Mslexia, the magazine for women who write | www.mslexia.co.uk
:: Look out for ::
South East
FictionFire
offers creative writing day courses, mentoring, critiquing and editorial advice with novelist and experienced writing tutor Lorna Fergusson. Inspiration in the beauty of historic Oxford. Courses include: Making Memorable Scenes (2 Oct) and Shape Up and Make Your Pitch (16 Oct).
£95
2 & 16 October.
- 07827 455723
- www.fictionfire.co.uk
Freelance Research Assistant
available for writers of magazines or novels, especially if they specialise in crime or historical fiction. Contact Fiona Johnston for more information.
- 01449 740 028.
- Click here to send email
Kateproof
offers a professional proofreading service from a qualified proofreader and editor.
- Contact Kate,
- 07779 851 779.
- Click here to send email
- www.kateproof.co.uk
North West
Creative Writing Workshop - Historical Fiction
with Margaret Murphy, who will talk about how to create historical characters, period and detail. Participants will be encouraged to write a short piece or story as a basis for entering the Flashback Fiction competition.
Forum Library, Manchester.
4 September, 1-4pm.
ROI
Workshops on the Abbey stage
explore voice using text from current and upcoming productions: Macbeth (8 May, 10am-1pm); The Plough and the Stars (4 Sep, 10am-1pm).
€40 for each workshop.
Abbey Theatre, Dublin.
London
Exiled Lit Cafe: Voices from Palestine
with Adania Shibli, Ehab Bessaiso, Mahmoud Darwish and Yuyutso Sharma.
£4 (£2 members).
Poetry Cafe, Betterton Street, London.
6 September, 7.30pm.
North West
Texting Obama: Politics/Poetics/Popular Culture
is an international conference and programme of cultural events.
Manchester Metropolitan University.
7-10 September.
South East
The Projection Room
is a new course for screenwriters, with an opportunity to develop an original feature idea from treatment, step outline and first draft. With structured writing exercises, group and individual feedback.
£400 (£300).
Lighthouse, 28 Kensington Street, Brighton.
8 September - 2 March 2011.
- 01273 647 197.
- www.lighthouse.org.uk
London
Tilt: Spoken Word at the Tipping Point
presents three spoken word shows with Francesca Martinez, Tim Clare, Robin Deacon, Laura Dockrill and Melanie Abrahams.
£4.50
Kings Place Festival, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London.
9 September, 7.30, 8.45 and 10pm.
- 020 7520 1490.
- www.kingsplace.co.uk
South East
Chiltern Writers Manuscript Evening
welcomes all to come and read their work in a welcoming atmosphere and receive positive feedback.
£3, free to members.
Wendover Library Room.
9 September, 8pm.
London
Fast Track Introduction to Playwriting
is a weekend workshop for beginners, introducing playwriting skills and theory through practical exercises, class activities and engaging discussion.
£290.
Toynbee Studios, London.
11-12 September.
Wales
Kaleidoscopic: Adaptations Festival
covers a range of platforms and media, to include film, television, radio, theatre, graphic design, literature and branding.
Glyndwr University, Wrexham and Wrexham Library.
9-11 September
- 01978 293 293.
- www.academi.org
South West
Scriptwriters Doo Dah
offers two courses for scriptwriters: The Basics Plus – write a brand new play for theatre (Ten Saturdays from 11 Sep, 10.30am-12.30pm); For writers with some experience (Ten Sundays, from 12 Sep, 10.30am-12.30pm).
£55 each.
Salisbury Arts Centre.
- Box Office 01722 321 744.
North East
Bare Knuckle Poetry Slam
features sixteen poets who will compete in pairs for the audience vote. Slam poetry, but not as we know it.
£4.
Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle upon Tyne.
13 September, 7.30pm.
Wales
Creative Writing Courses
at Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning include: Creative Writing at the Museum, Writing Cardiff, Scripting a Television Drama and many more. Open days are taking place: 11 September (11am-1.30pm) and 14 September (12-2pm, 5-7pm).
- See website for more information.
- www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn
Wales
On the Edge
features a rehearsed reading of Talking to Wordsworth by Gillian Clarke.
£4.
The Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.
