The Hurst
April 13-18
I’m teaching my first residential course at Arvon with the wonderful Lisa Harding.
Lisa and I have designed an advanced course focusing on character and voice.
You can check the course out here.
Delighted to be returning to West Cork Literature Festival this year. I’ll be running the course below.
This workshop will run from Wednesday 16 to Friday 18 July, from 9.30am to 2.30pm each day with two breaks built into the day.
Join award-winning novelist Paul McVeigh for a three-day novel writing workshop. Over the three days we will explore the elements needed to write a novel that hooks a reader; looking at how to create characters that capture us, the use of dialogue, how to master emotion on the page, the importance of plotting and how to make your setting more than a passive backdrop to your story.
You will also find out what every debut novelist needs to know about the industry and what do you do when you’re novel is finished. This is for writers at all levels; with talks, writing exercises and lots of Q&A time.
Max: 15 participants
Location:
Saint Finbarr’s Boys National School
Seskin, Bantry, Co. Cork
P75 NY51
Admission: €230
Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize
‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan
‘Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’. Jonathan Coe
Paul has written short stories to be read out on the radio, the stage and television, as well as, in print, for anthologies, literary journals, magazines and newspapers. He will share his knowledge on writing stories for all these platforms and give practical helpful advice of how to approach them, in terms of how you write and what you do with your story once it’s finished. The workshop is a mix of advice from Paul’s professional experience and the tips he was given by editors, producers and publishers.
Paul’s short stories have been in anthologies, journals and newspapers, and read on BBC and RTE Radio,as well as, Sky ARTS. His ten-part story series, The Circus, aired on BBC Radio 4. He co-founded London Short Story Festival and edited three anthologies. His collection, I hear You, is out March 2025.
Write Short Stories that Stand Out at The John Hewitt Society, Monday 24th, Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th July.
One of my few teaching gigs this year. Snap it up quick.
“In this course you will find out what competition judges and anthology & journal editors
look for in a short story. You will get tips on where to start the action and how to grab the reader’s attention, as well as opportunities for submission, how to 昀椀nd them and where you should be sending your stories.”
16TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE SHORT STORY IN ENGLISH
In this workshop, Paul will share what editors, first readers and judges look for in a short story. He will discuss how to get your story published, onto that shortlist and how to avoid the rejection pile. Paul will take you behind the scenes of anthologies, competitions and journals, explaining the psychology of the decision-making process and the importance of ‘That Killer First Page’. He will highlight the essential ingredients to create that crucial story opening. In a form and genre where every word counts, you will get tips on staying focused on your story and where to start the action; you will also get clues on when to stop. For the workshop, you write an opening and get feedback on that. We will look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.
Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize
‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan
‘Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’. Jonathan Coe
Thanks to Culture Ireland for there support.
What a day talking to these intelligent students discussing some of my short stories at Talen KU Leuven Kulak KU Leuven Kulak that the hour and a half class turned into two and a half hours – with two students following us to the front door with even more questions.
I’m in Belgium by invitation of EFACIS – European Federation of Associations and Centres of Irish Studies and sponsored by Culture Ireland.
11am-1pm, Thursday 21st July 2022
I will be running a Masterclass on Place at the first ever Being A Writer Festival, hosted by The Literary Consultancy. #BAWFest is all about writing well, and feeling well. I’d love you to come and join me, or you can buy a Festival Pass for access to all sessions: here.
3 Day Workshop: Short Story with Paul McVeigh
Thu, 2 June – Sat, 4 June 2022
09:00 – 12:30 IST
You can check out the website here and ticket link below.
‘Paul will share what first readers, editors and judges look for in a short story and discuss how to get your story published.
Paul will discuss how to get your story onto that shortlist and how to avoid the rejection pile. Paul will take you behind the scenes of anthologies, competitions and journals, explaining the psychology of the decision-making process and the importance of ‘That Killer First Page’. He will highlight the essential ingredients to create that crucial story opening. In a form and genre where every word counts, you will get tips on staying focused on your story and where to start the action; you will also get clues on when to stop. You will write an opening and get feedback on that. You will look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.
Paul McVeigh’s short stories have been read on BBC Radio 3, 4 & 5 and performed on Sky Arts TV. They have also appeared in many publications including Faber’s ‘Being Various: New Irish Short Stories’, ‘The Art of the Glimpse’, The Irish Times, The London Magazine and The Stinging Fly. ‘Hollow’ was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2017 and he was longlisted in 2021.’
His debut novel ‘The Good Son’ won The Polari First Novel Prize and his work has been translated into seven languages. He reviews for The Irish Times and the TLS.
Paul has edited the Southword Journal, the ‘Belfast Stories’ anthology from Doire Press (2019) and is the editor of ‘Queer Love’ and ‘The 32′, which includes new work from Roddy Doyle, Kevin Barry and Danielle McLaughlin.
He is associate director of Word Factory ‘the UK’s national organisation for excellence in the short story The Guardian and is co-founder and Director of the London Short Story Festival. Paul has judged many international literary competitions including The Dylan Thomas Prize, The Edge Hill Short Story Prize, The Sean O’Faolin Short Story Prize and currently the V. S. Pritchard Prize for the Royal Society of Literature. He is presently head of Literature for the Arts Council of NI.
This workshop has sold out in Adelaide, Armagh, Bath, Belfast, Brighton, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kuala Lumpur, Lancaster, Listowel, London, Melbourne, Salisbury, Singapore, Ubud and West Cork.’
You can listen to one of my stories on BBC Sounds for all of 2022 – ‘Daddy Christmas’
Short Story Workshop: Write Short Stories that Stand Out
In this course you will find out what competition judges, anthology and journal editors look for in a short story. You will get tips on where to start the action and how to grab the reader. You will also look at submission opportunities, how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.
This workshop will be hosted in the Marketplace Theatre, Armagh on the following dates. Your £66 fee covers all three workshop sessions.
The Good Son: Won The Polari Prize & The McCrea Literary Award
“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
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.
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
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.
And if you have a concession card, a one-year membership ($55) plus member-concession workshop ($135) will cost you only $190.Cancellation PolicyVenue:
Online
AustraliaContact
Phone: 90947895
Email:program@writersvictoria.org.au(link sends e-mail)Event Fee(s)
| Concession | $ 135.00 |
| Member | $ 155.00 |
| Non-member | $ 215.00 |
| Donation | $ 0.00 |
Paul McVeigh 