 Image by Neil Conway | There are some excellent writing courses available in Ireland this summer. Some are aimed at writers at the start of their writing careers, while others are suitable for more experienced writers. If you live in Ireland or are planning a visit here this summer, have a browse through the following selection of summer courses from Claire Keegan (various locations) and at the Irish Writers’ Centre (Dublin) to see if one takes your fancy. |
You might also be interested in attending a writing workshop at one of Ireland’s many literary and book festivals taking place over the coming months. A selection of these festivals is listed at the end of this blog post. Do you have a favourite writing class or festival that’s not listed below? Please feel free to add it in the comments section. Happy summer writing!
CLAIRE KEEGAN WORKSHOP SERIES
Scenes
2–3 May, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days
Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare
Tuition: €250
How does time work in a scene? What is the purpose of a scene? How can a scene reveal character? And what's the difference between tension and drama? This weekend will be spent reading and watching scenes – famous and not so famous – from literature and film. Participants will be asked to select some scenes from novels and short stories.
Note: Venue is quite close to Shannon Airport
Fiction Workshop
4–5 July, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. both days
Millrace Hotel, Bunclody, Co Wexford
Tuition: €300
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts: 24 June.
This workshop will focus on works-in-progress (short stories or excerpts of novels) submitted by participants. Manuscripts are distributed to every participant in advance and read with care by all. Claire Keegan will spend between 4–6 hours on each text, and will then examine and discuss every text with the group during the weekend. Discussion likely to include the structure of a narrative, paragraph structure, time, tension, drama, melodrama, statement, description, suggestion, conflict, character, point of view, place, time and setting. The aim, always, is to help each author with the next draft. While most participants like to submit a manuscript, this is not a requirement.
Fiction Workshop
18–19 July, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., both days
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
Tuition: £325
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts: 8 July.
This workshop will focus on works-in-progress submitted by participants. Manuscripts are distributed to every participant in advance and read with care by all. Claire Keegan will spend between 4–6 hours on each text, and will then examine and discuss every text with the group during the weekend. Discussion likely to include the structure of a narrative, paragraph structure, time, tension, drama, melodrama, statement, description, suggestion, conflict, character, point of view, place, time and setting. The aim, always, is to help each author with the next draft. While most participants like to submit a manuscript, this is not a requirement.
The First Draft: Getting Black on White
28–30 August
Friday 7– 9.30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., both days.
Millrace Hotel, Bunclody, Co Wexford
Tuition €250
This weekend will begin with a small reception and a 30-minute talk on the first draft. All participants will then write for one hour – before going on to write for two full days. You will need to come in with a first draft in your mind and/or notes taken for same. Claire will not be prompting you to write about anything in particular – the material is up to you. Most of the weekend will be spent writing in silence. It’s about making yourself get down to putting black on white, getting through your first draft in the company of others who understand the difficulties of doing so. Participants write with pen and paper.
If you are interested in booking a place on any of the courses in the Claire Keegan Workshop Series, please email ckworkshops[at]yahoo.co.uk.
IRISH WRITERS' CENTRE, DUBLIN
Beginners Creative Writing with Alan Jude Moore
Starts: Tuesday 28 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m. ¶
Duration: 10 weeks
Cost: €280/€260 members
This 10-week course with Alan Jude Moore is aimed at people who are beginning to think seriously about their creative writing and want to get up and running or maybe just get back on track. Participants will be encouraged to produce new work during the course and this will provide the basis for a series of informal yet informative workshops where the focus will be on constructive critique and developing each person’s strengths and abilities as a writer. Workshops will be complemented by practical advice, writing exercises and an introduction, from a writer's perspective, to the modern literary landscape.
