novel

Interviewing Bryan Washington

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 April 24, 2021, 12:30pm Cúirt International Festival of Literature

ONLINE (YOUTUBE) / PAY WHAT YOU CAN

“A thoughtful, witty and heartfelt debut novel, Bryan Washington’s Memorial explores the challenges of intimacy, hard-won vulnerability and building relationships while dealing with your own shit. Fans of Sally Rooney will enjoy Memorial, a story about relationships and what binds us together. When Mike finds out his estranged father is dying, he leaves to visit him in Japan just as his mother arrives to visit, leaving her in the incapable hands of his live-in boyfriend, Benson. He and Mitsuko become unconventional roommates, an absurd domestic situation that is at once moving and hilarious.”

“Bryan Washington is a writer from Houston. His fiction and essays have appeared in the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, the BBC, Vulture and The Paris Review. He is also a National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 winner, the recipient of an Ernest J. Gaines Award, a PEN/Robert W. Bingham prize finalist, a National Book Critics Circle John Leonard Prize finalist, the recipient of an O. Henry Award and the winner of the 2020 International Dylan Thomas Prize.

Bryan is joined in conversation by Paul McVeigh.”

‘A new vision for the 21st-century novel. It made me happy.’ Ocean Vuong

West Cork Workshops Half Price!

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I’m Teaching the Week-Long  Novel Writing Workshop 

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. 

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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

 

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

Keep Your Overheads Low

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“Q. What’s the most important lesson about money which your career in writing has taught you?
A. Keep your overheads low.”

This and other gems here…  in the Independent.ie 

Plus – come along to West Cork Literary Festival and take my novel course. You’ll also get to see amazing writers like… Roxane Gay, Cynan Jones, Eimear McBride & Paul Muldoon.

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“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

 

 

West Cork Literature Festival

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The first batch of world-famous West Cork Literary Festival writing workshops are now on sale. I’m honoured to say I’ll be teaching the novel week long workshops (July 13-17) alongside the incredible Paul Muldoon for poetry and Cynan Jones for short story. 

This year the festival will also host Anne Enright, Roxane Gay and Eimear McBride among many others.

The last time I was a West Cork it was wonderful and I met so many amazing writers and did events with Eoin McNamee, Glenn Patterson and Liz Nugent.

Here’s the blurb for my week-long novel course – click here for more info. 

“Over the five days you will look at how to grow your story idea into a novel that grips your reader from start to finish. You will look at that crucial opening that hooks the reader, how to keep the narrative momentum going through that difficult middle and lead to a satisfying ‘inevitable surprise’ of an ending. You will look at creating believable complex characters that stand out and stay with your reader, the many uses of dialogue and how to find your voice. You will explore world building, the importance of setting and how it can become another character in your story. If you are happy to you can share your work-in-progress and get constructive problem-solving focused feedback. The course will finish with advice on what every debut novelist needs to know, covering agents, building a readership and an online presence, making industry connections and a behind-the-scenes look at those coveted literary prizes.”

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Visiting Ardoyne Library

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I’ll be returning to Ardoyne Library during Book Week NI. This library was where I would hide from the streets of Ardoyne – the bullies and The Troubles. It’s where I indulged my love for books, as we had none in our house, and I don’t know what I would have done without it! Come along if you can.

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Teaching at Seamus Heaney HomePlace

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That Killer First Chapter with Paul McVeigh – July 6th

Have an idea for a novel and don’t know where to start? Have you finished your novel and want to make sure you get the attention of agents, editors and publishers? This course will help you write a gripping first chapter that avoids the rejection pile.

With lots of no-nonsense advice and practical exercises, this course sold out in London and internationally. Felicity Yap came to the class and her novel Yesterday sold for six figures just two weeks later.

Paul’s 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 de Roman Cezam in France. The novel was chosen for Brighton’s City Reads and given out around the UK as part of World Book Day. He has written for radio, stage, and television and regularly for The Irish Times. His writing has been translated into seven languages.

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“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

Teaching for Faber Academy

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I’m honoured to be teaching at the excellent Faber Academy from June. Here’s a little bit about the course…

“Wherever you are, whenever suits you, start your novel the right way with six months of structured learning and constructive feedback on your first 15,000 words

28 Weeks – Spend time on your novel, and get it done

Two-Week Sessions – Fit your writing around your other commitments

Small Group – Get to know your fellow writers and their novels

Virtual Classroom – A private space designed specifically for teaching and learning writing skills

One-to-one Feedback – Detailed personal critiques from our tutors, on Skype or over the phone

Regular, Frequent Peer Review – Honest responses from people you trust on your work-in-progress

Focus On Your Novel – No academic essays, no stylistic exercises, just your book

Application Process – To make sure you get the highest quality peer group

24-Hour Tech Support – So you never need to worry that you can’t log in

Find out more today:

Click here to find out what you can expect from your tutor;

Contact us to find out if it’s right for you.”

“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

Arts Council Funding

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I’m grateful to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for their continued support of my writing by awarding me a grant under their individual Artists Programme.

I’ve been lucky to have been helped by ACNI for a number of years now, including travel grants to Asia and Australia.

I’ll use the money to devote time to work on my second novel.

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