COURSES, CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS
Arvon Foundation
http://www.arvonfoundation.org/
From starting to write to advanced poetry, crime writing to TV comedy, this site offers information on a range of courses available at centres in Yorkshire, Shropshire, Devon and Scotland.
British Council
http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts/literature/seminars/index.htm
Details literature seminars and conferences in the UK, and overseas conferences about UK and Commonwealth literature.
Burton Manor College
http://www.burtonmanor.com/
Situated on the Wirral, offers various courses in Literature & Creative Writing. Examples include travel writing, Greek drama, and serialising the novel. Some courses offered are residential.
Literature Training
http://www.literaturetraining.com/
Aimed at writers and others involved in creating or supporting new writing and literature, provides information on training and professional development opportunities available in the UK.
NAWE
http://www.nawe.co.uk/
The National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE) supports the development of creative writing of all genres and in all educational settings throughout the UK. In addition to the writing courses link, check out the list of forthcoming events.
TrAce Online Writing School
http://trace.ntu.ac.uk/school/
TrAce offers a wide range of online courses with published writers experienced in teaching writing. Group and one-to-one sessions are available enabling participants to develop close working relationships with tutors as well as fellow students.
CREATIVE WRITING
BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/
Get advice from Martin Amis, Robert McKee, and other successful writers on how to write novels, memoirs, radio plays and screenplays.
British Society of Comedy Writers
http://www.bscw.co.uk/
The British Society of Comedy Writers is a new professional organisation that aims to promote excellence in writing for comedy and light entertainment.
Crime Writers Association
http://www.thecwa.co.uk/
A professional group of published writers of crime books, best known for its literary award The Daggers. Site also includes news of awards, competitions, events and latest books.
Lapidus
http://www.lapidus.org.uk/
Lapidus promotes the use of the literary arts – reading, writing and performing of poetry, prose, fiction or drama, storytelling and journal writing – for personal development.
Literary Consultancy
http://www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk
The Literary Consultancy provides expert, market-informed editorial advice to writers at any level writing in English. Its manuscript assessment service provides developing writers with critical feedback and can help increase chances of publication within the UK.
Mslexia
http://www.mslexia.co.uk/
Creative writing magazine for women. Provides advice, news, reviews, interviews, competitions, events, courses, and grants information. Also includes a quarterly master class in the business and psychology of writing.
National Association of Writers Groups
http://www.nawg.co.uk/
NAWG has over 150 affiliated groups and over 100 associate (individual) members spread across the UK. Organises an annual open festival of writing, a free annual creative writing competition, a directory of writers’ groups and a bi-monthly newsletter.
New Writing North
http://www.newwritingnorth.com/
Literature development agency based in the north east: lots of useful information as well as north east events listings.
Online Writing Centre
http://www.trace.ntu.ac.uk/
trAce connects readers and writers online. This is where writers meet to experiment and create new work via online courses, discussion forums and feature articles. The focus is on “creativity, collaboration and training”.
Write Words
http://www.writewords.org.uk/
A UK writers’ community offering support, advice, interviews and articles from top writing names, as well as information on writing jobs, opportunities, competitions and news.
DIRECTORIES OF WRITERS AND PUBLISHERS
Contemporary Writers in the UK
http://www.contemporarywriters.com/
Provided by the British Council in partnership with Booktrust, this is a searchable database containing profiles of UK and Commonwealth contemporary writers. Includes biographies, bibliographies, critical reviews, prizes and photographs.
Directory of Writers
http://www.artscape.org.uk/
Artscape is a multimedia directory of the arts, providing information on individual artists including writers. Useful tool for locating writers for performances, commissions or community/educational projects.
Writers and Artists Yearbook
http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/
Invaluable guide for writers, full of advice and information about agents, publishers, self-publishing etc
The Writers’s Handbook
http://www.thewritershandbook.com/
Another useful resource, similar to the above.
