writing – Life of Cri.me

Over 40, unpublished and live in Scotland? This is for you…

Posted on March 28, 2014March 28, 2014 by J

Whether you are a poet, novelist, author of creative non-fiction or a children’s author then here’s a great competition for you from the Scottish Book Trust.

To qualify for entry you must live in Scotland and you must not have published a book in print form previously. However, if all your work has been self-published, digitally published, published in a pamphlet or as part of an anthology or magazine you may still apply.

Scottish Book Trust is pleased to announce the opening of the Next Chapter Award 2014 to support a talented yet unpublished writer over the age of 40.

The Next Chapter Award will support an emerging writer yet to publish a full-length work, for whom finding time and space to write has proved especially challenging. Developing a specific piece of work to publication standard will be the central aim of the award and applicants must demonstrate genuine potential for publication.

The writer will be offered nine months of mentoring to be arranged by Scottish Book Trust. Additionally, the writer will be awarded four weeks on retreat at Moniack Mhor to be taken in two blocks: the first in Autumn 2014 (fixed dates of 30 September to 12 October) and the second in Spring 2015 (flexible dates within March 2015). The successful writer will also be offered a £1000 bursary.

Full details of how to submit your entries can be found on the Scottish Book Trust website, and the deadline for applications is Friday 16 May 2014.

Blogging, Festivals

New Festival! Welcome to the calendar Crime Story

Posted on February 24, 2014February 24, 2014 by J

Not content with announcing a fabulous competition for aspiring Northern crime writers last week, New Writing North in conjunction with Northumbria University has just launched CrimeStory, a new crime fiction festival to run at their campus in the heart of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

CrimeStory will run over the weekend of Saturday 31st May & Sunday 1st June 2014, and in the manner of all the best crime fiction, it comes with a delicious twist on the usual festival idea.

The weekend will focus on a fictional murder that we’ve commissioned from best-selling crime novelist Ann Cleeves in which a woman finds her foster-son dead in a locked room, a blood-splattered picture of an enigmatic woman on the wall and the dubious landlord nowhere to be found. The killer? Well, that’s up to the Crime Story participants

Crime Story will take place on 31 May-1 June and a host of top crime writers, criminologists, lawyers, police and forensics experts will walk attendees through the investigation, trial and punishment of the crime. There will be opportunities to participate in the digital autopsy of a computer, find out about ‘life inside’ from Guardian columnist Erwin James or listen to novelist Louise Welsh talking to former Observer crime fiction critic Peter Guttridge.

If it shapes up to be as interactive as it sounds, it will certainly be a welcome addition to the crime calendar.

“In Crime Story writers will have the chance to find out from experts and practitioners how the criminal justice system really works. A young man has been found dead in his flat. What happens next is down to the authors, academics and forensic scientists who’ll be exploring the scene. CRIME STORY will be great opportunity for the writers of crime fiction to meet the experts who work in and research this field.”

– Ann Cleeves

Early Bird booking rates of £99 for adults, with a £10 discount for students are available until the 14th March. You can book your tickets here

Blogging

Crime and Publishment is what you need…

Posted on December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by J

Just finished NaNoWriMo?

Embarking on your novel and need some expert advice?

Still got that trunk novel under your bed you feel like digging out but you’re not sure what to do next?

Want some expert advice and an opportunity to pitch to an agent?

You can find the answers to all your questions and more available here….

Crime & Publishment is a two day course for writers, by writers, agents and industry insiders and will be held at The Mill Forge hotel, just outside Gretna Green from March 7th – 9th 2014.

They are also running a competition to win a complete package to attend the weekend. To enter all you need to do is submit your 2,000 word short crime story or the first 2,000 words of your opening chapter.

You can find all the details you need here.

I was around at the Mill for Crime and Publishment last year and can guarantee you will have a have a fabulous weekend, with great opportunities to learn, improve and network in a relaxed encouraging and informative atmosphere. Above all that it will be fun.

So if you want to win that weekend get your writing caps on because the competition closes on the 31st December, and if you don’t win, just book it up, because it’s an experience you will never forget.