WriteNow 2012
A conference for creative writers of all stripes March 9th and 10th 2012 as part of the Aye, Write! Book Festival. Please book online: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/
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Tweets
- Happiness is...what, exactly?: I've been asked to help a group of people working in the SISI (agreed: not the ni... http://t.co/bbUWAFRT
- @afjgillespie @HelenMacKinven Exactly. Barely something to admit publicly.
- “@Jezebel: That Thing Where Someone Breaks Into Your House and Tries to Breastfeed Your Baby http://t.co/osWpcePZ” Too weird for words.
- @HelenMacKinven Yes. Fear is omnipresent. I usually avoid it, which is why I'm a hypocrite.
- @historicalcrime I'm not even sure he's quite up to dad dancing level, but she's right.
- Dearest @historicalcrime: thought you'd like to know that I've unfollowed someone who tweeted something nice re: Motion. Call me a snob.
- Hi, new folks. I've been parenting and editing- neither of which leaves much time for tweeting! Happy Easter/dinner/weekend.
- The @Maement_ crew are delivering home-baking in Livingstone Tower at Strathclyde. I've just eaten a gingerbread man head-first. Sugar rush!
- Hi, new followers. I think I've followed all of you interesting-looking people back. Let me know if I've missed you!
- @HelenMacKinven @octaviusmag Hooray! I'm so glad you sent so something in!
- @MyShitty20s no challenge there, then. A doddle. Sphinx? Seriously? V cool.
- @girlglasgow envy.
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Tracks
- 9 tracks (46:34)Readings from published and unpublished work by Gabriella Bennett, Sam Best, Lynsey Cameron, Helen FitzGerald, Rodge Glass, Sandy Hutchison, Jamie Jauncey, David Kinloch, Craig Lamont, Katrina Patrick, Jennifer Williams.
Readings recorded by Martyn Clark (www.martynclark.com)
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Posts
- Apr 30, 12
I've been asked to help a group of people working in the SISI (agreed: not the nicest possible acronym...let's move on, people), or Strathclyde Interdisciplinary Solutions Incubator (see why we have the lame acronym?), to come up with a way of measuring happiness (and not just any old got-a-bar-of-chocolate-and-I'm-not-afraid-to-unwrap-it kind of happiness), and making happiness one of the aspects we think about when we aim for sustainability. Collective Architecture want to build us happy, and keep us that way, in buildings we love and take care of. What makes you/us happy, in and around buildings?
What do you need in the built environment you go in and out of, sleep and eat in, do your work in? Please give me one word, the word that best describes your top priority, in happiness terms, for the following:
1). your personal environment/building (e.g., your home or flat); and
2). the public environment/ building (e.g., the store you go to most often, the post office, the library).
My two words, by the way, were 'light,' as in natural light, for my personal building, and 'functionality' for my public building, because I *hate* having to join multiple queues (lines), or retrace my steps, or wrangle a badly designed trolley (basket) around a grocery store that is waaaaay too big for its britches.
Please feel free to tweet me your words; you can find me @maryfmcdonough on Twitter. You can also leave me a note in the comments section of this blog. Thanks for your help. - Mar 06, 12(Photo, Directions Courtesy Of Glasgow City Council)The Mitchell Library is located on 3 North Street in Glasgow (G3 7DN for those with sat nav), overlooking the M8 motorway. You can contact the library directly on 0141 287 2910.(map Courtesy of Google)Getting HereFirst Bus 9, 11, 16, 18, 42/a, 44/a, 57, 62, 118; see bus routes to Mitchell LIBRARY
Underground
St George’s Cross is the nearest Underground station to The Mitchell Library - about a 10 minute walk.Train
Charing Cross Station is close by the Library. Turn left at the Bath Street exit and the Library is directly on other side of bridge over M8 motorway.
Anderston Station is a 5 minute walk away. Take the entrance on to North Street and turn right.Car
Travelling Westbound on M8, take the Charing Cross exit (Junction 17), cross over Sauchiehall Street and The Library is to the right. Travelling Eastbound on the M8, take the City Centre exit (Junction 19) and follow signs for Charing Cross or Mitchell Library. On-street metered parking is available outside the Library or there is a NCP Car Park on India Street next to Charing Cross Train Station.Getting H
- Mar 05, 12Last chance to register for Write Now 2012. Booking closes today!
You can book by phone 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours or book online using this link http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0
Don't miss out on two days of events for creative writers.
DAY 1 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Publish and Be Damned
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – 1st SKILLS SESSION
12:30pm – Lunch
12:30 to 14:30 - The Marketplace, Lunchtime skills sessions and 13:00 to 14:15 – Write Now Showcase
2:30 pm – 2nd SKILLS SESSION
4:00pm – Break for tea and coffee
4: 30pm – Keynote Address Christopher Brookmyre
Close 5:30pm
Skills Session Day – Friday 9 March
Publish and be Damned?
09:40-10:45 (Full or Friday Pass Holders Event)
Publishing is in decline and the future is global domination by Amazon and Google. Right? Or Wrong? Three publishers give their unique insights into the publishing world today looking at the impact of digital technology and social media before speculating on what the future may bring.
1st SKILLS SESSION
The Mechanics of Page Turning: Narrative Drive
11.00am – 12.30pm
Narrative drive is a vital element in getting your work published. Novelist Sara Sheridan provides key hints and tips to keep the pages turning.
Making the Pitch and not Striking Out
11:00-12:30 or 14:30-16:00
Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.
Looking for an Agent? An Expert Guide to the Submissions Process
11:00-12:30
Now you’ve written – or are writing – your book, how will you get it accepted by an agent, publisher or editor? Nicola Morgan reveals the common traps for the unwary and offers tips for success.
www.WRITER
11.00am – 12.30pm Part 1 (requires advanced preparation by participants)
Don’t get left behind. Writer and web designer Cat Dean will guide participants through setting up their own writer’s website-with-blog. By the end of the day, each participant will have a simple, but fully functioning website-with-blog.
LUNCH
The Marketplace
12.30am – 14.30pm FREE
Interested in the Scottish publishing scene? If so ‘The Marketplace’ is the place to be. This showcase will feature independent publishers and Scotland-based magazines that provide an outlet for new writers. Pick up the latest and the best new writing along with ideas on how to get started writing or where to place your work.
