“It is a huge delight to be working with award-winning novelist and short story writer Paul McVeighas our inaugural writer-in-residence. At a time of such distance from each other, we wanted to be able of offer you the chance to work either one-to-one or in small groups with one of the most powerful voices in contemporary literature. With just a few places left, don’t miss his workshop on making abandoned ideas work on September 22nd. One-on-one slots are also available over the next few months.”
You can check out all the ways to get involved here.
Join us every week on Facebook for our Alliance Française Live Series, a short live performance by one of our collaborators and friends. These presentations include reading,theatre,drawing, music, cooking and more!
Irish writer Paul Mc Veigh will read, for the first time, his short story Hollow, which was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, and will appear in the upcoming The Art of the Glimpse – 100 Irish Short Stories selected by Sinead Gleason. Paul’s debut novel, The Good Son, won The Polari First Novel Prize and The McCrea Literary Award. His short stories have been in numerous anthologies, on BBC Radio, and Sky Arts. His work has been translated into seven languages.
Southword Editions are publishing an anthology of 12 short fictions by Irish authors reflecting the LGBTQI+ experience and seeks to go some way to redress the lack of acknowledgement of the community in Irish literary anthologies.
We have work from John Boyne, June Caldwell, Naoise Dolan, Emma Donoghue, Mary Dorcey, Neil Hegarty and Colm Toibín.
You can be included in the anthology. We are seeking four Irish authors from the LGBTQI+ community.
Guidelines: The piece should be a short story, maximum 5,000 words. The deadline is September 20th, 2020. Each chosen writer will receive 500 euros for their story upon publication.
I am the editor and am looking forward to reading you work. Enter here.
Today I recorded my first podcast interviewing Kit de Waal about her work especially her new short fiction collection ‘Supporting Cast’ for Birmingham Literature Festival.
Great to be working with Writers Victoria again. Although unable to visit Melbourne due to Covid, the course will still happen but will be online. One plus is you can be anywhere and join in!
ONLINE WORKSHOP:
Writing a Character Worth Reading About
How do you create a character that grabs the attention of agents, editors and the all-important book buyer? You will explore the concept that character is story and how to create a character that compels your reader to stay with them until the end of the book. You will look at using behaviour, dialogue, dreams, desires, psychology and relationship dynamics to reveal character, create authentic people and get your reader to emotionally invest in their fate.
Dates for this Course:
Friday 23 October 2020, 6pm-8pm (AEDT)
Saturday 24 October 2020, 6pm-8pm (AEDT)
Included in this course:
4 hours of information, education, industry insider advice, tricks and tips
Writing exercises to help hone your craft and reinforce your new skills
Interactive webinars with space for questions, clarifications, and skills extension
Personalised feedback from Paul on up-to-500 words
Learning outcomes
You will learn:
• How to create complex characters
• How to create authentic characters
• How to use dialogue to reveal character and further the plot
• How to emotionally engage the reader
• How to get, and keep, the attention of agents, editors and readers
Schedule for the Workshop:
Before the workshop, send 500 words to program@writersvictoria.org.au for Paul’s attention
Friday 23 October 2020, 6pm-8pm: First Webinar
Saturday 24 October 2020, 6pm-8pm: Second Webinar
Feedback from Paul returned to participants
About Paul McVeigh
Paul has written for radio, theatre and TV. His debut novel, The Good Son, won The Polari First Novel Prize and The McCrea Literary Award and was shortlisted for many others including The Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award and the Prix du Roman Cezam, in France. He judges international literary prizes and his work has been translated into seven languages. He teaches around the world in Australia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Spain and Singapore.
If you’re purchasing a full price workshop at $215, consider a full price one-year membership ($75) plus member-priced workshop ($155) will cost just $230 and give you discounts on all our services plus six free copies of ‘The Victorian Writer’ magazine.
I’m delighted that my short story, Hollow, will appear in The Art of the Glimpse, an anthology of 100 Irish short stories, edited by Sinead Gleeson and published by Head of Zeus. It features established and emerging voices and will be published in October 1st.
Hollow was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards a couple of years back.
There will be stories by Samuel Beckett, Sally Rooney, William Trevor, Kevin Barry, Edna O’Brien, Claire-Louise Bennett, Bernard McLaverty, Anne Enright, Eimear Bride and many more.
West Cork Literary Festival’s writing workshops are moving online and you can take at a workshop from the safety and comfort of your home. Thanks to the support of Cork County Council they can offer these workshops at 50% of their normal tuition fee. Course details and booking info.
Working-class stories are not always tales of the underprivileged and dispossessed.
Common People is a collection of essays, poems and memoir written in celebration, not apology: these are narratives rich in barbed humour, reflecting the depth and texture of working-class life, the joy and sorrow, the solidarity and the differences, the everyday wisdom and poetry of the woman at the bus stop, the waiter, the hairdresser.
Here, Kit de Waal brings together thirty-three established and emerging writers who invite you to experience the world through their eyes, their voices loud and clear as they reclaim and redefine what it means to be working class.
Features original pieces from Damian Barr, Malorie Blackman, Lisa Blower, Jill Dawson, Louise Doughty, Stuart Maconie, Chris McCrudden, Lisa McInerney, Paul McVeigh, Daljit Nagra, Dave O’Brien, Cathy Rentzenbrink, Anita Sethi, Tony Walsh, Alex Wheatle and more.
“The J G Farrell Fiction Award is for the best opening chapter of a novel-in-progress by a writer resident in Munster. The prize includes a place on the West Cork Literary Festival’s Novel with Paul McVeighworkshop (13 – 17 July) and accommodation in Bantry.
Applicants must submit the first chapter of their novel (max 3000 words) both via email and one printed copy (double-spaced and printed on one side of the page only) by Friday 15 May. Place your name and address on a separate sheet.
Send the print copy to J G Farrell Award, West Cork Literary Festival, 13 Glengarriff Road, Bantry, Co Cork; and email a copy to sara@westcorkmusic.ie with JG Farrell Award in the subject line. Entries will only be considered if submitted in both hard copy and by email. Only one entry per person, late entries will not be accepted and entries will not be returned.
The award will be adjudicated by Paul McVeigh. His debut novel, The GoodSon, won The Polari First Novel Prize and The McCrea Literary Award and was shortlisted for many others including the Prix du Roman Cezam in France. The Good Son was also Brighton’s City Reads 2016 and was given out around the UK for World Book Night 2017. His short stories have been read on BBC Radio 3, 4 & 5, published in many journals and anthologies including The Stinging Fly, and Faber’s Being Various: New Irish Short Stories, as well as appearing on Sky Arts. His work has been translated into seven languages.
Paul has edited the Southword Journal, the Belfast Stories anthology and The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Writers which includes new work from Kevin Barry, Roddy Doyle and Lisa McInerney. He has judged many literary prizes including The Edge Hill Short Story Prize and The International Dylan Thomas Prize. He has taught his writing courses around the world including in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.”
J G Farrell was born in Liverpool and died at the age of 44, when he was swept into the sea while fishing from rocks near his home in Kilcrohane, West Cork. His book Troubles won the Faber Prize in 1971, and in 2010 it won the Lost Man Booker Prize. The Siege of Krishnapur, about the Indian Mutiny of 1957, won the 1973 Booker Prize and in 2008 it was shortlisted for the Best of Booker public vote.
West Cork Literary Festival would like to thank Richard Farrell for his continued sponsorship of this award, now in its eleventh year.
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Paul McVeigh 