News from New Writing North: 27 January 2023
Join our team!
We are looking for a full-time Finance and Operations Assistant to join our small, busy team at New Writing North. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to develop finance and operations skills in the cultural sector, but it may also be the right opportunity for someone with experience. To find out more, visit our Vacancies page. Applications close Friday 3 February.
Join a vibrant online writing community
Ready to take your writing to a new level? We have teamed up with the industry-leading Professional Writing Academy to launch a new programme of online writing courses. On our courses you will explore the techniques used by leading contemporary writers, learn to critique work-in-progress, develop your own voice and hone your writing craft. You'll work with industry experts to master new skills and see how far your talent can take you.
Courses start in March 2023 and enrolment is now open for courses including life writing with Richard Benson, crime fiction with Marnie Riches and short stories with Susmita Bhattacharya, as well as CPD-accredited courses in screenwriting with John Yorke and writing for work with Piers Alder.
Thanks to funding from North of Tyne Combined Authority, we have limited bursary places for residents of Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
Explore our New Writing North Academy courses to find out more.
Hachette Children's Novel Award 2023
The Hachette Children’s Novel Award 2023 is open for entries! This Award is open until 10 March to unpublished manuscripts of middle-grade fiction and early teen fiction by debut authors based in the North. Two winning writers will receive a £3000 cash prize alongside a 9-month programme of mentoring opportunities with Hachette Children’s Group and a children’s publishing agent, through which they will receive professional development sessions in the areas of editorial and design, sales, marketing and rights.
This year’s judging panel is made up of author Rachel Faturoti; literary agent Lauren Gardner; Hachette Children’s Group’s Senior Commissioning Editor, Polly Lyall Grant; and New Writing North’s Senior Programme Manager, Will Mackie.
Find out more about the Hachette Children’s Novel Award 2023 and apply by Friday 10 March.
Inkubator: development programme for writers and songwriters interested in arts facilitation
If you’re a writer or songwriter aged 18+ and looking to develop your facilitation skills with children, young people and adults, apply to Inkubator. This four-month programme will provide individuals with the practical skills and knowledge they need to deliver sessions with people in schools and/or community settings. Through the Inkubator programme, participants will also be matched with a mentor who can provide more in-depth support around their practice and individual needs.
Thanks to funding from North of Tyne Combined Authority, some places on the programme are reserved for residents of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
Find out more about the Inkubator programme and apply by Monday 6 February.
Start Writing: workshops in libraries
This spring we’ll be hosting creative writing workshops in libraries across the North East, delivered by award-winning professional writers Laura Fish, David Mark, Carina Rodney and Matt Wesolowski. Over six weeks, you’ll have the opportunity to explore writing across forms and learn to access your creative side.
Each course costs £35 (plus booking fee). A limited number of free tickets are available to people for whom the cost is prohibitive. Please contact Margot Miltenberger margotmiltenberger@newwritingnorth.com for more information.
Our Newcastle City Library course is now fully booked, but you can still book for courses in Blyth, Prudhoe and Whitley Bay. Read more about each Start Writing workshop and book your place.
Young Creative Associates applications close 30 January
Do you have a new creative project you want to launch? Maybe you want to start thinking long-term about your freelance career? Perhaps you have ideas for expanding your own writing practice but are unsure where to start?
Young Creative Associates is a new 9-month development programme open anyone aged 18-30 living in the North of Tyne area. Participants will be supported to explore sustainable routes of self-employment and will develop knowledge of business basics, financial management, networking and project development skills. Find out more about the Young Creative Associates programme and apply by 12pm on Monday 30 January.
Northern Writers' Awards deadline 22 February
Calling all Northern writers! The first strand of the Northern Writers’ Awards 2023 close on 22 February. If you’re based in the North of England, you could be in with a chance of winning a range of prizes including mentoring, cash awards and access to the Northern Writers’ Awards Network. The Awards that are currently open until 22 February include:
Northern Writers’ Award for Poetry
Northern Debut Awards: Poetry
Northern Writers’ Awards for Fiction and Narrative Non-Fiction
Northern Debut Awards: Fiction, Narrative Non-Fiction and Young Adult
Sid Chaplin Award
The Finchale Award for Short Fiction
Northumbria University Student and Alumni Award
Young Northern Writers’ Awards
Matthew Hale Award
Brown Girls Write Poetry Showcase
On Wednesday we launched Sanctuary, an anthology of poems written by members of our Brown Girls Write group. The group performed their poems to a packed room, with the audience clicking their fingers each time a line resonated with them. It was a joyous evening to attend. We would like to thank each member of the group of their incredible performances and congratulate them on the launch of Sanctuary!