15 September, 7.30pm.
- 01792 463 980.
- www.dylanthomas.com
North East
Events at Newcastle City Library
include: Dan Smith: Dry Season, first novel experience (25 Aug, 6-7.45pm); Diane Janes: The Pull of the Moon (1 Sep, 2-4pm); Literary Lunch: Women of Mystery (14 Sep, 12.30-2pm, £10); Matthew Crow & Guy Mankowski book launches (16 Sep, 6-7.45pm).
Newcastle City Library.
- 0191 277 4100.
- www.newcastle.gov.uk/libraries
Northern Ireland
British and Irish Contemporary Poetry Conference
features poetry readings with Ciaran Carson, Leontia Flynn, Michael Longley, Medbh McGuckian, Sinead Morrissey and Frank Ormsby.
Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast.
16 September, 6.30pm.
London
Ten - The Complete Works Showcase
with hosts Bernardine Evaristo and Daljit Nagra, and poets Roger Robinson, Denise Saul, Sen Seneviratne, Malika Booker, Mir Mahfuz Ali, Shazea Quraishi, Karen McCarthy, Rowyda Amin, Janet Kofi Tsekpo and Nick Makoha.
£7.
The Tabernacle, Powis Square, London.
17 September, 7pm.
Scotland
Auction of Pleasures
is a dinner and auction to raise funds for Glasgow Women’s Library’s refurbishment of their new home at the Mitchell Library.
£45 per person, £400 per table.
St Andrew’s in the Square, Glasgow.
17 September, 6-11pm.
- 0141 248 9969.
- www.womenslibrary.org.uk
West Midlands
That Awkward Age
with Roger McGough, and an evening of poems to amaze and delight.
£15 (£10).
Number 8 Community Arts Centre, Pershore.
17 September, 7.30pm.
London
Write Convincing Dialogue
is a creative writer’s afternoon run by Greenacre Writers. Meet fellow creative writers, work on creative writing exercises and share your work to receive supportive feedback and ideas in a friendly and stimulating environment.
£10 (£5 members).
Finchley, North London.
18 September, 2-5pm.
- 020 8346 9449 or 020 8343 7181.
- Click here to send email
Wales
Academi Literary Bus Tour
entitled Lynette Roberts in Llanybri, with Dr John Pikoulis.
£45 (£42).
Starts in Cardiff, with request-only pick-ups en-route along the M4.
18 September.
- 029 2047 2266.
- www.academi.org
West Midlands
Courses at Farncombe Estate
include: Novel Outline in a Weekend (14-16 May); Fiction Writing for Beginners (4 July); Write From Life (18 Sep); Faster Novel Writing Techniques (14 Nov).
Farncombe Estate, Broadway.
- 01386 854 100.
- www.farncombeestate.co.uk
Yorkshire
Brontë Festival of Women’s Writing
features events including: Kate Mosse (17 Spe, 8pm); An evening with the Poet Laureate: Carol Ann Duffy (18 Sep, 7.30pm).
Brontë Parsonage Museum, Haworth.
17-19 September.
- 01535 640 188.
- www.bronte.org.uk
Scotland
Where have I come from? Where are we going?
is a show that investigates how women learn to be women in a cross-artform show combining humour, spoken word, poetry and performance.
£7 (£5).
Studio, The Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow.
21 & 22 September, 9pm.
- 0141 565 1000.
- www.confab.org.uk
London
Reach for the Heights
is an exploration of what makes for Great Writing. The workshop with Brenda Cooper offers the chance to explore the principles behind the writing of famous authors, and show you how to apply these principles to your own writing.
£20.
The Literary Consultancy, London.
23 September, 2.30-5.30pm.
- Call or email to book a place.
- 020 7320 2570.
- Click here to send email
- www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk
North West
Writing from Art: Uncertainty in the City
is a new series of workshops hosted by Litfest in partnership with Storey Gallery.
£60 (£50).
The Poetry Bookcase, Storey, Lancaster.
23 September - 28 October, 7-9pm.
London
The Confident Creative Retreat
offers a hands-on workshop with Cat Bennett that will give participants a chance to explore the creative process using drawing as a tool to free the hand and mind
£299. £199 if booked by 31 July.
