Birmingham Writers’ Group

PowWow have got a great programme lined up for the 7th of May, in Moseley, Birmingham.
The sessions for the afternoon will cover everything from ‘how to make a living as a writer’, a talk from a literary agent, and the headline speaker – Joanne Harris.
Thanks to funding from the Arts Council, they’ve been able to keep our ticket prices low, so it’s a great value event.

You can see details of the speakers and tickets here: http://www.powwowfest.com/programme-and-tickets/

DHH Literary agency is thrilled to be opening its doors to unrepresented writers who would like to pitch their novels to experienced agents. Five agents will be available for a ten-minute slot for an individual pitch session. Each writer will receive honest and valuable feedback. The agents are approaching this with a view to finding new clients. The pitch sessions will run from 4pm to 7pm on 12th April at Library Club on St Martin’s Lane.

Each writer will only be able to approach one agent on the team so do choose carefully. Information on the event and what each agent represents can be found at www.dhhliteraryagency.com. To apply for a place, you will need to email your work in advance. Spaces are limited so please submit your work promptly. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 5th April.

More details: http://www.dhhliteraryagency.com/blog/pitch-dhh

The Writer’s Academy will hold their first webinar of 2017 on Monday 13^th February.

This will cover point of view and narrative voice – Further details and free registration here.

Motivation and Moving Forward: how to make your book happen
A three-hour workshop aimed at those with a work in progress (novel, non-fiction or short story collection) who are determined to complete but are seeking help with motivation or practical issues.

Date: Saturday 11 February 2017

Venue: Stratford-upon-Avon ArtsHouse

Cost: £25

Book tickets at https://sua-makingyourbookhappen.eventbrite.co.uk

There is a discount of 20% on the workshops for members of local writing groups, creative writing students and those over 60.
Anyone who wants to attend the workshop and benefit from the discount should email: coaching@elliestevenson.co.uk

Leicester University’s Centre for New Writing is pleased to announce its Writers’ Retreat, which will take place on 27 and 28 March, 2017.Led by creative writing specialists from the University of Leicester, the sessions focus forensically on literary craft and form. There will be group sessions, tailored individual feedback and writers’ talks. Places are limited to 12.

The Retreat will be held at Lake Isle Hotel in the peaceful market town of Uppingham, Rutland. The Lake Isle hotel is easily reached by public transport and close to several nature reserves.

Dates: 27 & 28 March, 2017

Prices: Includes tea, coffee and meals, including dinner at Lake Isle Hotel on the Retreat’s first evening. Payment by instalments can be made by arrangement at newwriting@le.ac.uk but requires a non-refundable deposit.

£249 Residential (early booking recommended to secure your hotel room)

£174 Non-residential

£156 Non-residential: students and hourly paid tutors (places limited to 5 people)

See the website for more details

Saturday, 5 November 2016 from 14:00 to 18:00 (GMT)

RSC’s The Other Place
Southern Lane
CV37 6BB Stratford-upon-Avon
United Kingdom

What makes a good film great? In this inspiring, all-new workshop, illustrated by clips from the action adventure classic Raiders of the Lost Ark, screenwriters Adam and Barbara Fox share how to structure, write and craft a compelling story for the screen.

A new movie, a new genre, new techniques and a new script type.

This workshop is limited to just 30 places so book your ticket early to reserve your place.

52 Ways to Write a Poem (Jo Bell)

Date: Saturday 17th September, 10am – 1pm

Venue: The Clarendon Arms, Kenilworth

Ticket link: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/369848

‘Are you sitting comfortably? Never mind. Let’s begin anyway.’

Jo Bell’s 52 Project began as a blog-based poetry workshop offering, in her words, ‘a weekly kick in the arse for your Muse.’ Writers were given a new prompt every week throughout 2014; the whole thing is now collected into a new book along with fresh prompts from Helen Mort, Philip Gross and others, as well as inspirational poems from writers including John Donne and Sharon Olds.

In this workshop the former director of National Poetry Day reveals some of the techniques that made the project such a success, exploring the notion of a mental discourse between poets living and dead, as well as opening up her workbook and sharing some tips. If your Muse needs a kick in the nether regions, this is the place to be.

TWO events:

Thursday 22 September 2016, 6-8pm
Café Mezzanine, Library of Birmingham

If you think it’s fine to judge a book by its cover – and typeface, paper and page layout! – this is the event for you. Come for an evening of discussion, demonstration and investigation into all that goes into make books as objects with other keen readers, practitioners and local small press publishers.

Tickets are £3

http://www.birmingham-box.co.uk/event/reading-and-being-read-making-books/

Event arranged by The Contemporary Small Press and the Library of Birmingham.

Friday 23 September 2016, 6-8pm
Café Mezzanine, Library of Birmingham

The last few years has seen an explosion of new small presses and independent publishers around the country, publishing new and exciting fiction and poetry. If you are a keen reader and want to know more about the difference being a small press makes to how they work and what they publish, come along to hear from two local small presses, The Emma Press and Ayebia Press. They will each be presenting one of their writers, who will read from recently published work.

Event arranged by The Contemporary Small Press The Contemporary Small Press and the Library of Birmingham.

http://www.birmingham-box.co.uk/event/reading-and-being-read-readers-writers-publishers/

In an initiative called Write Now, Penguin Random House are looking for writers from under-represented communities.

This might mean you’re from BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) or LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer) communities, or have a disability.

They are hosting a series of insight days (one of which is in Birmingham).

Find out more at the website