Writers Corner

Every Thursday and Friday we facilitate #Writerscorner at The Coconut Loft, a lovely art gallery and coffee shop and they sell books by local authors too.

#Writerscorner is a writing session different to sessions where you write for pleasure. Writers write with the aim to get published whether this be approaching traditional publishers or self publishing their work. Many of the group are published authors and a few.

This superb venue is on Waterloo Rd in Lowestoft, Suffolk. Writers are welcome to come for one hour or two, one day or both, the choice is theirs. These sessions are free and all we ask is that writers purchase a snack at the counter.

Occasionally we run workshops there and last Friday we ran a session on How to Build a Blog (inc how to use tags/categories).

Photo taken just after some built their blogs.

Starting on the left: Sandra Delf, Suzan Collins, Honor Hall, Diana Bettinson, bottom right: Carolyn Cook, Claire Walker and Cornelia Lynne Bell.

Look what we’ve got for you…

Fun filled writing weekend: Sat 18^th Nov – Sun 19^th Nov 10-4pm

Sat 18^th Nov Taster sessions covering everything from:

Getting started on your first writing project

Planning

Editing

Approaching mainstream Publishers

Self-publishing

Marketing your finished work

Sun 19^th Nov How to Write a Novel:

Here’s a little taster of the schedule for the day –

Time to write – organising, planning, est. a routine and protecting writing time

Are you a plotter, a pantser or the lesser spotted in-betweener?

Where do you get your ideas from?

Creating unforgettable settings

Developing characters

The business of writing the book

Point of view

Dialogue

Editing

Top Tips and what happens next.

Both days will be fun, informative and include some interesting exercises which will help you go away and get that book written.

And finish the workshops with a swim/sauna at 4pm if you wish.

So, if you fancy signing up here are the details along with a link…

When 

Saturday 18^th November

Sunday 19th  November

10am – 4pm

Come for one day or both

 Where

Gunton Hall, Lowestoft

How much

£35.00

How to book

http://www.getwriting.co.uk/workshops.htm

East Anglian Festival of Culture Literary Competition 2017

Thank you to everyone who has entered the East Anglian Festival of Culture Literary Competition. All entries have been passed on to the judges and the winners and those highly commended will be notified by 31^st May. Please be aware that we are unable to give feedback on the work submitted.

A reminder of the lovely prize:

• Each winner will receive a free copy of the anthology.
• Ten highly commended writers will be included in the anthology.
• The winners will be invited along to read their work at the Meet the Authors event in the Ambassador Room at the Hatfield Hotel Sat 9^th or Sun 10^th September 2017.

And in the meantime let me tell you about some of the lovely ‘writery’ things we have arranged for July and November:

LODDON: One day ‘Taster Sessions’ covering everything from getting started on your first writing project to publishing and marketing your finished work. And … in conjunction with the ‘Taster Sessions’ aspiring authors can join other writers and artists in a creative atmosphere, to finish writing ‘that’ book or to complete that masterpiece. It’s your choice! (Please bring your own materials).

GUNTON HALL: These are relaxed informal workshops facilitated by published authors/experienced tutors so you get a real writing workout!

This is an interactive and fun-filled two days – but you can pick and choose, come for any or all of the sessions. Over the two days, they will cover everything from getting started on your first writing project to publishing and marketing your finished work.

And … in conjunction with running the structured writing workshops aspiring authors can join other writers and artists in a creative atmosphere, to finish writing ‘that’ book or to complete ‘that’ masterpiece in the fabulous 55 acre grounds of Gunton Hall and finish at 4pm with a swim in the pool. It’s your choice! (Please bring your own materials.)

For more information and/or to book your place please go to http://www.getwriting.co.uk/workshops.htm

Writing Retreat

We held our first Writer’s Retreat last month in an elegant 18th-century country house set within acres of beautiful private gardens. We had a roaring fire, own bedrooms with en suite, a group of fabulous writers in residence and was waited on hand and foot.

We also offered meditation sessions with Hilary Lepine, and/or a Food and Well-Being session with Sandra Clennell! Both of these workshops gave them powerful tools to help them not only improve their health, but also to unlock even more of their creativity.

Writers had the choice of writing in what we called ‘The Communal Room’ or writing in their rooms. The one thing we asked was that everyone came together for the evening meal.

Booking in: From 2pm on the Friday

Leaving by: 5pm on the Sunday

Driving up the path

The Welcome Meeting

View from one of the bedrooms

In The Communal Room

Out for a frosty morning walk to clear the cobwebs

Mediation sessions each evening facilitated by Hilary Lepine

 

Lunch

 

Interesting tree

The group have taken on the challenge of writing a story of up to two thousand words based on a list of words given out on the last day. The stories will be entered into an anthology and published, and all royalties from sales will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Sad to be leaving but all things must come to an end. Until next time…

Not all of the evaluation sheets are in yet but here are a few:

“A truly fabulous and inspirational weekend”

“Peace and refreshment, mentally, spiritually and physically. Can’t be bad! And an organised file that has helped me progress my current phase of writing. When’s the next one?”