London.
25 & 26 September.
North East
Performance Poetry Workshop and Masterclass
with Poetry Jack, with the chance to write and workshop poetry, learn stagecraft and microphone skills.
£30.
Alington House, Durham.
25 September, 10am-4pm.
- 07768 072 850.
- Click here to send email
Yorkshire
The Feast of Sensory Delights Workshop
will show you how to make your writing connect with as many readers as possible based on the theories of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).
£30.
The Bowery, 54 Otley Road, Leeds.
25 September, 10am-2pm.
- 0113 224 2284.
- www.thebowery.org
London
Creative Writes
offers supportive, small, tailor-made and motivational creative writing workshops in beautiful surroundings. Includes short story, poetry, language games, character building & storytelling. Group & individual work. No feedback!
Muswell Hill, London.
Sunday afternoons: 4 Jul-1 Aug,2-4om, £75; Wednesday evenings: 15, 22, 29 Sep & 6, 13 Oct, £100; Weekend Intensive: 25 & 26 Sep , 2-6pm, £80.
- 07941 091 313.
- Click here to send email
- www.creativewrites.co.uk
North East
Eight Great Poets at the Morden Tower
with Claire Askew, Kathleen Kenny, Valerie Laws, Josephine Scott, Alistair Robinson, Colin Will, Mike Dillon and Kevin Cadwallender.
£4 (£3).
Morden Tower, Back Stowell Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.
26 September, 7.30pm.
South East
Tongues & Grooves
is a poetry and music club with events including an open mic by arrangement, and monthly creative writing workshops. With events including: Paul Birtill and Mike Loveday (25 Jul); Caroline Carver and Jenny Hamlett (26 Sep).
The Florence Arms, Florence Road, Southsea.
Last Sunday of every month.
London
Courses with the Met Film School
include: Part-time Filmmaking (21 Apr-13 Oct; 15 Sep-9 Mar, £4,000); Introduction to Writing for TV (15-16 May; 10-11 Jul, £300); From Story to Screen in Eight Weeks (24 May-16 Jul; 27 Sep-19 Nov, £4,000).
- 020 8280 9119.
- www.metfilmschool.co.uk
London
Courses with the Script Factory
include: Horror & Slasher (13 Jul); Truth and Fiction (15 Jul); Thriller (16 Jul); Film Script Reading (20 Sep); Television Drama Script Reading (28 Sep); Script Reading Training for Distributors (29 Sep). Brand new: Story Design (Sep); Radio Drama (Sep)
The Script Factory, Frith Street, London.
All 10am-5pm.
- 020 7851 4890.
- www.scriptfactory.co.uk
East
Gamlingay District and Writers Group
meets monthly and follows a themed programme. Welcomes new members of all ages and abilities.
Meets at members’ houses. Contact for directions.
- 01767 654 830
- www.gamlingaywriters.org.uk
East Midlands
The Speculators
is a group for writers of speculative fiction which meets to write, critique new writing and discuss the business of writing. Welcomes new members.
Friends Meeting House, Queens Road, Leicester.
Wednesdays, 7-9pm.
London
Winchmore Hill Writers
is a small, informal and friendly group that meets for creative development, mutual support and very good chocolate biscuits! Everyone welcome.
London N21.
Occasional Saturdays; also a reading group that meets Tuesday afternoons in term-time only.
- Contact Christine,
- 07905 209459.
- Click here to send email
London
Poets Anonymous
is a poetry evening with floor spots available.
£2 (£1).
Fairfield Hotel Bar, 1 Landsdowne Road, Croydon.
First Friday of the month, 8pm.
North East
The Philippa Pearce Memorial Lecture: In the Footsteps
with Michael Morpurgo. The event will include a book signing. Adults only.
Free, but please book.
Seven Stories, Newcastle upon Tyne.
30 September, 5pm.
- 0845 271 0777.
- www.sevenstories.org.uk
North West
Come Strut Your Stuff
is a long-running poetry and acoustic music event.
Free.
Egg Café, Newington, Liverpool.
First Monday of every month.
South West
NEW Word Central
is a friendly, informal new group who meet to read and discuss work and share information, contacts and news. Writers of all genres are welcome – just bring something to read.
