THE INKY The Inky Writers Newsletter Autumn 2007 No. 42 INKY NEWS Off the Shelf Festival of Writing and Reading 13 October – 3 November 2007 Sheffield’s annual celebration of all things literary returns for its 16th year this autumn with what festival organisers feel is one of their strongest line-ups for years. The diverse and exciting programme includes visiting authors Helen Dunmore, Sarah Waters, John Mortimer and Deborah Moggach as well as local authors Berlie Doherty, Simon Beckett, Daniel Blythe and Liz Kettle who is this year’s Festival Read. There are events with historian Michael Wood, BBC Radio 4 favourites Rabbi Lionel Blue and James Naughtie, playwright Michael Frayn, feminist icon Germaine Greer and TV writer Tony Jordan, the co-creator of Life on Mars. There’s a wealth of poetry including Linton Kwesi Johnson, Benjamin Zephaniah, American veteran poet Galway Kinnell and the Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. The Lantern Theatre plays host to two evenings of verse featuring local poets – Six Women Poets with a Kick and Timbre Music featuring poems from the likes of Chris Jones and Matt Clegg. South Yorkshire troubadour Ray Hearne champions the local voice in an event at Coffee Revolution whilst Tanya Chan-Sam, Rommi Smith and Jack Mapanje explore the notion of freedom with a reading marking the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. There’s a great range of workshops including short story writing, writing as therapy and a Disability Arts workshop aimed at both disabled and able-bodied writers and led by leading Disability Arts advocate Paddy Masefield. There’s some great events for children and young people, walks, local history, an historically themed dinner, ghost stories and more. Brochures are now available in branch libraries and arts organisations or by phoning (0114) 273 4400. Further info from the website www.offtheshelf.org.uk or e-mail: offtheshelf@sheffield.gov.uk National Poetry Day: South Yorks Events There are lots of events happening in South Yorkshire for this year’s National Poetry Day. The event takes place on October 4th and this year’s theme is ’Dreams’. Rotherham Libraries are holding a Poetry Workshop in Rotherham Central Library with poet & journalist James Nash. In this free workshop James will help you unlock some poetry or prose in an hour of inspiration between 3.30 - 4.30 pm. The workshop will be followed by a free poetry evening in Wath Community Library between 6.00 - 7.45 pm. This will be an opportunity to hear James read his poetry before inviting audience members to share their own favourites. For more information please contact the Reader Development Team: Tel: 01709 815123 Email: david.hague@rotherham.gov.uk …and there’s a Limerick Trail in Sheffield Write us a limerick and see it displayed at your local library. Pick up a postcard at your library, write a limerick, return it back to the library and see it displayed there for National Poetry Day. .... and a Limerick Attack! Come and hear limericks & read your own on October 4th (National Poetry Day) at the Central Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield, at 1.30, 2.00 and 2.30 pm. With special guest and host Nell Farrell! Free Manuscript Feedback: for Novelists, Short Story Writers and Poets Signposts are looking for writers who would like free manuscript feedback on their work. We are once again organising the Free Read scheme for writers in South Yorkshire. Submitted manuscripts are read and feedback is provided by The Literary Consultancy (more details on the web, under that name), an organisation set up by Arts Council England for this purpose. The scheme gives manuscript feedback from readers in the publishing industry. It is for low income high quality writers and those who submit manuscripts will receive a detailed response to their work, and applicants should be ready for such a response. Writers who have sent work in previous years have been very impressed and positive about the scheme. The free reads are mostly for novelists and short story writers, but there is room for two or three poets as well. A free read for a full novel may be available, but a synopsis and sample chapters is more likely, depending on the circumstances. If you want to apply for a free read, please send in your application. This should include: 1. An example of your writing – maximum of 4 sides (A4). A covering letter of no more than 1 side (A4) which should include: reasons why you want a free read; an indication as to whether the work has been seen by anyone else, either through a workshop or any other reader; the reasons why you cannot afford the service otherwise; a rough idea of how much work you want to submit. These should be sent, by October 8th, to: Matt Black, 51 Pearson Place, Sheffield S8 9DE. We can then let you know whether you will be able to have a free read, how TLC would like the work presented, etc. If you require further information contact Geoff Briggs at Signposts; contact details at the end of this newsletter and on the web site. Signposts Writing Workshop with Sarah Murphy Signposts have started putting together a number of workshops which will run over the winter period and, to kick start the series, we have managed to organise a return visit from this year’s Artist in Residence at The Word Hoard, Sarah Murphy. A Feeling for Narrative: finding your story and giving it shape. In this workshop we will experiment with a variety of techniques to help us bring our stories to light and to life.  