Workshop

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

Free Writing Workshop in Cork

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Fear of the First Chapter

This a free workshop at Cork World Book Festival so grab your tickets quick…

Cork Central Library 3pm.

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“Paul McVeigh and Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin will discuss how to write a captivating first chapter that will get you noticed!

Paul McVeigh’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 Authors Club Best First Novel Award and the Prix du Roman Cezam. He was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at the Irish Book Awards in 2017. His stories will appear in 2019, in Kit de Waal’s Common People: An Anthology of Working Class Writers, Faber’s Being Various: New Irish Short Stories, on BBC Radio 4 and Sky Arts TV. He is associate director of Word Factory and he co-founded the London Short Story Festival. He writes for The Irish Times and his work has been translated into seven languages.

Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin is the founder of the award winning writing resources site, Writing.ie, and of The Inkwell Group publishing consultancy. She is Ireland’s leading literary scout and conceived and developed the National Emerging Writer Programme for Dublin City of Literature. She is the Chair of Irish PEN and the Irish and Eurozone Adviser to the international Alliance of Independent Authors. Writing crime as Sam Blake, the first of her trilogy Little Bones was published in 2016 and hit the bestseller list, spending 8 weeks in the Top 10 with 4 weeks at No. 1. In Deep Water, her second book, came out in 2017 and her third book, No Turning Back, hit the bestseller list in May 2018.”

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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Muldoon’s​ Picnic

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I spent the weekend at John O’Connor Writing School in Armagh. I taught a class on Saturday that was so packed I had to stand up to give a student my seat!

 

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Paul Muldoon and Horslips

 

I also appeared at one of the world famous Muldoon’s Picnic’s, curated and hosted by poet Paul Muldoon, poetry editor of the New Yorker. There was music by Horslips, poetry from Maureen Boyle, Mark Doty and Peter Fallon, and fiction from Lisa McInerney.

 

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Me reading from The Good Son

 

I really enjoyed listening to the poetry and Lisa’s extract from her WIP, which she debuted at the event I ran in Brooks Hotel recently, and it was phenomenal. I cannot wait to read it.

 

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Lisa McInerney

Horslips provided music throughout and called Lisa Lambe onto the stage and she was joined by Gareth Dunlop (they’d done a packed-out gig the night before). They were fantastic. Lisa and I became fast friends and fans and are sending each other our work.

 

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Lisa Lambe and Gareth Dunlop

I bumped into one of the smartest men in Ireland, Fintan O’Toole – we’ve met in Belfast and Cork before – and we’re both working on pieces about Brexit which he’s going to send to me because I missed his talk.

All-in-all a great time at the John O’Connor Writing School.

Check it out next year!

 

 

Teaching My First Class in Dublin

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DATE AND TIME

Sat 13 October 2018 10:30am – 4:30pm

LOCATION

Brooks Hotel, 62 Drury Street, Dublin

That Killer First Page

 

You’ll find out what competition judges and journal editors look for in a short story and how to avoid the rejection pile. You’ll write a short piece and get feedback on that crucial story opening. In a form where every word counts, get tips on staying focused on your story and where to start the action. You’ll also look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.

Focus:
How to get the attention of competition judges and editors
Writing fiction with emotional impact
Writing that killer first page
How to edit your story
Where to send your work

Paul McVeigh’s short fiction has been published in anthologies and journals inc. The Stinging Fly and Faber’s ‘Modern Irish Writing’. Stories have been commissioned by BBC Radio 3, 4 & 5 and Sky Arts TV. He was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year 2017 at the Irish Book Awards. His short story blog shares writing opportunities and advice and gets 40,000 hits a month and has had over 2 million views. He’s interviewed short story masters like Kevin Barry, Elizabeth McCracken and George Saunders for The Irish Times. Paul co-founded the London Short Story Festival and is Associate Director at Word Factory, the UK’s national centre for excellence in the short story. He is a reader and judge for national and international short story competitions including, in 2018, the Sean O’Faolain Prize, the Edge Hill Prize and the International Dylan Thomas Prize. He is also the current fiction editor at Southword Journal where he recently commissioned Kit de Waal and twice Booker shortlisted Deborah Levy.

This event sold out in Adelaide, Bali, Bath, Belfast, Cork, Galway, Kuala Lumpur, Lancaster, London, Melbourne & Singapore.

“I emerged from the sleepy hamlet of my writing infancy last Saturday and was sky-rocketed, hurricaned, tsunamied, autobahned and g-forced out of my head by Paul McVeigh’s “That Killer First Page” Masterclass at Waterstones, Piccadilly. He’s on top of his game, gives instinctive, constructive criticism and in a few short hours, had conveyed the essence of how to make a story compelling and unputdownable from the first few lines. Get on one of his courses if you can.”

