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New
Writing North news
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 The very
first event at this year’s Durham Book Festival is our school’s day on
Tuesday, 6 October, where schools from across the North East will be
coming to Durham Johnston Comprehensive School to hear from
award-winning children’s authors.
Unfortunately Kate Saunders is no longer able to attend the
festival, but in her place we are delighted to present the illustrious Linda
Newbery, whose books about the First World War include The Shell House, Tilly’s Promise,
and Some Other War.
Linda has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal for several books,
and in 2006 won the Costa Children’s Book Award. We are thrilled to be
able to welcome her to Durham Book Festival.
Linda will be joined on the day by picture book authors Pip
Jones (Squishy McFluff) and Simon
Bartram (Man on the Moon). Tickets for Durham Book Festival for
Schools cost just £3.50 per child, with accompanying teachers attending
free of charge. If
you'd like to book, please follow this link.
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 This week
we snuck in to watch rehearsals of our children’s theatre production,
Man on the Moon, adapted from Simon Bartram’s picture book by Zoe
Cooper and directed by Ruth Johnson. We’re thrilled with what they have
created so far and can’t wait to see the finished production, which
opens on 26 September and tours community venues across the North. You
can find all the tour dates at www.manonthemoontour.com
and take a look at the tour Facebook
page for some sneak previews and beautiful harmonies.
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Become
a Reviewer in Residence at Northern Stage
 After our
first successful season of reviewing at Northern Stage earlier this
year, we are opening up the programme again to young reviewers’ aged
15-23 who have an interest in gaining some in-depth theatre knowledge.
It’s a chance to hone your feature writing and critiquing skills
through masterclasses and workshops with top professionals and to get
up-close-and-personal with local theatre companies as an embedded
reviewer. Reviewers in Residence will also get the opportunity to
attend exclusive events at Northern Stage and have access to the whole
Autumn programme. Reviews and features will be published on Cuckoo
Review, and will have a chance to be published in the 2015 print
edition of Cuckoo Press.
A full programme will be published soon, but the first meeting will
be on 30 September 2015 from 5.30pm, when the group will meet with
Northern Stage’s Artistic Director Lorne Campbell and attend a
performance of Curious Monkey’s Beats
North. Please email laura@newwritingnorth.com
by Friday, 18 September to register your interest.
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 The first
issue of Cuckoo Chronicle, Cuckoo Young Writers’ online literary
magazine for young writers aged 15-21, is open for submissions. And
they need your writing!
Rising from the ashes of Cuckoo Quarterly, Cuckoo Chronicle will
showcase the best new poetry, short prose, flash fiction and creative
non-fiction (so anything that’s not a review!) by young writers. We’re
interested in original, innovative work by exciting young writers.
You’ll also be in with a chance of winning the £50 Cuckoo Prize for the
best submission. For full details of what we are looking for, and for
how to submit, follow
this link. The deadline for submissions is 30 October 2015.
Cuckoo Chronicle will be published twice a year, in April and
November, and all submissions will go to our Editorial Committee of
young writers, who select and assist in the editing of the work. For
more info, email cuckoo@newwritingnorth.com.
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We are now recruiting for our Creative Writing for Teachers group
for the new school year 2015-16. The group meets twice termly from
4.30-6.30pm at The Lit & Phil in central Newcastle.
The sessions are led by professional and experienced writers to
support you to develop your own skills as a writer, share ideas and
reflect with like minded peers on your creative writing teaching, all
in a relaxed and informal environment. By taking part in writing
workshops as participants, you can gain knowledge, confidence and tools
to take back with you into the classroom—no writing experience is
necessary. This year sessions will include flash fiction and short
stories, children’s fiction, script writing and poetry.
The sessions run on Thursdays 4.30-6.30pm. There are six sessions
over the academic year, beginning on Thursday 1 October. The course
costs £75 per teacher for the year.
If you would like to come along or find out more, please email amy@newwritingnorth.com or
call Amy Mitchell on 0191 2048852. For more details, see the
article on our website.
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People
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Congratulations to Tara
Guha, the winner of the 2014 Luke Bitmead Bursary,
whose debut novel Untouchable
Things is out now with Legend Press.
Join poet Jake
Campbell for the launch of his new pamphlet, The Coast Will Wait Behind You,
published by Arts Editions North, which takes place on Wednesday, 30th
September, 6.30-8.30pm, at The Customs House, South Shields.
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Competitions
& Prizes
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Mslexia
Women’s Novel Competition 2015
Mslexia Women’s Novel Competition 2015 is for novels of at least
50,000 words in any genre for adults (and young adults) by unpublished
women novelists. The first prize is £5,000, while the winner and four
other finalists will receive manuscript feedback from The Literary
Consultancy and an invitation to a special networking event with
literary agents.
Deadline for submissions is Monday,
21 September. More details can be found at mslexia.co.uk/novel.
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Bare
Fiction Prize 2015
Following their inaugural competition in 2014, Bare Fiction Magazine
is once again looking for writers of poetry, flash fiction, and short
stories. First, second and third prize winners will be published in the
Spring 2016 issue of the magazine, with cash prizes of up to £500 also
available.
Costs per submission are all under £10 (with discounts for
subscribers) and deadline for entries is Saturday, 31 October.
To find out how to enter, visit www.barefictionmagazine.co.uk/competitions.
