Tag Archives: Word Factory

Word Factory Seeks Four Writers for Free Mentorship

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Word Factory Apprentice Award Application

The National Mentoring Scheme For Short Story Writers

We are seeking four emerging short story writers to be individually mentored by leading authors for FREE as part of our renowned Word Factory Apprentice Award running from July 2019-March 2020.

The chosen writers will be talented, supportive of our inclusive ethos and willing to participate in our activities. They will have access to our events and masterclasses — a programme offering creative inspiration, writer development and collaboration between leading and emerging writers.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL ALSO:

  • Be invited to read their work with their mentor at a special Word Factory event in London.
  • Receive free membership to the Society of Authors.
  • Become part of the distinguished Word Factory Apprentice Award alumnae. Previous winners have achieved industry recognition including publication with independent and mainstream publishers such as Salt and Faber; awards and shortlistings including the Guardian BAME prize, Bath Flash Fiction Prize and Wasafiri prize; reviewing for journals and publications including the TLS, Economist and New Statesman and representation by leading literary agents.
  • Be eligible for a series of NEW bursaries to ensure writers from anywhere in England can benefit. We will also consider writers from other parts of the United Kingdom but our bursaries only cover writers resident in England.

The Word Factory Apprentice Award is celebrating its sixth year with a series of partnerships offering additional financial and developmental support to short story writers who live outside London. We would like to thank Arts Council England, who have offered specific funding to strengthen the national reach of the award. We are also delighted that the Northern Writers’Awards and New Writing North, will support a northern short story writer and mentor for the second year — and to be joined this year by Writing West Midlands and their Room 204 Writer Development Programme (supporting a writer from the West Midlands) and Literature Works, the writer development agency for South West England (supporting a writer from the south-west).

How To Apply

We are open to applicants from throughout the UK, and can offer small bursaries to cover the expense of travelling to London and/or meeting your mentor for writers living in England. Please read the following instructions carefully if you are a writer living in the north, the West Midlands or the South-West of England.

The award is offered to talented authors on the way to their first collection of stories or beginning to send work out for publication. In exchange, we look for individuals willing to support other writers and be part of the growing team.

The Word Factory is London based but this is no barrier to working with writers from across the UK. We are committed to opening the award to writers with no access to literary mentorship and from communities who are often excluded. At least one place a year is held open for talented BAME writers.

Please Note: the scheme is not suitable for anyone with novels or collections already published or under contract (self-published and non-fiction books may apply). Also, application is only open to residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Bursaries are focussed on writers living in England.

Application is simple:

You will need to send us two files: your best 2,000 word story (or part of a story) and 500 words explaining both what you intend to work on during your mentorship and what skills and commitment you will bring to the Word Factory. In the past, our apprentices have offered some of the following: social media skills; helping us run events; creating a flash fiction prize; supporting the running of festivals. In your letter, please tell us where you live and whether you have a BAME background.

What you do:

  • Use the link below to apply and pay a £10* admin fee.
  • Full details on how to send us your files will be included in your receipt.
  • Lastly, email us your story and supporting letter.

*Please note: there is an admin fee but the year’s mentoring and Word Factory membership is entirely free. Unwaged applicants or those who can’t afford this fee can still apply. Please send your story, covering letter and short explanation of your circumstances direct to Paul McVeigh at paul@thewordfactory.tv

APPLY HERE

 

IMPORTANT – You need to apply separately if:

  • You live in the North of England
  • You live in the West Midlands
  • You live in the South-West

Please look at this BOUNDARIES MAP for the purposes of this award.

If you live in the North of England:

One place is open to a writer living in the North who will also be offered a bursary to attend events in London, developmental support and access to other opportunities near to home. The northern apprentice will also benefit from our new partnership with independent publisher and short story champions, Comma Press, offering our northern winner publishing opportunities on at least four anthology projects over two years. This award also sponsors a northern mentor — this year, Carys Davies.

To apply for the Northern apprentice place, follow this link: www.northernwritersawards.com

Northern Applications

If you live in the West Midlands:

One place is open to a writer living in the West Midlands. In partnership with the Word Factory, Writing West Midlands will select a winner to become a Word Factory Apprentice as part of their Room 204 programme.

To apply for the West Midlands apprentice place, follow this link: www.writingwestmidlands.org and click on Room 204 Writer Development.

West Midlands Applications

If you live in the South-West:

One place is open to a writer living in the Sout-West.

For further information about how to apply via Literature Works and about their work supporting writers in the South West, follow this link: Literature Works Apprentice Application page.

South West Applications

Important Dates:

  • Applications OPEN on November 16th 2018.
    Please follow the separate application process if you live in the North, South-West or West Midlands.
  • Applications CLOSE on February 7th 2019 at 11:30PM.
  • WINNERS INFORMED May 2019.
  • Announcements at the Word Factory and Northern Writers’ Awards June 2019.
  • Mentorship completes March 2020.

Due to the high numbers of applications expected, we will not be contacting you if your application has been unsuccessful. Good luck! Look forward to seeing you in 2019.

The Mentors

Our 2019/209 mentors bring a vast range of experience to the award — plus a passionate commitment to the literary and social values of the Word Factory. We are delighted to announce that they are: Chris Power, Lisa Blower, Leone Ross and Carys Davies.

General applications will be judged by the two founders of the award — Word Factory founder and director Cathy Galvin and associate director Paul McVeigh, and this year they are joined by renowned short story writer Irenosen Okojie. Word Factory will also be involved in the final decision-making with our other partners in the north, south-west and West Midlands.

Sincere thanks to everyone who has supported our scheme to date, most particularly our previous mentors Adam Marek; Stella Duffy; Alex Preston; Nicholas Royle; Jacob Ross; Vanessa Gebbie; Professor Ailsa Cox; Alexei Sayle; Zoe Gilbert; Jarred McGinnis; Nikesh Shukla; Courttia Newland; Tom Lee; K.J.Orr and Jenn Ashworth.

