THE INKY The Inky Writers Newsletter Summer 2008 No. 44 INKY NEWS Rotherham Metro Writers – Up & Running Again After a break of a year or so, Rotherham Metro Writers are up and running again and have a full timetable of plans from now up through to 2009 for the writers of Rotherham. The group meet at 7.40 pm, on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, at the Rotherham Trades Club on Greasebrough Road and all writers are welcome, experienced or new. The group is intending to become involved in developing and promoting creative writing throughout the borough and have already planned many varied events, including participating in the annual Rotherham Open Arts Festival in October. One of the main activities will be a Saturday afternoon of Flash Drama which will consist of up to ten plays, all of which will be the original work of local writers, and each one taking no more than ten minutes to perform. The group are on the lookout for performers for the Flash drama session and if you would like to become involved then you need to contact the group Secretary - Graham Rippon who will give you more information. Tel: 01709 372875 Email: members@rothermetwriters.890m.com Free Manuscript Feedback: for Novelists, Short Story Writers and Poets Signposts are on the lookout 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 are interested in applying 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 July 30th, 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: details below and on the contact page. WEA Writing Schools - Sizzling Summer Specials! The WEA are running a series of Summer Schools in Sheffield throughout July and among them there are four intensive writing courses including ’Planning a Novel’, ‘Towards Publication’, ’Advanced Poetry’ and ’Working Towards a Collection’. All of the courses are aimed at the more experienced writer who is wanting to take their writing to the next level prior to publishing and each course will allocate time to one-to-one tutorials, to facilitate this process, learners will be required to submit a sample of their writing at least one week before the course starts so that the tutor can get a sense of the work. Each course is ten hours long, is spread over the week starting Saturday 12th July, and will be held at the WEA Sheffield Learning Centre, Vicarage Road, Attercliffe, Sheffield. Pre-booking is essential for all of the courses and enrolment sessions are on Friday 6th June, 9.30 - 11.30 am and Tuesday 10th June, 6.00 - 8.00 pm at the Sheffield Learning Centre. Phone bookings can also be made - subject to places being available - by calling 0114 242 3609 between 9.00am on Wednesday 11th June and 4.30 pm on Friday 13th June. Fees for the courses are £2.50 per hour, concessionary fee (DLA) £2.25 per hour and for those on benefits and low incomes the courses are free. For more information visit the web-site: www.wea.org.uk/yh or phone: 0114 2423609 Runaway Sessions a Runaway Success The monthly ‘Runaway with Words’ sessions - evenings of poetry, song and spoken words are up and running again at the Runaway-Girl bar on Arundel Street, Sheffield, and are proving to be very popular. With past guests such as Seni Seneviratne, Sally Goldsmith and Chris Jones it’s already drawing in the crowds, add the opportunity to perform yourself and there’s a recipe for success. Anyone and everyone with an interest in or passion for words is welcome to perform or watch. The sessions take place on the first Wednesday of each month and the open mic slots usually run from 8.30pm -10.30pm. Send an email to: spokenword@runaway-girl.com or give them a call on 0114 2706160 to confirm a 3 minute slot to read a poem/short story or sing a song. For more information and to confirm the details of the next session call: Donna Shaw - Phone: 07779 352 725 The Death Has Been Announced ... Yorkshire Art Circus, known to many of us for its comprehensive range of writing and arts courses, has been given a death blow. (If you don't know the history of the centre, it started as a community voluntary organisation in the 1970's - alongside such developments as the Free School movement; play groups; Shelter; Liberty; etc. - and was eventually supported by several local authorities and also Arts Council England.) At the end of March the three remaining staff - the Course Development Officer; Writing Development Officer and Administrator - were served with redundancy notices which took effect on 30 April 2008.  On top of this, they were embargoed from going public with the news until midway through April, leaving little or no time to gather public support for the centre or harness opposition. The closure appears to be due to cuts by Wakefield M.D.C. together with the knock on effect of reduction in support from other funders. This is a big blow to writing development work in the region and for those who have benefited from the many enlightening and stimulating courses over the years, the establishment will be sadly missed. It is probably too late to reinstate YAC but not too late to add your voice to the protest and join in registering your sense of loss of YAC as a positive force for the development of creative writing in the region. To make sure that your opinions are registered please send your comments to: Councillor Clive Hudson, Cabinet Member for Sport & Culture, Wakefield M.D.C.,  Town Hall, Wood Street, Wakefield WF1 2QH Thanks to Jeannette Ayton for this article. Using Words for Healing I discovered creative writing after a traumatic period in my life. I had many angry and disturbing thoughts and feelings that I needed to express somewhere and somehow. I felt I needed to convey these safely as it would have felt too risky to shout angry words to another person. Paper was a very non-judgemental medium for my thoughts to flow onto, it did not comment or give me advice about how I ‘should be’, it just allowed me to say what I wanted uninterrupted. I started Counsellor training which required me to keep a journal, recording the