£2 per session.
Centre for the Creative Industries, Exeter College, Victoria Yard, Off Queen Street, Exeter.
Second and fourth Thursday of the month (term time), 6pm-8pm.
- Contact Kath Murphy,
- 07758 868455
- Click here to send email
South West
Workshop for Writers – Working with Schools
is an opportunity for emerging writers to explore the Write Team approach and working with schools.
£25.
The Mission Theatre, Corn Street, Bath.
30 September, 10am-1pm.
- 01225 463 362.
- www.bathlitfest.org.uk
West Midlands
New City Playwrights
meets to discuss work and provide support, and is serious about work produced being staged.
Bantock House Museum, Wolverhampton.
Second Saturday of each month, 11am-1pm.
West Midlands
Worcester Writers’ Circle
is an enthusiastic group who enjoy writing for pleasure and publication.
Dancox House, St Clement’s Gardens, Worcester.
First and third Tuesday of each month, 7.30pm.
- 01905 424 327
- www.worcesterwriters.org.uk
West Midlands
You Don’t Have to Say
is Alan Beard’s second short story collection, that will be launched with a reading.
Free.
Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Birmingham.
30 September, 6.30pm.
- RSVP to Rikhi.
- Click here to send email
- www.tindalstreet.co.uk
North East
Writing Courses with Newcastle City Library
include: Nature Writing and the Environment (10 weekly sessions from 16 Sep); Songsville: Composers and Songwriters, their Lyrics and History (10 weekly sessions from 29 Sep); The Face of Literature (10 weekly sessions from 1 Oct).
City Library, Newcastle upon Tyne.
- Contact the tutor, Gordon Phillips, for more information.
- 0191 274 7803.
- Click here to send email
ROI
A New Way to Fly
is a novel writing workshop with Sean O’Reilly that runs for twenty weeks.
€1,500.
Dublin, Ireland.
1 October - 31 January.
- Email for more information.
- Click here to send email
- www.stingingfly.org
London
NAWE New Accredited Training in Coaching Skills for Writers
is aimed at experienced writers who work as tutors and facilitators who are looking to extend their range of opportunities for earning a living, and for those working in Further or Higher Education settings.
Free Word Centre, London.
January-May 2011 (Exact dates tbc). Deadline for applications, 4 October.
- Contact for more details.
- 07818 052 108.
- Click here to send email
North West
Events at Brewery Arts Centre
include: Open Mic Workshop (31 Jul, £4); Warehouse Open Mic (31 Jul, 7.30pm, £2); An evening with Flambard Press, with poets Andrew Forster, Jackie Litherland and Andy Croft (24 Sep, 7.30pm, £5); The Children’s Bookshow (29 Sep, 1.30pm, £3.50/£5 adults/teacher free); Brewery Books: Dr Chris Anderson presents Joseph O’Connor’s Star of the Sea (5 Oct, 7.45pm, £2.50).
Brewery Arts Centre, Highgate, Kendal.
- Box Office 01539 725 133.
- www.breweryarts.co.uk
London
Events with Spread the Word
include: Ten: The Complete Works Showcase, woth hosts Bernardine Evaristo and Daljit Nagra, who will launch the new Bloodaxe anthology by ten exceptional Black and Asian UK poets (The Tabernacle, 17 Sep, 7-8.30pm, £7); PenPals Slam, a networking and showcase event for young writers aged 18-30yrs (Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, 6 Oct, 6.30-9pm, £7).
- 020 7735 3111.
- www.spreadtheword.org.uk
North West
Courses with the Poetry School
include: The Ambitious Poem: work in progress with Annie Freud (Wordsworth Trust, Cumbria, 29 Sep, 10.30am-1pm, £20); The Power of Experience with Vicki Feaver (Wordsworth Trust, Cumbria, 21 Aug, 10.30am-4.30pm, £30); Transatlantic Poets: a reading course with John McAuliffe and Jeffrey Wainwright (Friends’ Meeting House, Manchester, from 7 Oct, £99).