Previous Apprentices

Trusted relationships are vital to the development of a writer. Our apprentices — Rebecca Swirsky, Holly Dawson, Kerstin Twatchmann, Uschi Gatward, Claire Adam, Divya Ghelani, Emily Devane, Melissa Fu, Durre Shawar, Avani Shah, Fergus Evans, Natalia Theodoridou, Georgina Aboud, Farhana Khalique and Sharon Telfer — have all become members of the Word Factory team in addition to winning awards and being published in leading magazines and journals.

The Word Factory Apprentice programme is a truly remarkable award that invites and fosters growth. The Word Factory masterclasses and salons have not only inspired me to improve my own craft but have also challenged me to use writing to connect with others and build understanding. With Zoe Gilbert’s generous mentorship, I have grown so much, taking risks and experimenting with form. I have loved every aspect of the award and highly recommend that aspiring writers apply for 2018. It is a wonderful community and I am so proud to be part of it.

Melissa Fu, 2017 Apprentice, mentored by Zoe Gilbert — in 2017 Melissa was published in The Nottingham Review, The Lonely Crowd, International Literature Showcase and Word Factory online. She was shortlisted for the Wasafiri New Prize and had a Special Mention for Spread the Word’s inaugural Life Writing Prize.

Working with Nikesh has been amazing for both my ego and my word count. With his support and advice, my novel has grown in ways I couldn’t have expected. As for the community – the Word Factory gang have welcomed me with open arms. I’ve found myself a part of a group of readers and writers who cheer each other on, share work, and always have great suggestions for what to read next.

Avani Shah, 2017 Apprentice, mentored by Nikesh Shukla — in 2017 Avani was shortlisted for the Guardian BAME Prize.
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Word Factory Apprentice Award

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WordFactory Logo is seeking four emerging writers to be individually mentored by leading authors, for FREE* as part of our renowned Word Factory Apprentice Award. The chosen writers will be talented, supportive of our inclusive ethos and willing to give their time to participating in our activities. They will have access to the Word Factory events and masterclasses – a programme offering creative inspiration, writer development and a unique community of supportive writers. They will also be invited to read their work with their mentor at a special Word Factory event. They will also be given a year long membership of the Society of Authors with alll the benefits and support of that organisation.

Our apprentice alumnae have achieved industry recognition including publication with independent and mainstream publishers such as Salt and Faber; awards and shortlistings including the Guardian BAME prize, Bath Flash Fiction Prize and Wasafiri prize; reviewing for journals and publications including the TLS, Economist and New Statesman.

The award is offered to talented authors on the way to their first collection of short stories or beginning to send work out for publication. We are committed to the development of our apprentices in the long-term. In exchange, we look for individuals willing to support other writers and be part of the growing team.

The 2018 Word Factory Mentors

Our 2018/19 mentors bring a vast range of experience to the award – plus a passionate commitment to the literary and social values of the Word Factory. We are delighted to announce that they are: BBC National Short Story Award-winner KJ Orr, Courttia Newland, Tom Lee and for the Northern Apprentice, Jenn Ashworth.

Apprenticeship Application 2018

We are seeking four emerging writers to be individually mentored by leading authors, for FREE* as part of our renowned Word Factory Apprentice Award. The chosen writers will be talented, supportive of our inclusive ethos and willing to give their time to participating in our activities.

They will have access to the Word Factory events and masterclasses – a programme offering creative inspiration, writer development and a unique community of supportive writers. They will also be invited to read their work with their mentor at a special Word Factory event. All winners will also receive free membership to the renowned Society of Authors.

Our apprentice alumnae have achieved industry recognition including publication with independent and mainstream publishers such as Salt and Faber; awards and shortlistings including the Guardian BAME prize, Bath Flash Fiction Prize and Wasafiri prize; reviewing for journals and publications including the TLS, Economist and New Statesman.

The award is now in its fifth year and we are delighted to announce a new 2018/19 partnership with the Northern Writers’Awards and New Writing North. One of our four places will be open to a writer living in the North who will also be offered a bursary to attend events in London, developmental support and access to other opportunities offered by New Writing North.

Please follow the link to the map which defines the North for purposes of this award: BOUNDARIES OF THE NORTH. And see www.northernwritersawards.com from November 16 2017 for full details of the Northern Word Factory apprenticeship, eligibility and how to apply.

Applications will be judged by the Word Factory and Sunday Times EFG short story award founder Cathy Galvin and associate director Paul McVeigh, winner of the Polari First Book Prize. The Northern Apprentice applications will be judged through the Northern Writers’ Awards, in consultation with the Word Factory and Jenn Ashworth.

The Word Factory is London based but this is no barrier to working with writers from across the UK. We are committed to opening the award to writers with no access to literary mentorship and from communities who are often excluded.

At least one place a year is held open for talented BAME writers.

Please Note: the scheme is not suitable for anyone with novels or collections already published or under contract (self-published and non-fiction books may apply). Also, application is only open to residents of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Application is simple:

If you DO NOT live in the north of England— you will need to send us two files: your best 2,000 word story (or part of a story) and 500 words explaining both how the scheme will benefit you and what skills and commitment you will bring to the Word Factory. In the past, our apprentices have offered some of the following: social media skills; helping us run events; creating a flash fiction prize; supporting festivals. In your letter please tell us where you live and whether you have a BAME background.

What you do:

Use the link below to apply and pay a £20 admin fee.

Full details on how to send us your files will be included in your receipt.

Lastly, email us your story and supporting letter.

*Unwaged applicants can still apply. Please send your story, covering letter and short explanation of your circumstances direct to Paul McVeigh at paul@thewordfactory.tv

If you live in the North of England:

Follow this link: http://www.northernwritersawards.com

Important Dates:

Applications CLOSE on February 1st 2018.

