News

GWN Prizewinners event

Dear writers - we now have news of the time and date for our prizewinners event at The Times and The Sunday Times Literature Festival - it's scheduled for 6.30 p.m. on Sunday, 7 October 2018.

Please make a note in your diaries to come and support GWN and hear this year's winning entries - you could even take a starring role!

We look forward to receiving more of your prose and poetry entries on the theme of 'East Meets West', closing date 31 July 2018.

See our Competitions page for more information...

by admin

New Book from Leon Matthews-Doorman

Gloucestershire writer Leon Matthews-Doorman publishes his latest book on the 7th August.  

It is called Silent Story and discusses depression and domestic abuse from a male perspective.

 

Read a synopsis of his story here.... Silent Story synopsis (1)

by admin

GWN - June Newsletter

  • Hello Writers

    Entries for our 2018 competition, both prose and poetry, continue to come in.  We look forward to receiving more of your entries on this year’s theme ‘East meets West’.

    Here is news of another exciting upcoming festival and other events in the county and beyond.

    Coleford Festival of Words 2 – 8 July 

    The Coleford Festival of Words programme is now available.  Open the link below and you will be able to download and print a copy

    http://www.thecolefordhub.info/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CFOW-Programme-2018.pdf

    On 7 July there will be a day school at The Main Place, Coleford for aspiring writers offering a choice of four workshops: crime, historical fiction, relationships in fiction and young adult fiction.

    Here is a link to the day school with the details - it should be a good day with experienced authors sharing their writing lives and learnings.  And at a very reasonable price given the £15 includes lunch! Any questions, please call Cheryl on 01594 510 533 or 07919 251771.

    Arkbound

    Arkbound are a Bristol based charity dedicated to improving diversity and access to writing.  They run a mentorship programme where they partner aspiring writers with experienced professionals who can provide 1-to-1 support and guidance. Further information about them can be found at www.arkbound.com

    They are also running a free event for the 2nd Annual National Writing Day in cooperation with First Story at Bristol Central Library and Bristol City Hall on 27th June 2 – 7 p.m.

    ​The day will consist of a writing workshop put on by Amanda Thomas, a talk on how to get published by Arkbound Publishing, and a talk and Q&A from an author and an illustrator.

    To find out more and to reserve your ticket, visit nationalwritingday.eventbrite.co.uk

    Grenfell Tower Tragedy – An Evening of Poetry and Music

    An evening of poetry, music and solidarity to mark the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower tragedy will be held on Thursday 14 June at 7.30 p.m. at the Dolman Theatre Studio, Newport.  The evening will include readings from Gloucestershire writers Val Ormond and Vicky Hampton amongst many others.

    An anthology of Poems from Grenfell Tower will be available on the night or from https://www.amazon.co.uk/ poems-Grenfell-Tower-62-Poets/ dp/1912111551/ref=sr_1_1?ie= UTF8&qid=1527786750&sr=8-1& keywords=poems+for+grenfell+ tower

    Writing for Magazines with Kim Fleet

    Have fun and make some money writing fillers and articles for magazines! This one day workshop will show you:

    ·         How to spot the magazines that use freelance writers

    ·         How to find magazine markets beyond the newsagents’ shelves

    ·         Why you don’t need a PhD to be considered an expert

    ·         How to discover your niche

    ·         Quick wins that will boost your confidence and make you money

    ·         How to write a pitch that editors can’t resist

    At the end of the workshop, you should go home with a written piece ready to be polished and submitted to a magazine.

    When: 10 am – 4 pm, Saturday, 7th July 2018

    Where: Isbourne Holistic Centre, 3 Wolseley Terrace, Cheltenham, GL50 1TH

    Price: £65

    Booking via Eventbrite:

    https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ e/writing-for-magazines- tickets-45200749659?utm_term= eventurl_text

    With best wishes

    Penny and Kathryn

    GWN Co-Chairs

by admin

Coleford Festival of Words

Coleford Festival of Words 2 – 8 July 

The Coleford Festival of Words programme is now available.  Open the link below and you will be able to download and print a copy:

COLEFORD FESTIVAL WEB SITE

See also our events section for more details...

by admin

Launch of Stroud Book Festival 2018

We are delighted to update you on plans for the Stroud Book Festival 2018, which this year will be held 7 – 11 November - a new note for your diaries.

 

Website:   STROUD BOOK FESTIVAL

The festival organisers have also announced three new appointments: Paul McLaughlin as the new Festival Director, Caroline Sanderson as the Artistic Director and Jane Churchill as the Children’s Artistic Director.

The full Festival programme will be revealed this summer, and will include a special event for the prize-winners of the inaugural Stroud Book Festival writing competitions.  There are 3 writing prizes with a deadline for submissions of 31 July 2018.

