Cleckheaton Writers Group meeting 29 March 2015

The Cleckheaton Writers Group met last night and M, N, A and myself were in attendance, M, J & P having passed on their apologies.

The minutes of the last meeting were agreed and M informed the group that he had been working on a new idea since the last meeting and he had brought it along to share with the group.  A had been working on poems since last time and he had entered the one he had brought to share with the group into the Wergle Flomp Humour Poetry competition (details on previous post).

We started the feedback session with the work that M  had brought along with is as yet untitled and it is the beginning of random ideas.  All the members enjoyed the piece, it was in the style of Lovecraft and read like a diary of narration.  M is not sure what to do with it and the group brainstormed ideas, delving into the world of Lovecraft and fan fiction.  The group wondered whether the professor who is leading the main character on a certain course, is setting a trap and M agreed that he had been playing with the idea of letter the reader think that the professor was someone you think of as an ally, who in reality has the worst of intentions.  A discussion followed about films such as Re-Animator (a comedy horror available on Netflix) and Hellboy.

A then shared his poem The Defender with the group, which was an amusing tale of workplace enmity.  A revealed that he has been getting into poems since joining a group on facebook where feedback is given and it is satisfying to know that he is being read and enjoyed on 4 continents.  Having never tried poetry before, he is enjoying playing with it.

A then shared a 805 word short story he described as a creation myth piece.  Again it was humorous and took the reader down a certain path of expectation, only to reveal a different course in the second section of the story.  Again all the group enjoyed the work.  A also revealed that he now has a title for his WIP zombie novel, Yorkshire born; Yorkshire Dead, which is now at three chapters.

There followed a discussion on self-publishing versus agents/publishers and the merits and drawbacks of each.

There was time for a timed writing exercise and the prompts were time travel, worst superpower ever, paranormal, rebellion and the quote 'Telling me what is it you expect to do with your one wild and precious life.'

A, M and I shared our pieces with the group before the meeting came to a close.

The next meeting will take place on 13 April unless the members want to take a break for Easter and both the feedback sessions are available.

Wergle Flomp competition deadline 1 April 2015

There are still a few days to enter the Winning Writers Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry contest, full details below:

 

Final Three Days to Enter Our Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest April 1 is the last day to enter our 14th annual Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. There's no fee to enter. We'll award $2,000 in prizes, including a top prize of $1,000. Winners are published on our website. This contest welcomes published and unpublished work. Your poem may be of any length. Jendi Reiter will judge, assisted by Lauren Singer. Need inspiration? Here are our favorite Poetry and Humor resources from around the web, and our complete archive of past Wergle winners. Submit your entry at https://www.winningwriters.com/wergle   Can't Enter Online? If you are using a mobile device, or are otherwise having difficulty using our online entry form, you may email your entry to adam@winningwriters.com. Please include your full name, mailing address, and phone number.

 

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New from New Writing North

Here is the latest News from New Writing North newsletter, including information on opportunities, competitions and jobs:

