the website for dates, line ups and open mic spots:  http://theshippingforecast.weebly.com

    Poems, Prose & Pints - Harrogate
    Venue: The Tap & Spile, Tower Street, Harrogate, HG1 1HS.
    Open mic then a featured artist.
    Entry £2.50 reduced to £2 if you read. 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7.30pm,
    http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=137267822541&ref=ts

    Scribble Storytelling Night @ The Red Deer, Sheffield
    Writers, Poets, Singers, Gossips, we need your stories!  Scribble is a spoken word night for people with a story to tell. Come to share your stories, or just to listen.  Everyone is welcome! We meet in the function room of The Red Deer pub in Sheffield and entry is free.
    The next Scribble session will be on October 17th, 2013 (7-9pm).  Future dates: December 19th.
    More details of meeting dates and times can be found at http://sheffieldwriter.weebly.com/scribble.html

    Leeds Combined Arts - Leeds
    A host for the first half and the second half is open floor.
    Headingley Community Centre, North Lane, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3HG
    3rd Wednesday of each month, commencing at 7.30 p.m.

    WRITING GROUP UPDATES

    The same again, if you would like us to promote your writing group and add your details to our listings then please send us the details.

    Manningham Mills Creative Writing Group - Bradford
    The Manningham Mills Creative Writing Group meets at Manningham Mills Community Centre, (MMCA), The Silk  Warehouse, Lilycroft Rd, Bradford BD9 5BD  on Mondays from 1.30-3.00p.m.  This friendly group is for anyone who likes writing or wants to improve their writing skills.  Each week the Group write together using exercises devised by an experienced  tutor.  The sessions are free for the over 50s and people can drop in or come on a weekly basis. Sessions are funded by the Wellbeing Activity Fund
    The Community Centre also serves inexpensive meals at their over 50’s lunch club, from 12 noon onwards, or all day at the Chaat Café.
    For more info: Tel: 01274 483861 / email: mmca@hotmail.co.uk or bruce.poetbradford@blueyonder.co.uk 

    Beehive Poets - Bradford
    Beehive Poets  meet  in the back room of  the New Beehive Inn Westgate Bradford BD1 3AA, ten minutes walk from either Foster Square station or Interchange  The pub is reputed to be the last gas lit pub in England but there is electricity back-up. In the wintertime there’s an open fire blazing in the room, and readings the evening may be accompanied by distant singing from the front bar. 
    Read arounds are on Ist and 3rd Monday 8.30 start and there is brief  feedback; if you want something more intensive in the way of critical feedback then the workshop nights, 4th Monday, are for you.
    Visiting readers from West Yorkshire and further afield are on the bill on the 2nd Monday in the month. Check the website for more details and information: www.beehivepoets.org.uk
    The Group regularly publishes pamphlet style anthologies of its work .
    Finding the New Beehive Inn: nearest stations Bradford Foster Square and Bradford Interchange: then a short walk.  Llook for Morrisons Supermarket on Westgate and walk out of town, keeping to the left hand side of the road and you’ll see the New Beehive after 250 yards. There’s also car parking at Beehive to the rear of the pub.

    The Lamproom Theatre Writers Group - Barnsley
    The new Lamproom Theatre Writers Group' is now up and running and meets on selected Saturdays from 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. at The Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley. Anyone wishing to join is encouraged to do so and please feel free to bring along any kind of writing you would like to share. the group will be looking at any kind of creative writing, including scripts and poetry, short stories and life writing. If you intend to bring a script, please bring multiple copies so that the group can help to read it aloud. If you wish to attend please contact Laura at thevampireflood@hotmail.co.uk and she will be pleased to give you more information as well as the date of the next session. Alternatively, please contact Ruth Pearson at The Lamproom on 01226 249611.

    Unicorn Creative Arts Writing Group - Barnsley
    Do you suffer from Anxiety, depression or other mental illness or know someone who does? Do you feel there are times when you are socially excluded or experience being disadvantaged on account of your illness? If you do then would you be interested in joining a small friendly group of creative writers who meet weekly in the Barnsley Central Library? The Mental Health Social Inclusion and Involvement Fund is a working initiative to help create support and awareness of sufferers in the Barnsley area. If you are interested and would like more information then please email unicornthirteen@gmail.com for further details.