Full information on the writing competitions can be found here:       

STROUD BOOK FESTIVAL COMPETITIONS

Please also/download see press releases for more information....

Stroud Book Festival 2018

SBF 2018 new appointments

by admin

Videos of Stroud Short Stories...

Videos of the authors reading at the 20th May - Stroud Short Stories event 'On Pulling Newts from Ponds & Other Stories'

 

The Second Stroud Short Stories Anthology, covering the stories from the six events from November 2015 up to, and including, the 20 May event, will be published in the late summer/early autumn.

 

 

by admin

Anna Saunders Launch Party - Ghosting for Beginners

Announcing the launch party for Anna Saunders' new collection 'Ghosting for Beginners'

plus guests:  David Clark and Jonny Fluffy Punk !

Please see flyer and events section for details

by admin

Stroud Book Festival and Competiton launch

Some new dates for your diary...  The 2018 Stroud Book Festival brings the best in new writing from some of the finest novelists, non-fiction writers, poets, children’s writers and storytellers from Gloucestershire and beyond.

Festival dates:       Wednesday 7th – Sunday 11th November 2018

You are invited to visit their web site, sign up for more news and competition details -

CLICK HERE TO VISIT WEBSITE

 

Competitions:

There are 3 writing prizes with a deadline for submissions of 31 July 2018:

 

Mainstream Fiction Prize (open to writers living in Gloucestershire)

Judged by author Katie Fforde

First prize £100 and 5-day writing retreat at Hawkwood College

Entry requirement: Synopsis of up to 200 words plus excerpt of up to 3000 words

 

Flash Fiction Prize (open to International entries)

Judged by author Sue Limb

First prize £500

Maximum length: 500 words

 

Poetry Prize (open to international entries)

Judged by poet Adam Horovitz

First prize £500

Maximum length: 40 lines

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE FESTIVAL WEBSITE

by admin

Don't miss the deadline! Graffiti Short Story and Poetry Competitions

The Closing date for Graffiti Magazine short story and poetry competitions is 30th May 2018. 

See below for detail of both competitions and good luck !

Graffiti Magazine Short Story Competition Rules

 TALES AFTER DARK

(What goes on out there when the sun goes down?)

 1.  Closing date 30 May 2018. Entries must be in English and be the writer’s own unpublished work. They must not be on offer for publication or entered in any other current competition.

2.  Maximum length 1,500 words.

3.  Each piece of work, with its title, must be in clear type on one side of A4 sheet(s).

4.  The name and address of the writer and the titles of all entries should be typed on a separate sheet of A4 paper.

5.  The prize-winner will be notified by post, if SAE provided, or by email if email address is provided.

6.  Entries are only accepted by post. Please keep a copy of your work, as entries will not be returned.

7.  The fee is £3 per story. Cheques/Postal Orders in sterling only, should be made payable to:  Catchword Writing Group

8.  All entries that arrive on time will be considered by the adjudicator, whose decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into concerning the result.

9.  Competitors wishing to be informed of the results should enclose an SAE marked ‘Results’ or provide an email address.

Send entries to:

Graffiti Magazine Short Story Competition

C/o 33 Sandford Leaze

Avening

Glos

GL8 8PB

Prize: £100  The winning entry and short listed stories will be

published in Graffiti.

 

Graffiti Magazine Poetry Competition Rules

 

Poems on the theme of DARKNESS

 

1.  Closing date 30 May 2018. Entries must be in English and be the writer’s own unpublished work. They must not be on offer for publication or entered in any other current competition.

2.  Each piece of work, with its title, must be in clear type on one side of A4 sheet(s) and no more than 50 lines long.

3.  The name and address of the writer and the titles of all entries should be typed on a separate sheet of A4 paper.

4.  The prize-winner will be notified by post, if SAE provided, or by email if email address is provided.

5.  Entries are only accepted by post. Please keep a copy of your work, as entries will not be returned.

6.  The fee is £3 per poem. Cheques/Postal Orders in sterling only, should be made payable to:  Catchword Writing Group

7.  All entries that arrive on time will be considered by the adjudicator, whose decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into concerning the result.

8.  Competitors wishing to be informed of the results should enclose an SAE marked ‘Results’ or provide an email address.

Send entries to: Graffiti Magazine Poetry Competition

C/o 33 Sandford Leaze

Avening

Glos

GL8 8PB

Prize: £50  The winning entry and short listed poems will be

published in Graffiti.

by admin

Congratulations Christine...

.... Congratulations to Christine Griffin who has won first prize in the Write Space short story competition with

her story called 'Living Proof' :)

Christine's book 'The Road Ahead' is now available via Amazon as an e-book or hard copy:  The Road Ahead

The Road Ahead by [Griffin, Christine]

 

 

 

 

 

by admin

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