Brown Girls Write is a writing group for all women of colour aged 16+ who are interested in nurturing their creative writing skills or who want to give it a go. We meet on Wednesdays from 6-7pm at the Newcastle Deaf Centre, NE4 6EE. We encourage anyone who is interested in joining to sign up and be part of this supportive community of writers! Sign up to Brown Girls Write.
Read Them Your Writes
We had a fantastic night at our first Read Them Your Writes event earlier this month! Devised by our Creative Associate, Adam Sharp, Read Them Your Writes is an informal space for North-East writers at all stages to meet and share new work. Each month there will be a different line-up, as well as open-mic slots up for grabs on the night.
We are excited to announce that the February line-up includes Sam Szanto, Hesandi Jayasekara and Iain Rowan. Bring a friend, a piece of writing, or just come along and enjoy listening to brand new work from the North-East.
Our next event takes place on Thursday 16 February at the Tyneside Irish Centre, NE1 4SG, doors open at 7.45pm. Space is limited so we recommend booking your tickets in advance. Book tickets for Read Them Your Writes.
People, publishers and podcasts
Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light by Allison Davies is an uplifting play about one woman's journey to self-discovery, inspired by her own experience of being diagnosed with autism. It runs from Tuesday 31 January - Saturday 18 February at Alphabetti Theatre.
Out of Human Sight was recently released with Northodox Press. Written by Northern Writers’ Award winner Sophie Parkes, this historical mystery is a story of grief, family, and longing for home. The journey of a woman seeking a better life, through desperation, resilience, and a will to survive. Order a copy of Out of Human Sight.
Liverpool-based author Dee Benson’s new novel Glow Up, Lara Bloom will be published by Hot Key Books on 2 February. This YA novel follows Lara as she embarks on a project of empowerment and self-love. Written in diary form and inspired by seeing her own daughters grow up, this is an accessible story of friendship and learning to love yourself. Pre-order Glow Up, Lara Bloom.
Lisette Auton’s newest middle-grade book The Stickleback Catchers releases with Puffin on 9 February. It follows Mimi who adores her full-of-life gran. Then Gran starts forgetting things and cracks start appearing around their home. Together with some new friends, Mimi is determined to solve the mystery. Pre-order a copy of The Stickleback Catchers.
Talk to me about when we were perfect is Amanda Huggins first full-length poetry collection coming out in March from Victorina Press. This is the follow up to Huggins’ chapbook, The Collective Nouns for Birds, which won the Saboteur Award for Best Poetry Pamphlet in 2020. Pre-order a copy of talk to me about when we were perfect.
Gwylanfa Writing Retreat is a quiet space to write by yourself, or with writer friends, who want self-catering accommodation. The house is located in North Wales, on Anglesey and owned by writers who want to support the writing community. For all of 2023 the house is available almost free to the writing community, you just pay for electricity. Find out more about the Gwylanfa Writing Retreat.
Competitions, awards, and submission opportunities
PEN Presents is open for submissions from any language and region until 31 January. This opportunity is open to literary translators anywhere in the world, for proposals to create sample translations of previously untranslated works. Find out more about PEN Presents.
Sunspot Lit seeks fiction and nonfiction, including scripts and screenplays, from 29,001 to 49,000 words. Graphic novels should run between 51 and 100 pages. This call closes on 31 January. Enter the Sunspot Lit competition.
The Papatango New Writing Prize has opened for 2023. The UK’s biggest annual playwriting opportunity guarantees feedback; awards its winner £7000, production and royalties in association with London’s Bush Theatre in spring 2024. Apply by 5 February and find out more about the Papatango New Writing Prize.
The Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize for Writers of Fiction is open for entries. This year the prize is devoted to celebrating voices from underrepresented communities and invited writers to enter under one of their three themes: community, climate and crime fiction. Apply by 14 February, find out more about The Watson, Little x Indie Novella Prize.