WINNERS INFORMED May 2018.

Announcements at the Word Factory and Northern Writers’ Awards June 2018.

Mentorship completes March 2019.

Due to the high numbers of applications expected, we will not be contacting you if your application has been unsuccessful. Good luck! Look forward to seeing you in 2018.

Contact for Information.

 

Application Fee:  £20
Deadline: 02/01/2018
Apply here.

UK/Turkey Short Story Competition

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UK/Turkey Short Story Competition

The British Council in Turkey aims to build a bridge between Turkish and UK writers, facilitate dialogue between literary professionals in both countries, and create a platform to showcase works by Turkish and British writers to new audiences.

To support this initiative, the British Council is launching a short story competition, on the theme of ‘diversity’, in partnership with two literary institutions: ITEF -Istanbul Tanpınar Literature Festival in Turkey, and Word Factory in the UK.

The winner will have the opportunity to work with Word Factory and The British Council and have their story published on a new British Council digital platform, alongside specially-commissioned stories by established authors from Turkey and the UK. The winning writer will receive £300 and will see their short story translated into Turkish accompanied by a specially commissioned illustration.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Entry is free
  • Writers must be based in the UK, writing in English
  • One story submission per writer
  • Writers must be at least 18 years old, and ‘early-career’ (may have had single stories published on printed or online media, but not a full collection, or novel). Stories should be 1,500 words or less
  • Stories should be broadly themed on the concept of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (though we welcome original and unusual takes on this theme). Please check the British Council website for further information about the British Council’s approach to EDI. 
  • The competition is open to all fiction genres
  • By submitting a story, you agree that it may be edited (with your final approval) by Word Factory prior to publication
  • Submission deadline is midnight 31 December 2017
  • By submitting a story, you agree that you have read and accept the full terms and conditions (see below)

The winner will be chosen by a panel from The British Council and Word Factory and announced by 28 February 2018 on the British Council website.

Please fill out the form and submit your application.

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Word Factory #41 & Masterclass – 19th March – London

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Join the Word Factory in March for a day, or evening, of inspiration!

Masterclass: A.L. Kennedy – He, She & Me: writing in and out of gender
2-4pm

This is the second masterclass of our Sublime Women series, linking classes, salons, our reading club and offering opportunities to hear your work throughout the year

In her book On Writing, A.L. Kennedy takes the line, ‘A man walks through a door’, to demonstrate the difficulties and potential of a simple beginning. If you are a woman writing this scene, is the task even harder? Can male authors write convincingly about women? Writing in and out of gender offers liberation, complication and inspiration. In an afternoon talk looking at writing outwith and within one’s own sexual orientation and drawing on her own work, A.L. Kennedy will take approaches to character in general as a staring point for further discussion. Audience members may participate in exercises and conversation or feel free to simply listen to one of the UK’s most accomplished authors.

Book your place here – limited to 25 spaces.

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Short Story Club
4.15-5.15pm

Join the Word Factory’s short story club and enjoy an espresso shot of great literature followed by a thought-provoking discussion. It’s fun – and free!

More info here, or email sophie@thewordfactory.tv for this month’s story.

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The Word Factory #41
6-8pm

Short-story writer, novelist and performer extrordinaire A.L.Kennedy leads our evening of readings as K.J. Orr launches her first collection, Light Box. They will be joined by two emerging authors selected in advance to read that night who were inspired by . Hosted by short story club maestros Sophie Haydock and Zoe Gilbert.

Get your salon tickets here.

 

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Word Factory Membership – Fellow and Friends
Become a Word Factory Fellow or Friend and enjoy priority booking and other exclusive offers.

fellowTo help you make the most of the dynamic Word Factory programme of interlinked salons, classes and other events throughout 2016 – featuring unmissable writers including Marina Warner, A.L.Kennedy, Tobias Wolff, Neil Gaiman and Tracy Chevalier, we would love to offer you access to our exclusive Word Factory Friendship Scheme.

The scheme is of particular value to writers who, in coming to our club, salon and classes, are being inspired in their work by some of the most accomplished writers in the world.

By becoming a Fellow or Friend, you are also helping the sustainability of the only organisation in the UK promoting and supporting quality short story writing – a unique not-for-profit literary company run by and for writers.

Find out about being a Friend or a Fellow.

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Year of Sublime Women

SublimeWomenMarina Warner, Helen Simpson, A.L. Kennedy, Tracy Chevalier, Helen Dunmore, Tobias Wolff, Kirsty Gunn, Deborah Levy, Neil Gaiman, Janice Galloway, Sarah Hall, David Constantine, Michele Roberts, Tessa Hadley, David Vann and many more Word Factory friends are joining us in a long overdue celebration of female short story writers.

Throughout 2016, they will be reading work by their favourite female writers, giving exclusive salons and lectures, and from this exciting literary platform we will be asking you to produce work inspired by our events.

Whether you want to savour the conversation or take up your pen and write a story inspired by Angela Carter, Alice Munro, Jean Rhys, Muriel Spark, Katherine Mansfield or Flannery O’Connor, we will find a space for you.

Full details of the classes and talks, content, class size and price, can be found on our events page.

Word Factory Apprenticeship

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Join the Word Factory for readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers. 2016 is going to be an exciting year, and here’s how you can get involved.

The Word Factory Apprenticeship 2016

Apprentice2016Word Factory is accepting applications for our 2016 apprentice scheme. We have places for four writers and will, this year, seek at least one applicant from the north of England and one from a BAME background. Applicants must be over 18, serious about developing their short story writing and passionate about working with the Word Factory team. The mentors are Ailsa Cox, Jacob Ross, Paul McVeigh & Vanessa Gebbie.

Deadline is 15th January 2016. Full details on how to enter here.