    South Yorkshire - Young Writers
    Aged 14 to 19? Want to write creatively outside of school or college?
    Our Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley Young Writers Groups are now recruiting for new members.
    You don’t have to think you’re a great writer to join, you just need an interest in writing and a willingness try something new!
    Our groups provide opportunities to:
    •     Write, share and talk with other young writers [refreshments provided]
    •     Explore a range of creative writing including: stories, poems, scripts, spoken word, lyrics, blogging and journalism
    •     Meet fortnightly during term time in a central meeting place [usually 5pm to 7pm on Mon, Wed and Thurs evenings [depending on the group]
    •     Access further writing opportunities such as: meeting professional writers, attending writing events and Open Mics, and information on competitions and publishing
    To look into joining a groups, contact us via: vicky@writingyorkshire.org
    Access and forward our flyer here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151822830109831&l=fb8db5fad8
    You can find out about general opportunities for young writers in the Yorkshire region at: www.facebook.com/groups/southyorkshireyoungwriters

    West Yorkshire - Young Writers
    Ilkley Lit Fest Young Writers Group
    Do you enjoy writing poems, stories, songs – anything? Are you even secretly writing a novel? Would you like to be able to meet other teenagers who enjoy writing or take part in special workshops with writers away from school? If so we’d like to hear from you.
    Ilkley Literature Festival runs the weekly group for young writers aged 13 to 17, on Mondays during term-time. The group is based in Ilkley and any young writers from the Bradford, Skipton, Ilkley, Wharfe Valley and Leeds areas are welcome to come along.
    The sessions run from 6.30pm to 8pm and cost £1 per session. You’ll be expected to come to all sessions in a term (unless of course you are ill or on a school visit) and there will be a mixture of short story writing, script writing, writing poetry and learning how to read your work effectively.
    Ilkley Young Writers is run by Ilkley Literature Festival and led by Michelle Scalley Clarke, author, playwright, performer, creative writing and performance facilitator and Becky Cherriman writer, performer and creative writing facilitator.
    More info -  info@ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk

    EVENTS, WORKSHOPS & COURSES
    Discover the Stories of the Romans in Barnsley
    What stories lurk under that armour? Is there a poem behind that piece of recovered pottery - You may have the answer!
    Come along and let the Roman treasures, discovered in and around Barnsley, speak to you. Hidden for centuries, waiting for you to come along and rediscover the concealed stories and poems that lay within.
    Saturday morning writing workshop run by  writer and poet Charlotte Ansell
    When: Saturday, November 23rd, 11.00 am - 1.00 pm.
    Where: Experience Barnsley, Museum & Discovery Centre, Barnsley, South Yorkshire,
    Cost: Free and open to all ages and abilities. - no need to book, just turn up.
    More info: Tel: 07903 24 1947

    Inscribe Masterclass Series with Jacob Ross
    Inscribe are bringing Jacob Ross [Peepal Tree Press' new Associate Fiction Editor] to Leeds with this Inscribe Masterclass series of three sessions on the third Saturdays of the month.
    The series of three sessions offers a compact survey of Jacob Ross' immensely popular and highly regarded technical creative approach to crafting fiction. His very successful course has been running for more than fifteen years. Many beginning writers developed and fine-tuned their writing skills in his course, to the point where their work has been shortlisted in major competitions, or won prizes.
    Narrative Drive is for writers who want to maximise the quality and impact of their work. At the end of the series you will have a better awareness of your own strengths and weakness as a writer and the steps you need to take to address them. We will examine the building blocks of stories and how they work together to produce strong memorable narratives.
    The series will expose you to the very best examples of modern fiction from which you can learn and refine your skills. Your knowledge of contemporary themes and styles will be enhanced. This course is for advanced writers already working on their novel-in-progress or their collection of short stories. You will be required to submit work in advance of the course.
    To make the most of this Inscribe Masterclass series, you need to commit to:
    All three monthly sessions - Sat' 18th JAN, Sat' 15th FEB, & Sat' 15th MAR 2014.
    Completing, in advance, the required reading for each session.
    Completing any other tasks set for each session.
    Jacob Ross is the author of acclaimed short story collections, Song for Simone (1986) and A Way to Catch the Dust (1999). His first novel, Pynter Bender was shortlisted for the Authors Club Best First Novel Award 2009 and the Commonwealth Writers Prize 2009. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has judged the V.S. Pritchett Memorial Prize, the Tom-Gallon Award and Scott Moncrieff Translation Prize. As well as being, the Associate Fiction Editor for Peepal Tree Press and a tutor of Narrative Craft, Jacob is also Fiction Editor for SABLE LitMag.
    To register visit: http://inscribe-narrativedrive-series2014a.eventbrite.co.uk/
    More details: info.inscribe@peepaltreepress.com