Write Now Showcase- Performance Event
13.00 – 14.15
Come along and hear some great Scottish writing in bite sized pieces. This event will feature new and upcoming writers of prose and poetry including the winners of the Keith Wright Memorial Literary Competition.
Lunch Time Skills Sessions
Book to Film, Film to Book – Adaptations
13:00-14:00
An inside look at adaptation with author Helen FitzGerald (The Devil's Staircase, Bloody Women, The Donor), screenwriter Sergio Casci (American Cousins, The Caller) and film producer Claire Mundell (Synchronicity Films – Crying with Laughter, Weekend). Our established trio has funny anecdotes, lots of mistakes to confess, and advice to pass on. The session will also look at new developments and opportunities for writers, such as digital publishers who are concentrating on book adaptations of films.
Is Blogging For You? – Blogging Your Way to Success
13:00-14:00
Whether it’s getting started or improving confidence in blogging newbies, experienced writer and blogger Cat Dean will provide practical tips on how to make the most of your blog. This workshop will take you through the highs and lows encouraging you to keep going and blog your way to success.
Writing For Graphic Novels
13:00-14:00
Rodge Glass shares the secrets of writing for his award nominated graphic novel Dougie’s War, which was illustrated by Dave Turbitt. Rodge will discuss the process of writing a graphic novel, talk about the challenges of collaboration between writer and artist in joint projects, and give tips and advice on how to make your graphic novel a success. Dougie's War was commissioned by Freight Books and Veteran Scotland as part of a drive to raise awareness about PTSD in Scottish soldiers.
2nd SKILLS SESSION
Your Book Needs You
14:30-16:00
Novelist Sara Sheridan debunks the myths of book promotion and publicity and gives expert advice on how to use all the communications tools available to sell yourself effectively.
What Are Publishers Looking For?
14:30-16:00
Nicola Morgan, author of 90 books, will share her knowledge of what makes agents and publishers say yes, giving you the best chance of success.
Making the Pitch and not Striking Out
14:30-16:00
Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.
www.WRITER
14.30am – 16.00pm Part 2 (requires advanced preparation by participants)
Second half of this web design workshop.
The Making of a Bestseller - Christopher Brookmyre
16:30-17:30
Award-winning crime writer and author of 14 published novels, Christopher Brookmyre has plenty of experience to share with aspiring writers and interested readers.
Conference Day – Saturday 10 March
SATURDAY 10 MARCH 2012: CONFERENCE
Running from 9:30am to 6pm, we will have a series of panels and individual presentations from writers and researchers. More details of the conference programme can be found at http://flavors.me/writenow#72f/twitter
DAY 2 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Panel 1
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – Panel 2A or 2B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
12:30pm – Lunch
1:15pm – Panel 3A or 3B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
2:45pm – Break for tea and coffee
3:00pm – Panel 4A or 4B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
Break to relocate to Main Hall
5 pm – Keynote Address Alan Bissett, Ewan Morrison & Zoë Strachan
Close 6pm
Panel 1 - What Happens when Elephants Teach Zoology?
Lesley Glaister - St Andrews University
Elizabeth Reeder - University of Glasgow
Zoë Strachan - University of Glasgow
On Process and Teaching within a Community of Writers
Elizabeth Reeder, Zoë Strachan and Lesley Glaister will discuss their creative processes and how they influence their teaching. How does individual creative practice influence the choices we make when teaching others? Do we practice what we preach? Is there a place for the mentor in the teaching of creative writing? And what might the ideal creative writing programme look like?
Panel 2A – Poetry and The Landscape
Jen Cooper - University of Aberdeen
Creating ‘Imaginary States of Nature’: The Uses of Free Verse in Contemporary Nature Poetry
Ken Cockburn
The Road North: A Journey Through Scotland and Poetry
Shane Strachan - University of Aberdeen
Flinty Souls: Narrating the North-East
Panel 2B – Fact, Fiction and History
Gill James - University of Salford
Uncovering history: three tools, three strands and three fact-fiction relationships used in writing an historical novel.
Sally O’Reilly - Brunel University
Myth and monolith: tackling the Shakespeare legend.
Ursula Hurley - University of Salford
Writing in the dark? Carrying a torch for ancient historical fiction.
Panel 3A – Teaching Creative Writing
Raymond Soltysek - University of Strathclyde
A Little often: changing the creative writing culture in secondary classrooms.
Dr. Maeve Tynan - University of Limerick
‘Mimicry is an act of imagination’: Strategic Imitation in the Creative Writing Classroom
Alicia Stubbersfield - Liverpool John Moores University
The Writer at Work: One Answer to the Question ‘What use is a degree in Creative Writing?’
Panel 3B – There’s Poetry in Everything (Even Aliens)
Mary McDonough - University of Strathclyde
Curation vs Creation: understanding and interpreting autobiographical material
Dorothy Alexander – Centre for Lifelong Learning
Adventures in technique: experiments in found – using restricted vocabularies to access creativity and cross media.
Russell Jones - Edinburgh University
Edwin Morgan and Science Fiction Poetry – Edwin Morgan: Scots Makar, respected academic, alien.
Panel 4A – Does Scotland Need Creative Writers?
Jacqueline Smith, Ron Butlin, Gerry Loose - Scottish Writers Centre
The Future of the Scottish Writers Centre
Panel 4B – Comics, Crime and more Comics
David Manderson – University of the West of Scotland
Lost Borders: A Paradigm Shift in Crime Fiction
Gordon Robertson
From the Dark Ages to the Renaissance - The New Wave of British Comics
Siân Bevan
Why So Serious? How Comedy Can Shape a Writer.
Keynote Address: Alan Bissett, Zoë Strachan and Ewan Morrison
17:00-18:00
In the conference round-up, three of Scotland’s hottest talents will give their unique take on the writing process and business.
Can anyone be an author and should universities be in the business of teaching creative writing? Should writers? What skills does a writer need in 2012 and how do you go about acquiring them? Is Scotland a vibrant creative culture or a provincial backwater for writers? Is the book dead and if not what does the future hold for books and their authors? Answers to these questions plus an opportunity to ask your own. - Mar 01, 12Another free/open to the public event organised by Doug Johnstone. The novelist Alan Warner (Morvern Callar) will be speaking in Livingstone Tower on the 5th of March.
