Birmingham Writers’ Group

Here are some details we have been sent by Criteria Fieldwork, an independent market research agency based in London (www.criteria.co.uk).

The sessions that are mentioned are taking place in Edgbaston.

“We have been commissioned by a publisher who is launching a new magazine and website offering information and support to people who enjoy creative writing as a hobby (more info is available about the magazine/ website is available upon request).

They are organising some focus groups, in the evening, on Tuesday 17^th March and would love to invite people along who enjoy creative writing to get some feedback on the new magazine and website.  This is not a sales exercise and all information obtained within the research will remain confidential.

The focus group would last 1.5 hours, we understand that time is valuable so those attending would receive a cash thank you of £50.00 as a token of our appreciation.

Please be assured that the research is conducted in accordance with the Data Protection Act and the Market Research Society Code of Conduct ( www.mrs.org.uk/standards/code_of_conduct )

If you are interested in participating we would need to ask some questions to see if you are eligible for this particular session. If you would like to take part or are interested in finding out more, please reply to this email with your contact mobile number and I will give you a call.”

The Bournville Children’s Book Festival is taking place on Friday 20^th and Saturday 21^st March 2015 at various venues in Bournville.

Children’s authors and illustrators attending the Festival include Ian Whybrow, top 10 best selling author of “Harry & the Bucketful of Dinosaurs” series and Korky Paul, the world famous illustrator of “Winnie the Witch” series.

They are also featuring local children’s illustrator, Jess Mikhail, and local children’s author, Juliet Clare Bell.

If you would be interested in attending the not-for-profit Festival, tickets are available online via the Events button on the Facebook page www.facebook.com/BusyParentsNetwork

Monday 9th February 7pm-9pm

Brewsmiths Coffee & Tea, 214 Livery Street, Birmingham B3 1EU

Tired of sickly sweet Valentines? Then join us for a night of romantic fiction with a deliciously dark twist.

There may still be authors slots, please get in touch with Heide Goody who can pass you on to the organisers.

At this special Library of Birmingham event, authors M John Harrison, Mick Scully and Louise Palfreyman will celebrate the short story form, and the memory of one of its masters, with Salt Publishing editor Nicholas Royle.
This year’s Best British Short Stories anthology is dedicated to Birmingham writer Joel Lane, who died last November. Joel’s work will top the bill in a great evening of author readings, plus we’ll be answering your questions on writing and getting published.
There’s no charge for this event. Get tickets here, and feel free to invite your friends!
We’ll be asking for your favourite Joel Lane poems, stories and novel excerpts at @tweetybyrde and #bestbritishshortstories

30 October at 18:30–19:30

Featuring:

• Chris Carling talking about her moving and highly topical memoir: ‘But Then Something Happened: A Story of Everyday Dementia’
• Rosemary Westwell ‘John, Dementia and Me’: exploring life problems in fiction and also talking about ‘Unseen Poetry’
• Jackie Reynolds and Michael Callan ‘‘Connecting Communities with Creative Writing’
• Sarah Gornall ‘Co-authoring and what it can mean.’
• Dr David Gatley ‘1936 a Year in Post Boxes’
• Elaine Ewart ‘My work as Fenland Poet Laureate including poetry writing, and performing ‘
• Noreen Wainwright ‘A homespun year’ by Noreen Wainwright and Margaret Priestly Thrifty ways to make and grow, bake and sew
• Stephanie J. Hale ‘What it takes to sell a million books, what it takes to make a million from your book idea and what works and what doesn’t when it comes to selling books in this exciting new digital age.’
• Hayley Humphrey ’Nanowrimo: From writers’ block to 50,000 words, a novel written in a month.’
• Mary McGuire ‘Publish or self-publish? Which way do I go?’

ENTRY FREE           refreshments served

Book early to avoid disappointment

Contact: Malcolm Henson enquiries@hensoneditorial.com

Finding locally set fiction is always difficult, but Birmingham based publishers Pigeon Park Press have sought to remedy this with the Birmingham Readers’ Map. Novels, poetry and short stories all featuring a local flavour have been collected and compiled into a GoogleMaps-style map allowing book-lovers to browse and discover stories set just around the corner.

Now, authors featured on the Readers’ Map are coming together for a night of thrills, humour and entertainment at Brewsmiths Coffee & Tea shop at the Jewellery Quarter on 29^th September. Authors will be sharing excerpts of their latest books and even a few bespoke short stories in a night celebrating the diversity and creativity of Birmingham writers, before taking part in a Q&A panel where audience members will have the chance to quiz the authors on writing and publishing their own books, as well as the challenges and rewards of being an independent author.

Join us for the Birmingham Readers’ Map at Brewsmiths on 29^th September at 7:30pm in the Jewellery Quarter.

Tuesday 28 October, Beatbox in the Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1 2ND, 2-5pm

Free (but please book)

A partnership event with Voices of War and Peace, an Arts & Humanities Research Council First World Engagement Centre, and Beatfreeks

Beatfreeks is an arts organisation supporting young, creative people to do what they love.

We’re a social enterprise, which means we use our resources and innovation to address social issues and benefit the broader community. We believe empowered, engaged and enabled young people are incredible catalysts for bringing about positive change, so our number one aim is providing platforms for growth and expression to young people.

Our core programme is run through five creative Academies – Poetry, Music, Dance, Media and Enterprise. In each Academy we run regular events, workshops and training opportunities. Almost all of our activity is youth-led, and we try our best to build progression routes and meaningful legacies into each of our opportunities. We exist to help young people develop and grow.

All of our workshops are free. To book a place please contact: voices@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Voices of War and Peace is an Arts & Humanities Research Council First World War Engagement Centre. Led by the University of Birmingham and based in the Library of Birmingham, the Centre supports community research projects, connecting academic and public histories of the First World War as part of the commemoration of the centenary.

Please visit the website for more information: www.voicesofwarandpeace.org

Twitter @Voices_WW1

Weekend workshops delivered by published authors in a beautiful rural location.
Booking now for our autumn 2014 programme
Crime Writing with million selling author Neil White – 6th &7th September 2014
Historical fiction with mystery writer Chris Nickson – 20th & 21st September 2014
New Heroic Fantasy with Adrian Tchaikovsky – 4th & 5th October 2014
Modern Romance with author and journalist Katy Regan – 18th & 19th October
For prices, bookings and more details, please visit www.goldenrock.co.uk or call Joanna on 01539 821513

Have you got what it takes to create online content? Think you can take the digital world by storm? FUTURE TALENT is your chance to create your very own original online drama or comedy pilot – and you can find out all about it at this free workshop led by Henry R Swindell (Development Producer, BBC Writersroom).
The session will take place at mac birmingham on 18 June from 7-8.30pm.

Book a free place at www.ideastap.com/spa

On Saturday 7 June between 14:00 and 16:00 you are invited to join a writing workshop at the Library of Birmingham.
Birmingham Writers Group members Heide Goody and Iain Grant will be running a Collaborative Writing Workshop.

Heide and Iain have written novels together for around three years and they have worked out lots of ways to have a fun time being creative in a team.
Even if you don’t want to write with someone else, you’ll get a creative boost from this lively workshop.

There is a nominal charge of £3 for the library to cover its costs.
Details here:
http://www.libraryofbirmingham.com/event/Events/writingworkshop-7june

This is one of three events that Birmingham Writers’ Group is running at the Library of Birmingham as part of its Images Season.
We’ll keep you posted about the others as soon as they are available to view on the library’s own website.