Short Story Workshop with Sean O'Reilly
Starts: Thursday 30 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: €220/€200 members
This course, with Sean O'Reilly, seeks to develop the writer’s craft in the dynamic context of a group. It will be of interest to those who feel their stories might benefit from close reading by other writers. Participants will be required to submit their own writing for appraisal by the group as well as reading and responding to each other’s work. Over the eight weeks, participants will look in particular at the process of drafting a story; using the feedback from the group, writers will be encouraged to explore the techniques and themes in their fiction and to submit a revised version of their story. By the end of the course, participants should feel they have a better understanding of their own writing and have discovered some new approaches and tools for making it happen on the page.
Writing for Children and Teenagers with Sarah Webb
Starts: Thursday 30 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: €220/€200 members
Want to write a book for children but don’t know where to start? Want to find out more about agents, publishers and promoting yourself as a children’s writer? In this practical, hands-on workshop with Sarah Webb, we will look at the different age groups and genres that make up the children’s book world, and then start you on your own writing journey.
Writing and Illustrating a Children's Picture Book with Adrienne Geoghegan
Saturday 13 June and Saturday 20 June
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 2 days
Cost: €150/€135 members
This two-day workshop is suitable for aspiring or emerging picture-book writers and illustrators and is taught by artist, writer and illustrator Adrienne Geoghegan. The course will cover a wide range of topics, including character development; how to write in pictures; genres; choosing the right language and vocabulary; pagination and word count; creating your storyboard and dummy; visual continuity and the sequential image. The course will also give answers to questions such as ‘Do I need to find a writer or illustrator for my picture book idea?’ and ‘How do I submit a “stand-out” picture book proposal to publishers?’ Feel free to bring along any work in progress to discuss in class.
6 Week Starter Kit with David Butler
Starts: Wednesday 24 June
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 6 weeks
Cost: €165/€150 members
A successful writer must read widely, and then get writing. Participants in this six-week course with David Butler will be doing plenty of both! Along with your own works-in-progress, we'll look at examples of successful writing, focusing on areas such as: how and where to start; creating your own voice; character building; handling narrative structure; and building tension. Be prepared to discuss the work of others; it's the best way to become your own most important critic!
Novel Workshop with Claire Kilroy
Starts: Monday 17 August
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 5 days
Cost: €450/420 members
This is a practical course with Claire Kilroy, aimed at people writing a novel, whether it’s a work in progress or a completed first draft. The focus will be on workshopping extracts from your novel in a group setting and receiving feedback. Participants will be invited to submit five extracts, each of approx. 600–800 words in length, over the course of the week. Each excerpt will be individually critiqued by Claire, and a class discussion will follow. Claire will return everybody’s manuscript marked up with her notes, and participants are expected to mark up each other's texts with their comments. As this course involves evening reading, participants would benefit from having their five excerpts in mind before the week starts, and your opening extract and a synopsis should be submitted the week beforehand. Course numbers are limited to 10.
Teens Summer Fiction Workshop with Deirdre Sullivan
Monday to Wednesday, 29 June – 1 July
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 3 days
Cost: €150
Teens will explore, with Deirdre Sullivan, different sources of inspiration for writing fiction, from books and films to personal experience. We will explore flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and engage in a variety of exercises to get your creative juices flowing. The young writers will work on one special piece of fiction, and discover the benefits of editing and redrafting, as well as planning for stories of different lengths, from novels where world-building is necessary, to the character and narrative arc in a short story or flash fiction. Deirdre will share ways to stay motivated when working on longer projects too.
If you are interested in booking a place on any of the above courses at the Irish Writers' Centre, you can book them online through their website.