News from New Writing North

New Writing North news Join our book groups New Writing North runs book groups in the North East in Berwick, Darlington, Durham, Hexham, Newcastle, Sunderland, Stockton and Whitley Bay, as well as the New Parents Book Group (pictured), which meets in the baby-friendly space of Baltic art gallery, for those with children in tow (and who may not have managed to finish the book). If you love reading and like a chat, why not give one of them a try? All the groups are free to join and are run by readers in residence. As well as discussing contemporary fiction, our groups often tie in with New Writing North’s activity through the year, including Read Regional and Durham Book Festival. Find out more about our book group network at www.newwritingnorth.com/readers-new-writing-north-s-book-group-network-page-1428.html. Easter writing schools in Amble and Cramlington Our brilliant Cuckoo Young Writers programme is set to make the Easter holidays a lot more exciting, with writing workshops for 12-19 year-olds in Amble and Cramlington. AMBLE LIBRARY Monday 30 March: Notebook making and creative writing with Susannah Pickering Tuesday 31 March: Poetry with John Challis Wednesday 1 April: Scriptwriting and dialogue with Carina Rodney CRAMLINGTON LIBRARY Tuesday 7 April: Notebook making and creative writing with Susannah Pickering Wednesday 8 April: Sight and Sound with Ian Dowson Thursday 9 April: Flash fiction with Carina Rodney Friday 10 April: Poetry with Stevie Ronnie All sessions run from 10am-4pm and are completely FREE. The sessions are open to all young writers aged 12-19, and no writing experience is expected. You can sign up for one day or the whole lot. If you’d like to come along, email laura@newwritingnorth.com. Newcastle Writing Conference 2015: Do it Yourself Tickets are selling fast for Newcastle Writing Conference 2015, which takes place on Saturday 6 June and features keynote speaker Meg Rosoff, literary agents Jo Unwin and Mark Stanton, editor Francesca Main, publicist Ben Willis and many, many more. The conference aims to inspire a ‘do it yourself’ ethos in our writers, and includes speakers on blogging, vlogging, self-publishing and crowdfunding. At the time of writing, there are a dozen Early Bird tickets left for sale, so do buy yours soon to take advantage of the discount. For more information and to book, see www.newwritingnorth.com/news_details-the-2015-newcastle-writing-conference-do-it-yourself-details-3266.html. People Congratulations, Dale Hannah! Dale has won the Commonword Diversity Writing for Children Prize – a prestigious award that celebrates diversity in children’s writing. Dale won a Northern Writers’ Award New Fiction Bursary for the winning book, The Multiple Lives of Haroon Patel, when it was a work in progress. Melvin Burgess called it ‘A remarkable book… narrated with a genuine, touching and often funny voice.’ Opportunities Tour of Britain Poet for Northumberland Active Northumberland is looking for a poet to produce a poem for the Northumberland leg of the Tour of Britain 2015. The poet will work with schools along the route to create a poem of two-line couplets that relate to each town but also work together as a whole poem. The schools engagement will take place in May-July to deliver the poem by 1 August. The fee is £3,500, including travel and expenses. To apply, email wendy.scott02@northumberland.gov.uk with the subject line POET APPLICATION Tour of Britain. Include a current CV, four examples of your work, and any links to your work or website, and a one-page outline of your approach, including any related experience. Deadline for entries: Wednesday 8 April. For more information on the tour, see www.visitnorthumberland.com/tourofbritain2015. Juice Festival artist commissions Juice Festival is a leading multi-artform festival creating exciting work by, with, and for children and young people. The festival takes place throughout NewcastleGateshead in October half-term and this year’s festival has the theme ‘Seen and Heard’ – aiming to raise the profile and visibility of children and young people’s creativity and culture. Artists/companies are invited to propose artworks or projects to be included in the 2015 programme. Proposals can be new works or adaptations. Deadline for entries: 12pm, Friday 10 April. To enter, download the artist brief at www.besidethecity.co.uk/PDF/Juice%20Festival%20artist%20commissions%20brief.pdf. Enchanted Parks creative producer The acclaimed Enchanted Parks festival is looking for a new creative producer for the 2015 festival and beyond. Closing date: Friday 17 April. Fee for the project: £12,000. For more details, see www.artsjobs.org.uk/index.php?id=25&ne_post_id=147320. Competitions The Creative Future Literary Awards The Creative Future Literary Awards celebrates talented writers who lack opportunities owing to mental health issues, disability, health or social circumstance. There are prizes in poetry and short fiction and no entry fee. Deadline for entries: Monday 15 June. For more information, see www.cfliteraryawards.org.uk. Wirral Festival of Firsts Poetry Competition Entries are now open for this open poetry competition. Poems must be in English, unpublished, and no more than 40 lines. First prize £250. Entry fee: £4 per poem (£10 for three poems). Closing date: Monday 1 June. For more details, see www.festivaloffirsts.com/poetry-competition/4581879110. Jobs Arts Council England: Literature relationship manager Arts Council England’s London office has a vacancy for a literature relationship manager. This role will involve managing client relationships with literature organisations. Candidates will have broad experience of contemporary literature and London’s literary scene. Salary: £31,939. Closing date: Monday 6 April. For more details, see www.artscouncil.org.uk/jobs-and-conferences/jobs/. The Listening Post Literary events at Darlington Arts Festival Various venues, Darlington: 20 April-31 May Darlington Arts Festival, running between 20 April and 31 May, has a number of literary events aimed at readers and writers. As well as a number of author readings there are workshops for writers on subjects including editing your work, using dialogue, and using real people as characters. For more details, see www.darlingtonforculture.org/literature-at-the-festival-2/. Deadline for the next newsletter If you have news that you would like to submit for inclusion in the newsletter please contact laurafaine@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is Wednesday 1 April. The next edition of The Listening Post covering May's events will be published in late April so if there are any events that you would like to submit for inclusion you will need to send information to Laura by 20 April. While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is correct at the time of going to press, things do change, frequently at the last minute and very often without our knowledge.

