writing masterclass

That Killer First Page at Birmingham Lit Fest

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That Killer First Page – with Paul McVeigh

8th October, 10am-12noon, The Exchange.

“Short stories are where a lot of writers start, and short story competitions are enormously valuable to an emerging writer.

You’ll find out what competition judges and journal editors look for in a short story and how to avoid the rejection pile. 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.

Paul McVeigh is co-founder of London Short Story Festival and Associate Director at Word Factory. He’s been a reader and judge for national and international literary competitions and prizes. He had also edited four anthologies and reviews for the Irish Times and the TLS.”

Book here.

You can still listen to my short story ‘Dady Christmas’ on BBC Radio 4 here.

The Good Son 3rd Editon
You can buy here

Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize

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

‘Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’. Jonathan Coe

Come to my Spanish Writing Retreat

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Getting your writing to the next level with Paul McVeigh

Come spend a week in Spain with me – 29 Oct – 4 Nov 2022 at the beautiful Casa Ana in the Andalucian mountains.

Here’s the blurb…

“Paul will bring his 30 years of experience as an award-winning writer, tutor, editor and competition judge to helping you raise your writing to the next level. He’ll lead group sessions each morning, dissecting texts to illustrate how to write compelling fiction, exploring techniques to better equip your writers’ toolbox, and helping you develop your writing voice. The afternoons are free for you to put new insights into practice in your writing and Paul will also offer a one-to-one session where you can discuss your writing and/or the industry. To round off the retreat there’ll be an evening where you can read your work in a supportive atmosphere, in the company of the other writers.”

Your retreat at Casa Ana

  • You’ll have the luxury of a week or two working uninterruptedly on your writing
  • Inspiring mountain surroundings, quiet corners on the terrace, Spanish sunshine
  • Your own room and writing table
  • The company of other writers, from many countries
  • Opportunities to read from your work in the supportive atmosphere of the group
  • One-to-one sessions are available with the resident mentor
  • You don’t have to cook! The Casa Ana chef prepares sumptuous meals. Full board is included in the price.
  • We make it easy for you to travel to Casa Ana with a minibus from Malaga or a taxi from Granada airport

If you’re interested please head over to the Casa Ana website…

The Good Son 3rd Editon
You can buy here

Winner of The Polari First Novel Prize

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

‘Raw, funny and endlessly entertaining’. Jonathan Coe

27 Mar, Mairtín Crawford Award: Preparing Short Stories For Submission (Online)

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Date Saturday 27 March 2021

Time 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Price Free. Book NowMairtín Crawford Award: Preparing Short Stories for Submission

workshop

Join 2021 Short Story Judges Lucy Caldwell and Paul McVeigh in a lively conversation about submitting your work to Awards. Lucy and Paul will speak about their own experience of Awards – as writers and judges; the specificities of the Mairtín Crawford Award and practical approaches to assembling and presenting work for Submission. 

Lucy and Paul will be in conversation for about 45 minutes, then spend 30 minutes responding to your questions.

Please note that questions must be submitted in advance. To submit a question please email BBFSubmissions@CrescentArts.org by 5pm on Wednesday 24th March. Please include in the email that the question is for the Short Story Workshop. 

Can’t make the 27th? This workshop will be recorded and available to stream online afterwards. 

This event is free to attend and registration is essential. 

Lucy Caldwell is the author of four novels, including the forthcoming These Days (Faber, Spring 2022), two short story collections, including Intimacies, out this May, and several stage plays and radio dramas. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, her awards include the Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, the Dylan Thomas Prize, the George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright, a Fiction Uncovered Award and a Major Individual Artist Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. In 2019, she edited Being Various, the latest volume in the ongoing Faber series of New Irish Short Stories.

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 Prix du Roman Cezam in France. His short stories have appeared in Faber’s Being Various, Kit de Waal’s Common People, The Art of the Glimpse and have been read on Radio 4 and Sky Arts. He is associate director of Word Factory ‘the national organisation for excellence in the short story’ The Guardian, and he co-founded London Short Story Festival. Paul has edited Belfast Stories, Queer Love: Anthology of Irish Fiction and The 32: An Anthology of Irish Working Class Voices.

Inaugural Word Factory Writer-In-Residence

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“It is a huge delight to be working with award-winning novelist and short story writer Paul McVeigh as 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.

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

 

My Writing Masterclass for BBC Radio

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Writing Masterclass

‘Belfast writer Paul McVeigh tells us how to write a good story’

This is a short video I made for BBC Radio to help budding writers out there. It includes my advice on best writing books and where to begin. I hope you enjoy it.

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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