LITERARY, BOOK AND WRITING FESTIVALS
Waterford Writers’ Weekend, 7–10 May, Waterford City
International Literature Festival Dublin, 16–24 May, Dublin City
Listowel Writers’ Week, 27–31 May, Listowel, Co Kerry
Festival of Writing and Ideas, 5–7 June, Borris, Co Carlow
Belfast Book Festival, 8–14 June, Belfast City
Immrama – Lismore Festival of Travel Writing, 11–14 June, Lismore, Co Waterford
Dalkey Book Festival, 11–14 June, Dalkey, Co Dublin
Focal – Wexford Literary Festival, 26–27 June, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Hay Kells Book Festival, 26–28 June, Kells, Co Meath
West Cork Literary Festival, 12–18 July, Bantry, Co Cork
CLAIRE KEEGAN WORKSHOP SERIES
Scenes
2–3 May, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days
Temple Gate Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare
Tuition: €250
How does time work in a scene? What is the purpose of a scene? How can a scene reveal character? And what's the difference between tension and drama? This weekend will be spent reading and watching scenes – famous and not so famous – from literature and film. Participants will be asked to select some scenes from novels and short stories.
Note: Venue is quite close to Shannon Airport
Fiction Workshop
4–5 July, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. both days
Millrace Hotel, Bunclody, Co Wexford
Tuition: €300
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts: 24 June.
This workshop will focus on works-in-progress (short stories or excerpts of novels) submitted by participants. Manuscripts are distributed to every participant in advance and read with care by all. Claire Keegan will spend between 4–6 hours on each text, and will then examine and discuss every text with the group during the weekend. Discussion likely to include the structure of a narrative, paragraph structure, time, tension, drama, melodrama, statement, description, suggestion, conflict, character, point of view, place, time and setting. The aim, always, is to help each author with the next draft. While most participants like to submit a manuscript, this is not a requirement.
Fiction Workshop
18–19 July, 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., both days
Crescent Arts Centre, Belfast
Tuition: £325
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts: 8 July.
This workshop will focus on works-in-progress submitted by participants. Manuscripts are distributed to every participant in advance and read with care by all. Claire Keegan will spend between 4–6 hours on each text, and will then examine and discuss every text with the group during the weekend. Discussion likely to include the structure of a narrative, paragraph structure, time, tension, drama, melodrama, statement, description, suggestion, conflict, character, point of view, place, time and setting. The aim, always, is to help each author with the next draft. While most participants like to submit a manuscript, this is not a requirement.
The First Draft: Getting Black on White
28–30 August
Friday 7– 9.30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., both days.
Millrace Hotel, Bunclody, Co Wexford
Tuition €250
This weekend will begin with a small reception and a 30-minute talk on the first draft. All participants will then write for one hour – before going on to write for two full days. You will need to come in with a first draft in your mind and/or notes taken for same. Claire will not be prompting you to write about anything in particular – the material is up to you. Most of the weekend will be spent writing in silence. It’s about making yourself get down to putting black on white, getting through your first draft in the company of others who understand the difficulties of doing so. Participants write with pen and paper.
If you are interested in booking a place on any of the courses in the Claire Keegan Workshop Series, please email ckworkshops[at]yahoo.co.uk.
IRISH WRITERS' CENTRE, DUBLIN
Beginners Creative Writing with Alan Jude Moore
Starts: Tuesday 28 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m. ¶
Duration: 10 weeks
Cost: €280/€260 members
This 10-week course with Alan Jude Moore is aimed at people who are beginning to think seriously about their creative writing and want to get up and running or maybe just get back on track. Participants will be encouraged to produce new work during the course and this will provide the basis for a series of informal yet informative workshops where the focus will be on constructive critique and developing each person’s strengths and abilities as a writer. Workshops will be complemented by practical advice, writing exercises and an introduction, from a writer's perspective, to the modern literary landscape.
Short Story Workshop with Sean O'Reilly
Starts: Thursday 30 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: €220/€200 members
This course, with Sean O'Reilly, seeks to develop the writer’s craft in the dynamic context of a group. It will be of interest to those who feel their stories might benefit from close reading by other writers. Participants will be required to submit their own writing for appraisal by the group as well as reading and responding to each other’s work. Over the eight weeks, participants will look in particular at the process of drafting a story; using the feedback from the group, writers will be encouraged to explore the techniques and themes in their fiction and to submit a revised version of their story. By the end of the course, participants should feel they have a better understanding of their own writing and have discovered some new approaches and tools for making it happen on the page.