GRANTS & FUNDING
Arts Council England
http://www.arts.org.uk/
As the national development for the Arts in England, distributes public money from Government and the National Lottery to individuals, arts organisations, and national touring.
National Literacy Trust
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/
Details funding opportunities including Government and European programmes. Focuses mainly on community and educational initiatives.
NAWE
http://www.nawe.co.uk/
The National Association of Writers in Education provides a comprehensive list of funding opportunities.
Society of Authors
http://www.societyofauthors.org/
The Society administers numerous grants, funds and prizes. Grants are awarded to authors to help with research costs or to ‘buy time’ when writing a book. Benevolent funds are also available for professional authors.
LITERATURE FESTIVALS & EVENTS
Bath Literature Festival
http://www.bathlitfest.org.uk/
The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival
http://cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/
Chester Literature Festival
http://www.chesterfestivals.co.uk/
Edinburgh International Book Festival
http://www.edbookfest.co.uk/
Hay Festival
http://www.hayfestival.co.uk/
Lancaster LitFest
http://www.litfest.org/
Literary Festivals
http://literaryfestivals.britishcouncil.org/
Live Literature
http://www.liveliterature.net/
The Arts Council’s listings of author events and activities.
Manchester Poetry Festival
http://www.manchesterpoetryfestival.co.uk/
Northern Children’s Book Festival
http://www.ncbf.org.uk/
World Book Day Reading Festival
http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/worldbookday.html
Writing on the Wall
http://www.writingonthewall.org.uk/
Words by the Water
http://www.wayswithwords.co.uk
Cumbria’s premier literature festival, held at Theatre by the Lake in Keswick each March. The website also features the Ways with Words Festival at Dartington (July) and Southwold Festival (November) as well as courses in France and Italy.
PLAYWRITING & SCRIPTWRITING
BBC World Service
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/screenplay.shtml
Online advice on how to write a screenplay including structure, writing exposition, creating characters and dialogue, reviewing and rewriting.
BBC Writers Room
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/
Another BBC site in which writers can read a first draft of a script, or get advice from ‘Doctors’ script editors, ‘EastEnders’ writers and other BBC experts.
British Film Institute
http://www.bfi.org.uk/
National agency for encouraging and conserving the arts of film and television. Includes National Film and television archive, Library, Sight & Sound magazine and support for film-makers.
Film Council
http://www.filmcouncil.org.uk/
Information and application forms for Film Council/Lottery funding and information on all low-budget funding in the UK.
National Film & Television School
http://www.nftsscreenwriting.org/
Provides information about courses, workshops and events. Staff are professional screenwriters, producers and directors working in film and television.
North West Playwrights
http://www.newplaysnw.com/
Exists to develop and promote new writing for the theatre in the North West. Details information about funded projects and lists services including award schemes, script reading and writer development..
Script Factory
http://www.scriptfactory.co.uk/
One of the UK’s leading script development organisations; aims to find and develop new screenwriting talent.
Virtual Script Workshop & Sciptunities
http://www.xerif.com/
Provides information about online screenwriting workshops, competitions and opportunities.
POETRY
Apples and Snakes
http://www.applesandsnakes.org/
London-based performance poetry organisation. Site provides information on their live poetry events and background on artists.
Bartleby
http://www.bartleby.com/
Search for bibliographical details of poets or for text.
BBC Arts – Poetry
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/poetry/index.shtml
Interactive poetry site including the Nation’s Favourite Children’s poem.
Bloodaxe Books
http://www.bloodaxebooks.com/
Contemporary poetry listing with poet information, links and biographies.
Carcanet
http://www.carcanet.co.uk/
Full poetry catalogue plus poet biographies, interviews and press releases.
Poetry Book Society
http://www.poetrybooks.org.uk/
What are your poetry tastes? The Poetry Book Society aims to assist all readers of poetry from occasional browsers to connoisseurs. Features include reading tips and a book search catalogue.