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Word Factory Membership – Fellow and Friends
Become a Word Factory Fellow or Friend and enjoy priority booking and other exclusive offers.

fellowTo help you make the most of the dynamic Word Factory programme of interlinked salons, classes and other events throughout 2016 – featuring unmissable writers including Marina Warner, A.L.Kennedy, Tobias Wolff, Neil Gaiman and Tracy Chevalier, we would love to offer you access to our exclusive Word Factory Friendship Scheme.

The scheme is of particular value to writers who, in coming to our club, salon and classes, are being inspired in their work by some of the most accomplished writers in the world.

By becoming a Fellow or Friend, you are also helping the sustainability of the only organisation in the UK promoting and supporting quality short story writing – a unique not-for-profit literary company run by and for writers.

Find out about being a Friend or a Fellow.

—————————————–

Year of Sublime Women

SublimeWomenMarina Warner, Helen Simpson, A.L. Kennedy, Tracy Chevalier, Helen Dunmore, Tobias Wolff, Kirsty Gunn, Deborah Levy, Neil Gaiman, Janice Galloway, Sarah Hall, David Constantine, Michele Roberts, Tessa Hadley, David Vann and many more Word Factory friends are joining us in a long overdue celebration of female short story writers.

Throughout 2016, they will be reading work by their favourite female writers, giving exclusive salons and lectures, and from this exciting literary platform we will be asking you to produce work inspired by our events.

Whether you want to savour the conversation or take up your pen and write a story inspired by Angela Carter, Alice Munro, Jean Rhys, Muriel Spark, Katherine Mansfield or Flannery O’Connor, we will find a space for you.

Full details of the classes and talks, content, class size and price, can be found on our events page.

Word Factory #36 & Masterclass – 19th September – London

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Join the Word Factory for readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers.

The Word Factory #36 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Book your tickets here.

Our autumn salon season begins on Sept 19th at Waterstones Piccadilly with Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize winner Carys Davies, the inspirational Toby Litt and two powerful new voices, Tyler Keevil and Diriye Osman. Join us for their readings, and the Q&A afterwards chaired by Word Factory founder Cathy Galvin.

Short Story Club – 4.15-5.15pm
Ernest Hemingway:’Hills Like White Elephants’

Join us in September when we will be reading the classic Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants – one of the most iconic short stories in the English language. It’s a tale that seems simple and straightforward, but is laden with symbolism and meaning. What will you discover in Hemingway’s words?

Come and discuss this wonderful story with us at the Word Factory Short Story Club in September.

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

Masterclasses

Our masterclass with Toby Litt sold out quickly, but you’re now able to book October and November’s masterclasses via our website. Join us for place & atmosphere with Alex Preston and how to beat digital depression with Kristen Harrison.

www.thewordfactory.tv/events

Also in September…
Word Factory at Small Wonder
Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27 Sept 2015

Word Factory is delighted to partner with the Small Wonder Festival within the autumnal warmth of Charleston in Sussex. Reading at this event will be Kirsty Gunn, Stuart Evers and Janice Galloway, followed by a Q&A with Cathy Galvin.

Book your tickets here.

Word Factory #35 & Masterclass – 25th July – London

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Join the Word Factory for readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers.

Story in Motion: with Jane Feaver

Jane Feaver is a novelist and short story writer, whose a collection of inter-linked stories, Love Me Tender, was shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize. Read more about Jane.

‘…the essence of the story is motion. Do not let your chair be “a straight chair, with no arms and a hard wooden seat.” Let your heroine go over and take a firm hold of the back of a straight wooden chair, because at the moment it is stronger than she.’ Shirley Jackson ‘Notes for a Young Writer’. Jane Feaver, the novelist and short story writer, will explore the use of gesture and motion in the short story with reference to the work of Flannery O’Connor. Raymond Carver and more.

This workshop will study the gesture in the short story and some of the ways we might put ‘moveable articles’ to effective use. Suitable for writers sending work out and published, a chance to write and pay attention to detail.

SOLD OUT

Short Story Club – 4.15-5.15pm
Roald Dahl: The Great Automatic Grammatizator

Join us in July when we will read a dark and twisted (but bitingly funny) short story – The Great Automatic Grammatizator – by the brilliantly playful Roald Dahl. The story, written in 1954 (but still alarmingly relevant) imagines a world where stories are written by machines. This will strike a wry chord with all writers out there…

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #35 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Book your tickets here.

Join us for an unmissable evening of storytelling with award-winning children’s author Michael Morpurgo; short story champion Jane Feaver; and one of the UK’s best short story writers Stuart Evers, chaired by Word Factory founder Cathy Galvin.

Word Factory Short Story Competition: DEADLINE EXTENDED

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Don’t miss the chance to win a year of entry to the Word Factory salon as well as online publication!

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Word Factory will publish ten stories inspired by these opening lines, penned for us by Neil Gaiman. Along with publication, the winners can attend salons for a year for free. Stories will be published online and may be included in a future anthology. The competition will be judged by Toby Litt and Cathy Galvin.

Rules: Please use the opening sentence in full or as a springboard (i.e. use the fable as the platform to launch your ideas from, using your own interpretation of the fable) for an inspiring fable of 3000 words maximum.
Submissions deadline has been extended to 31st July. UK entry only.
You may send more than one story but the entry fee of £5 must be purchased for each story.
The stories will be judged anonymously so please ensure only the title and page numbers are included on your submission.
Submissions will be accepted in Word (.doc/.docx) or PDF (.pdf) format.

Submissions: Once you have paid your entry fee via eventbrite, the instructions for entry will be emailed to you.
The ten winning short stories will be announced at the September Word Factory Salon, and the winners will be contacted before the salon.

If you have any queries, please contact Alison via alison@thewordfactory.tv

ENTER YOUR STORY HERE

Word Factory #33 & Masterclass – 30th May – London

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Join the Word Factory for readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers.