ALAN WARNER
5pm, Monday 5th March 2012
Room LT509, Livingstone Tower
26 Richmond Street, Glasgow
Free entry, refreshments provided
Alan Warner is one of the leading lights of his generation of Scottish
writers. Born in 1964 he shot to fame with the publication of his
debut novel Morvern Callar in 1995. The book was adapted into a highly
acclaimed film directed by Lynne Ramsay, and Warner has gone on to
publish five more novels to great success. He won the Somerset Maughan
Award for Morvern Callar and the Saltire Society Scottish Book of the
Year Award for his novel The Sopranos.
In 2003 Alan was nominated by Granta magazine as one of twenty ‘Best
of Young British Novelists’. In 2010, his novel The Stars in the
Bright Sky was included in the longlist for the Man Booker Prize. His
seventh novel, The Deadman’s Pedal, is due for publication in May this
year. Alan also currently holds the position of Writer-in-Residence at
the University of Edinburgh.
Hope to see you there! - Feb 29, 12
Just a few days left in which to register for the conference (or any portion thereof). Please see below.
You can book by phone 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours or book online using this linkhttp://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0
Check out our full programme below - we have an unmissable two days of events for creative writers!
Skills Session Day – Friday 9 March
Publish and be Damned?
09:40-10:45 (Full or Friday Pass Holders Event)
Publishing is in decline and the future is global domination by Amazon and Google. Right? Or Wrong? Three publishers give their unique insights into the publishing world today looking at the impact of digital technology and social media before speculating on what the future may bring.
1st SKILLS SESSION
The Mechanics of Page Turning: Narrative Drive
11.00am – 12.30pm
Narrative drive is a vital element in getting your work published. Novelist Sara Sheridan provides key hints and tips to keep the pages turning.
Making the Pitch and not Striking Out
11:00-12:30 or 14:30-16:00
Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.
Looking for an Agent? An Expert Guide to the Submissions Process
11:00-12:30
Now you’ve written – or are writing – your book, how will you get it accepted by an agent, publisher or editor? Nicola Morgan reveals the common traps for the unwary and offers tips for success.
www.WRITER
11.00am – 12.30pm Part 1 (requires advanced preparation by participants)
Don’t get left behind. Writer and web designer Cat Dean will guide participants through setting up their own writer’s website-with-blog. By the end of the day, each participant will have a simple, but fully functioning website-with-blog.
LUNCH
The Marketplace
12.30am – 14.30pm FREE
Interested in the Scottish publishing scene? If so ‘The Marketplace’ is the place to be. This showcase will feature independent publishers and Scotland-based magazines that provide an outlet for new writers. Pick up the latest and the best new writing along with ideas on how to get started writing or where to place your work.
Strathclyde Showcase- Performance Event
13.00 – 14.15
Come along and hear some great Scottish writing in bite sized pieces. This event will feature new and upcoming writers of prose and poetry including the winners of the Keith Wright Memorial Literary Competition.
Lunch Time Skills Sessions
Book to Film, Film to Book – Adaptations
13:00-14:00
An inside look at adaptation with author Helen FitzGerald (The Devil's Staircase, Bloody Women, The Donor), screenwriter Sergio Casci (American Cousins, The Caller) and film producer Claire Mundell (Synchronicity Films – Crying with Laughter, Weekend). Our established trio has funny anecdotes, lots of mistakes to confess, and advice to pass on. The session will also look at new developments and opportunities for writers, such as digital publishers who are concentrating on book adaptations of films.
Is Blogging For You? – Blogging Your Way to Success
13:00-14:00
Whether it’s getting started or improving confidence in blogging newbies, experienced writer and blogger Cat Dean will provide practical tips on how to make the most of your blog. This workshop will take you through the highs and lows encouraging you to keep going and blog your way to success.
Writing For Graphic Novels
13:00-14:00
Rodge Glass shares the secrets of writing for his award nominated graphic novel Dougie’s War, which was illustrated by Dave Turbitt. Rodge will discuss the process of writing a graphic novel, talk about the challenges of collaboration between writer and artist in joint projects, and give tips and advice on how to make your graphic novel a success. Dougie's War was commissioned by Freight Books and Veteran Scotland as part of a drive to raise awareness about PTSD in Scottish soldiers.
2nd SKILLS SESSION
Your Book Needs You
14:30-16:00
Novelist Sara Sheridan debunks the myths of book promotion and publicity and gives expert advice on how to use all the communications tools available to sell yourself effectively.
What Are Publishers Looking For?
14:30-16:00
Nicola Morgan, author of 90 books, will share her knowledge of what makes agents and publishers say yes, giving you the best chance of success.
Making the Pitch and not Striking Out
14:30-16:00
Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.
www.WRITER
14.30am – 16.00pm Part 2 (requires advanced preparation by participants)
Second half of this web design workshop.
The Making of a Bestseller - Christopher Brookmyre
16:30-17:30
Award-winning crime writer and author of 14 published novels, Christopher Brookmyre has plenty of experience to share with aspiring writers and interested readers.
Conference Day – Saturday 10 March
SATURDAY 10 MARCH 2012: CONFERENCE
Running from 9:30am to 6pm, we will have a series of panels and individual presentations from writers and researchers. More details of the conference programme can be found athttp://flavors.me/writenow#72f/twitter
DAY 2 PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Panel 1
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – Panel 2A or 2B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
12:30pm – Lunch
1:15pm – Panel 3A or 3B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
2:45pm – Break for tea and coffee
3:00pm – Panel 4A or 4B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
Break to relocate to Main Hall
5 pm – Keynote Address Alan Bissett, Ewan Morrison & Zoë Strachan
Close 6pm
Panel 1 - What Happens when Elephants Teach Zoology?
Lesley Glaister - St Andrews University
Elizabeth Reeder - University of Glasgow
Zoë Strachan - University of Glasgow
On Process and Teaching within a Community of Writers
Elizabeth Reeder, Zoë Strachan and Lesley Glaister will discuss their creative processes and how they influence their teaching. How does individual creative practice influence the choices we make when teaching others? Do we practice what we preach? Is there a place for the mentor in the teaching of creative writing? And what might the ideal creative writing programme look like?
