I’m currently working on a book project that feels like wading through mud which has been liberally infused with treacle. And it is wreaking havoc on my fancy lead boots. The one thing that seems to help me focus is a deadline, so I’ve been looking at novel competitions for anything that might be a… Read More The unweekly herding: a list of novel competitions
…so where was I? Oh yes, this writing malarkey. I took a break from it recently in order to dedicate more time to eating toast while staring out windows. That’s been going pretty well, so I feel I can now turn my attentions back to my Google Docs. Can’t say I’m too thrilled with what… Read More The unweekly herding: toast and fresh pastures
One heartening thing for budding writers at the moment is the number of ways to build up a publishing CV. The internet has made it possible for anyone to be a publisher, and many people have seized the chance to launch online literary journals, all seeking out quality work. Funnily enough, even though this removes… Read More The unweekly herding: where can you submit your work online?
Right now, it’s hard to imagine doing anything other than kicking aside wrapping paper, watching films in your pyjamas and having selection boxes for breakfast (or is that just me?), but soon – soon – the urge will return to do some work. Those stories taking up room on a hard drive need homes, and… Read More The unweekly herding: new year, new opportunities
I’ve been laying low recently, working feverishly on a book project as part of an amazing mentorship bursary with this year’s Frank O’Connor Fellow Marie-Helene Bertino (my current state of mind: OhGodOhGodOhGod). But I can’t resist the occasional herding of writing news, so here are a few bits and pieces that might be of interest… Read More The unweekly herding: room for improvement
Call me weird – alright, there is no need to say it quite that fast – but I like it when summer ends and the evenings start drawing in. There’s nothing like a nice fire and the chance to embrace head-to-toe knitwear. Plus the cooler weather is somehow more conducive to writing. With that in… Read More The unweekly herding: back to school, back to work
If you can tear yourself away from getting a suntan – unless you live in Cork, in which case you’re more likely to be sheltering from the rain this week – there are a few competitions and publication opportunities around that are worth checking. Dalkey Creates The Dalkey Creates Short Story Competition is part… Read More The unweekly herding: midsummer motivation
The great thing about fiction competitions and literary journals is that if you don’t succeed in one, there will be another along before too long. I thought I’d share a few things I’ve seen recently that might be of interest. This is by no means a definitive list – I’m far too lazy for that… Read More The unweekly herding: summer competitions and submissions
It would seem there are two types of writers – those who are comfortable with reading their work to an audience, and those who would rather be trapped in a lift with Piers Morgan than stand before a microphone. EM Reapy, author of Red Dirt, is of the latter variety. In an upfront piece for the Irish Times last week, she explained that, though… Read More The unweekly herding: stepping up to the mic
On Saturday, I went along to a Words Ireland talk at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork. Words Ireland describes itself as ‘an informal grouping of literature organisations which share a common vision of providing a cohesive and comprehensive literature resource service to the sector and its wider community, both nationally and internationally’. The talk… Read More The unweekly herding: Words Ireland Writers Series in Cork
Word herding 