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Friday, March 30, 2012
DLRCOCO Arts Bulletin 30 March
Thursday, March 29, 2012
This Week on Writing.ie
| The Home of Irish Writing Online! Y Books are looking for three new authors, fiction, non fiction and poetry for the New Big Book of Hope eBook. Find out how your work can be published with a host of international bestsellers! The Irish are renowned for being a nation of story tellers. Find out what the story is, starting right here..... |
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Many of you may have seen Mark Heffernan on RTE 1's Late Late Show. Last week Sam Blake met with Mark to find out exactly what it's like living with a death threat, why he hasn't gone into witness protection and how his book 
In 
Barry Houlihan looks at Tiny Plays for Ireland, currently on at the Project Arts Centre, is staged by Fishamble in association with the Irish Times and puts recession Ireland firmly under the spotlight in a series of 25 new three-minute plays. Barry Houlihan looks at how these micro-plays really puts Ireland to task in 
Caren Kennedy wonders, do you want to write for television? Get the inside track at 
In 
Hazel Gaynor is also speaking at Waterford Writers Weekend about 
Editor Declan Flynn reports from The History Press launch of A Parachute In The Lime Tree
Louise Phillips talks to Amazon best seller Mel Sherratt in 
| Contact us at contact@writing.ie We welcome your thoughts and ideas! |
Writing.ie, The Old Post Office, Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, IRELAND
Friday, March 23, 2012
This week on writing.ie
| The Home of Irish Writing Online! Writing short stories? Win a place at Anam Cara Writer and Artist's Retreat on their fabulous short story workshop in June. See below for details! Y Books are looking for three new authors, fiction, non fiction and poetry for the New Big Book of Hope eBook. Find out how your work can be published with a host of international bestsellers! The Irish are renowned for being a nation of story tellers. Find out what the story is, starting right here..... |
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You've only a week left to check out our fantastic 250 word short story competition run in association with Anam Cara Writer's and Artist's Retreat. Award winning author and guest facilitator at Anam Cara Vanessa Gebbie reveals how to 
In Contact us at contact@writing.ie
We welcome your thoughts and ideas!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Waterford Writers Weekend
Waterford Writers Weekend
Wednesday, 21st March 2012
Brisk booking for events at Waterford Writers' Weekend
Well priced events with a variety of well-known authors are selling well for the annual Waterford Writers' Weekend. Sarah Webb, Monica McInerney, Niamh Green and Sinead Moriarty, hugely successful Irish authors, will discuss "What Makes A Bestseller" in Greyfriars Gallery on March 24th at 7.30 p.m.
"Talking Titanic", a timely and popular discussion about the ill-fated liner and its personal impact will take place with best selling journalist Martina Devlin and Titanic author Hazel Gaynor in Greyfriars on March 25th at 2 p.m.
Information about these and all other festival events are available at http://www.waterfordwritersweekend.ie. Bookings can be made at Garter Lane Arts Centre at http://www.garterlane.ie or by phoning 051 855038.
"Our workshop programme has been expanded to offer a range of assistance to aspiring authors. In the past we have found that workshops are in huge demand, and we have offered them at a competitive price so they are available to anyone who wishes to begin writing, to find their niche area or assistance with the tricky world of publishing" according to festival organizer Katherine Collins. "Successfully published writers including crime fiction author Arlene Hunt and creative writing facilitator Claire Hennessy will provide expert help for those whom wish to learn more about writing for particular audiences in a relaxed and intimate environment."
Headlining events at the Writers' Weekend include discussions with investigative journalist Donal McIntyre of "Dancing on Ice" fame, former Beruit hostage Brian Keenan and world explorer Tim Severin. Workshops for children have proven extremely popular and are sold out, but young people will have an opportunity to meet their favourite authors Judi Curtin, Sarah Webb and Oisin McGann at "The Ideas Workshop" in Garter Lane Theatre on March 24th at 2 p.m. Local writing will also be well represented by historian Jack O'Neill whose latest book "A Concise History of Waterford" will be launched by editor of Waterford Today Paddy Gallagher in Central Library on Friday March 23rd at 2 p.m.. "Come the Sails" choral performance will be the finale of the festival in Christchurch Cathedral on March 25th at 5 p.m. Tickets for "Come the Sails" €5 from Christchurch Cathedral.
Tickets are still available for many events from Garter Lane Arts Centre http://www.garterlane.ie Event and programme information is available from libraries and from the festival website http://www.waterfordwritersweeekend.ie
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The DIY Novel - a writer's tale (from manchesterconfidential.co.uk)
The DIY Novel: Straight To Kindle.
Manchester based columnist Flic Everett decided Kindle was the only friend she needed for the 'Only Friends You Need'. Published yesterday afternoon at 1:19 PM.
