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Opportunities

Free Workshop on Writing Fiction For Young People with Spread The Word and Elle McNicholl

Spread the Word is delighted that as part of their continuing create-write-connect campaign offering free writing activities during these unprecedented times, Elle McNicholl will be running a FREE course all about writing for children and young people. In this course, you will learn about Elle's approach to writing award winning fiction for children, that is also inclusive of their teachers, parents and the wider literary world. This writing course will be delivered via e-mail using Mailchimp. You’ll receive five emails on the following dates: Thursday 27 May (introduction and guidance), Thursday 3 June, Thursday 10 June, Thursday 17 June and Thursday 24 June. Sign up by clicking on this post!

‘Apart Together’ Digital Poetry Workshops with The Poetry Business

‘Apart Together’ is The Poetry Business’ digital writer development programme, featuring virtual workshops, Digital Poets-in-Residence, audio & blog content, eBooks and writing exercises. Booking now open for April - July digital workshops.

Word Online: Free Tour of Diverse Voices in South West Libraries

Literature Works is partnering with South West Library services to launch Word Online - an exciting programme of virtual events in celebration of the work of diverse authors including Black, Asian and minority ethnic, disabled, and LGBT+ writers. Throughout this tour they want to highlight the power that literature can have in affecting positive change by connecting authors from richly diverse backgrounds with new audiences in the South West. They will be showcasing the work of disabled authors, writers from LGBT+ communities, and other voices from under-represented groups to broaden shared experience and celebrate the richness of the current literary scene. World Online also intend this programme to provoke, develop and challenge readers to confront head-on the issues raised by the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement by exploring the lived experience of Black, Asian and minority people living in Britain today. The tour will run fortnightly from 15th April – 28th October 2021 from 6 -7 pm. All events will be live -streamed for free via Crowdcast – an online broadcasting platform and are open to everyone. Find out more by clicking on this post!

Writing for Wellbeing and Self Awareness Workshops

Read Write Express offers workshops for adults who wish to explore writing as a means of improving wellbeing, gaining confidence and moving forward with life. Upcoming online workshops in March and April explore 'growing' and 'roles'. The workshops provide a nurturing and supportive space to experience different writing and other fun, releasing and relaxing exercises to help participants stimulate their creativity and encourage self-awareness. Writing experience is not essential, just a willingness to join in and give it a go.Writing is optionally shared with the group and participants are encouraged to respond from their own experience of hearing it as opposed to offering a critique. This is the difference between writing for self development and creative writing for literary development. Writing and voicing writing in this way can be therapeutic but these workshops are not group therapy and participants need to be aware of this when choosing what to write or share. With new workshops added every month, click on this post to find out more.

Calling All Witty Women Writers – Win a Book Deal with Harper Collins or a Free MA

Entries are now Open for published and unpublished novels - Comedy Women in Print 2021. Comedy Women In Print is the brainchild of comedian, author, actress Helen Lederer. Its aim is to recognise, celebrate and encourage witty women authors. The Published Winner gets a massive amount of love from clever, celebrity judges and a stonking cash prize from ALCS. The Unpublished Winners are now published by Harper Collins and received an advance and huge attention. The Unpublished runner uppers' won a place on an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire and an MA in Comedy at Falmouth University. Submission window is April 12th – May 28th. Apply by clicking on this post!

Royal Literary Fund’s Grants for Writers

Sometimes bad things happen to good writers. That's where the Royal Literary Fund comes in. From illness to bereavement, from credit card debt to work drying up, we all go through hard times. Especially now. If you are a commercially published writer struggling with financial difficulties, the Royal Literary Fund could help. Established in 1790, they've helped some of the best-known names in the business during times of hardship, among them novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters and translators. To be eligible, you need to have had 2 works published (or scripts/ plays performed) commercially. Whether it’s money or personal problems that are preventing you from writing, our panel will review your case in confidence to see if we can offer financial support. Get in touch today by clicking on this post or emailing help@rlf.org.uk