    INTERESTING CORNERS

    Ground Sense
    New Labour, prostitution and unreliable narrators: the story behind Matt Clegg's poem 'Sirens' is now on the West North East microsite: http://westnortheast.wordpress.com
    The speaker in ‘Sirens’ has a real life counterpart.  He was a friend to someone close to me.  I’ll call her ‘Rosie’ and him ‘Tim’.  Rosie had survived bankruptcy, divorce and eviction and had moved into a tiny bedsit above Remo’s café on Fulwood Road in Sheffield.  Cockroaches scuttled under the cooker and Rosie’s insomnia played out to a soundtrack of students pouring in and out of Broomhill pubs.  It was the time of Blairite New Labour; of Brit Art and Cool Britannia.  It was a boom time for some, but it’s never a boom for everyone.
    Follow this link to read the rest: http://westnortheast.wordpress.com/essays/ground-sense/

    Arts Derbyshire Newsletter
    www.artsderbyshire.org.uk is a quick and easy way to find out about Derbyshire’s vibrant arts scene. You can subscribe to the What’s On and Artists’ newsletters; enter details of events and workshops in the events diary or register details about your group or events or other news. To sign up to the newsletter just send a request email: alison.betteridge@derbyshire.gov.uk

    Support  for would-be self published authors
    Self publishing no longer necessarily means ''vanity' publishing and to help budding authors, the Writers & Artists Yearbook has launched a new section on its website aimed at helping writers become self published and achieving their literary dreams.
    Aspiring authors can find all the information they need, there's a range of articles covering a wide range of topics:
    More info: https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/self-publishing

    Pennine Platform Poetry - Leeds
    Pennine Platform publishes new poetry and reviews twice a year. The magazine is independent, though currently supported by the Leeds Philosophical and Literary Society. It is one of the longest surviving little magazines in the UK, having started in 1973.
    further information...
    Subscriptions are £8.50 for two issues including p&p within the UK, £10 within Europe and £12 for the rest of the world; payable only in Sterling to Pennine Platform. Subscription and submissions are accepted by snail-mail only, with hard-copy to accompany any disks sent.
    This web-site provides a taster for the magazine, with three poems each from issues Nos. 53 and 54. Space is provided for readers to comment on and discuss each poem, since we learn from and refine our thinking in discussion with each other.
    More info: www.pennineplatform.co.uk/

    Yak Tale – A site for authors to publish short stories
    YakTale is an "open access" site on which authors will be able to publish their short stories . Readers are be able to access the stories for free.
    Writers can submit work through the website: http://yaktale.com/#/  or by emailing: hello@yaktale.com

    BOOK LAUNCHES

    The Company of Ghosts - Berlie Doherty
    in association with Rhyme & Reason and Andersen Press
    Join us for the launch of Berlie’s latest novel for young adults, The Company of Ghosts.  A ghost story that uses all the mystery and beauty of an isolated island to bring enchantment and fear to a young girl’s life.
    When: Wednesday 27th November 2013 at 6.30pm
    Where: Carpenter Room · Sheffield Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield, S1 1XZ
    Cost: Free, but to book a place please telephone: 0114 2734727 or email centrallending.library@sheffield.gov.uk
     

    COMPETITIONS

    The Poetry Business Book & Pamphlet Competition - Closing date: 2nd December 2013
    Judge: Carol Ann Duffy - Entry fee: £25
    The annual, international Book & Pamphlet Competition invites entrants to submit a collection of 20-24 pages of poems for the chance to win a cash prize and publication by Smith|Doorstop Books.
    Four first stage winners are selected and given the opportunity to submit a full-length manuscript to the second round of the competition, in which one of them can win book publication. The three first-stage winners receive pamphlet publication.
    All four winners will receive an equal share of £2,000 and publication in The North magazine, and have a launch reading hosted by the Poetry Business.
    Full details: http://www.poetrybusiness.co.uk/competition

    The Ronald Duncan Playwriting Competition - Closing date: 30 November 2013
    The Ronald Duncan Playwriting Competition is an annual event that gives new writers a chance to have their work produced. This year, the theme of the contest is “Protest” and the prize will go to the best small cast script that the panel feel addresses this topic.
    For details on how to enter please visit www.certaintyofchance.com/the-ronald-duncan-playwriting-competition
    Completed entries should be emailed to Certaintyofchance@live.co.uk.