Coast to Coast to Coast’s fifth poetry prize offers writers the chance to have a handmade, limited edition pamphlet of their work produced. Entries should consist of twelve pages of poetry, each comprising no more than 24 lines. Two winners will each receive a dozen copies of their pamphlet. Entry fee is £10, apply by 28 February. Find out more about the Coast to Coast to Coast prize.
Felicity Bryan Associates have launched FBA New Voices, a writer development programme looking for the best emerging underrepresented voices in fiction. The programme offers three spaces to unpublished and unagented writers who will be mentored over nine months by a published author and a literary agent. Find out more about FBA New Voices and apply by 26 March.
Hachette Children's Group are hosting a virtual open day for Northern, Scottish and Irish picture book writers and illustrators. Taking place on 8 June, the day will give participants the chance to engage with a publishing team and receive industry feedback and direction on their work. Submissions close on 30 March. Find out more about Hachette Children’s Group Picture Book Open Day.
The Paper Foundation are delighted to announce a call for participants for a two day symposium entitled Paper and Poetry: Invention Through Craft. The symposium, which will take place on the 22 and 23 September at The Paper Foundation, Cumbria. The deadline to apply is 31 March, find out more about Paper and Poetry.
Creative Future’s 2023 Writers’ Award is open for entries. The theme for this year is ‘X’ and your work should respond to the theme, implicitly or explicitly. The deadline for entries is 14 May and you can submit poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction. Find out more about the Creative Future Writers’ Award.
Freelance opportunities and jobs
The National Poetry Centre is looking to hire a Development Director. This is a significant opportunity to influence the successful establishment of the NPC in Leeds. The applicant will help drive forward the Centre’s development and establish partnerships. Applications close 30 January. Find out more about National Poetry Centre’s vacancy.
The Reader are looking for a Storybarn Creative Coordinator. The applicant will guide and inspire the Storybarn delivery team, take responsibility for consistent quality of delivery and ensure excellent customer experiences. Applications close 1 February. Find out more about The Reader’s vacancy.
Tees Women Poets are looking for a Communications and Marketing freelance/remote worker. The applicant should have experience with maintaining social media campaigns, good design skills, experience of Wordpress and be interested in poetry and spoken word. Applications close 3 February. Find out more about Tees Women Poets’ vacancy.
Beyond Caring are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Producer to join their team. This new play is touring the North East in October/November and includes themes of aging and identity. Applications close on 7 February. Find out more about Beyond Caring and apply for the Producer role.
Writing on the Wall are looking for a Project Worker to support their community based creative project work, with an emphasis on their Write to Work programme, which supports unemployed people develop their skills and confidence to get them back into education, training or work. Applications close on 9 February. Find out more about Writing on the Wall’s Project Worker role.
The Royal Exchange Theatre are looking for a Community Producer who will form more impactful relationships with communities across Greater Manchester. The postholder will be proactive in building, consulting with and engaging new audiences and participants in Local Exchange. Applications close 13 February. Find out more about Royal Exchange Theatre’s vacancy.
Manchester Literature Festival is seeking two new Trustees to join the Board of Directors and help lead one of the North’s most innovative literary festivals in its exciting next phase of development. The closing date for applications is 10 March. Find out more about Manchester Literature Festival’s trustee opportunity.
Workshops and events
Join Ruth Clarke and Ukrainian translator Nina Murry online for a free chat about the art of theatre translation. This is a free event which takes place on Zoom between 4-6pm on 1 February. Sign up for the Arts of Translation Masterclass.
Join Victoria Bennett, Catherine Simpson and The Bookshop Band on 2 February for an online launch of Bennett’s debut memoir of motherhood, loss and an apothecary garden All My Wild Mothers. All event attendees will have the chance to win a signed print of one of the book illustrations, gifted by the artist. Book tickets to the All My Wild Mothers launch.
HARK! The Sound of Stories brings you live music inspired by stories on 2 February. This special evening features music from some of the North East’s finest up-and-coming artists, with work inspired by Susannah Clarke, C. S. Lewis and Italio Calvino. Tickets cost £10. Book your place to HARK! The Sound of Stories.