Panel 2A – Poetry and The Landscape
Jen Cooper - University of Aberdeen
Creating ‘Imaginary States of Nature’: The Uses of Free Verse in Contemporary Nature Poetry
Ken Cockburn
The Road North: A Journey Through Scotland and Poetry
Shane Strachan - University of Aberdeen
Flinty Souls: Narrating the North-East
Panel 2B – Fact, Fiction and History
Gill James - University of Salford
Uncovering history: three tools, three strands and three fact-fiction relationships used in writing an historical novel.
Sally O’Reilly - Brunel University
Myth and monolith: tackling the Shakespeare legend.
Ursula Hurley - University of Salford
Writing in the dark? Carrying a torch for ancient historical fiction.
Panel 3A – Teaching and Judging Creative Writing
Raymond Soltysek - University of Strathclyde
A Little often: changing the creative writing culture in secondary classrooms.
Dr. Maeve Tynan - University of Limerick
‘Mimicry is an act of imagination’: Strategic Imitation in the Creative Writing Classroom
Mary Aherne - University of Hull
The Booker Prize: Who are the winners and losers in a cultural field dominated by the marketplace?
Panel 3B – There’s Poetry in Everything (Even Aliens)
Mary McDonough - University of Strathclyde
Curation vs Creation: understanding and interpreting autobiographical material
Dorothy Alexander – Centre for Lifelong Learning
Adventures in technique: experiments in found – using restricted vocabularies to access creativity and cross media.
Russell Jones - Edinburgh University
Edwin Morgan and Science Fiction Poetry – Edwin Morgan: Scots Makar, respected academic, alien.
Panel 4A – Does Scotland Need Creative Writers?
Alicia Stubbersfield - Liverpool John Moores University
The Writer at Work: One Answer to the Question ‘What use is a degree in Creative Writing?’
Jacqueline Smith, Ron Butlin, Gerry Loose - Scottish Writers Centre
The Future of the Scottish Writers Centre
Panel 4B – Comics, Crime and more Comics
David Manderson – University of the West of Scotland
Lost Borders: A Paradigm Shift in Crime Fiction
Gordon Robertson
From the Dark Ages to the Renaissance - The New Wave of British Comics
Siân Bevan
Why So Serious? How Comedy Can Shape a Writer.
Keynote Address: Alan Bissett, Zoë Strachan and Ewan Morrison
17:00-18:00
In the conference round-up, three of Scotland’s hottest talents will give their unique take on the writing process and business.
Can anyone be an author and should universities be in the business of teaching creative writing? Should writers? What skills does a writer need in 2012 and how do you go about acquiring them? Is Scotland a vibrant creative culture or a provincial backwater for writers? Is the book dead and if not what does the future hold for books and their authors? Answers to these questions plus an opportunity to ask your own. - Feb 26, 12
From 12:30-14:30 on Friday the 9th of March, there is a free/non-ticketed event open to all in the Main Hall at the Mitchell Library, the 'home' of the Aye, Write! Glasgow's Book Festival.
There will be 14 exhibitors:The Centre For Life-long Learning - The University of StrathclydeCargo PublishingMagma PoetryOctavius MagazineWild Wolf PublishingThe Edinburgh ReviewCauseway/Cabshair: A Magazine of Irish and Scottish WritingValve JournalFreight Books/Gutter MagazineEdwin Morgan International Poetry CompetitionThe University of StirlingMariscat PressUnbound BooksThe Scottish Writers' Centre
The Strathclyde Showcase runs from 13:00 - 14:15 during the Marketplace, and features writers who took part in the Keith Wright Memorial Literary Competition, as well as other writers.
The full lineup is a work in progress, but readers include:
Bryony Stocker
Craig Lamont
Allan Wilson
Ginna Wilkerson
Michelle Smith
Iain Ferguson
Mary McDonough-Clark - Feb 23, 12Another guest post from Jacob McLean, this one about Sara Sheridan and her quest to cure writers everywhere of Technophobia. Sara is running her workshop on the 9th of March; this session can be booked as part of the conference package or as an individual session for 15 pounds (12 for concessions).Sara Sheridan: Your Book Needs YouMany writers are afraid of technology. (Science fiction is pretty much a genre dedicated to that fear.) Bestselling Sara Sheridan was no different. That is, until the “Great Geek” taught her some virtual tricks. A GoogleSite, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, and a LinkedIn account later, Ms. Sheridan was converted. The importance of adapting to these new technologies goes beyond self-promotion, she says. “Net neutrality is probably the most vital issue for freedom of speech online and should be at the top of any writer's agenda. Most don't even know what that means (it's that the fastest broadband speeds might be chargeable at a rate well beyond small scale bloggers or individuals). If net neutrality is abandoned, individual voices will download so slowly that they would be unheard. This has huge implications for writers, yet in the writing community net neutrality is largely unspoken.” Sara will look to orient us within this new, exciting digital landscape. Whether it’s self-publicity or the protection of our rights, these battles are, increasingly, taking place online. Let Sara get you up to speed with what is required of writers in the 21st century. For more information about Sara Sheridan, follow this link.You can book by phone 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours, or via this link: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0.You can follow Sara Sheridan on Twitter: @sarasheridan
- Feb 21, 12
A guest post from Jacob McLean (a spectacularly driven 3rd year undergraduate - just check out the PROSE, people!) about Rodge Glass' graphic novel, which highlights some of the challenges of writing a graphic novel that works.
Rodge Glass: Writing For Graphic Novels13:00-14:00 £15/£12In between his acclaimed biography of national treasure Alasdair Gray, Alasdair Gray: A Secretary’s Biography, and his highly anticipated forthcoming novel, Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs, Rodge Glass somehow found time to collaborate with London-based artist Dave Turbitt to release a critically-acclaimed graphic novel. Dougie’s War focusses on Dougie Campbell, a Scottish soldier recently returned from Afghanistan suffering from post-traumatic-stress-disorder - what Rodge likes to call “the war after the war”. The novel was (and continues to be) a success, fulfilling its commissioned goal to raise awareness of PTSD, and earning a significant collection of critical praise, including a nomination for Graphic Novel of the Year at the Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards. As Rodge’s first and (so far) only graphic novel, Dougie’s War was a project for which Rodge had to adapt. Graphic novels call for fast-paced, concise prose, Rodge told the Edinburgh League of Comics. He also had to, for the first time in his literary career, learn how to collaborate. Having been through the pains and pleasures of the process, Rodge is in a perfect position to now pass along tips and advice for writing your own graphic novel. Follow this link to learn more about Rodge. http://edinburghleagueofcomics.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/war-comics-an-interview-with-rodge-glass/#There are still places available on Rodge's 'Writing For Graphic Novels' workshop at Write Now; these can be booked via the Aye, Write! website, by phoning 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours, or via this link: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0You can follow Rodge Glass on Twitter:@rodgeglass - Feb 20, 12Only 2 weeks left to book your place at Write Now 2012!