Poetry Business
http://www.poetrybusiness.co.uk/
Publisher of contemporary poetry books, pamphlets and cassettes under the Smith/Doorstep imprint. Also publishes The North literary magazine, holds monthly writing days in Huddersfield and runs an annual Book & Pamphlet Competition.
Poetry Life
http://freespace.virgin.net/poetry.life/
Poetry Life magazine contains interviews with poets, articles on all aspects of the poetry scene in the UK and world wide, reviews, festivals, publishing, performance poetry, style and the politics of poetry, and competitions.
Poetry London
http://www.poetrylondon.co.uk/
One of Britain’s leading poetry magazines, bringing you poems, reviews, features and listings.
Poetry School
http://www.poetryschool.com/
The Poetry School offers a core programme of tuition designed to encourage the reading and writing of poetry.
poetry p f
http://www.poetrypf.co.uk
Showcase for contemporary poets established and maintained by Anne Green.
Poetry Society
http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/
Features include National Poetry Day, events, educational activities and resources, poetry reviews and news of forthcoming titles, an online poetry class and details of poets in residence.
The Journal
http://www.freewebs.com/thesamsmith/
Completely self-sufficient and unfunded labour of love, edited from Maryport by Sam Smith.
Vending Poetry
http://www.wearpurple.co.uk/vendingpoetry/
Vending poetry is a virtual vending machine where you can read other people’s poems or submit your own. WearPurple is an arts project for over 55 in Vale Royal, Cheshire.
PUBLISHING
Booktrust
http://www.booktrust.org.uk/
Contains an A-Z list of UK book publishers. Also provides information about the book world.
Literature North West
http://www.literaturenorthwest.co.uk/
The North West is home to a number of significant independent presses, ranging from internationally distributed poetry and photography publishers, to innovative local magazines, graphic novel houses and key players in the regional and national literary scene.
Publishing Training Centre
http://www.train4publishing.co.uk/
Previously known as Book House Training Centre, an educational charity dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in publishing. Offers over 60 open courses covering publishing and management skills.
STORYTELLING
North Pennines Storytelling Festival
Annual storytelling festival in Cumbria, Northumberland and Durham See Eden Arts website http://www.edenarts.co.uk
Festival at the Edge
http://www.festivalattheedge.org/
In addition to running Festival at the Edge – an annual festival of storytelling, music, poetry and related arts in Much Wenlock, Shropshire – they hold a monthly storytelling club and an ongoing programme of residential workshops.
Mythstories
http://www.mythstories.com/
Based in Wem, Shropshire, Mythstories is a storytelling museum offering galleries of myths and fables. Also provides an education programme and events.
Society for Storytelling
http://www.sfs.org.uk/
Open organisation to anyone with an interest in oral storytelling, whether teller, listener, beginner or professional. Information on storytelling events and storytellers, including quarterly magazine, directory of storytellers and National Storytelling Week each February.
WRITERS’ RIGHTS
NAWE
http://www.nawe.co.uk/
The National Association of Writers in Education (NAWE) supports the development of creative writing of all genres and in all educational settings throughout the UK.
Society of Authors
http://www.societyofauthors.org/
The Society of Authors is a non-profit making organisation, founded in 1884, “to protect the rights and further the interests of authors”. The site provides advice on legal matters, vanity publishing, and some helpful answers to FAQs from new writers.
Writers Guild
http://www.writersguild.org.uk/
The Writers’ Guild is a trade union for writers working in television, radio, film, theatre, books and multimedia. Established in 1958, it aims to ensure that writers are properly paid and credited.
YOUNG WRITERS
Kids on the Net
http://kotn.ntu.ac.uk/
Post your own stories, poems and book reviews online as well as reading those already written. Provides advice on writing including some top tips by Jacqueline Wilson.
Writers Toolkit
http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/B/bookbox/writerstoolkit/home.htm
How do I begin my stories? How do I know when to stop? How do I make my characters come to life? Find answers to these questions, and more.
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