The Only Rule Is Yes with Stella Duffy – 1-4pm – SOLD OUT

Stella Duffy won’t teach you how to write the great British novel, provide you with a step-by-step structure with which to write a bestseller, or spend hours reading aloud the works of others so that you can compare your own writing (unfavourably). She will help you acknowledge your writing fears and enthusiasms, find delight in being brave, take the big steps you’ve been dreading and the small steps that feel even harder, and help you remind yourself why you wanted to write in the first place.

Editor’s note: Unfortunately Stella Duffy’s writing workshop is now sold out, however there is time to book your places for Michèle Roberts and David Almond‘s masterclasses at the Tablet festival in Birmingham on 19th June or experience Word Factory at the London Short Story Festival on 21st, June. Take note to be online at 9am on 15th May when we will make tickets available for Neil Gaiman‘s masterclass Q&A with Cathy Galvin taking place on 27th June.

More information and booking here.

Short Story Club – 4.15-5.15pm
Tessa Hadley: One Saturday Morning

Tessa Hadley is a British writer whose short stories appear regularly in the New Yorker. She has published many novels and two short story collections, and she read at the Word Factory salon in February 2015. Her stories have been described as ‘novels in miniature’ and also as ‘domestic fiction’, conjuring as they often do the minutiae of comfortable lives, where subtle shifts and minor observations can take on huge significance. Her stories may tread comfortable territory, but they leave a long-lasting impression of disquiet with the reader.

In ‘One Saturday Morning’, published in The New Yorker in August 2014, ten-year-old Carrie’s piano practice is interrupted by the arrival of Dom, one of her parents’ bohemian friends. We follow her as she tries to make sense of the adult news and events that define the rest of the day. Is this a story in which nothing really happens, or does it illuminate a pivotal coming-of-age moment? Come and discuss this subtle, affecting story with us.

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #33 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Book your tickets here.

An unmissable evening of Irish lyricism and fire. Join acclaimed new Irish talent Danielle McLaughlin, recently published in the New Yorker; Belfast-born Word Factory associate director Paul McVeigh; author and power-house Stella Duffy (Ireland via New Zealand) and Dubliner Evelyn Conlon for new work and conversation focused on the enduring strength of the Irish short story. Blarney-free discussion guaranteed, chaired by Cathy Galvin (Ireland via Coventry) .

Word Factory #32 & Masterclass – 25th April – London

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Join the Word Factory for readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers.

Performance, confidence and voice with A.L. Kennedy – SOLD OUT

Booking for our masterclasses are now available online through to June. Word Factory regulars have already booked their tickets for A.L Kennedy’s April class – but don’t miss the chance to work with Stella Duffy at her workshop in May where the only rule is yes. Our masterclasses are also travelling to Birmingham in June with Michele Roberts and David Almond. Click the links above to book your place.

In June Neil Gaiman will also be giving an exclusive class and reading: details on our website soon.

Short Story Club – 4.30-5.30pm
Italo Calvino: All at One Point

Calvino’s The Complete Cosmicomics is a collection of stories, all narrated by the character Qfwfq, each of which takes a scientific fact as a starting point for a fantastical narrative.The first translated edition (from Italian) won the National Book Award in America, and it is one of Calvino’s best known works alongside If on a Winter’s Night A Traveller and Invisible Cities.

In ‘All at One Point’, Calvino takes the notion of the universe’s matter all being concentrated at one point before it began to expand, and imagines Qfwfq and other characters dealing with this situation. It combines a scientific flight of fancy with a familiar-feeling tale of neighbourly tensions, as at the inhabitants of the point clash over gossip, opinions and shared attractions. This is a story which does not fit contemporary expectations. Do you find it satisfying, silly, or wondrously clever? Come and discuss ‘All at One Point’ at the Word Factory Short Story Club in April.

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #32 – the intimate short story salon – 6.30-8.30pm

Book your tickets here.

Celebrate spring with award-winning authors and fresh talent at The Word Factory. A.L. Kennedy leads our perfomance skills masterclass before joining international star Yiyun Li, our mentor Adam Marek and apprentice Kerstin Twachtmann for readings at the evening salon. The conversation will continue with Director Cathy Galvin, co-founder of the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award.

March Fortnightly Round-Up II

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Dear short story lovers,
Here’s what’s been happening on our blog over the past fortnight or so…

Tania x

Lit Mags

Trafika Europe has published Issue 3, Latvian Sojourn, and Don’t Do It Issue 8, Noise, is now live. Flash: The Short Short Story magazine has launched issue 7.2. Trafika Europe also invites you to visit their radio campaign!

Jotters United celebrates its first birthday with a call for submissions for its anniversary issue. Octavius magazine has relaunched – and is now open to submissions. Shooter Literary Magazine is calling for submissions for Issue #2, on the theme of ‘Union’, by April 1st. Neon Magazine has opened submissions for Battery Pack II, its second anthology of tiny stories, deadline April 15.

Competitions & Festivals
The Felixtstowe Book Festival’s 2015 short story competition is accepting entries until May 16th, and The Moth’s International Short Story Prize is open, deadline June 30th. Holland Park Press is running a short story competition, I Is Another, deadline 31 August.

Workshops and Courses
Write Around Town, who are behind Writing Maps, are holding a series of writing workshops in London in April.

Live Lit
The Word Factory #31 and masterclass is on March 28th in London. Fictions Of Every Kind’s next event, with the theme of ‘Relativity’ is on April 14th in Leeds.

Last Minutes and Gentle Reminders
The deadline for Mslexia’s 2015 short story competition (women only) has been extended to March 23rd. Submissions are open til March 31st for The Manchester Review  and Brain Of Forgetting’s 2nd issue, on the theme of ‘Poppies’.  The Short FICTION short story prize closes on March 31st.

If you are eager for even more short-story-related news, do follow ShortStops on Twitter where, when we should be writing, we spend (far too) much time passing on news from lit mags, live lit events, short story workshops and festivals! If you’d like to review an event or a publication, drop me a line.