If you would like to see the other things we do please go to our website http://www.getwriting.co.uk

Last few places

Coming soon…

Unique Writing Workshops & A Writing Retreat

UNIQUE WRITING WORKSHOPS at Gunton Hall Coastal Village, Lowestoft, Suffolk.

We’re looking forward to returning to Gunton Hall for the fourth time this November, with a fabulous programme of workshops for you.

This is an interactive and fun-filled three days – but you can pick and choose, come for any or all of the sessions. Over the three days, we will cover everything from getting started on your first writing project to publishing and marketing your finished work.

Our programme will include:

–Writing a Novel with award-winning 10 times novelist Jane Lovering from Yorkshire.

– Writing a Press Release with Andrew Papworth, Editor of the Lowestoft Journal

For more information and/or to book your place go to http://www.getwriting.co.uk/workshops.htm

TWO NIGHT WRITING RETREAT at Parkhill Hotel, Oulton, Lowestoft, Suffolk.

  

A two-night writing retreat in this elegant 18th-century country house hotel which is set within acres of beautiful private gardens is the ideal place to start (or finish) writing that book.

You will be free to choose when you want to write. All we ask is that you join us for the evening meal. There will be an option to discuss your work after dinner around the open fire in our communal space. We are also offering meditation sessions with Hilary Lepine, and/or a Food and Well-Being session with Sandra Clennell! Both of these workshops will give you powerful tools to help you not only improve your health, but also to unlock even more of your creativity.

For more information and/or to book your place go to http://www.getwriting.co.uk/workshops.htm

Literary Competition

Many thanks to the Lowestoft Journal and the East Anglian Daily Times for these articles on our literary competition. The competition is now closed and we’re delighted to have had such a great response. All entries are on their way to the judges houses. The winners and those highly recommended will be notified early October and their work will be published in a book. The entry fee of £1  and all royalties from this book will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

  

 

LITERARY COMPETITION

East Anglian Festival of Culture

LITERARY COMPETITION

CATEGORIES: Fiction, Non-fiction, Children, Teen, Poetry

ENTRY LEVELS: Up to 12 years, 13-16 years, Over 16 years

SUBJECT: View of the sea             WORD COUNT: up to 1500 (poetry up to 30 lines)

HOW?

To take part, Get Writing!

1. Your writing must not already be published, or due to be published this year, and be your own work.
2. Your work can be hand written or typed. (Please note we will not be able to return your work to you and advise you to keep a copy).
3. Complete an entry form. Please do not write your name or any of your details on your entry.
4. Put your entry form into an envelope, ensuring you have completed it fully, with your writing and a £1 coin (no cheques) and hand it in or send to The Coconut Loft, 8 Waterloo Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk. NR33 OAA. Please mark the envelope FAO: S. Collins.
5. Please note one entry per person and you must not have entered it into another competition during 2016. Each winner will receive a free copy of the anthology.PRIZE:
6. Four winners from each category will be chosen and published in an anthology.

Ten highly commended writers will be included in the anthology.

The winners will be invited along to read their work at the Meet the Authors event at the Coconut Loft Art Gallery Sat 12th & Sun 13th Nov 2016.

CLOSING DATE: 6pm on Saturday 3^rd September

Winners and those highly recommended will be notified by Monday 17^th October.

Competition will be judged by the Waveney Author Group

By entering you are giving us permission to publish your work but you retain the copyright. The anthology will be published by East Anglian Press with ALL royalties going to Alzheimer’s Research UK. To download your entry form please go to www.getwriting.co.uk

Eafoc tomorrow!

Tomorrow is day one of the first ever East Anglian Festival of Culture (Eafoc) 2-3rd July and final preparations are taking place.

Authors, both locally and from across the country, will be at the festival, some reading their work, all showcasing their books. And there’s more… a critique 1-1 feedback session with author Rosy Thornton, an auction for you to bid to have your favourite pet named in one of Suzan Collins’ Chatty Cat books, a literary competition and lots of fun.

These fabulous authors will be spread across three venues in Kirkley, South Lowestoft. Authors: Barbara Lorna Hudson, Caroline Simmons, Darren Barker, Elizabeth Manning-Ives, Ellie Holmes, Enid Thwaites, Gareth Davies, Janet Denny, Jeanette Hewitt, Jo Wilde, Jocelyn Blakey, Lottie Thorn, Lucille Rayner, Pam Finch, Penny Canvin, Phyllida Scrivens, Rosy Thornton, Ruth Dugdall, Sandra Delf, Suzan Collins, Terry Tarbox and Tricia Cass.