    What’s your Place -  Closing Date: 31 December 2013
    Entry fee: none   Prize: £100 plus publication in our online magazine. Organised by: Holland Park Press
    We invite you to write a poem about a neighbourhood that’s important to you. It could be the place you grew up in, the area you live in now, or a neighbourhood which influenced your life in a particular way. It could well be a place you visited on holiday, or city that made a big impression on you, or equally well a place that has blighted your life ever since. It could be a house, a café, school or a park, a neighbourhood, a motorway, railway station, any place that defines the neighbourhood.
    It’s about your take on the place but at the same time we’re looking for an individual vision that has a universal resonance; in other words, a poem which uses the literary form to say something more, and which is not just about yourself.
    More information is available from http://www.hollandparkpress.co.uk/magazine_detail.php?magazine_id=255&language=English

    Competition Shorts
    Opportunity for first time authors
    Richard and Judy have launched a national competition to find a new bestselling author alongside their Autumn Book Club.
    The 'Search for a Bestseller' competition is looking for first time authors to submit the first 10,000 to 12,000 words of a novel, of any genre, aimed at adults. Richard and Judy want something brand new and are asking entrants to submit their novel via their Book Club website: www.richardandjudy.co.uk/beabestseller by 1st January 2014.
     

    If you want to send us an item for inclusion please email it to: info@writingyorkshire.org with "Newsletter" in the subject line.
    Writing Yorkshire provide information about writing events in the region, and run a variety of writing activities throughout the Yorkshire area. If you would like more information please email or ring Geoff on 0114 3830456 (answerphone, but Geoff will ring you back).

    Thanks to all who provided information posted here. We will always endeavour to make sure that the information included is accurate but apologies in advance for any errors which may occur, any corrections or suggestions will be welcomed.
    We hope that you enjoy the newsletter.

    Writing Yorkshire is a limited company incorporated in England and Wales under company no: 7475298 and is proud to be a National Portfolio Organisation for Arts Council England
    For more information about all of our work, visit our website: www.writingyorkshire.org
    Tweet us @Writingyorks or find us on Facebook

    To be kept abreast of writing events and activities in the region or to let us know about events that you're running, please subscribe to our mailing list via the website or by emailing info@writingyorkshire.org or phone us on 0114 3830456 and leave a message.

     

    Contact Details and information to:
    Geoff Briggs - Office & Information Manager
    Writing Yorkshire
    Bank Street Arts, 32 - 40 Bank Street, Sheffield, S1 2DS.  
     
    Phone: 0114 3830456. (Answer Machine)
    Email:         info@writingyorkshire.org
    Web:          www.writingyorkshire.org

    Twitter:       @Writingyorks
    or find us on Facebook:                                                                                              

    Saturday 23 November 2013

    Writers Market newsletter and call for submissions

    This is the latest Writers Market newsletter, with a call out for submissions:


    In This Issue:
     
    Learn how to get your writing published with the latest and greatest edition of Writer's Market. This book includes articles on the business of writing and thousands of listings for book publishers, magazines, contests, and more.
    LEARN MORE
    FROM THE EDITOR


    My final speaking appearance of 2014 happens this Saturday in Frankfort, Kentucky. I'll be reading poems from my new poetry collection, Solving the World's Problems (click here to learn more about the book and a free challenge with a $500 prize), at the Kentucky Book Fair. If you stop by my table during the event, I'd be happy to discuss getting published, blogging, and other topics as well. By the way, another WD editor, Brian Klems, will be there for his new book (Oh Boy, You're Having a Girl) as well.

    In this issue of the newsletter, I'm happy to share one more call for submissions. It's for the second edition of the Guide to Self-Publishing (more details below). Click here to check out the inaugural edition of Guide to Self-Publishing.

    Write and Sell New Adult Fiction! Learn how to write and sell new adult fiction (featuring protagonists aged 18-25) with the How to Write and Sell New Adult Fiction boot camp taught by three literary agents. In addition to learning how to masterfully write and sell in this exciting fiction genre, attendees will receive a critique of their first 500 words and a one-page synopsis. Click to continue.

