Making great TV drama is a lot harder than it looks!  Come along and see how it’s done on Thursday 24^thMay as part of Capital Theatre Festival.

Birmingham City University students will team up with the Screenwriters’ Forum to demonstrate a TV Shoot.   They will be filming a short dramatic script to demonstrate how different styles of direction and acting can change the way a TV Drama scene looks and feels.

Join them in the Deloitte Room at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham 1-4pm Thursday 24^th May 2012.  Free entry.

More info at www.capitalplays.co.uk

Please see the website for details

As we’re approaching our fifth anniversary I’m pleased to announce a new short story competition to showcase the best of Asian writing. We’re looking for short stories of up to 3,000 words in length on any theme but which include the word five. Winning entries will be presented in a published collection. £15 per entry, max three. All submitted entries must be new and original fiction.

PRIZES

All published writers will each receive an e-book version and printed version of the book (a cost towards p&p may be requested)

10 runners up will each win a copy of Happy  Birthday to Me: A contemporary collection of Asian literature

A signed copy of The Journey of Om by Chandru Bhojwani

1st Prize

An in-person Literary Consultancy session with The Writing Coach Jacqui Lofthouse (http://www.thewritingcoach.co.uk/about) worth £185

Email entries to editor@theasianwriter.co.uk with Short Stories Competition in the subject heading. Please include a short biography of no more than 75 words.

Closing date May 31st, 2012.

Admission is free.

This year sees the 75th anniversary since the publication of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. It seems fitting, therefore, to celebrate this event at the weekend with all things Hobbity.

Open 11am to 5pm each day.

http://www.middleearthweekend.org.uk/

Note that they are looking for volunteers to help run the event.

“We are looking for original horror, dark mystery and suspense short stories or novellas (1,000 to maximum of 30,000 words). Please query for longer pieces. We want tales that are powerful and emotional, but that are also creepy, chilling and disturbing. Dark suspense, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery and crime fiction, supernatural and psychological tales are welcome. We are not after just blood and gore. Submissions which promote prejudice or which include violence/abuse towards children will not be considered.”
Submissions from the UK Midlands area are particularly welcome.

See website for submission guidelines. 

http://www.horrorexpress.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.html

http://www.horrorexpress.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/subguidelines.html

Thanks to Peter Coleborn for this info.

The Greenhouse Funny prize is open to un-agented writers who are currently resident in the UK and Ireland. Entries will be judged by me and guest judge Leah Thaxton, Publisher of Egmont Children’s Books (and discoverer of Andy Stanton).

The winner will get an offer of representation from the Greenhouse and a full weekend ticket to the wonderful Festival of Writing that runs 7-9 September ’12 (worth £525). The winner will also be presented with a bottle of champagne at the Festival’s gala dinner on the Saturday night. The runners up will each get five of my favourite funny books, and maybe even a comedy mug.

Our judging criteria is very simple. Funny, and we are wide open to all ages. The winner may be a picture book like OLIVIA or DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS, or a young series à la HORRID HENRY, FLAT STANLEY, THE GREAT HAMSTER MASSACRE or UNDEAD PETS, or for 8-12 year olds like Lemony Snicket or RAMONA. It could even be for teen readers, like Louise Rennison, DOES MY HEAD LOOK BIG IN THIS? or THE PRINCESS DIARIES. It’s going to be the person with funny in their DNA.

Funny is subjective, of course. Perhaps the winner will have a slow-burning, sly wit. Perhaps a Python-esque sense of the absurd. Or maybe the concept, and the freshness and immediacy of it, will do much of the heavy lifting.

Entry guidelines:

To get a good sense of the voice and where the character is headed, we’d like to see the first 5,000 words PLUS a short description (a few lines) of the book AND a one page outline that shows the spine of the plot.

The deadline for submissions is Monday 30 July.

See full post here

http://www.writersworkshop.co.uk/blog/announcing-the-greenhouse-funny-prize/

It’s 3 days of intensive training with millionaire authors and bestseller experts for £37.

http://www.millionaireauthorsbootcamp.com/info/

http://limepictures.com/vacancies/storyliners

I wanted to email you to let you know of a fabulous new writers opportunity here at Lime Pictures with Hollyoaks. We’re recruiting for Story Writers, and have a number of positions available, some of which need no professional experience!

If you or one of the writers you know has a passion for story telling then please do take a look at the job ad. There are so few entry level jobs for writers in the industry these days, and I know not everyone knows to look in The Guardian… I really want to find those voices out in the community, from as diverse a background as possible, who are desperate to be heard.

Please do take a look and spread the word. Thank you in advance!!

The competition is open to all writers over the age of eighteen.
Entries must be no longer than 2200 words for a short story and 42 lines for a poem.

1st Prize £100 – 2nd Prize £75 – 3rd Prize £50

plus publication on their website.
 

The entry fee is £4 for each submission.

Closing date for entries is 31st October 2012.

http://www.balsallwriters.org.uk/comp-details.shtml

http://www.blueorangetheatre.co.uk/

The show is being directed by Graeme Braidwood with a cast of six professional actors

Visit the Blue Orange Theatre website for more information and box office.  Tickets are beginning to sell fast as the word is getting round.  It’ll prove to be a good evening’s entertainment with plenty of drama and comedy.