process of my personal development. Again I found it cathartic to write about all the changes I was experiencing while delving into my past and learning to deal with difficult feelings. I felt excited about the discovery of new insights to myself and being able to use writing as a creative way to tell this story. I was then introduced to a professional body of people called Lapidus which consists of writers who promote using words therapeutically for enhancing health and wellbeing. I was elated to meet like minded people to share my love for words, creativity and expression of feelings. This married my two great passions, writing and talking to people! For many years I have worked in either a health or social setting and use writing as a therapeutic tool for people to achieve a better mental health. One of the main reasons why writing can be so beneficial for people suffering from mental health problems is that it is a means of unburdening the mind with thoughts that often go round and round without any outlet. Often the first step is helping people to write whatever needs to be ‘said’ and a confidentiality rule for any group should be set in place so that people can feel safe within the group setting to write about any issue that is important to them. It should also be left to the individual to decide whether they read out what they have written, only they can decide if they are comfortable enough to share their thoughts. I have found that under these conditions most people soon build enough confidence to share their writing with others. I believe it is in the sharing that confirmation and acceptance of our ‘stories’ (or ourselves) is what becomes so therapeutic. We all have a need to relate to others, but sometimes we can lose trust in how our thoughts and feelings will be received. Therefore listening and reading other peoples stories often confirms our own, proving that writer and reader/listener both benefit from the shared experience. Patsy Seddon Community Mental Health Worker Links: Lapidus Post: Lapidus, BM Lapidus, London WC1N 3XX. Tel: 0845 6022215 Web: www.lapidus.org.uk Things To DO – Places To GO Barnsley Writers Resource Centre - For free information & advice on all aspects of creative writing. Central Lending Library, Shambles Street, Barnsley - 2nd Saturday each month 11.00 - 1.00 pm. For more information call Geoff at the Signposts office -Tel: (0114) 2536722 or just turn up on the day. Sheffield - Opus Unplugged - Performance from poets, speakers & players. Sundays from 8.00 pm. Riverside Café, 1 Mowbray Street, Sheffield - info email: mail@opus-productions.co.uk Rotherham - Metro Writers Group - Regular monthly writing group for writers of all abilities. Rotherham Trades Club, Greasebrough Road, Rotherham - 2nd Tuesday each month, 7.40 start. For more information contact Graham Rippon - Tel: (01709) 372875 Sheffield Writers Resource Centre - For free information & advice on all aspects of creative writing. Central Lending Library, Surrey Street, Sheffield - Every Wednesday evening 5.15 - 7.30 pm. For more information call Geoff at the Signposts office -Tel: (0114) 2536722 or just turn up on the day. Barnley - Royston Writers - Regular weekly writing group for writers of all abilities. Royston Civic Hall, Station Road, Royston - Every Wednesday morning, 10.00 - 12.00 noon. For more information contact Vasiliki Scurfield - Tel: (01226) 722571 Doncaster - Creative Writing Group - Regular weekly writing group for writers of all abilities. Central Lending Library, Waterdale, Doncaster - Every Saturday, 10.00 am - 2.00 pm. For more information contact Malcolm Robinson - Tel: 07780 621 899 Sheffield - Handsworth Writers, Poets & Singers - Regular meeting for all, perform or just listen. Cross Keys Public House, Handsworth, Sheffield - Every 3rd Tuesday each month, 6.30 start. For more information contact Andy Senior - Tel: (0114) 2435659 / 07859 998836 Rotherham Writers Resource Centre – For free information on all aspects of creative writing. Central Library, Walker Place, Rotherham - Bi-monthly, Saturdays, 10.30 - 12.30 pm. Next meetings - 19th July, 20th September, 16th November. More information - Tel (0114) 2536722 Sheffield - Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Group - Open to all interested writers. Queens Head Public House, Pond Street, Sheffield - Mondays, 7.00 - 8.00 pm, various dates. To check next meeting date contact Dave Kirby - Tel: (0114) 2646487 *Stop press Under the Chandelier Sessions in Doncaster Following on from the success of the first ‘Under the Chandelier’ writers session which took place last March, Signposts have now organised a series of follow up sessions which will be based in the Meeting Room of the Central Library, Waterdale, Doncaster. The first session, on Saturday 5th July between 2.15pm – 4.15pm, will again be hosted by Nell Farrell and if you are a writer, would like to write, or you just fancy listening to some writers perform their work, then you are welcome to come along. The event is FREE and is the perfect opportunity for all to come and share their work, be it poetry, prose, whatever, all are welcome. To coincide with the event there will also be another visit from the Writers Resource Centre with lots of information about writing groups, getting started, competitions, courses and getting published so, if you need advice or help with your writing then come along. If you would like more information about this event or future sessions then please contact Geoff at the Signposts office. Other dates in the series: Saturday 27th September – 2.15 – 4.15 pm Saturday 24th January – 2.15 – 4.15 *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 To be included on The Inky’s Listings - Email: info@signpostssouthyorks.org.uk or contact Geoff Briggs at the Signposts address below. Signposts Writing Development Project is funded by Arts Council England 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 uploaded to the web-site. *************************************************