    Until next we meet, keep writing and marketing what you write.

    Robert Lee Brewer
    Senior Content Editor
    Writer's Market
    WritersMarket.com

    Follow us on Twitter
    Become a fan on Facebook
    http://www.outskirtspress.com/agent.php?key=WritersDigest2013
    Featured Workshop
    Start earning a living doing what you love: Writing. In this 4-week course, writers will learn how to generate a professional Creative Brief, write headlines and tag lines that sell, persuade an audience, find and secure work as a copywriter, and more. Click to continue.
    Featured Webinar
    Learn how to write picture books that sell including how to control pacing, empower your illustrator, captivate readers, and more. Plus, attendees receive a critique of their picture book manuscripts (up to 1,000 words). Click to continue.
    NEW CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS!

    The 2014 Guide to Self-Publishing is hitting bookstore shelves around the country. That means it's time to start figuring out how to make the 2015 Guide to Self-Publishing an even better resource, and I can use your help in making that happen. (By the way, click here to check out the 2014 Guide to Self-Publishing.)

    Between now and December 15, I'll be accepting pitches for articles in the 2015 Guide to Self-Publishing. If you have tips on designing better book covers or reaching more readers, then I need your pitches. If you have expertise in setting up book tours and can help self-published authors get real results, then I need your pitches. If you think you have a way to help self-published authors, then I need your pitches. Are you game?

    Click to continue.
    FIND WRITING SUCCESS
    Publish Your Young Adult Novel
    Price Was: $366.97
    Price Is: $89.98
    Find an Agent Premium Collection
    Price Was: $460.95
    Price Is: $98.97
    Writing Horror & Paranormal Novels Collection
    Price Was: $87.95
    Price Is: $34.99
    Fuel Your Creativity
    Price Was: $192.86
    Price Is: $79.00
    FIND BLOGGING SUCCESS
    Find success with your blogging efforts by taking the Blogging 101: How to Set Up and Effectively Manage a Compelling Blog course, which is perfect for writers who are either new to blogging or not finding the kind of traction they'd like.

    This course is taught by e-media guru Dan Blank (of We Grow Media), and it covers everything a blogger needs to build a successful blog, including how to set up an editorial calendar, manage time effectively, interact with and engage readers, and more.

    Use this course to take your blogging efforts to new levels-or get started on the right foot.

    Click to continue.
    WRITER'S DIGEST BLOGS
    WritersDigest.com is filled with great information, including its stable of blogs with new content added regularly. Here is a round-up of some recent postings:
    Think the blogs are great? Check out the magazine.

    Click to continue.
    WRITE A PAGE TURNER

    Finishing a novel is one thing. Revising a novel is something else. But to make a novel that sells, writers need to write a page turner! Learn how to make it happen with the Write a Page Turner boot camp.

    In this intensive boot camp experience with literary agents, writers will learn everything they need to know to craft a novel that readers can't put down. Plus, they'll have an opportunity to ask an agent specific questions related to their novel and receive a critique on a scene from their novel (up to 2,000 words).

    Click to continue.
    WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MEDIA
    WritersMarket.com offers the latest publishing news you can use, updated daily, on our exclusive Market Watch feature. Recent headlines include:
    • Guns & Ammo Editor Resigns After Gun Control Column: Guns & Ammo editor Jim Bequette apologized to readers and resigned from the magazine after publishing a column advocating gun control.
    • HarperCollins: Sales Drop, Earnings Rise: For the period ending through September, HarperCollins reported a 7% drop in overall sales, but the publisher was able to make the most of those sales as it turned in an 8% increase in EBITDA.
    Find more Market Watch posts on WritersMarket.com. Subscribers can access a 3-month archive of Market Watch news. Click to continue.
    PERFECT YOUR NOVEL
    Writing a novel is tough, but polishing it is nearly impossible to do alone. With the Writer's Digest Advanced Novel Writing course, writers don't have to tackle the process alone!

    Over 15 weeks, novelists will work through their manuscripts 10,000 words at a time with course instructor Terri Valentine and their online classmates. At the end, each participant will have up to 50,000 words written and revised-with plenty of feedback on the manuscript.

    This course is not for beginners. Rather, it's for writers who are ready to get published and want specific feedback on what's working-or not-with their manuscripts. This is the final ascent to publication!

    Click to continue.