Writing for Children and Teenagers with Sarah Webb
Starts: Thursday 30 April
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 8 weeks
Cost: €220/€200 members
Want to write a book for children but don’t know where to start? Want to find out more about agents, publishers and promoting yourself as a children’s writer? In this practical, hands-on workshop with Sarah Webb, we will look at the different age groups and genres that make up the children’s book world, and then start you on your own writing journey.
Writing and Illustrating a Children's Picture Book with Adrienne Geoghegan
Saturday 13 June and Saturday 20 June
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 2 days
Cost: €150/€135 members
This two-day workshop is suitable for aspiring or emerging picture-book writers and illustrators and is taught by artist, writer and illustrator Adrienne Geoghegan. The course will cover a wide range of topics, including character development; how to write in pictures; genres; choosing the right language and vocabulary; pagination and word count; creating your storyboard and dummy; visual continuity and the sequential image. The course will also give answers to questions such as ‘Do I need to find a writer or illustrator for my picture book idea?’ and ‘How do I submit a “stand-out” picture book proposal to publishers?’ Feel free to bring along any work in progress to discuss in class.
6 Week Starter Kit with David Butler
Starts: Wednesday 24 June
Time: 6.30–8.30 p.m.
Duration: 6 weeks
Cost: €165/€150 members
A successful writer must read widely, and then get writing. Participants in this six-week course with David Butler will be doing plenty of both! Along with your own works-in-progress, we'll look at examples of successful writing, focusing on areas such as: how and where to start; creating your own voice; character building; handling narrative structure; and building tension. Be prepared to discuss the work of others; it's the best way to become your own most important critic!
Novel Workshop with Claire Kilroy
Starts: Monday 17 August
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 5 days
Cost: €450/420 members
This is a practical course with Claire Kilroy, aimed at people writing a novel, whether it’s a work in progress or a completed first draft. The focus will be on workshopping extracts from your novel in a group setting and receiving feedback. Participants will be invited to submit five extracts, each of approx. 600–800 words in length, over the course of the week. Each excerpt will be individually critiqued by Claire, and a class discussion will follow. Claire will return everybody’s manuscript marked up with her notes, and participants are expected to mark up each other's texts with their comments. As this course involves evening reading, participants would benefit from having their five excerpts in mind before the week starts, and your opening extract and a synopsis should be submitted the week beforehand. Course numbers are limited to 10.
Teens Summer Fiction Workshop with Deirdre Sullivan
Monday to Wednesday, 29 June – 1 July
Time: 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Duration: 3 days
Cost: €150
Teens will explore, with Deirdre Sullivan, different sources of inspiration for writing fiction, from books and films to personal experience. We will explore flash fiction (up to 1,000 words) and engage in a variety of exercises to get your creative juices flowing. The young writers will work on one special piece of fiction, and discover the benefits of editing and redrafting, as well as planning for stories of different lengths, from novels where world-building is necessary, to the character and narrative arc in a short story or flash fiction. Deirdre will share ways to stay motivated when working on longer projects too.
If you are interested in booking a place on any of the above courses at the Irish Writers' Centre, you can book them online through their website.
LITERARY, BOOK AND WRITING FESTIVALS
Waterford Writers’ Weekend, 7–10 May, Waterford City
International Literature Festival Dublin, 16–24 May, Dublin City
Listowel Writers’ Week, 27–31 May, Listowel, Co Kerry
Festival of Writing and Ideas, 5–7 June, Borris, Co Carlow
Belfast Book Festival, 8–14 June, Belfast City
Immrama – Lismore Festival of Travel Writing, 11–14 June, Lismore, Co Waterford
Dalkey Book Festival, 11–14 June, Dalkey, Co Dublin
Focal – Wexford Literary Festival, 26–27 June, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
Hay Kells Book Festival, 26–28 June, Kells, Co Meath
West Cork Literary Festival, 12–18 July, Bantry, Co Cork
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