|
Celebrating the beauty of the winter season
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seasons greetings from NCW
Wishing you a very merry Christmas and a wonderful 2022 from all at the National Centre for Writing.
In celebration of the beauty of the winter season, we hope you enjoy the excerpt below from '
Looking, Large and Small', an online seasonal pack of observations, illustrations and exercises brought to you by nature writer and environmental historian Jessica J. Lee and novelist and illustrator Rowan Hisayo Buchanan.
My hands flush red in the cold. A rare snow has fallen: powdery, soft, and bright. It gathers on the toes of my boots as I shuffle towards the park. I have missed the white snow so much through this year, missed the glare of light on the land.
Winter is about these brief encounters with the outdoors. There is a sense of accomplishment from even a brief journey outside. But as much as my walks grow shorter and my pace quicker, I try even harder to notice the season’s changes. Winter isn’t flashy, and the life that thrives in the cold season isn’t always easy to spot. But close attention to the modest corners of the city, park, or forest can be rewarding.
Beneath fallen wood and the stumps of old trees, mosses and lichen are winter’s true stars: ever green and even brighter after rain. They force me to look closely, at eye level, and to adjust my sense of scale.
When I spot mosses on garden walls, bus shelters, or wood, I try to discern if it’s just one type of moss or many. I look for the long stems of swan’s neck thyme moss, which grows just about anywhere in the city or country. The orange-tipped stems grow from a low carpet of thyme-like leaves. It’s from this tiny height that the moss distributes its spores.
Springy turf moss with its red-orange stems might appear in a lawn or a park, especially where the drainage is poor. And sphagnum moss, with its green-peach waxy sheen, may cover the ground on spongey heaths and moors. Peatlands do more than we may imagine: they are historic ‘carbon sinks’, holding huge amounts of climate-changing carbon deep in the soil.
Look out for moss in everyday places: on brick walls and railway bridges, on rooftops and windowsills.
Commissioned by NCW as part of
Open Doors, with support from Arts Council England’s Ambition for Excellence programme.
Browse free resources → 
Buy an 'All Shall Be Well' print → 
Purchase a gift voucher → 
Make a donation to our work → 
The National Centre for Writing is supported by:
Copyright © 2021 National Centre for Writing, All rights reserved.
Registered charity number: 1110725
Our mailing address is:
National Centre for Writing
Dragon Hall
115 - 123 King Street
Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1QE
United Kingdom
Ten-week fiction writing courses – on sale now!
December 2021
Ten-week fiction writing courses
– on sale now
Is 2022 the year you finish your novel or short story project? Our popular ten-week fiction writing courses, led by expert tutor Ian Nettleton, are an excellent opportunity to refine your storytelling skills and gain feedback from a friendly, supportive group.
Intermediate Fiction – begins Monday 21 February at National Centre for Writing, Dragon Hall
Suitable for writers who have attended a beginners or introductory writing class in the past, or have similar experience. Delve deeper into the technical elements of writing fiction and gain confidence in your technique. You will also build your experience in workshopping your writing.
Advanced Fiction – begins Tuesday 22 February, online via Zoom
Suitable for writers who have been writing for some time and are ready to challenge themselves to complete a longer fiction project. Gain a fresh look at the fundamental elements of fiction and develop bold and creative ways to deploy these in your writing.
Places are limited to 15 per course, make sure you book soon!
Learn how to research, structure and write your non-fiction book
12-week online writing course begins January 2022
Discover the core techniques for writing creative non-fiction, be it a biography, reportage, nature writing or another of the many flourishing forms within this exciting field of writing.
Our 12-week online writing course will teach you how to conduct online archival research; improve your interview technique; structure your narrative, and much more. In addition to hand-picked resources, writing exercises and interactive Zoom sessions, you will get personalised feedback from your tutor on a fortnightly basis.
‘I can’t recommend this course highly enough' – Lisa Tulfer, creative non-fiction student
Book now to begin on Monday 24 January 2022.
Designed in partnership with the University of East Anglia.