Spenborough Guardian and The Press articles on Cleckheaton Literature Festival

Fantastic articles in the Spenborough Guardian:

and The Press today:

#CLF2015

Cleckheaton Literature Festival - Bronte Nordic Walk, 7 May 2015

Cleckheaton Literature Festival have just announced their next event, a Bronte Nordic Walk:

With an experienced local Sherpa guide it's only a short downhill walk to Whitechapel Church where you will meet the lady who discovered the Bronte family tomb in the graveyard. Patrick Bronte preached here at the time of the Luddites when he was Vicar of Hartshead. Explore the historic old church, look at the Norman font and then return to the library for a well-earned rest. Nordic... Pole hire is included in the price.

Cleckheaton Library, West Yorkshire on Thursday 7 May 2015

Doors Open at 9:30AM

From 10:00AM to 12:00PM

Ticket Price: £5.00*

*booking fee applies

For tickets:  www.cleckheatonliteraturefestival.ticketsource.co.uk

 

Norfolk and Norwich Festival 8-19 May 2015

Details of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival have been announced:

Enjoy a host of literary events at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival this May.

Join us this Spring, for  City of Literature Part of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival 8th - 19th May Spring is in the air, and so is festival season! We're excited to be able to share with you our UNESCO City of Literature programme curated for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. With events including Sarah Waters, SJ Watson, Pussy Riot activist Masha Gessen, Rose Tremain, Mark Cocker and Caroline Criado-Perez there's an event (or two!) for everyone. For readings, masterclasses, debates and more, see below, and buy your tickets today.     Extraordinary Words & People     Sarah Waters and Sarah Perry Writing Families - The Gothic Imagination Friday 8th May, 7.30pm, Norwich Playhouse, £12 "One of the best storytellers alive today" (The Independent on Sunday); Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith author, Sarah Waters kicks off this year's City of Literature programme in fine gothic style. She's joined by Sarah Perry - author of After Me Comes the Flood, winner of the East Anglian Book Awards and "a dazzling new talent" (The Telegraph). Together they'll dissect their shared passion for the gothic, discuss how they harness creative inspiration, and consider the 'families' of writers that help great art to flourish. Hear both writers read, answer your questions and be ready to embrace your gothic imagination for a stimulating and inspiring evening with two masters of their craft. Book Now | Event Information      Caroline Lucas On Parliament, Activism and Change Monday 18th May, 7.30pm, Hostry, Norwich Cathedral, £8 Why are we so poorly governed? What can we do about it? Join the UK's only (?!) Green MP Caroline Lucas for an evening on activism and change. Reading from her new book Honourable Friends? she will delve behind the scenes of the corridors of power. An illuminating and informative evening assured. Includes Q&A and book signing. Book Now | Event Information      Tracey Thorn Naked at the Albert Hall: The Inside Story of Singing Tuesday 19th May, 7.30pm, The Adnams Spiegeltent, £12 Former front-woman of Everything But the Girl, Tracey Thorn certainly has some tales to tell. From Dusty Springfield to George Eliot, from autotune to X-Factor Thorn brings wit and sharp observation to her insider's look at the exhilarating joy and occasional heartache of singing.  Book Now | Event Information      Writing Rambles: Two Exclusive Masterclasses     The Art of Seeing: A Day Course in Wild Writing With Mark Cocker Saturday 16th May, 10am - 4pm, Blackwater Carr, £120 (£200 for both Writing Rambles) Limited spaces. Join celebrated author and naturalist Mark Cocker on his private marsh, Blackwater Carr, as he helps you to see, hear and experience the world around you. Explore how to turn these fleeting encounters into words.  Book Now | Book a Joint Ticket | Event Information      Lines in the Sand: A Day Course in Nature Writing by the Sea With Patrick Barkham Sunday 17th May, 10am - 4pm,Holkham Sands, £120 (£200 for both Writing Rambles) Limited spaces.  Let Badgerlands author, Patrick Barkham, help you to explore ways of finding your own voice to describe what you see, harness moments of inspiration and discover sights sounds, scents and textures in the magnificent Holkham beach and nature reserve's varied landscape. Book Now | Book a Joint Ticket |  Event Information      Literary Festival in a Weekend: Day I Saturday 16th May     Human/Nature - It's Our World, We Want it Back!  A Literary Festival in a Day Saturday 16th May, from 3.30pm, The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral, £30 for day ticket Meet writers who fight for their beliefs, battle against astounding odds and equip others to stand their ground.  