You can book by phone 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours or book online using this linkhttp://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0
Find out more at http://flavors.me/writenow - Feb 17, 12
And thanks to Nicola Morgan* for pointing out my major mistake in an archived post I tried to sneakily re-run today. Query Shark is well worth a look, for those of you on the verge of sending out query letters, and is full of good examples to help you polish your pitch and your prose.
*I've deleted the inaccurate bit and am hanging my head in shame. - Feb 16, 12
The Day 1 Lineup:
Come along and learn how to improve your writing and market your work effectively in our series of workshops delivered by professional authors. Meet independent publishers and representatives from Scotland-based magazines at our lunchtime networking zone ‘The Marketplace’.
http://writenowglasgow.blogspot.com/2012/02/write-now-day-1-summary-listings.html
Day 2's lineup can be seen here:
http://writenowglasgow.blogspot.com/2012/01/speakers-for-second-day-of-write-now.html - Feb 15, 12
Helen FitzGerald, another of the Write Now tutors, is going to be very, very busy over the next few weeks. Please take a look at her blog: http://www.helenfitzgerald.net/ and follow her on Twitter: @fitzhelen. She and Sergio Casci will be helping all of us perfect our verbal pitches; both have a lot of experience selling what they do to diverse audiences. Helen also has a film coming out, based on her third novel, The Devil's Staircase: http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/-levelk-climbs-devils-staircase/5037840.article.
As if that were not quite enough already, Helen has a novella, The Duplicate, coming out soon with Snubnose Press. I am glad she managed to shoehorn us in. Because I am feeling helpful this morning, I am giving you a photo so that you can come prepared to track her down and ask lists upon lists of questions. She is *slightly* larger than this in real life. - Feb 12, 12
Cat has written a bit of a demystifying blurb about the 2 sessions she's leading at Write Now. She assures me that both are safe and painless, and she will not be speaking Technobabble unless she absolutely has to do it.
1). Create a Writer’s Website
I’m just putting the final touches to the workshop and I am *very* excited about welcoming more writers into the wonderful world of websites and blogging.
So, if you’ve ever wanted your own writer’s website-with-a-blog but…
· you’ve been put off by the cost of setting it up
· you’ve been put off by the cost of making updates after setting it up
· you’ve worried that it’s just too technical and complicated
· you’ve wondered if you’ve actually got anything to, you know, write about
Please come – this one is definitely for you!
You might be wondering…
What’s so cool about this workshop?
· You’ll leave with all the skills you need to add and remove pages, text and pictures
· It’s a gentle introduction – if you can use Word, you can use WordPress.com
· The only thing to pay for is the conference itself and there’s LOADS to choose from
Will I have to know lots of technical stuff?
Absolutely not. This workshop is for people who use computers – just normal stuff like emailing, surfing the web, using Word – but who have no specialist internet knowledge.
Will you speak to me in complicated IT Person language?
Really, I won’t. I can be a bit geeky at times but I’m also writer with an MA in English Lit. When I first got started with computers, I quite honestly thought I might blow the computer up by pressing the wrong key combination. So, if you’re a technophobe, don’t worry, I know how that feels!
2). If you’re not ready to actually create a website-with-a-blog, but would still like to dip you’re toe in the water, I’m also talking about 'Is blogging for you?' At Aye Write!<http://www.ayewrite.com/programme/events/Pages/Is-Blogging-For-You---Blogging-Your-Way-to-Success.aspx>.
You can find Cat's Blog in full at http://catdean.com/
You can call us on 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours or book online using this link http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0 - Feb 09, 12Please see below for further information re: speakers, pricing.Friday 9MarchThe Mechanics of Page Turning: Narrative Drive11.00am – 12.30pmNarrative drive is a vital element in getting your work published. Novelist Sara Sheridan provides key hints and tips to keep the pages turning.Making the Pitch and not Striking Out11:00-12:30 or 14:30-16:00Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.Looking for an Agent? An Expert Guide to the Submissions Process11:00-12:30Now you’ve written – or are writing – your book, how will you get it accepted by an agent, publisher or editor? Nicola Morgan reveals the common traps for the unwary and offers tips for success.www.WRITER11.00am – 12.30pm Part 1 (requires advanced preparation by participants)Don’t get left behind. Writer and web designer Cat Dean will guide participants through setting up their own writer’s website-with-blog. By the end of the day, each participant will have a simple, but fully functioning website-with-blog.The Marketplace12.30am – 14.30pm FREEInterested in the Scottish publishing scene? If so ‘The Marketplace’ is the place to be. This showcase will feature independent publishers and Scotland-based magazines that provide an outlet for new writers. Pick up the latest and the best new writing along with ideas on how to get started writing or where to place your work.Book to Film, Film to Book – Adaptations13:00-14:00An inside look at adaptation with author Helen FitzGerald, screenwriter Sergio Casci and film producer Claire Mundell. The session will also look at new developments and opportunities for writers.Is Blogging For You? – Blogging Your Way to Success13:00-14:00Whether it’s getting started or improving confidence in blogging newbies, experienced writer and blogger Cat Dean will provide practical tips on how to make the most of your blog.Writing For Graphic Novels13:00-14:00Rodge Glass discusses the process of writing a graphic novel: the challenges of collaboration between writer and artist, and gives tips and advice on making your graphic novel a success.Your Book Needs You14:30-16:00Novelist Sara Sheridan debunks the myths of book promotion and publicity and gives expert advice on how to use all the communications tools available to sell yourself effectively.What Are Publishers Looking For?14:30-16:00Nicola Morgan, author of 90 books, will share her knowledge of what makes agents and publishers say yes, giving you the best chance of success.www.WRITER14.30am – 16.00pm Part 2 (requires advanced preparation by participants)Second half of this web design workshop.The Making of a Bestseller - Christopher Brookmyre16:30-17:30 £15/£12Award-winning crime writer and author of 14 published novels, Christopher Brookmyre has plenty of experience to share with aspiring writers and interested readers.