South West
Events with Apples & Snakes
include: Gallery Sessions with Simon Mole, Phil Bowen, Nikky Norton and Lucy Lepchani (The Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple, 21 Sep, 8pm, £9.50, 01271 324 242); Forked compered by Cathy McCabe (B-Bar, Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, 23 Sep, 8pm, £5, 01752 242 021); Meter, an informal networking get-together (The Voodoo Lounge, Exeter Phoenix, Exeter, 9 Oct, 5pm, Free, 01752 242 016).
East Midlands
Everybody’s Reading
is a pioneering scheme to get every primary school child in Leicester reading. With opportunities to get involved and organise events, and small grants available to support the most exciting and creative event ideas.
Leicester.
2-10 October.
- Contact Damien Walter for more information.
- Click here to send email
- www.everybodysreading.wordpress.com
East Midlands
Theory and Practice in Contemporary Women’s Writing
is a networking event that will provide postgraduates working on contemporary women’s writing an opportunity to make new as well as foster established contacts and collaborations with other students in the field. Keynote speaker: Scarlett Thomas.
£30 before 31 August, £35 thereafter.
23 October. Registration deadline 11 October.
North East
Events at the Lit & Phil
include those with: Degna Stone, who will launch her chapbook with a reading (23 Sep, 7.30pm. £2); Sheree Mack, who will read from her chapbook (14 Oct, 7.30pm, £2).
Lit & Phil, Westgate Road, Newcastle.
- 0191 232 0192.
- www.litandphil.org.uk
North West
Author event
with Jane Eagland.
Free, but ticketed.
Blackburn Library.
14 October, 7pm.
- 01254 661 221.
- www.blackburn.gov.uk/libraries
London
10th Poetry Plus Festival
with readings and workshops.
£10 (£7.50) for the day, £2.50 for the workshops (spaces limited).
CVA Resource Centre, London Road, Croydon.
16 October, 10.30am-8pm.
South West
Writing workshops at New Brewery Arts
include: Write and be Published with Rona Laycock (23 Sep, 7-9pm, £79/£76); Creative Writing for Beginners with Rona Laycock (2 Oct, 1-4pm, £20); Writing for the Stage with Anne Lauppe (9 Oct, 2-4.30pm, £20); Poetry Surgery with Nigel McLoughlin (10 Oct, half-hourly slots from 10am, £23); Spirit of Place with Liz Carew (16 Oct, 2-4.15pm, £20).
New Brewery Arts, Cirencester.
- Box Office 01285 657 181.
- www.newbreweryarts.org.uk
Yorkshire
Maintaining Your Motivation to Write
is a novelist’s pre-Christmas treat, including an exploration of useful, realistic methods of kick-starting stalled projects.
£30.
The Bowery, Leeds.
16 October.
- 0113 224 2284.
- www.thebowery.org
North West
Historical Novel Society Conference
with panel discussions and talks with a number of top authors including: Harry Sidebottom, Doug Jackson, Ann Turnbull, Jean Fullerton, Orna Ross and Mary Sharratt.
Mecahnics’ Institute, Manchester.
17 October, 9am-5pm.
East
Events with Chorleywood Bookshop
include: Crime on a summer evening with Peter Robinson and Sophie Hannah (4 Aug, 7.30pm); Max Arthur will talk about his latest book (22 Sep); Bruce Fogle will talk about his latest book (19 Oct, 7.30pm).
Both at Chorleywood Memorial Hall.
- 01923 283 566.
- www.chorleywoodbookshop.co.uk
North East
Ten by Ten
is a monthly night of spoken word and poetry, where ten performers get ten minutes each to do their stuff.
£3.
The Cumberland Arms, Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne.
15 July, 23 September, 21 October, 8pm.
- Contact Jeff Price if you would like to perform,
- Click here to send email
- www.zebrapublishing.co.uk
London
Tell Me a Story: The Craft of Narrative
is a two-day workshop that offers the opportunity for fiction writers to roll up their sleeves and get to grips with the nuts and bolts of the storytellers craft.
£160
The Rugby Arms, 19 Great James Street, London.
9 & 23 October, 10.30am-4pm.