"All writers fantasise about writing their novel. It’s the holy grail for most journalists - a painful quest, endlessly planned, and discussed. There are a million writers’ groups, supportive videos, and ego-boosting memoir-writing websites. But for all the encouragement, discussion, wine and residential courses in Skyros, actually writing the thing is as hard as it was back when novelists were obliged by law to die of TB by their 35th birthdays, and forced to use ink made from whatever black substance they’d coughed up. What has changed, however, is how easy it is to actually get it published.
Ten years ago, if you wanted to get your glorious completed work into the public arena, you’d either embark on the traditional route of two year’s worth of begging letters, followed by bitter rejection- or you’d go the ‘vanity’ way, which meant forking out thousands of pounds to produce a pamphlet entitled ‘Arthur’s Memories Of World War II’ and hope the local bookshop might show pity. Now, though, we have the mighty Amazon and its Kindle. This is set to do for books what Myspace did for music.
No wonder the print publishing industry is on its knees. Paperback sales of bestselling authors are down 40% on last year. Meanwhile, e-book sales are up by over 110%. The public has taken to the Kindle in a big way - and that means anyone who can spell, design a cover and summon up around 100 000 words from the depths of their soul can now self-publish on Amazon, and wait for the five-star reviews to roll in. I had no intention of doing that two years ago, when I first began my novel, The Only Friends You Need. It was reasonably intelligent, saleable chick-lit, and my agent was very encouraging. “I love it,” she said, “Just write the whole book, then we’ll approach publishers.” Between paying the mortgage and occasionally breathing, it took me another year. She suggested a few tweaks, to make it more saleable. She didn’t like one of the characters. I was quite fond of her, seeing as I’d made her up, but I did as she asked. But so far, it’s going pretty well - and more importantly, my slaved-over first novel is being read, and enjoyed. “Great,” she said.
Then she went quiet, like a ticking bomb, for two months. Finally, I phoned her. “Ah,” she said. “Yeah. Print sales are in freefall, and no one’s taking a chance on a new author. So.” I sank my head on the keyboard, and cried for about four minutes, (time is money) then I sent the whole thing off to another literary agent with a good reputation. She loved it. “There’s just a few tweaks,” she said. So I tweaked back all the things I’d originally tweaked forwards. Then I waited till after Christmas. “I’m really sorry,” she said. “I’m just not taking on any new authors right now, because print sales are in freefa.....” That was when I decided to do it myself.
A writer friend, Lucy, had just put her first novel on Kindle, and it was going brilliantly. This way, there was no advance or promotion- but there was also no agent taking 20%, no publisher taking another chunk, and no chance of having my precious work pulped when sales didn’t reach their 10,000 target. I wanted people to read it, not to spend another six months trying to persuade an agent or publisher to take a chance. So, we spent an entire day photographing the cover (embarrassingly, it involved a teacup - I don’t know what I was thinking). Then I sat up at 2am and realised it was rubbish, found an old snap of my best friend and her sister, and used that instead. And three days later, it was out there.
I used to think if a book was good enough, it would find a real publisher - but now, I’m not so sure. It’s hard enough for big-brand authors to shift copies, let alone first timers. Of course, it’s still early days for self-publishing. Bookshops and publishers will have to find a way to accommodate the tide of new authors. I expect to encounter mild sneering, and I suspect I won’t be paying off the mortgage with the profits. But so far, it’s going pretty well - and more importantly, my slaved-over first novel is being read, and enjoyed. It may not be the five-figure publishing auction we all dream of- but it’s a whole lot better than shoving it into a forgotten drawer, and taking to drink".
You can examine, muse over or buy Flic Everett's book here. You can follow the author on @fliceverettWriting In The Olden Days - About Three Years Ago
Manchester based columnist Flic Everett decided Kindle was the only friend she needed for the 'Only Friends You Need'. Published yesterday afternoon at 1:19 PM.
"All writers fantasise about writing their novel. It’s the holy grail for most journalists - a painful quest, endlessly planned, and discussed. There are a million writers’ groups, supportive videos, and ego-boosting memoir-writing websites. But for all the encouragement, discussion, wine and residential courses in Skyros, actually writing the thing is as hard as it was back when novelists were obliged by law to die of TB by their 35th birthdays, and forced to use ink made from whatever black substance they’d coughed up. What has changed, however, is how easy it is to actually get it published.
Ten years ago, if you wanted to get your glorious completed work into the public arena, you’d either embark on the traditional route of two year’s worth of begging letters, followed by bitter rejection- or you’d go the ‘vanity’ way, which meant forking out thousands of pounds to produce a pamphlet entitled ‘Arthur’s Memories Of World War II’ and hope the local bookshop might show pity. Now, though, we have the mighty Amazon and its Kindle. This is set to do for books what Myspace did for music.