Amnesty’s Poetry for Social Justice

Reading Amnesty Group is inviting entries to their UK-wide poetry competition, on the theme Social Justice: Human Rights. There is one competition for 16-17 year olds, one for age 18 and over.Prizes include: A course of up to 4 weeks from The Oxford School of Poetry A course to an agreed value from The Poetry School A Rob Ryan printNo set entry fee, donations to Amnesty International UK are welcome. Click this post to learn more. Deadline: Fri 23 Apr 2021

The White Review Short Story Prize 2021

The White Review Short Story Prize is an annual short story competition for emerging writers. The prize awards £2,500 to the best piece of short fiction by a writer resident in Britain & Ireland who has yet to secure a publishing deal, and it is supported by the RCW Literary Agency.We encourage submissions from all literary genres, and there are no restrictions on theme or subject matter. We are looking for short stories that explore and expand the possibilities of the form.Previous winners are Claire-Louise Bennett, Ruby Cowling, Owen Booth, Sophie Mackintosh, Nicole Flattery, Julia Armfield, Vanessa Onwuemezi and Elizabeth O’Connor. They have gone on to secure publishing deals with Hamish Hamilton, Picador, Fitzcarraldo Editions, Fourth Estate, Bloomsbury, Boiler House Books and The Stinging Fly. Deadline: Mon 26 Apr 2021

Introducing the Royal Society of Literature’s new Digital Events Pack

RSL are proud to introduce their digital events pack, granting you access to all of their online events for just £25 a year – working out as less than £1 per event. Be part of events and conversations between writers from home, and enjoy a literary festival all year round from wherever you are. Buy your pass now to book for the recently announced Literature Matters: RSL 200 event with Neil Gaiman and Marlon James.

The Write & Shine Spring Season is now live!

From March to May, you can enjoy morning writing workshops, retreats and events taking inspiration from spring’s clear light, rain showers and a sense of the world growing, blossoming and unfurling around us. The programme has an overall theme of ‘Light’ and offers a vibrant set of events including workshops on swans, street lamps and discos. This season Write & Shine welcomes poet Anna Selby as a guest tutor for a writing workshop called 'Moon Garden.' Write inspired by the liminal place of night with moon gardens, nocturnal flowers and the world which awakes as we sleep. (27 April, 7.15-9am) Their illustration this season is by designer Songyee Kim who created this wonderful light-filled artwork. Find out more by clicking on this post!

Writing Through Movement workshop with TLC

On the 22nd of April, our friends at The Literary Consultancy will be running a special WRITING THROUGH MOVEMENT workshop, hosted by author Sally-Anne Lomas and Sam Ruddock of Story Machines. No rules and no pressure, this workshop is an exploration of writing and creativity through breath, posture, and movement.It’s wheelchair friendly, requires no previous dance experience and is a no fuss, light-hearted environment for flexing those creative muscles and having fun while you do it.Get out of your head and into your body. Click through to find out more.

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize 2021

The Desperate Literature Short Fiction Prize is for original, unpublished short fiction up to 2,000 words. The aim of the Prize is both to celebrate the best of new short fiction and to give winners the most visibility possible for their writing. That’s why they've teamed up with fourteen different literary and artistic institutions to offer not only a £1,500 cash prize and writing retreats but to ensure that all of their shortlisters have the opportunity to be published in multiple print and online journals, have their work put in front of literary agents and perform in multiple countries.This year Desperate Literature have added more to the kitty: an increased winners package, a second residency, a spot at the Georgia literary festival and more sponsored entries. You’ll also still get published in a limited edition book collecting the shortlisted pieces. Deadline: 15th April

TogetherintheUK’s Migrant Creative Writing Competition: Now Open!

Entries are now being accepted for TGIUK's free migrant writing competition, Entrants are asked to write about journeys or migrations in any literary form they like. Their aim in running the competition is to provide a platform for people to share their stories and insights, to encourage creativity and to help find the next generation of brilliant migrant writers. There are two categories: under and over 18s. There are all kinds of prizes to be won, including a place on Migrant Voice's media training, an iPhone, a scooter, vouchers - basically, there's a lot up for grabs! Deadline: April 30th.