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Opportunities
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Bursary
for a two year MA in Creative Writing at Birkbeck University
The Kit de Waal Scholarship is looking to support a talented writer,
who would not otherwise be able to afford the course. The scheme will
target candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as people who
experience socio-economic disadvantage or cultural barriers.
The bursary will be launched on 24 October at an event in London;
for more information, contact kit@dewaal.uk.net.
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Jobs
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Hexham based arts organisation
Little Big Butterfly are looking for a youth and community filmmaker
to work on its hard-to-reach group projects. If you are an experienced
filmmaker with skills in engaging young people and community groups
with challenging behaviour, please send your CV and examples of your
work to clara@littlebigbutterfly.org.
Closing date for entries is Wednesday,
30 September. Work is paid and part time (£20k-25k pro
rata).
Nova International is seeking an artistic director for its Great North Run Culture
programme. The successful candidate will be expected to deliver a
cultural programme that celebrates sport and art through artistic
commissioning; with an annual budget of £200+k. Salary is dependent on
experience and the closing date is Friday, 18 September. For full
details, see www.thegreatruncompany.com/careers/vacancies
The Poetry
School in London is seeking an inspiring and
business-minded director,
to join the organisation. They will work with a staff team of six, over
100 freelance poets, and several key partners and funders, to take the
charity to the next stage of its development. Salary is in the region
of £45k depending on experience. Closing date is Monday, 14 September.
For full details, see www.poetryschool.com/about/vacancies.php
Mid Pennine
Arts is looking to recruit a project manager
with a strong track record of developing and delivering high quality,
project-based work in a multi-platform arts environment. The closing
date is Friday,
18 September, with a full time salary of £20k to £23k
(pro rata) for a commitment of around 2.5 to 3 days per week. For full
details, see midpenninearts.org.uk/50-opp
The National
Media Museum in Bradford seeking a head of learning and
participation to direct daily operation and long term
development, and maximise public engagement and participation. The
closing dates in Sunday,
20 September. Permanent position with a salary of £38k
pa. To apply, visit vacancies.nmsi.ac.uk
Doncaster performance venue Cast
is looking for both a marketing
and communications officer (£18k per annum; 37 hours
per week) and an office
administrator (£14k per annum; 37 hours per week).
Entry for both roles closes Friday,
18 September. For more information, see castindoncaster.com/jobs
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Workshops
and networking
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The
Tyneside Writers’ Circle
A new writing group is being set up in NewcastleGateshead, and
organisers are looking for members who would like to share information
and experiences. Writers will share and receive critiques with one
another, both online and at regular meetings. If you’re interested in
taking part, email Ernie at tynewriter@twofor.co.uk.
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Hull
Local Authors and Publishers Book Fair
The free event, at Hull Central Library, Albion Street from 11am –
3pm on Saturday, 12 September, offers a unique opportunity to meet up
with local authors and societies and buy their books and publications.
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The
Listening Post
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Free
as a Bard
Free as a Bard, the popular poetry and music evening, returns to Jam
Jar Cinema in Whitley Bay on Sunday
11 October. Poets Pippa Little and Peter Mortimer will
perform alongside local singer songwriter J.D. O'Neill. In addition
there'll be free fruit, a literary raffle and a bespoke floral
sculpture on display.
Tickets cost £5 and the show starts 7.30pm. For booking information,
see www.jamjarcinema.com.
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Take
Back Your Freedom – the Life and Times of Winifred Holtby
Everything activist, journalist, lecturer and novelist Winifred
Holtby achieved in her tragically short life will be celebrated in this
dynamic and thought-provoking show presented by The Hull to Scarborough
Line (aka Sue Wilsea and Felix Hodcroft), at Kardomah94 in Hull on Thursday, 1 October.
Tickets at £6/5 are available from Kardomah; call 01482 317941.
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The
People’s Republic of Poetry
This 20-date national poetry tour launches at Harrogate Theatre on Thursday, September 24.
A cross between a poetic super-group and 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ the
show is fast paced and promises to never be the same twice. There will
be a free pre-show workshop at every venue and participants will be
offered the opportunity to perform as part of the show, including a date
at Durham Book Festival on Saturday,
10 October and at Washington Arts Centre on Thursday, 8 October.
For tour dates and further information, see www.afirmofpoets.com.
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Poetry
by Josephine Scott
Josephine Scott, who was born in Cullercoats but spent her childhood
in Australia, presents an evening of performance at Cullercoats Library
on Tuesday, 22
September at 7.30pm. Her work paints in delicate, yet
searingly honest detail, our need for places of safety and warmth.
Tickets cost £3; to book your place please call Cullercoats Library on
0191 643 2073.
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Hexham
Book Festival Residency: Meet the author
Hexham Book Festival has commissioned ten authors to write about
Northumberland as part of their 10th anniversary programme. Evie Wyld
is appearing at Blyth Library on Monday,
28 September (6pm; call 01670 361352 for tickets). She
has published two novels to date and in 2013 was included on Granta
Magazine's once a decade Best of Young British Novelists list.
Melissa Harrison, whose book Clay was chosen by Ali Smith as her
book of the year, is at Rothbury Library on Monday, 19 October
(6pm; call 01670 361352 for tickets). This is a brilliant opportunity
to meet two of the authors taking part and learn more about their work.
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Deadline
for the next newsletter
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If you have news that you would like to submit
for inclusion in the newsletter please contact laurafraine@newwritingnorth.com.
The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 21 September.
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.
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