No wonder the print publishing industry is on its knees. Paperback sales of bestselling authors are down 40% on last year. Meanwhile, e-book sales are up by over 110%. The public has taken to the Kindle in a big way - and that means anyone who can spell, design a cover and summon up around 100 000 words from the depths of their soul can now self-publish on Amazon, and wait for the five-star reviews to roll in. I had no intention of doing that two years ago, when I first began my novel, The Only Friends You Need. It was reasonably intelligent, saleable chick-lit, and my agent was very encouraging. “I love it,” she said, “Just write the whole book, then we’ll approach publishers.” Between paying the mortgage and occasionally breathing, it took me another year. She suggested a few tweaks, to make it more saleable. She didn’t like one of the characters. I was quite fond of her, seeing as I’d made her up, but I did as she asked. But so far, it’s going pretty well - and more importantly, my slaved-over first novel is being read, and enjoyed. “Great,” she said.
Then she went quiet, like a ticking bomb, for two months. Finally, I phoned her. “Ah,” she said. “Yeah. Print sales are in freefall, and no one’s taking a chance on a new author. So.” I sank my head on the keyboard, and cried for about four minutes, (time is money) then I sent the whole thing off to another literary agent with a good reputation. She loved it. “There’s just a few tweaks,” she said. So I tweaked back all the things I’d originally tweaked forwards. Then I waited till after Christmas. “I’m really sorry,” she said. “I’m just not taking on any new authors right now, because print sales are in freefa.....” That was when I decided to do it myself.
A writer friend, Lucy, had just put her first novel on Kindle, and it was going brilliantly. This way, there was no advance or promotion- but there was also no agent taking 20%, no publisher taking another chunk, and no chance of having my precious work pulped when sales didn’t reach their 10,000 target. I wanted people to read it, not to spend another six months trying to persuade an agent or publisher to take a chance. So, we spent an entire day photographing the cover (embarrassingly, it involved a teacup - I don’t know what I was thinking). Then I sat up at 2am and realised it was rubbish, found an old snap of my best friend and her sister, and used that instead. And three days later, it was out there.
I used to think if a book was good enough, it would find a real publisher - but now, I’m not so sure. It’s hard enough for big-brand authors to shift copies, let alone first timers. Of course, it’s still early days for self-publishing. Bookshops and publishers will have to find a way to accommodate the tide of new authors. I expect to encounter mild sneering, and I suspect I won’t be paying off the mortgage with the profits. But so far, it’s going pretty well - and more importantly, my slaved-over first novel is being read, and enjoyed. It may not be the five-figure publishing auction we all dream of- but it’s a whole lot better than shoving it into a forgotten drawer, and taking to drink".
You can examine, muse over or buy Flic Everett's book here. You can follow the author on @fliceverettWriting In The Olden Days - About Three Years Ago
Thursday, March 8, 2012
This week on writing.ie
| The Home of Irish Writing Online! Thinking of self publishing? Catherine Ryan Howard is bringing her Faber Academy workshop to Dublin for Inkwell on 3rd March. Find out everything you need to know to self publish successfully at Inkwell Self Printed Writing short stories? Win a place at Anam Cara Writer and Artist's Retreat on their fabulous short story workshop in June. See below for details! The Irish are renowned for being a nation of story tellers. Find out what the story is, starting right here..... |
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Tom Darling's Summer
Check out our fantastic 250 word short story competition run in association with Anam Cara Writer's and Artist's Retreat. Award winning author and guest facilitator at Anam Cara Vanessa Gebbie reveals how to 
| Contact us at contact@writing.ie We welcome your thoughts and ideas! |
Writing.ie, The Old Post Office, Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, IRELAND
Monday, March 5, 2012
Trinity Writer Fellow Free workshop
PRESS RELEASE Free Writing Workshop
Each year the School of English at Trinity College Dublin and the Arts Council of Ireland offer a free writing workshop with the current TCD Writer Fellow. This year's Fellow is novelist and playwright, Philip Davison, author of among other works, McKenzie's Friend and The Long Suit . His most recent play for radio is Love and Animals . He will be leading a workshop from 6.00pm to 9.00pm on Friday 23rd March, and Saturday 24th 10.00am to 1.00pm. The workshop continues on Friday 30th March and concludes on Saturday 31st. Applicants should submit a single piece of prose not exceeding 1,000 words by post to the Oscar Wilde Centre no later than Friday, 9th March.Irish Writer Fellow Workshop
Oscar Wilde Centre
School of English
Trinity College Dublin
21 Westland Row, Dublin 2
For further information contact lifoley@tcd.ie . Please note that we cannot accept submission by e-mail. Applicants will be notified by e-mail as to whether or not they have been selected.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Tea Chests and Dreams writing competition
Angela mentioned this competition at our last meeting, so I'm posting a few links with description and more information on how to apply.