Top picks from The Writing Life podcast archive
Mixing self and traditional publishing with Nicola May → 
Jarred McGinnis on blending fact and fiction → 
Jennifer Anne Champion on poetry and embroidery → Mixing self and traditional publishing with Nicola May → Jarred McGinnis on blending fact and fiction → Jennifer Anne Champion on poetry and embroidery → Writing memorable characters with Eva Verde
Saturday 29 January, 10am - 12.30pm, National Centre for Writing, Norwich, £45 / £35 conc (bursary available)
Join Eva Verde, author of Lives Like Mine, for a friendly workshop on using your unique experiences to create authentic and memorable character-driven fiction.
Whether you’re in the early stages of a short story or novel, or are perfecting your draft manuscript, this workshop will give you the skills and confidence to create the fully-rounded and relatable characters that will drive your story forward and win the hearts of your readers.
The Stubborn Light of Things is crowned East Anglian Book of the Year 2021
The Stubborn Light of Things: A Nature Diary (Faber & Faber) by Suffolk-based novelist and nature columnist Melissa Harrison has been crowned Book of the Year at the East Anglian Book Awards 2021.
Compiled from Harrison’s beloved ‘Nature Notebook’ column in The Times, the book maps her relocation from London to rural Suffolk and her joyful engagement with the natural world. The judging panel praised it its uplifting writing and deep passion for the Suffolk countryside.
Read more about our East Anglian Book of the Year, along with the other category winners for 2021, by clicking below.
A partnership between Jarrold, the Eastern Daily Press and National Centre for Writing with support from UEA Faculty of Arts & Humanities and the PACCAR Foundation.
Meet ten exciting new voices in fiction from the East of England
We are thrilled to reveal the ten winners of this year’s
Escalator Talent Development scheme – a programme for East Anglian writers whose voices are under-represented on UK bookshelves.
Now in its sixteenth year, the year-long scheme is open to unpublished fiction writers living in the Eastern region. Over the next 10 months, each writer will receive a package of support including one-to-one mentoring from established writers, a residential retreat with tailored development workshops, peer support and a final showcase to agents and publishers.
Escalator is generously funded by Amazon Literary Partnership, The Lady Hind Trust and donors of the ‘Escalator Needs Your Help’ campaign.
You may also be interested in...
UpLift: an Ireland-UK leadership initiative for people of colour in literature
Deadline: 11.59pm, Friday 10 December
UpLift is a new pilot international workshop and mentoring initiative for young people of colour with ambitions of leadership in the literature sector across Ireland and the UK. Applications are open to people of colour aged 18-30, who are living in Ireland or the UK.
Find out more → Rainbow International Writers' Cafe
Saturday 11 December, 2pm GMT, online (Zoom), free
Meet other emerging and established LGBTQ+ writers from around the world at this relaxed networking event from Out on the Page. Includes guest writer readings and small breakout rooms. English will be the main language spoken.
Find out more → Open call: Writer in the Park, Literary Residency in Ljubljana
Deadline: Monday 31 January
Ljubljana, a UNESCO City of Literature since 2015, is offering two one-month residencies for writers at the Švicarija/Swisshouse Creative Centre, which is part of the International Centre of Graphic Arts. The writers must have a connection to another UNESCO City of Literature.
Find out more → Donate to the National Centre for Writing
As a UK registered charity, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to make our work possible. Please consider making a donation today to ensure that the writers of tomorrow get the support they need to thrive and tell their story, whatever their background.
Find out more The National Centre for Writing is supported by:
Copyright © 2021 National Centre for Writing, All rights reserved.
Registered charity number: 1110725
Our mailing address is:
National Centre for Writing
Dragon Hall
115 - 123 King Street
Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1QE
United Kingdom
What are you writing in 2022?
Online creative writing courses
Give your writing a kickstart in 2022
All of our online creative writing courses feature engaging exercises, hand-picked resources, interactive Zoom sessions and challenging assignments.
Over 12 weeks you will receive invaluable feedback on your writing from our expert tutors and exchange notes with fellow students from around the world.
What do you want to learn?
Designed in partnership with the prestigious School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia
Copyright © 2021 National Centre for Writing, All rights reserved.
Registered charity number: 1110725
Our mailing address is:
National Centre for Writing
Dragon Hall
115 - 123 King Street
Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1QE
United Kingdom
No comments:
Post a Comment