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Judging Word Factory Political Short Story Award

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Word Factory Political Short Story Award

In memory of Uschi Gatward 

Mentor: Jacob Ross
Judges: Sam Jordison, Amy Solis, Cathy Galvin, and Paul McVeigh
Submission window: 1 March – 31 May 23

[Writers are] there to help make sense of things, to keep notes, to bear witness, to offer a commentary and a critique, to add to the conversation, and to contribute to the permanent record.Uschi Gatward

In partnership with Writing our Legacy and Galley Beggar Press we are delighted to announce an important new mentorship to support a short story writer whose work demonstrates quality of writing with a strong political ethos. This apprenticeship has been created in memory of former Word Factory Apprentice Award winner Uschi Gatward, whose debut collection, English Magic, was published by Galley Beggar Press to critical acclaim in September 2021, the same month Uschi also received a diagnosis of cancer. Uschi’s spare writing style embraces an acute social and political awareness shaped by personal experience and observation. In her writing, and in her support of other writers, she is deeply missed.

Submission link coming soon.

J G Farrell Fiction Award Judge

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I’m judging J G Farrell Fiction Award this year – do you live in Munster?

“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 Good Son, 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.

J G Farrell

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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“The Good Son is a work of genius from a splendid writer.”
Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.”
Donal Ryan

Maria Edgeworth Festival

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The Maria Edgeworth Festival and society produce events celebrating the legacy of Maria Edgeworth – this is very exciting to me as I read Castle Rackrent at university. They also promote and celebrate the rich cultural and literary heritage of County Longford. This year is the 400th anniversary of the arrival of her family to Edgeworthstown. I’m delighted to be judging their short story competition (and giving out the prize at the fest), teaching a class and reading from my work.

Here’s my events…

11th May 2019

11.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. Short Story Workshop with Paul McVeigh (click to book)
Venue: The Old Schoolhouse, Edgeworthstown

8.00 p.m. Anniversary Celebration (click to book)
Venue: The Manor Church, Edgeworthstown
Poetry and Short Story Readings, featuring Nuala O’Connor and Paul McVeigh
Story & Song with Aidan O’Hara
Music and song with Eleanor Quaine and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.
Presentation of prizes to competition winners.
Refreshments served

Check out the rest of the events here…

“I devoured it in a day, but I’ve thought about it for many, many more. ”
Bailey’s Prize-winner Lisa McInerney
“A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.”
Donal Ryan

The Allingham Arts Festival

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The Allingham Arts Festival. Nov 7- 11, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

“The Allingham Arts Festival is a community arts festival which takes place in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, each November, in honour of the poet William Allingham.

This year’s events include a tribute to poet Francis Harvey, the Donegal Youth Orchestra, ‘Black 47’ + Q&A, a WWI Remembrance Day performance, Wild Atlantic Writers with Jessica Traynor, a social media workshop for writers with Paul Mc Veigh, and much more.”

I’ll be teaching a workshop on social media on Saturday morning and attending the literary lunch to give out the flash fiction prize I judged. Here’s the info on the class…

Author Paul McVeigh will lead a workshop on Social Media for Writers and Artists. The workshop will explore the ways that a creative individual can use social media to find work and to build an online presence as a writer. Paul’s blog for writers (http://paulmcveigh.blogspot.com), which posts submission opportunities for journals and competitions, gets 40,000 hits a month and has had over one million visitors.

Born in Belfast, Paul McVeigh began his award-winning writing career as a playwright before moving to London. He is the Co-Founder of London Short Story Festival, of which, he was the Director and Curator for 2014 & ’15. He is Associate Director at Word Factory, the UK’s premier short story salon.

The Good Son (2015) is his first novel and was shortlisted for The Guardian’s ‘Not The Booker’ Prize. He received The McCrea Literary Award in 2015 and the Polari Prize in 2016.

Paul McVeigh’s workshop will be held in the Abbey Centre on Saturday morning, 10 Nov at 10:00 am.

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