London
Write Wandsworth!
is a series of creative writing workshops delivered in partnership with Wandsworth Library and Heritage Service. Courses available include: Writing in the City with Sarah Butler (Tooting Library, 11 Sep, 10.30am-4pm, £15/£10); Gnovel Ideas – comics workshop with Ilya (Southfields Library, 2 Oct, 10.30am-4pm, £15/£10); Poetry with Anthony Joseph (Balham Library, 7 Oct, 10am-1pm, £10/£7); Family Writing Workshop with Steve Tasane (Earlsfield Library, 23 Oct, 10am-1pm, £10/£7); Writing for Young Readers with Jamila Gavin (Northcote Library, 6 Nov, 10am-4pm, £15/£10); Scriptwriting with London Playwrights Collective (Northcote Library, 22 Jan 2011, 10am-4pm, £15/£10); Short Stories with Courttia Newland (Putney Library, 12 Feb 2011, 10am-4pm, £30/£20).
- 020 7735 3111.
- www.spreadtheword.org.uk
Scotland
The Poetry Society Poetry Surgery
with Kona Macphee. Discuss your poems on a one-to-one basis.
£40 (£30 Poetry Society members).
Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh.
17 July; 30 October.
- Contact Paul McGrane to book a place.
- 020 7420 9881.
- Click here to send email
- www.poetrysociety.org.uk
South East
Goldenford Publishers
presents an ongoing programme of activities, including: Mapping Your Story (A Writers’ Workshop) (Parish Church Hall, Church Road, Leatherhead; 01372 456 778, 9 Oct, 2-5pm, £10/£8); Music and the Muse (Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford, 27 Oct, 2.45-4pm, £6/£5); Mapping Your Story (A Writers’ Workshop) (Guildford Institute, 30 Oct, 10am-2pm, £10/£8).
- Guildford Institute: 01483 562 142.
- www.goldenford.co.uk
Wales
BayLit: Shock of the New
is a festival that pushes the boundaries of literature in Cardiff Bay, focusing on new and emerging writers as well as innovative and original writing styles, publications, technologies and performances. Academi is keen for Cardiff writers, readers and residents to get involved. Contact Academi for more information.
Venues around Cardiff Bay.
25-30 October.
- 029 2047 2266.
- Click here to send email
- www.academi.org
London
Travel Writing Workshop
is a regular one-day event that offers expert guidance on writing and selling travel features from experienced travel writer and editor Peter Carty.
Central London.
London
Coffee House Poetry at the Troubadour
presents events including: Yvonne Gree, Lesley Saunders, Helen Ivory, Martin Figura, Agnieszka Studzinska, John Greening, Gale Burns and Kate Noakes (20 Sep); The Rialto celebrates 25 poetic years (4 Oct); Poems on the Underground (18 Oct); London Festival Fringe New Poetry Award wiht judges Adam O’Riordan, Tamar Yoseloff and Daljit Nagra alongside fifteen shortlisted first-collection poets (1 Nov).
Wales
Poetry on the Border
presents the finest poets in engaging, powerful and stimulating combinations. Featuring: A Celebration of Chris Torrance with Lee Harwood, Graham Hartill, Ric Hool and Phil Maillard (16 Jul); Gwyneth Lewis & Philip Gross (4 Sep); Menna Elfyn & Alice Oswald (2 Oct); Ruth Bidgood & Daljit Nagra (6 Nov).
£12 (£10) each.
Drill Hall, Lower Church Street, Chepstow, Monmouthshire.
All at 7.30pm.
London
Creativity, Dissidence and Women
is Nawal el Saadawi’s trademark course, but she will be teaching it in London for the first time.
Goldsmiths College, London.
19-21 November.
- Contact for more information.
- Click here to send email
- www.africanwritersabroad.org.uk
South West
Writing Workshops with Jane Reece
include: Get Started in Writing, a day of creative exercises and ideas to break through writers’ block (18 Sep); Life Writing (23 Oct); Writing Landscapes (27 Nov); Writing for Health and Well-being (4 Dec).
Bristol Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol.
ROI
Affordable Courses at the Irish Writers’ Centre
include those in a range of disciplines including poetry, the short story and novel writing.
€70 for one-day courses and €140 for weekend courses.
Irish Writers’ Centre, Dublin.
- +353 1 872 1302.
- www.writerscentre.ie