Happy reading, writing, listening and performing!
Tania x

Word Factory #31 & Masterclass – 28th March – London

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wordfactory-logo-300x88Welcome back to an exciting year of readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers at the Word Factory.

Broadcast News: Winning Stories and Writing for Radio – 3-4.30pm

For over a decade Di Speirs has championed the short story form in Britain. At the BBC, she has commissioned and produced short stories for Radio 4 and 3 and she runs the internationally acclaimed BBC National Short Story Award.

In an exclusive Word Factory Masterclass, Di will guide you through everything you need to know to ensure your work gets noticed and commissioned. What are the key do’s and don’t for submitting work for the award or general broadcast? What does every writer need to know about how an editor thinks? And what new trends do writers need to keep in mind? Our session will allow enough time for Di to talk about her work and take questions.

Cost: £35 per person (please purchase Salon tickets separately). Book your place here.

Short Story Club – 4.30-5.30pm
Shirley Jackson: The Lottery

When The Lottery was first published in The New Yorker in 1948, readers were so horrified they sent hate mail; it has since become one of the most iconic American stories of all time.
Shirley Jackson was born in San Francisco in 1916, and went on to earn a reputation as “one of the 20th century’s most luminous and strange American writers”. She is a master of Gothic suspense (her novel, The Haunting of Hill House, once called “the greatest haunted house story ever written”, was turned into the classic horror film The Haunting). Joyce Carol Oates described her as “one of those highly idiosyncratic, inimitable writers… whose work exerts an enduring spell”. Jackson published six novels before her death, at the age of 48, in 1965.
The Lottery is Jackson’s best-known short story: Jackson draws us in to the dark, unsettling world of a small farming village, who come together for a terrible game of chance…

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #28 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Join us for an unforgettable evening of readings with Polly Samson and Louise Doughty. Share in the joy of new work from our apprentice Uschi Gatward and her mentor Nicholas Royle. The conversation will continue with Director Cathy Galvin, co-founder of the Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award.

Book your tickets here.

February Round-Up I

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Greetings, short story lovers!
Here’s what’s been on a packed ShortStops blog over the past few weeks…

Tania x

Live Lit

The Word Factory #30 is in London on Feb 14th, with live lit, a short story reading group and masterclass. White Rabbit want your short stories for their Curioser and Curioser storytelling tea party on Feb 20th in London. Stand-Up Tragedy’s next event, Tragic Winter, is in London on Feb 28th and they are calling for submissionsfor the SUT blog.

Lit Mags

February is ‘Otherworldly Originals Month’ over at Short Story Sunday! Jotters United’s Isssue 10 is now out and they’re calling for submissions. Bunbury Magazine has unveiled Issue Seven: The Unexplained. Shooter Literary Magazine is  calling for submissions for Issue #2, on the theme of ‘Union.’ On the theme of themes, Brain of Forgetting’s first issue, Stones, is now available, and submissions for Issue 2 open shortly. Neon Magazine has opened submissions for Battery Pack II, its second anthology of tiny stories.  Other mags still want your stories too: The Manchester Review has is calling for your submissions.

Anthologies
Freight Books wants short story submissons for an anthology inspired by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity.

Competitions & Festivals
Mslexia’s 2015 short story competition is now open for entries (women only), deadline March 16th. The Short FICTION short story prize is open for entries, deadline March 31st, as are the Felixtstowe Book Festival’s 2015 short story competition, deadline May 16th and The Moth’s International Short Story Prize, deadline June 30th. Words and Women have announced the winners of their writing competition.

Workshops and Courses
Berko Writers is holding a night to talk about sex and writing, Turn Me On, in Berkhamstead, Feb 10th. Alison Clayborn is running a Flash Fiction workshop  on Feb 18th at the Brunel Museum in London.

And Ireland has a new national residential writing centre – The Story House in County Waterford, which is running a short story course from Mar 23-28th.

Writing Advice
Bruce Harris introduces us to Writing Short Fiction, ‘a site for sore eyes’.

If you are eager for even more short-story-related news, do follow ShortStops on Twitter where, when we should be writing, we spend (far too) much time passing on news from lit mags, live lit events, short story workshops and festivals! If you’d like to review an event or a publication, drop me a line.

Happy reading, writing, listening and performing!
Tania x

Word Factory #30 & Masterclass – 14th February – London

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wordfactory-logo-300x88Welcome back to an exciting year of readings, conversation, masterclasses and publication with the most inspiring short fiction writers at the Word Factory.

Devil in the Detail with Tessa Hadley – 1-4pm

Big ideas and a broad sweep in storytelling are often anchored in the smallest details. Don’t miss an exclusive opportunity to learn from one of the few UK writers regularly published by The New Yorker.
Tessa Hadley, Professor at Bath Spa University, will focus this workshop on observation and detail in the short story form and how it can transform your own writing. Expect to write, be challenged, and to learn from Tessa’s craft and the authors who have inspired her. This workshop is suitable for any writer passionate about the form.

Cost: £60 per person with free entrance to the evening reading included. Limited to 12 places. SOLD OUT

Short Story Club – 4.30-5.30pm

Hilary Mantel: The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher

This month we will be reading the most controversial short story of 2014: Hilary Mantel’s ’The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher’. The story springs from the two-time Man Booker prizewinner’s “boiling detestation” for the politician – Mantel recalls how she once spotted the former Prime Minister standing unguarded near her Windsor flat in 1983 and imagined shooting her. The action begins when a woman in her Windsor flat opens the door expecting a plumber… Have a read and make up your own mind – is this tale as damningly provocative as certain papers would have us believe?

Email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #28 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Our Valentine’s salon with stories exploring the joys and perils of love with stories from Tessa Hadley (who will be leading our workshop during the day), Zoe Gilbert and exclusive new work from Jon McGregor. Cathy Galvin will lead a discussion on the craft of short story writing and you’ll have the chance to ask your questions too.