A chance is offered to seven new writers to hear their words on stage as part of a new production by Dermot Bolger, in Dublin.
Staged by Axis in Ballymun the production will run for just seven nights in Ballymun and the Civic Theatre, Tallaght from Wednesday April 11, 2012.
Bolger's new play, Tea Chests and Dreams, is about what we do when the final box is unloaded from the removal van or taxi; about where our minds go as we unwrap cups, clocks and family heirlooms.
It is about how we begin again.
Dermot Bolger will capture the voices and experiences of thirteen women spanning three generations and five decades.
Between now and March 23 women of all ages are invited to submit to Axis Ballymun a six hundred word account of their recollections of their first night in a new home.
Each performance of Bolger's play will commence with a once-off public reading of one such text, either by the woman who wrote it, or, by an actress.
This means that each night of this play about first nights will truly be a first night, with a new voice heard on the Irish stage, a new story added to the celebratory mosaic that is Tea Chests and Dreams.
The best monologue will be published in a special new writing supplement in a leading national newspaper.
Scripts can be sent by e-mail
Tea Chests and Dreams - A Night of First Nights
A chance is offered to seven new writers to hear their words on stage as part of a new production by Dermot Bolger, in Dublin.Staged by Axis in Ballymun the production will run for just seven nights in Ballymun and the Civic Theatre, Tallaght from Wednesday April 11, 2012.
Bolger's new play, Tea Chests and Dreams, is about what we do when the final box is unloaded from the removal van or taxi; about where our minds go as we unwrap cups, clocks and family heirlooms.
It is about how we begin again.
Dermot Bolger will capture the voices and experiences of thirteen women spanning three generations and five decades.
Between now and March 23 women of all ages are invited to submit to Axis Ballymun a six hundred word account of their recollections of their first night in a new home.
Each performance of Bolger's play will commence with a once-off public reading of one such text, either by the woman who wrote it, or, by an actress.
This means that each night of this play about first nights will truly be a first night, with a new voice heard on the Irish stage, a new story added to the celebratory mosaic that is Tea Chests and Dreams.
The best monologue will be published in a special new writing supplement in a leading national newspaper.
Scripts can be sent by e-mail
Or by post to Tea Chests and Dreams competition, Axis Art Centre, Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin 9 .
About the competition on the Axis Ballymun Theatre website -----> http://www.axis-ballymun.ie/artsDevelopment/Default.1298.html
DLR Arts Bulletin
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dlr Arts E:Bulletin |
Call for applications for the dlr Strong Award in partnership with Shine Deadline: 29th of March at 12 noon Poetry Now at Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival 4th – 9th of September 2012 Poetry Now at Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival calls for applications for the dlr Strong Award in partnership with Shine. The dlr Strong Award in partnership with Shine is presented annually to the author of the best first collection of poems published by an Irish poet in the previous year. The Award serves to recognise the promise and achievement of both English and Irish language poets. Previous winners of the Award include Dave Lordan, Peadar Ó hUallaigh and Grace Wells. The short-listed nominees will read at the Strong Reading during the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival 2012 and the prize-winner will receive €1,000. The dlr Strong Award in partnership with Shine is awarded in memory of Rupert and Eithne Strong and is made possible by the generous support of Shine. This is the first year that Shine have partnered with the dlr Strong Award and the festival is delighted to be associated with them. Shine is the national organisation dedicated to upholding the rights and addressing the needs of all those affected by mental ill health. For more information and details on eligibility and entries please email Maeve Buckley at maeve@lineupsme.com |
Monster March Book Day Location: County Hall, Dún Laoghaire Date: Saturday 10th March Time: 10.00 am to 1.00pm Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Libraries are celebrating World Book Day with a Monster March Book Bash. This promises to be a fun, book-filled day for all the family featuring some of Ireland's top children’s authors and illustrators. Learn to draw with Don Conroy, find out about the real monsters of the deep with Garrett Carr, and discover where Oisín McGann, Judi Curtin and Sarah Webb get their ideas and inspiration. This event is a must for all young readers and writers, and every child will go home with a goody bag too. The event has been programmed by Tom Donegan and Sarah Webb. Tickets available from Pavilion Theatre Booking Office (01) 231 2929 or www.paviliontheatre.ie. Tickets cost €5 for children, €7 for adults - family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children €20. Suitable for age 8+. All young readers must be accompanied by an adult. For full details see www.dlrcoco.ie/library  |
Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown Links |
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