Reviews for his short stories:
“Beautiful and very moving.” Booker shortlisted Alison Moore
“How moving and stunning that story is. It’s so raw and incredibly human.” Costa shortlisted Jess Richards
“(one of) Ireland’s most exciting and talented writers. Incredibly moving; poignant but utterly real, funny and beautifully observant.” BBC Radio 4
“Paul McVeigh’s story stands out. Funny, moving, poignant. Brilliant.” Metro Newspaper

Paul’s debut novel The Good Son’ won 2 awards and was shortlisted for a further 5.

‘A work of genius…’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Robert Olen Butler

“Both dancing and disquieting, complex and vivid, I devoured it in a day, but I’ve thought about it for many, many more.” Bailey Prize-winner Lisa McInerney The Glorious Heresies’

‘A triumph of storytelling. An absolute gem.’ Donal Ryan

PaulMcVeigh short story

Reading & Teaching at John o’Connor Writing School

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I’m delighted to be attending The John O’Connor Writing School and Literary Arts Programme on November 3. In the morning I’ll be teaching a fiction starter and in the evening I’m honoured to be sharing the stage with Paul Muldoon, poetry editor for the New Yorker, for one of his world famous literary picnics. See more info below.

Step Into Fiction Writing with Paul McVeigh

Venue: Milford House Collection, 3 Victoria Street.

Saturday 3rd November 10.00am–1.00pm.

‘Paul McVeigh lets us see the human condition through penetratingly fresh eyes. A splendid writer.’ – Pulitzer Prize- winner, Robert Olen Butler.

This class will focus on that crucial story opening, work on developing plot and character, with tips on how to keep the reader engaged.

You will discover what competition judges and journal editors look for and will have an opportunity to get advice and guidance on how best to promote and sell your work. Paul’s classes have sold out all over the UK, Melbourne, and Ireland.

And in the evening…

Muldoon’sPicnic–An ‘Omnium Gatherum’ of Words and Music

Venue: Charlemont Arms Hotel, 57-65 Upper English Street. £20/ £18 (concession).

‘A music-and-literature extravaganza’ – Time Out.
Join us for fun and frolics at Muldoon’s Picnic – making its way back to Armagh where it debuted for the first time outside of New York, in 2016.

How would you describe a poet with a house band and a selection of guest artists from the worlds of literature and music?

Paul Muldoon calls it an ‘omnium-gatherum’ – a variety show. It’s about songs, poems, stories – and fun. Join Paul and his guests for an unforgettable evening’s entertainment. Guests include fiction writers Lisa McInerney and Paul McVeigh, poets Mark Doty, Maureen Boyle and Peter Fallon; with music from Horslips.

Paul Muldoon has won numerous awards, most recently the 2017 Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, and The Seamus Heaney Award for Arts and Letters. Born in Co. Armagh, he now lives in New York City. Muldoon is the author of twelve major collections of poetry.

Horslips are the Irish Rock legends regarded as the founding fathers of ‘Celtic Rock’. They formed in 1970 and ‘retired’ in 1980! Never! ‘As for The Táin, it most definitely, saved my life. Epic stuff. Literally.’ – John Kelly, RTE.

Peter Fallon is a prize-winning Irish poet, member of Aosdána, and publisher of The Gallery Press. He possesses a unique and unparalleled track record as an editor and assembler of books.

Lisa McInerney’s The Glorious Heresies, won the 2016 Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her second novel, The Blood Miracles, won the 2018 RSL Encore Award. ‘A preposterously gifted writer’ – The New Statesman.

Paul McVeigh’s The Good Son won The Polari First Novel Prize and The McCrea Literary Award. His short story ‘Hollow’ was shortlisted for Irish Short Story of the Year at theIrish Book Awards 2017.

Mark Doty is a renowned author of poetry and prose. He is currently at work on a memoir that centers on his poetic relationship with Walt Whitman, entitled What Is the Grass?

Maureen Boyle’s debut poetry collection, The Work of a Winter, is published by Arlen House Press.

4 Nov, Teaching at Seamus Heaney Homeplace

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Step Into Writing That Short Story

In this all-day short story workshop you’ll find out how to write that crucial opening and understand why it’s essential to the success of your story. After many examples, discussions and exercises, you’ll write an opening and get tips on staying focused on your story and how to make your sentences work for you on multiple levels.

You will also find out what competition judges and journal editors look for in a short story and how to avoid the rejection pile when you send your work out. You’ll also look at submission opportunities; how to find them and where you should be sending your stories.