- Feb 08, 12
Craig Lamont has designed another beautiful set of posters and flyers, incorporating last year's logo: - Feb 08, 12
- Dates of Event
- 9th March 2012 - 10th March 2012
- Last Booking Date for this Event
- 5th March 2012
- Places Available
- Description
- Write Now is an exciting new addition to Scotland's leading writing festival, Aye Write! Organised by creative writers at University of Strathclyde, Write Now offers attendees the chance to think seriously about writing and to develop new skills over 2 days of skills sessions and talks.Friday 9 March: Skills for Creative Writing 9.00am - 5.30pm Come along and learn how to improve your writing and market your work effectively in our series of workshops delivered by professional authors such as Sara Sheridan, Nicola Morgan and Helen Fitzgerald along with screenwriter, Sergio Casci. There is also a chance to learn from keynote speaker Christopher Brookmyre. Meet independent publishers and representatives from Scotland-based magazines at our lunchtime networking zone ‘The Marketplace’.Saturday 10th March: Critical Approaches to Creative Writing 9.00am – 6.00pm Researchers and writers will present their work in a critical context with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions at the end of each session. Participants will be able to listen to panellists such as Zoe Strachan, Ewan Morrison and Alan Bissett as well as to delegates who have responded successfully to the call for papers.Once you have registered for the 2 Day Pass/Skills Session Pass you will be sent an e-mail by our administrator which will contain the options available. You can then select your 11am and 2:30pm workshop choices. These will be allocated on a first come first served.Concession prices are available to Glasgow residents who are under 18, full-time students, unemployment benefit claimants, disabled people and those whose source of income is a DSS state retirement pension (evidence is required).Please subscribe to receive regular updates.
- Feb 03, 12
The 'juggling' bit isn't true, in the circus-y sense of the word 'juggling,' but she does juggle her own business, a family, teaching, and creative writing. Cat will be running a workshop at Write Now 2012 on Day 1 (the 'skills' day) which aims to help writers set up their own simple websites. You can read about it here: http://catdean.com/2012/02/create-a-writer’s-website-workshop-at-writenow2012/
Follow her on Twitter: @cat_dean
Subscribe to her blog: http://catdean.com
NB: She also makes fantastic brownies. I will miss eating them this year. - Jan 27, 12Doug Johnstone, novelist and Keith Wright Fellow at the University of Strathclyde, has organised another event in February for all word lovers; this one is free, too! Please come. Don't be put off by the unrepentant ugliness of the building. Jane Harris wil be speaking about her latest novel, 'Gillespie and I,' among other things.
5pm, Monday 13th February 2012
Room LT509, Livingstone Tower
26 Richmond Street, Glasgow
Free entry, refreshments provided
Jane Harris is a British writer of fiction and screenplays. Her latest
novel, Gillespie and I, was published to critical acclaim in the UK by
Faber and Faber on the 5th of May 2011. Her first novel The
Observations was shortlisted for The Orange Prize for Fiction 2007 and
has been published in over 20 territories worldwide. In France, The
Observations was shortlisted for the Prix du Premier Roman Etranger in
2009. In the USA, The Observations won the Book of the Month Club’s
First Fiction Prize in 2007.
Waterstone’s chose Jane as one of its 25 Authors for the Future and in
2007 she was also nominated for the British Book Awards Newcomer of
the Year and for the Southbank Show/Times Breakthrough Award. In 2011,
Richard and Judy chose The Observations as one of their 100 Books of
the Decade.
** You can follow her on Twitter; perhaps you will even work up the nerve to ask her why she calls herself @blablafishcakes, and why she spells 'blah' without the 'h'. - Jan 26, 12Doug Johnstone, novelist and Keith Wright fellow at the University of Strathclyde, has organised more author events over the next few months. These are free, well cool, and open the public. Coming up next:
Allan Guthrie
5pm, Monday 30th January 2012
Room LT509, Livingstone Tower
26 Richmond Street, Glasgow
Free entry, refreshments provided
Allan Guthrie is a crime novelist based in Edinburgh. He won the
Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year in 2007 for his debut, Two-Way
Split, and has been nominated for several awards, including an Edgar
in the US. He has published five novels and three novellas. In the
last year, he’s also sold over 50,000 copies of his self-published
ebooks.
Since October 2005, Allan has been a literary agent with Jenny Brown
Associates, where he has his own client list. In November 2011, he
launched his own publishing company, Blasted Heath, which is the first
digital-only publisher in Scotland, with plans to release around 30
new titles per year. At this event, Allan will be discussing his
various experiences within the publishing world, as well as reading
from his own work. - Jan 18, 12We've got a really varied lineup for the second day of the conference. The first panel, 'What Happens When Elephants Teach Zoology,' kicks off the day with discussion of a subject close to all of our/your hearts: what does teaching creative writing entail? Does it actually work? What would the perfect creative writing programme look like? Come with lots of questions and be prepared to spend a day thinking and talking about creative writing in all of its guises (even writing for/by comedians and/or aliens!). See below for more detailed information. Please remember to book by the 19th of January for your discounted place by calling 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours, or online using this link: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0
Write Now 2012 – Conference Day Programme
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Panel 1
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – Panel 2A or 2B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
12:45pm – Lunch
1:30pm – Panel 3A or 3B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
3:00pm – Break for tea and coffee
3:15pm – Panel 4A or 4B
3 papers (20mins each) plus 25mins at the end for Q & A discussion
Break to relocate to Main Hall
5 pm – Keynote Address Alan Bissett, Ewan Morrison & Zoë Strachan
Close 6pm
Panel 1 - What Happens when Elephants Teach Zoology?
Lesley Glaister - St Andrews University
Elizabeth Reeder - University of Glasgow
Zoë Strachan - University of Glasgow
On Process and Teaching within a Community of Writers
Elizabeth Reeder, Zoë Strachan and Lesley Glaister will discuss their creative processes and how they influence their teaching. How does individual creative practice influence the choices we make when teaching others? Do we practice what we preach? Is there a place for the mentor in the teaching of creative writing? And what might the ideal creative writing programme look like?