Online tickets – £12 | Concessions – £8 | On the door – £15 Buy your tickets here.

December Fortnightly Round-Up I

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Hello short story lovers,
The final month of 2014 has arrived, happy December! A good time for short stories… (isn’t it always?) Here’s what’s been going on on our blog over the past 2 weeks.

Tania x

Lit Mags
We’re delighted to welcome a new lit mag, Hotel, to our lit mags list which “seeks to accommodate fiction, poetry and contemporary thought”. Go and visit!

There’s loads to read and many places to send your stories: Firewords Three is here, Jotters United has a new issue out and is calling for submissions, and the second issue of Confingo is now on sale.

The Emma Press is calling for prose pamphlet submissions.  Holdfast Magazinelaunched Issue 4, Diverse Reflections and is also calling for submissions. Bunbury magazine is also calling for submissions and giving us a peek at what’s been going on over there. Short Story Sunday, which has just launched its first issue, is calling for submissions and Short Fiction journal also wants your short stories.

Anthologies

Queen’s Ferry Press is calling for nominations for the first Best Small Fictions anthology.  Freight Books wants short story submissons for an anthology inspired by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. To celebrate National Short Story Week, 32 young writers have been published in an anthology, on sale now.

Competitions
Felixtstowe Book Festival has launched its 2015 short story competition, deadline May 16th.

Live Lit
Fictions Of Every Kind is holding its next event, Help Yourself, tomorrow Dec 2nd in Leeds, including an open mic. Word Factory is having its free Christmas Party Dec 13th, in London.

If you are eager for even more short-story-related news, do follow ShortStops on Twitter where, when we should be writing, we spend (far too) much time passing on news from lit mags, live lit events, short story workshops and festivals! If you’d like to review an event or a publication, drop me a line.

Happy reading, writing, listening and performing!
Tania x

Word Factory #29 – Our FREE Christmas Party – 13th December, London

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It’s been an outstanding year for the Word Factory. Readers in 2014 include AS Byatt, Toby Litt, David Almond, Tessa Hadley, Ben Okri, Evie Wylde – and our masterclasses have been led by truly great talent including David Constantine, Joe Dunthorne, Peter Stothard and David Vann. Join at Waterstones Piccadilly for our final event of the year – our free Christmas party!

Short Story Club – 5-6pm

This month: John Burnside – Slut’s Hair

In December we are reading ‘Slut’s Hair’, by the Scottish writer John Burnside. As a short story writer, Burnside has published two collections Burning Elvis (2000) and Something Like Happy (2013), from which this story is taken. Burnside is unflinching in his bleak portrayal of “unpleasant” subjects – cruelty, domestic violence, outright loneliness – and this spotlight on the darker side of human nature has earned him a reputation as a Scottish Raymond Chandler. ‘Slut’s Hair’ is archetypal Burnside. In it, a woman in Dundee tenement is stuck in an unhappy and unforgiving relationship. Then she reveals she has toothache, and they can’t afford a dentist…

Simply email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #29 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Join us for an evening fizzing with  festive fun and celebration. We will be pulling names out of Santa’s hat to read on the night. If you want to take part, bring a story no more than ten minutes long and, as you arrive, give your name and the story’s title to Alexa on the door. We will be listening – and we will be filming!

Register for your FREE tickets here

November Round-Up II

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Hello short story lovers,
Happy National Short Story Week! Here’s what’s been going on on our blog over the past 2 weeks!

Cheers!
Tania

National Short Story Week
To celebrate National Short Story Week, 32 young writers have been published in an anthology, on sale now. Find out more about NSSW activities on their website.

Lit Mags
We welcome the Wales Arts Review to our lit mags list, “the critical writing hub for Wales”. Check them out!

The Emma Press has launched a call for prose pamphlet submissions.  Holdfast Magazine has launched Issue 4, Diverse Reflections and is also calling for submissions. Bunbury magazine is also calling for submissions and giving us a peek at what’s been going on over there. Freight Books is calling for short story submissons for an anthology inspired by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. Short Story Sunday, which has just launched its first issue, is calling for submissions and Short Fiction journal also wants your short stories.

Competitions
Writing Maps has launched its Survival Kit for Writers and its November contest is now open.

Live Lit
Word Factory #28 is this Sat night, November 22, in London, featuring a masterclass, short story reading group and live lit event. Fictions Of Every Kind is holding its next event, Help Yourself, on Dec 2nd in Leeds, including an open mic.

Radio
Ian McMillan, host of BBC Radio 3’s show, The Verb: Cabaret of the Word, dropped by to talk about his favourite short stories.

Last Minutes and Gentle Reminders
Magic Oxygen’s  short story and poetry contest closes on 30th November.

If you are eager for even more short-story-related news, do follow ShortStops on Twitter where, when we should be writing, we spend (far too) much time passing on news from lit mags, live lit events, short story workshops and festivals! If you’d like to review an event or a publication, drop me a line.

Word Factory #28 & Masterclass – 22nd November, London

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Welcome to winter at the Word Factory: celebrating a second year of brilliant short story readings, classes and the short story club. This month join us for our last salon of the year, back in our home at Waterstone Piccadilly:

It’s All Greek To Me – Masterclass with David Vann – 1.30-4.30pm

We are delighted to welcome the internationally renowned novelist and short story writer David Vann to lead our final masterclass of the year. In this three hour session, David will take a close look at the classical structures that underpin all great writing and ask: why we are still reading and writing according to the ancient Greeks? He will examine dramatic unities, the roles of the protagonist and antagonist; of the chorus; of crisis and catharsis. Drawing on developments in his own work, stories he describes as neo-classical, he will discuss his own inspiration and offer a helpful insight into your own practice.

This masterclass is  for anyone serious about writing short fiction, whether new to the form or published. David will suggest texts to read in advance. No exercises will be set in the class.