Taught by industry experts and aimed at aspiring publishers, self-publishers and writers Get into Book Publishing’s courses will help you learn about the book trade and gain some practical skills. Over the next few months, they are running a range of interactive online courses. You can also claim a 10% discount using the code NWN23. Find out more about Get into Book Publishing’s courses.
If you’re looking to pen that story you’ve been meaning to tell, join playwright Lisa Carroll at The Mono Box for a 4-part online course that will take you through the fundamentals of writing for stage. You’ll cover voice, story, structure, character and dialogue through exercises and discussion. Workshops take place on Mondays from 6 February, online. Tickets cost £95. Book tickets for An Introduction to Playwrighting.
Learn to create memorable fictional people with the Writers’ HQ Characterisation Intensive. This four-week character development programme will help you find out what makes your characters tick, what they want, and how their actions will drive your story’s plot. Tickets cost £195 and the course starts on 6 February. Find out more about the Writers’ HQ Characterisation Intensive.
Join Northern Writers Studio online to explore what is so enduring about Fairy Tales on 7 February. In this session you will explore ways to take apart and rebuild the structure of a fairy tale to say something wicked and wonderous with author and poet Carmen Marcus. Tickets cost £20, book your place for Twisted Fairy Tales.
Based on the world-famous story by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Join the Little Prince as he leaves his tiny asteroid and beloved rose to journey through the universe, navigating the baffling world of adults in this award-winning family production by Luca Silvestrini at the Fire Station in Sunderland. Performances take place on 7 and 8 February. Book tickets for The Little Prince.
On 12 February the Winter Gardens Film Festival are sharing two short films inspired by Lancashire heritage. Join them for a screening of Granny and Flyte of Fancy followed by a Q&A with director Gillian Wood and writer Michelle Crane to find out how they use film to celebrate local history. The screening takes place at The Pavilion, Blackpool FY1 1HL. Book tickets for Granny and Flyte of Fancy.
Escape into imagined adventures with acclaimed children’s author Chloe Daykin at the beautiful Cake Stories, Jesmond. These workshops cost £26 for two fun and playful ‘wild writing’ sessions with a pot of tea/americano included. The event takes place on 16 February and 2 March. Book a place for Stories at Cake Stories.
Writers Elaine Cusack, Steve Drayton and Rob Walton invite you to join them on 16 February for their Valentine’s LOVE Special. It will be an event of boundless love at costal biblio treasure trove, the bound bookshop. The evening is packed with poems, prose and songs. Tickets cost £10. Book your place on this Valentine’s LOVE Special.
Hexham’s poetry and spoken word event Words on the Wall returns to the County Hotel on 18 February at 2.30pm, with headliners Dominic Berry, Gill Connors and Bob Beagrie, plus an open mic. Find out more about Words on the Wall.
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival invites you to join a day packed with new and exciting perspectives on comics. Bringing together leading academics, comic creators and comic advocates, the day will present new research and thinking on comics. Tickets cost £25 and takes place on 21 February at Manchester Museum. Book a place to the Comics Up Close conference.
Join The Portico Library in Manchester on 25 February for Writing your Working Class: a workshop plus networking. At this event you will explore how work you produce is informed by your identity and how you can use those stories authentically in your writing. Tickets cost £10 or a ‘pay what you can’ donation. Find out more about Writing your Working Class.
Set writing goals for the next six months in this practical one hour online workshop with Sarah Davy on 1 March. You’ll look at what you want to achieve, what you need to get there and plan those steps in a supportive, friendly environment. Suitable for any experience level working on a creative writing project. Tickets cost £10. Book your space for Writing Forward, a goal setting workshop.
Bay Tales Crime Fiction Festival is coming back to Whitley Bay on 4 March. The event comes on the back of the inaugural event and will feature local authors Ann Cleeves OBE and Trevor Wood alongside more than 15 of the UK’s bestselling crime and mystery writers. Day tickets cost £35, find the full Bay Tales programme and book tickets.
If you have news that you would like to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please contact lauralewis@newwritingnorth.com. The deadline for receipt of information for the next newsletter is 17 February 2023.
While every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this newsletter is correct at the time of going to press, things do change, frequently at the last minute and very often without our knowledge.