Panel 2A – Poetry and The Landscape
Jen Cooper - University of Aberdeen
Creating ‘Imaginary States of Nature’: The Uses of Free Verse in Contemporary Nature Poetry
Ken Cockburn
The Road North: A Journey Through Scotland and Poetry
Shane Strachan - University of Aberdeen
Flinty Souls: Narrating the North-East
Panel 2B – Fact, Fiction and History
Gill James - University of Salford
Uncovering history: three tools, three strands and three fact-fiction relationships used in writing an historical novel.
Sally O’Reilly - Brunel University
Myth and monolith: tackling the Shakespeare legend.
Ursula Hurley - University of Salford
Writing in the dark? Carrying a torch for ancient historical fiction.
Panel 3A – Teaching and Judging Creative Writing
Raymond Soltysek - University of Strathclyde
A Little often: changing the creative writing culture in secondary classrooms.
Dr. Maeve Tynan - University of Limerick
‘Mimicry is an act of imagination’: Strategic Imitation in the Creative Writing Classroom
Mary Aherne - University of Hull
The Booker Prize: Who are the winners and losers in a cultural field dominated by the marketplace?
Panel 3B – There’s Poetry in Everything (Even Aliens)
Mary McDonough - University of Strathclyde
Curation vs Creation: understanding and interpreting autobiographical material
Dorothy Alexander – Centre for Lifelong Learning
Adventures in technique: experiments in found – using restricted vocabularies to access creativity and cross media.
Russell Jones - Edinburgh University
Edwin Morgan and Science Fiction Poetry – Edwin Morgan: Scots Makar, respected academic, alien.
Panel 4A – Does Scotland Need Creative Writers?
Alicia Stubbersfield - Liverpool John Moores University
The Writer at Work: One Answer to the Question ‘What use is a degree in Creative Writing?’
Jacqueline Smith, Ron Butlin, Gerry Loose - Scottish Writers Centre
The Future of the Scottish Writers Centre
Panel 4B – Comics, Crime and more Comics
David Manderson – University of the West of Scotland
Lost Borders: A Paradigm Shift in Crime Fiction
Gordon Robertson
From the Dark Ages to the Renaissance - The New Wave of British Comics
Siân Bevan
Why So Serious? How Comedy Can Shape a Writer. - Jan 16, 12You only have until the 19th January to take advantage of the 'early bird' rates for Write Now.
2 Days £75 / £50 Student
Day 1 - Skills Day Only £60 / £40 Student
Day 2 - Conference Day Only £40 / £25 Student
Book your place by calling 0141 548 3511 during normal business hours, or online, using this linkhttp://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/browse/extra_info.asp?compid=1&catid=19&modid=2&prodid=113&deptid=157&prodvarid=0
For more information go to http://flavors.me/writenow#72f/twitter
Write Now 2012 (Mitchell Library, Glasgow 9-10 March)
Friday 9 March: Skills for Creative Writing 9.00am - 5.30pm
Come along and learn how to improve your writing and market your work effectively in our series of workshops delivered by professional authors. Meet independent publishers and representatives from Scotland-based magazines at our lunchtime networking zone ‘The Marketplace’.
Saturday 10th March: Critical Approaches to Creative Writing 9.00am – 6.00pm
Researchers and writers will present their work in a critical context with an opportunity for attendees to ask questions at the end of each session.
DAY 1 DRAFT PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Opening Panel
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – 1st SKILLS SESSION
12:30pm – Lunch
12:30 to 14:30 - The Marketplace and 13:15 to 14:15 – Performance pop up event
2:30 pm – 2nd SKILLS SESSION
4:00pm – Break for tea and coffee
4: 30pm – Keynote Address Christopher Brookmyre
Close 5:30pm
<http://flavors.me/writenow#72f/twitter>
DAY 2 DRAFT PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
9:00am – Registration
9:30am – Welcome and housekeeping
9: 40am – Panel Discussion
10:45am – Break for tea and coffee
11:00am – 1st panel sessions
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
12:45pm – Lunch
1:30 pm – 2nd panel sessions
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
3:15pm – Break for tea and coffee
3:30 pm – 3rd panel session
3 papers (20mins each) plus 30mins at the end for Q & A discussion
5 pm – Keynote Address Alan Bissett, Ewan Morrison & Zoë Strachan
Close 6pm
Skills Session Day – Friday 9 March
The Mechanics of Page Turning: Narrative Drive
11.00am – 12.30pm
Narrative drive is a vital element in getting your work published. Novelist Sara Sheridan provides key hints and tips to keep the pages turning.
Making the Pitch and not Striking Out
11:00-12:30 or 14:30-16:00
Novelist Helen FitzGerald and screenwriter Sergio Casci will look at the art of the verbal pitch.
Looking for an Agent? An Expert Guide to the Submissions Process
11:00-12:30
Now you’ve written – or are writing – your book, how will you get it accepted by an agent, publisher or editor? Nicola Morgan reveals the common traps for the unwary and offers tips for success.
www.WRITER
11.00am – 12.30pm Part 1 (requires advanced preparation by participants)
Don’t get left behind. Writer and web designer Cat Dean will guide participants through setting up their own writer’s website-with-blog. By the end of the day, each participant will have a simple, but fully functioning website-with-blog.
The Marketplace
12.30am – 14.30pm
Interested in the Scottish publishing scene? If so ‘The Marketplace’ is the place to be. This showcase will feature independent publishers and Scotland-based magazines that provide an outlet for new writers. Pick up the latest and the best new writing along with ideas on how to get started writing or where to place your work.
Day 2 speakers and speaker bios will be available shortly.
Any literary magazines, publishing houses, or small presses who would like to participate in our Marketplace or have their catalogues displayed, please contact Bryony Stocker (bryony.stocker@strath.ac.uk) for rates and information re: facilities. - Jan 11, 12
This is Zoë Strachan (see image above).
We are thrilled that she is going to be a panellist at Write Now 2012. So thrilled that I thought I would tell you a bit about her. I was even more thrilled to discover that she has a perfectly readable bio, and there is very little for me to actually DO, other than cut and paste. I was also happy that she has a really nice headshot, as I am not feeling up to the challenge of Photoshopping anyone today. In all seriousness, I am looking forward to hearing people ask her lots of questions about whether or not it is really possible to teach creative writing.