Cost: £60 per person with free entrance to the evening reading included. Limited to 20 places. Buy your tickets here.

Short Story Club – 5-6pm

This month: Angela Carter – Peter and the Wolf

At November’s Short Story Club we will be discussing Angela Carter’s Peter and the Wolf. This autumnal story is one of Carter’s many retellings of folk and fairy tales, in which she twists away from the original, riffing on the familiar to satirical and baroque effect. This swiftly told tale is simple in content but rich in language, a style less fashionable in 2014 (it was first published in 1982) but no less powerful for it. Desire, freedom, nature and chaos abide here – an apt story for the turning of the seasons.

Simply email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #28 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

Join us for our final salon of the year in November with Ben Okri, David Vann (who will be leading our Saturday masterclass), Lisa Blower and Deirdre Shanahan. After their readings they will join in conversation with Cathy Galvin.

Online tickets – £12 | Concessions – £8 | On the door – £15 Buy your tickets here.

Word Factory #27 & Masterclass – 25th October, London

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Join us in the shadow of Nelson’s Column for our inspiring October salon. Join us for Word Factory on 25th October at Waterstones Trafalgar Square:

Masterclass with David Constantine – 1.30-4.30pm

VS Pritchett said that a short story is ‘something glimpsed from the corner of the eye’ but what does that mean – what really defines a short story and how can we write better in a form that demands precision and strong narrative?

We are delighted to explore these questions in an exclusive masterclass with Frank O’Connor International short story award winner David Constantine. The author of four collections of short stories and a renowned poet and translator, David will discuss the art of short story writing with reference to his own writing life and inspiration he has drawn from the works of DH Lawrence and others.

This masterclass is for you if you are already writing short stories as well as for those practiced in other forms of writing but keen to explore the short story form. The class will involve discussion and careful examination of a few texts which will be provided in advance with the aim of encouraging reflection and insight. If possible, we would advise writers to read Morphologies. Short story writers on short story writers from Comma Press in advance. David will not be setting exercises but will be encouraging you to discuss concerns and ideas in your own work with him and other writers in the class.

Cost: £60 per person with free entrance to the evening reading included. Limited to 20 places. Buy your tickets here.

Short Story Club – 5-6pm

This month: Colin Barrett – The Clancy Kid

At October’s Short Story Club, we’ll be discussing ‘The Clancy Kid’ by Colin Barrett. This is the opening story from Barrett’s new collection Young Skins. Hungover Jimmy is in the pub in his Irish home town, in which all the stories are set, listening to his unstable friend Tug talking about a small boy who has gone missing – the Clancy kid. The story evokes the place and the characters Jimmy encounters in confident strokes, blending warmth with the sinister, the modern with the mythic, and hooking the reader whilst leaving us wondering.

Simply email Sophie Haydock for more details and a copy of the story: sophie@thewordfactory.tv

The Word Factory #23 – the intimate short story salon – 6-8pm

After David Constantine has led his masterclass on the art of writing the short story, he will be reading alongside Tessa Hadley and Adam Marek. These three award-winning authors will join Cathy Galvin in conversation about their writing lives. Book early to secure your place and a free glass of wine at Waterstones’ flagship store in Piccadilly.

Online tickets – £12 | Concessions – £8 | On the door – £15 Buy your tickets here – Bring a friend for free on all salon tickets.

Sept Fortnightly Round-up II

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Hello all,
Here’s what’s been happening on our blog over the past fortnight. As ever, if you’d like to contribute, drop me a line and I’ll explain how it works: shortstopsuk@gmail.com

Lit Mags

We welcome THREE new publications to our Lit Mags list: Winamop: “our content is international and eclectic”;  Short Story Sunday “a new online short story and flash fiction publication launching Nov 2014”, and Brain Of Forgetting: “an online forum for writing and artwork that relates to memory, history and heritage”. Check them out!

Brain of Forgetting got straight in there with a blog post calling for submissions on the theme of stones. And Writing Maps launches its new lit mag, A3, and its September contest. Talking of contests, Structo is celebrating the unveiling of Issue 12 with a Margaret Atwood competition.  And it’s last call for submissions of Christmas stories to the Casket Of Fictional Delights.

Jotters United publishes issue 6 and is calling for submissions for its women-only issue. Short Fiction journal wants your short stories. Holdfast is fundraising for its first ever print anthology. The Manchester Review is also calling for submissions for Issue 13.

Competitions

Words and Women launch 2 great new writing opportunities for women writers in the east of England. The London Magazine’s short story competition is now open, deadline, Oct 31st, and international entries are welcome. Magic Oxygen are running a short story and poetry contest, deadline 30th November. The WriteIdea Prize has unveiled its longlist.

Live Lit

Stand-Up Tragedy is holding its Edinburgh reunion event, Tragic Friends, on Sep 25 in London and is calling for submissions for its new-look blog. The Word Factory is holding its monthly live lit event this Saturday Sep 27th in London, as well as a masterclass and short story reading club. White Rabbit invites you to submit your spooky stories for Are You Sitting Comfortably?’s Halloween party on October 31st in London.

Workshops
Berko Writers is running a course on The Art Of The Short Story with Adam Marekfrom Oct 7 – Nov 18 in Berkhamstead.. The Tavistock Heritage Festival is runningtwo free workshops on historical fiction in October. Alison Clayburn’s autumn fortnightly Focus On Fiction course at the Brunel Museum starts today, Sep 22.

Last Minutes & Gentle Reminders
Last call for submissions of Christmas stories to the Casket Of Fictional Delights. The Historic House Short Story Comp (26 Sep) wants stories inspired by or set in a historic house.

If you are eager for even more short-story-related news, do follow ShortStops on Twitter where, when we should be writing, we spend (far too) much time passing on news from lit mags, live lit events, short story workshops and festivals! If you’d like to review an event or a publication, drop me a line.

Happy reading, writing, listening and performing!
Tania x