The course is led by Paul McVeigh, co-founder of London Short Story Festival and Associate Director at Word Factory. He is the judge of national and international short story competitions including, this year, the International Dylan Thomas Prize, the Seán Ó Faoláin International Short Story Prize and the Edge Hill Prize. He is the current fiction editor of Southword Literary Journal.

This class is open to writers of all levels and experience.

Workshop 15 Sunday 4 November 2018, 11:00am-5pm

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PaulMcVeigh short story

Online: Advanced Short Story Clinic

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Online: Advanced Short Story Clinic

As I put together Southword Literary Journal and begin judging the shortlist for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, my first ever online course goes live, run by the wonderful Writers Centre Victoria in Melbourne. Having completed 5 sold out events for them over the last couple of years we’ve decided to collaborate and create this online feedback-based course. Have a look.

Dates: 01 August 2018 – 11:59 to  07 November 2018 – 11:59

With: Paul McVeigh

Rating: Established

 

Receive direct feedback from your tutor and fellow course participants with this email correspondence course for advanced short story writers.

 

Develop your stories over four months. Whether you’re an experienced writer working towards the completion of a manuscript or looking to maintain momentum and sharpen your writing skills, this clinic provides specific feedback for the refinement of your own voice and style.

 

Participants must have had a short story published OR have already participated in a Writers Victoria Advanced Short Story Clinic to enrol in this course.

 

Stories of up to 1,500 words due Wednesdays 1 August, 5 September, 10 October and 7 November

About Paul McVeigh

Paul McVeigh’s short fiction has been published in journals and anthologies and been commissioned by BBC Radio 4. He has read his work for BBC Radio and at many international festivals. His award-winning debut novel ‘The Good Son’ was published by Salt Publishing in 2015. Paul is Director of the London Short Story Festival and Associate Director at Word Factory, the UK’s national organisation for excellence in the short story. He is also a judge for international short story competitions and prizes and his work has been translated into seven languages.

Cancellation Policy

 

Event Fee(s)

Registration fee
Member $ 290.00
Concession Member $ 270.00
Non-Member $ 320.00
Donation $ 1.00

Make a booking

Winner of The Polari Prize & The McCrea Literary Award
&
‘Hollow” Shortlisted for Short Story of the Year at Irish Book Awards 2017
“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

Interview in Greek Newspaper

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Μια Passionate About Writing συνέντευξη με τον Paul McVeigh

There’s an interview with me in a Greek newspaper ‘Athens Voice’ ahead of my International Creative Writing Summer School in Athens in June.

If you can read Greek I’d love to know how it sounds.

Here’s the course…

Flash Fiction with Paul McVeigh
4–8 June 2018

  • Designed for aspiring and accomplished writers alike who want to enhance their skills for writing flash fiction and short fiction
  • Participants will explore and discuss flash fiction and micro literature from a variety of authors and consider their sources of inspiration, and will also have the opportunity to experiment with voice and style
  • Workshops will centre on exercises, constructive feedback, experimentation and discussion in a supportive and friendly atmosphere
Cork World Book Festival

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Winner of The Polari Prize & The McCrea Literary Award
“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

Join Me in Athens for Flash Fiction Course

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Athens – Flash Fiction with Paul McVeigh  4–8 June 2018

  • Designed for aspiring and accomplished writers alike who want to enhance their skills for writing flash fiction and short fiction
  • Participants will explore and discuss flash fiction and micro literature from a variety of authors and consider their sources of inspiration, and will also have the opportunity to experiment with voice and style
  • Workshops will centre on exercises, constructive feedback, experimentation and discussion in a supportive and friendly atmosphere

In partnership with the Kingston Writing School and Kingston University & The British Council is pleased to announce the courses that comprise our sixth annual International Creative Writing Summer School in Athens and Thessaloniki.

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The Summer School provides opportunities for writers from across the world to develop their critical and analytical skills, enhance their writing abilities, and work intensely in an inspiring and creative workshop environment with experienced writers associated with the Kingston Writing School, Kingston University, London. Among the writers and professors who have taught at the Summer School in the past are: Ed Docx, Ahren Warner, Ann Fischer Wirth, Norma Clarke, Rachel Cusk, Adam Baron, Aimee Parkinson, KJ Orr and Maurice Walsh.

This year, the Summer School offers students the opportunity to enhance their writing skills through writing fiction, flash fiction and/or poetry, and to extend their knowledge of publishing, editing and writing for the web under the supervision and guidance of highly accomplished writers and academics.

Students can choose from seven one-week courses in Athens and a one-week course in Thessaloniki. Workshops in each course will be scheduled from Monday to Friday between 18.30 and 21.00, with extra-curricular activities such as readings and tutorials taking place throughout the week.

Courses will be held in English and are suitable for writers at all levels. See here for dates and course details.