Karen's blog: The Write Stuff, Todmorden Library Festival of Creative Writing, 16-21 November 2016

The are some FREE creative writing events coming up at Todmorden Library as part of their creative writing festival, details below:

Just a few days to go before Todmorden Library's creative writing festival starts

the Write Stuff
Todmorden Library Festival of Creative Writing
16 - 21 November 2015

All events will be held at Todmorden Library, and are FREE.
Tickets can be pre-booked by
- ringing Todmorden Library on 01706 815600
- emailing Todmorden Library at todmorden.library@calderdale.gov.uk
- via TicketSource (click here !)

MONDAY 16 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 3.15pm

Tara Guha

To plan or not to plan…?
What’s the best way to write a novel?
Plan it down to the finest detail before writing a word, or just start writing without a clear idea of where it’s going?
Tara Guha, who has just published her award-winning first novel Untouchable Things, did it the second way.
Did she make the right choice?
Tara will also talk about some of the challenges she faced by exploring group dynamics through a large cast of characters.

MONDAY 16 NOVEMBER
3.30-5.00pm

Kevin Duffy
Bluemoose Books
(self)Publishing - exploding the myths

Drawing on many years working within mainstream UK publishing, Kevin will give invaluable insight into what can happen to manuscripts...

WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 3.15pm

Michael Fowler
Author of the DS Hunter Kerr series of crime novels, Michael will bring background information files he uses to create colour and authenticity in his work.

Find out more about Michael's work here .

WEDNESDAY
18 NOVEMBER
4.30 - 6.30pm

FILM SCREENING -
"The Words" (2012)
A writer at the peak of his literary success discovers the steep price he must pay for stealing another man's work.
Starring Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Jeremy Irons, Olivia Wilde

102mins

WEDNESDAY
18 NOVEMBER
6.00 - 7.00pm

Emma Decent

I dare you

Emma Decent is Todmorden based writer and performer who specialises in performance poetry and theatre inspired by personal life events.
At this event she shares some of her work and talks about the process and reasons behind it.
Brave? Honest? Or just plain human?

‘Emma Decent is an outstanding poet and performer, whose work is not only witty and accomplished but also edgy, challenging and unique.’
Cathy Bryant

THURSDAY
19 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 3.15pm (reading room)

Rod Dimbleby

a Yorkshire Dialect Treasure Trove: Discovering John Hartley's Clock Almanacs 1867 - 1916

Using slideshow and examples of his dialect prose and verse, Rod talks about the life and work of John Hartley, a proliific West Riding author born in Halifax in 1839.

THURSDAY
19 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 4.30pm (meeting room)

Henrietta Bond

Writing for Sheer Pleasure

Forget everything you were taught at school and rediscover your pleasure in writing!

A lively, fun and inspiring workshop - using a range of games and exercise to help participants tap into their own creativity and bypass all their hangups about structure, grammar and spelling that prevent them for expressing themselves.

Perfect as a 'refresher' for experienced writers and a 'confidence-giver' for new writers, people with dyslexia or anyone who is letting their 'fear' of structure get in the way.

THURSDAY
19 NOVEMBER
4.30 - 6.15pm

FILM SCREENING -
"Miss Representation" (2011)
An acclaimed US documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, which explores how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in influential positions by circulating limited and often disparaging portrayals of women.
Being screened in partnership with Equity Yorkshire

88mins + introduction

THURSDAY
19 NOVEMBER
6.00 - 7.00pm

Clare Fisher

Getting Fiction Published - What I've Learned So Far

Fiction writer Clare Sita Fisher explores different routes to publishing - from zines and competitions, to independent publishers, to creative writing courses and getting an agent.
She will also read from her upcoming short story collection How the Light Gets In.
Find out more about Clare here

NOTE: this event has very limited places, and can only be booked via TicketSource.

THURSDAY
19 NOVEMBER
6.00 - 7.00pm

Clare Fisher

FRIDAY
20 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 5.00pm

Rob Chapman

Stream of Conscious Mess

Writing is about finding yourself and self-expression, yeah?
Well it can be - but there are other routes and other options.
Utilising a wide range of techniques drawn from modern art and avant-garde literature, (eg found-objects, cut-ups) the aim of the workshop is to apply these oblique strategies to the creative process.

Rob Chapman is the author of Faber's highly acclaimed Psychedelia and Other Colours, "a fantastic, exhaustive history of the [UK and US psychedelic music scene]: comprehensive but gripping, packed with eye-opening period detail and with a brilliant analysis of everything from Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to the oeuvre of the Crocheted Doughnut Ring" (Alexis Petridis, the Guardian)

SATURDAY
21 NOVEMBER
10.00 - 12.15am
(opportunity to put tips into practice during 'lunch-hour' + group discussion 3.00 - 3.30pm)

Helena Fairfax and Marie Laval

How to Write a Great Romance Novel

Become familiar with the essentials of writing romance with two highly experienced writers - learn about the importance of creating romantic conflict through your characters, plus how to create an opening scene readers will love.

SATURDAY
21 NOVEMBER
2.00 - 3.00pm
(+ group discussion 3.00 - 3.30pm)

Linda Hooper

Inspiration and interpreting History

Linda - who writes as Melinda Hammond and Sarah Mallory - will talk about creating convincing historical background, including how to write a novel set during the Waterloo conflict