We will generate story ideas, find the centre of at least one story of interest to us (and maybe more), determine its narrative arc, and the language and form that best suits it.  To do this we will start with free writing exercises that will then lead to the sharing of our stories and to editing techniques that will give the story, if not its final form, then a form in which it can be made final.  We will also examine how to determine the point of view that best suits a given story by best allowing its central elements to emerge.  Participants may wish to start fresh, or bring with them a story which is giving them trouble.  These techniques will work for both.  Both prose writers and poets interested in narrative poetry will find this workshop of interest. Sarah Murphy is of mixed Choctaw, English, Irish and Hispanic heritage. A translator, interpreter, visual artist, social activist, teacher and author of five books, she was born and raised in New York City, and lived in Mexico before making her home in Canada in 1973. Throughout her life she has worked with movements for social justice, and victims of torture and political violence as well as other forms of abuse, and these are often the issues that she explores in her work as a writer and visual artist. Her fiction is strongly autobiographical, exploring the strange alienated view children have of the adult world, and revealing the violent, absurd and comical aspects of growing up working class in New York City. Her short fiction, non-fiction and translation work has been widely published and anthologised in Canada, Australia and in the UK. Places must be booked in advance by contacting Signposts by post (address below), we will send you confirmation of your booking on receipt of your cheque (made payable to “Signposts”). Tickets £12.00 / £6.00 concessions 11.30 am - 4.30 pm (includes 1 hour lunch) Signposts, The Circle, Rockingham Lane, Sheffield Phone (0114) 2536722 or email: info@signpostssouthyorks.org.uk The Resurgence of Two Writers Groups Barnsley Writers (formerly Barnsley WEA Writers) are in the process of re-inventing themselves. The group are now researching possible meeting places, together with new ways of being, as a writing group, outside WEA protection. Keep a look out for future copies of the Inky and we'll keep you posted on how they get on! They plan to meet every Thursday morning, from 10.15 to 12.15, and, for the latest information as to where they may be settling, just contact Signposts (again, details on the back page). Rotherham Metro Writers plan to re-launch in late October and are inviting beginning and more experienced writers, who would like to share their work in a supportive, informal group to contact: Graham Rippon, 19 Godric Drive, Brinsworth, Rotherham, S60 5AN Or e-mail grippon1@tiscali.co.uk to register their interest and to receive further information. Of Course! It’s that time of year The time for summer dreams will soon be over and waiting to take their place is a new series of writing courses provided by the WEA (Workers Educational Association). There are courses starting throughout South Yorkshire suitable for all levels of writers. Here are a few examples. For full details of these and more contact the WEA (details below): Barnsley Writers Workshop Mapplewell and Staincross Village Hall, Thursdays, 10.00am Writers Workshop St Andrew’s Church, Penistone, Thursdays, 7.30pm Doncaster Womens’ Creative Writing Consort House, Waterdale, Doncaster, Tuesdays, 10.30am Creative Writing Bentley Branch Library, (7 sessions), Mondays, 1.30pm Rotherham Rawmarsh Writers Workshop Rawmarsh Library, Thursdays, 2.00pm Introduction to Creative Writing WEA Rotherham Learning Centre, Ship Hill, Mondays, 7.00pm Sheffield Writing Short Stories Wood Lane Countryside Centre, Stannington, Tuesdays, 7.00pm Writing a Novel Sheffield Independent Film, Brown Street, Thursdays, 7.00pm Women Writers Grapevine Centre, Northcote Road, Heeley, Fridays, 9.30am Writing for Children Sheffield Independent Film, Brown Street Fridays, 10.00am Scriptwriting Sheffield Independent Film, Brown Street, Saturdays, 2.00pm Courses are open to everyone – no need to book a place though you might want to phone to make sure the course is running. For more information call the WEA – 0114 242 3609. Fees for a 10 week course are £50 full, £45 concession, free to those on benefits, £2.50 registration for all students. Help is available to those on low incomes. New Rotherham Writers Resource Centre There will be a new regular Writers Resource Centre in Rotherham Central Library starting on Saturday 20th October between 10.30 am - 12.30 pm. This will be followed by another one on the 17th November and then at bi-monthly intervals on the third Saturday of each month: Here’s the full programme for the next six sessions: 20th October 17th November 19th January 15th March 17th May 19th July The Resource Centre will be able to provide information and advice on all aspects of creative writing and is a free drop-in service, no need to book, just turn up. For more information call Geoff Briggs at the Signposts office - (0114) 2536722, please leave a message if there’s no-one there and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. The Chantry Writers Group This group meet at Nellie Dean’s pub in the centre of Rotherham on Fridays between 1.00 pm—3.00 pm. They still have room for more people in their group so if you are free and would like to join forces with other Rotherham writers then please call: Margaret Simons Tel: (01709) 543991 Doncaster Writers Festival - September 24 – 29th Last year's inaugural festival attracted some of the great names of British television and film writing, including Oscar-winning Trevor Griffths, multi-award winning scriptwriters John Godber, David Nobbes and many other film, television and radio writing stars. This year the Doncaster Writers Festival is delighted to welcome back John and Trevor, plus a top-class list of contributors including Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, The Street), Debbie Horsfield (Cutting It, True, Dare, Kiss), Peter Whalley (Coronation Street) and one or two more surprise guests! The festival will also see a world-premier of a play taken from interviews with the people of Doncaster and surrounding areas who have been involved in the recent flood disaster. Contact the Doncaster Little Theatre box office on (01302) 340422 for full details SOUTH YORKSHIRE LIVE EVENTS LIST 25th September - Creatovate + Wordlife - An evening of comedy, poetry, cabaret, dance & unpredictable entertainment. 8.00 pm The Workstation, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. More info: www.creatovate.com 30th September - Opus Unplugged - Performance from poets, speakers & players. 8.00 pm Riverside Café, 1 Mowbray Street, Sheffield - info email: mail@opus-productions.co.uk 2nd October - Sticky Bun Writers - Read-around on the subject of childhood. 7.30 pm The Caffetteria (corner of Leopold Street) £2.00 entry. Tel (0114) 2366225 9th October - Antics Upstairs – Spoken Word Antics will be celebrating its fifth birthday! 8.00 for 8.30 pm start. The Red Deer, 18 Pitt St, Sheffield. Tel: (0114) 2587270 9th October - Let Your Left hand Sing - Author, Poet and Playwright Kevin Fegan presents six stories of migration in one epic, dramatic poem. 6.00 pm The Cooper Gallery, Barnsley. Free. Tel (01226) 242905 to book your place 13th October - Barnsley Writers Resource Centre – Free information & advice on all aspects of writing. 11.00-1.00 pm Central Library, Shambles Street, Barnsley. Tel (0114) 2536722 20th October - Rotherham Writers Resource Centre – Free advice and information. 10.30-12.30 pm Central Library, Rotherham. Tel (0114) 2536722 27th October - Poetry Business Writing Day – Poetry workshops with exercises & inspiration. 10.15 – 4.15 The Studio, Byram Arcade, Huddersfield. Tel (01484) 434840 3rd November - A Feeling for Narrative - Writing Workshop with Sarah Murphy - This year’s artist in residence at The Word Hoard will be using a variety of techniques to help you bring your stories to light and to life. Places must be booked in advance by contacting Signposts by post (address below), phone or email. Tickets £12.00 / £6.00 concessions 11.30 am - 4.30 pm (includes 1 hour lunch) Signposts, The Circle, Rockingham Lane, Sheffield Phone (0114) 2536722 or email: info@signpostssouthyorks.org.uk 10th November - Barnsley Writers Resource Centre – Free information & advice on all aspects of writing. 11.00-1.00 pm Central Library, Shambles Street, Barnsley. Tel (0114) 2536722 17th November - Rotherham Writers Resource Centre – Free advice and information. 10.30-12.30 pm Central Library, Rotherham. Tel (0114) 2536722 *Visit http://access-space.org/forwords/ for regular updates on spoken word and live literature events.* We always welcome entries for our listings page - If you have anything that you want us to include then please send us the details Barnsley Writers Resource Centre For free information and advice 2nd Saturday each month 11.00 am - 1.00 pm. The Central Lending Library, Shambles Street, Barnsley For more info - Tel: (0114) 2536722 Sheffield Writers Resource Centre For information and advice Wednesdays 5.15 pm - 7.30 pm The Central Lending Library, Surrey St, Sheffield, S1 For more info – (0114) 2536722 To be included on The Inky’s Listings - Email: info@signpostssouthyorks.org.uk or contact Geoff at the Signposts address below. The Inky & Signposts Writing Development Project acknowledges support from: The Inky is a Signposts project - Signposts Writing Development Project www.signpostsonline.org Please send contributions for the next issue to: SIGNPOSTS The Circle 3rd Floor 33 Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW For more information - Phone Geoff Briggs on 0114 2536722 or Email: info@signpostssouthyorks.org.uk If you would like to receive a hard copy of The Inky then please contact us at the above address, we will need your address details and your permission to keep your details on our database. If you wish to receive the email version of the Inky we will require your email address together with your permission to keep your details on our database. *Please note* - The hard copy of The Inky may well precede the e-version by a number of weeks and some articles may be out of date by the time the e-version is received. *************************************************