Book Day Ticket Now | Event Information How to Speak Money with John Lanchester 3.30pm, £8 (60 minutes running time, no interval) Does the language of economics make you want to jump off a fiscal cliff? Join the bestselling author of Capital, and Whoops!, John Lanchester, as he empowers you to decode the world and words of the economic elite. Knowledge is power - join us! Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now The Honours with Tim Clare 5pm, £8 (60 minutes running time, no interval) Dive into a world of darkness and humour as the ever-engaging Tim Clare launches his new work, The Honours, a YA/Adult crossover work, be plunged into the dark world of 1930s monsters, in this signature Tim Clare event. Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now The Tooth & Claw Debate: Raptors Featuring Mark Avery, Jake Fiennes and Robin Page. Chaired by Mark Cocker 6.30pm, £10 (60 minutes running time, no interval)  Raptors: majestic and awe-inspiring, or voracious predators destroying game reserves and livelihoods? Expect strong emotions on both sides as we debate illegal raptor poisoning and shooting. With a panel representing a range of opinions, this is a Question Time for nature lovers that may leave some feathers ruffled! Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now Masha Gessen: The Harriet Martineau Lecture 8pm, £10 (75 minutes running time, no interval) Pussy Riot activist, journalist, author and at one time probably the only openly gay person in Russia. Join this remarkable woman on the first night of her European tour, for a celebration of freedom of expression, investigative journalism and taking a stand.   Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now      Literary Festival in a Weekend: Day II Sunday 17th May      Human/Nature - Stories About Us  A Literary Festival in a Day Sunday 17th May, from 12.15pm, The Hostry, Norwich Cathedral, £37 for day ticket Revel in the creation of the written word, the power it can have, and the ways it can divide us.  Book Day Ticket Now | Event Information Second Life with SJ Watson 12.15pm, The Hostry, £8 SJ Watson introduces his new novel, Second Life - a psychological thriller full of twists and turns. Hot on the heels of the international phenomena Before I Go to Sleep - made into a film starring Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman. Expect an hour of suspense and intrigue. Get a taste of the event with this SJ Watson interview on BBC Radio 4's Open Book.  Followed by Q&A and book signing. Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now Do it Like a Woman... And Change the World with Caroline Criado-Perez 2pm, The Hostry, £8  Come and hear from one of our generation's most vocal and tenacious campaigners, and celebrate the world's pioneering women. Caroline Criado-Perez is the woman who took on the Bank of England, twitter and the criminal justice system.    Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now The Thomas Browne Affair with Hugh Aldersey-Williams 3.30pm,  The Hostry, £8  Loved by W G Sebald and Virginia Woolf, dive into the world of Thomas Browne: Norwich's own polymath and word-inventor! With only Shakespeare cataloguing more words, Browne was a force to be reckoned with, and a fascinating man. Discover his story. Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now   Writing Families with Rose Tremain & Neel Mukherjee 5.45pm, The Hostry, £10 Orange and Whitbread winner Rose Tremain joins the Booker shortlisted Neel Mukherjee to explore writer relationships and the delicate art of writing the family. Find out about the way that writers work together and support one another, plus discover more about the creative process.  Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now  The National Conversation: Amazon & The Civil War for Books 7.30pm, The Hostry, £10 Featuring Erica Wagner, Andrew O'Hagan, Isabelle Grey & Ellah Wakatama Allfrey. There is a civil war raging in the literary world, and it centres on Amazon. Join the debate on this volatile subject, hear the ideas from both sides, and try to decide - can the competing visions for literature peacefully co-exist in a healthy artistic marketplace? Or are the only options win, or die?   Buy Individual Event Ticket | Event Information | Book Day Ticket Now      You may also enjoy... UK Premiere A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing by Eimear McBride. Adapted for the stage, and directed by Annie Ryan Tuesday 12th - Saturday 16th May, from 7.30pm, Norwich Playhouse, £15 Multi-award winning local writer Eimear McBride's sensational debut A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing takes to the stage in this adaptation from Annie Ryan, from celebrated Dublin theatre company The Corn Exchange. Book Ticket Now | Event Information      For more information about any of these events, email us, call (01603) 877177 or view all of our events online.

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