On a sort of unrelated note: I am looking forward to talking to her about the University of Iowa, where she had a fellowship at the International Writing Program. I studied Speech Pathology and Audiology across the river, on the science ghetto part of the campus, looking longingly at the English building, wishing I had been less responsible and just done writing instead.
If you'd like to see Zoë, you can still register and get the early bird conference discount by booking via the University of Strathclyde online shop: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/. Click on the Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty link.
_______________________________________
Zoë Strachan is the author of three novels: Ever Fallen in Love (Sandstone Press, July 2011), Spin Cycle and Negative Space (Picador). The latter won a Betty Trask Award and was shortlisted for the Saltire First Book of the Year Award. In 2003 The Independent on Sunday listed her in their top twenty novelists under 30, and the Scottish Review of Books selected her as one of their new generation of five young Scottish authors in 2011. Her short stories and essays have been included in numerous journals and anthologies, she contributes journalism to various newspapers and magazines and her work has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and Radio 3. She has received two writer’s bursaries from the Scottish Arts Council, a Hawthornden Fellowship and was UNESCO City of Literature writer-in-residence at the National Museum of Scotland. In 2008 she was awarded a Hermann Kesten Stipendium and spent time in Nuremberg, and in 2009 she received a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship which took her to France to write. In 2011 she undertook a British Council visiting fellowship at the International Writing Program of the University of Iowa. In recent years she has become more interested in interdisciplinary projects, for example collaborating on the exhibition and publication ‘I throw my prayers into the sky’ (Internationales Künstlerhaus Villa Concordia, Germany) with visual artists Laura Murray and David Sherry and writer Louise Welsh. Recent works for theatre are ‘Panic Patterns’ (with Louise Welsh, Citizen’s Theatre and BBC Radio Scotland) and ‘Old Girls’ (which opened the 2009/10 season of A Play, a Pie and a Pint at Oran Mor in Glasgow). Her short opera Sublimation (with composer Nick Fells) toured Scotland in May 2010 with Scottish Opera before going to Cape Town, South Africa in November 2010. She has taught on the Creative Writing Programme at the University of Glasgow since 2003 and is currently working on a major new opera project for Scottish Opera for 2012. You can find out more at www.zoestrachan.com<http://www.zoestrachan.com>
Zoë Strachan is an award-winning novelist who also writes plays, libretti, short stories and essays. She was born in Kilmarnock in 1975. In 2003 The Independent on Sunday listed her in their top twenty novelists under 30, and the Scottish Review of Books selected her as one of their new generation of five young Scottish authors in 2011. She has been awarded a Hawthornden Fellowship, the Hermann Kesten Stipendium and a Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship. Her latest novel is Ever Fallen in Love, has just been shortlisted for the Green Carnation Prize, and in autumn 2011 she was British Council Writer in Residence on the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. She teaches Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow.www.zoestrachan.com<http://www.zoestrachan.com/>
One more thing: you can follow her on Twitter. She says that she is a bit scared, so play nice. Her handle is: @zoestrachan - Jan 08, 12We've got a little promo for Write Now 2012 in the 'Scottish Review Of Books'. Here's a link to the SRB article: http://tinyurl.com/7k4yb7z
While you are at it, we'd recommend surfing around the fabulous SRB site, which is full to bursting of all things literary and cinematic, as well as podcasts. You can order a (beautiful) copy of the latest issue: http://tinyurl.com/7dvg4tw. How can you resist trying a Queegueg Crossword? (Seriously. There is actually a 'Queequeg Crossword'-- it seems so right and so wrong simultaneously that I can hardly stand it).
One more suggestion: we'd like folks to register as soon as possible on the Strathclyde University Webshop page, so that they can get the early bird discount for the conference (only available though 19/1/12): http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/ . Places can be booked through the Strathclyde shop until 1/3/12. Click on the 'Humanities and Social Sciences' tab on the first page, and this will take you into the booking system.
Online booking via the Aye,Write! website kicks off on 21/1/12. You will be able to book Write Now places, as well as get tickets for the smorgasbord of book-related goodies. - Feb 17, 12
Nicola Morgan is one of the authors who has agreed to run a workshop at Write Now 2012 on the 9th of March (the 'skills' day). If you aren't familiar with her work and her very direct way of telling writers like it is, have a look at this:
http://helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com/2011/12/crabbits-tips-for-writers-4-publishing.html
It is her fourth blog post on an aspect of publication (this time self-publication) in a series on her blog, 'Help I Need A Publisher'.
Have a look, then go sign up, people, for her workshop at Write Now on 9/3/12; see http://writenowglasgow.blogspot.com/2011/11/few-changes-to-write-now-conference.html for details.
Register here and enjoy an earl-bird discount before it flies away: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/ - Dec 14, 11
Our very own Rodge Glass has a new short story, 'Do All Things With Love,' in the latest Edinburgh Review. You can access the story http://edinburgh-review.com/. Rodge will be leading a workshop on graphic novels at the Write Now 2012 conference. He plans to "discuss the process of writing a graphic novel: the challenges of collaboration between writer and artist," and he'll give you "tips and advice on making your graphic novel a success". The cost of the workshop is £15/£12, and it runs from 13:00-14:00 at the Mitchell Library on 9/3/12 as part of the Aye, Write! Festival. Please see his graphic novel, 'Dougie's War,' the story of a soldier who returns from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. Dave Turbitt provided the stunning illustrations (see cover shot here). Please see http://www.dougieswar.com/ for further information and to order the novel.
(cover artwork by Dave Turbitt, courtesy of www.dougieswar.com)The cost of the workshop is £15/£12, and it runs from 13:00-14:00 at the Mitchell Library on 9/3/12 as part of the Aye, Write! Festival. To book an 'early bird discount' place at the conference, please go to: http://onlineshop.strath.ac.uk/ .Just select "Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty' from the 'Conferences and Events' list, then look for Write Now under the heading Research and Knowledge Exchange.Rodge's next novel, 'Bring Me The Head of Ryan Giggs,' will be published by Tindall Press on 7/4/12. If we are very lucky, ask nicely, and ply him with cookies, we may even get a bit of a preview.
