North West Literary Arts News: April Edition

North West

Literary Arts

Volume 1 / Issue 7

The View from my window

Last month we shared stories loosely exploring the theme “firsts.” The stories made us laugh, think, listen, and cry.  There were stories about loss, love, acceptance, memory, family, and more. As we are each month, Naomi and I were touched by the openness, truth, trust, and generosity of each storyteller.

In the spirit of the theme, Naomi shared an exclusive reading of May. The reading left us breathless and anxious to hear more.

Last month was a first for me too. I shared drafts of my interpretation of the theme as a work-in-progress on Patreon where I will also be posting a recording of the piece.  I am hoping to share my writing journey each month. Writing is a process, by sharing mine I hope to empower other writers to create, share, and publish their own.

April’s theme is another true or false night. Storytellers do not have to tell us whether the stories they share are fiction, creative nonfiction, or hybrid pieces. I’ve already started writing mine. If you’d like to share your 3-5 minute true story in person, via email, on our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram let us know.

At Stories at the Storey there’s always room for one more.

What’s New?

We have some exciting upcoming events and you’re invited!

Book Launch: April 28, 7-9PM, Waterstones King Street, Lancaster: Join us as we celebrate the launch of Naomi Kruger’s, May. The event will include a reading, followed by a lively discussion and light refreshments. The event is free and all are welcome. Please order your free tickets via Eventbrite.

Interested in volunteering? We need volunteers to help the event run smoothly. Some roles could include seating guests, setting up, taking pictures, and/or social media marketing and engagement. Email us at northwestliteraryarts@gmail.com to get involved.

Funding and Developing Your Creative Writing, Practice, and/or Project: May, 2018 (TBC). Join us for a free event to discuss funding, developing, and delivering creative writing and other arts projects. This discussion aims to provide information on funding opportunities as well as providing an opportunity to network and collaborate with individuals and organizations. The event is for practitioners, writers, creators, etc... in literature, dance, music. We will also discuss crowd funding, collaborating, the Arts Council’s role as developers, match funding, and strategies to support one another to create sustainable arts. We will be joined by Alison Boyle from the Arts Council. Alison is also offering individual 10 minute one-to-one sessions to discuss Arts Council proposals and your project. If you are interested in an appointment, please contact Yvonne at northwestliteraryarts@gmail.com. Other guests to be confirmed.

How can this event be useful to you? We are organizing a collaborating/networking event a week prior so that writers and other creative practitioners have the opportunity to consider projects, explore potential collaborations, and develop relationships. If you are interested in this free event or have a suggestion about ways we can make the event more relevant, please get in touch.

London Book Launch: Join us on May 29^th for an evening of words with Jennifer Nansugba Makumbi and Naomi Kruger. Jennifer will be reading from Kintu and Naomi will be reading from May. The readings will be followed by engaging discussion, refreshments, and opportunities to have books signed.

Tips and Prompts

Not sure how to start your next writing project? This month’s tip could help. Between researching, plotting, brainstorming, and visualizing, it takes a lot of steps to go from idea to finished draft. While these can be necessary steps, they sometimes get in the way of what we set out to do: write. Whether you outline, cloud, plot, or map, if your current strategy is slowing you down, change it. How?

Just write. There is plenty of time to plot, consider, research, and edit after you get the words on the page.

1. Imagine an idea.
2. Write.

Before I start writing, I mentally listen to my characters’ voices and begin picturing them in scenes. I get to know them by imagining how they act and react, how they walk, and the boundaries they are willing to cross. So before I pick up a pen or type a word, I imagine.  

Next, I write. 

How do you start writing a piece?

Building Community, One Story at a Time

Have news to share? Let us know and we will share it either via Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or email.

Twitter: @NWLitSalon

Facebook: North West Literary Salon

Email: northwestliteraryarts@gmail.com

Instagram: North West Literary Arts

Want our help with a project? Get in touch.

Thanks for reading,

Yvonne and Naomi, North West Literary Arts

Stories at the Storey Call for True Stories: March

Kisses, jobs, loves, speeding tickets; they say you never forget your first.This month's Stories at The Storey theme is "firsts" (loosely interpreted). Want to share your true story loosely exploring the theme "firsts"? Email, message, tweet us to sign up for your 5-minute slot. Not sure you're ready to read your true story? Well, they say "there's a first time for everything".

Get in touch, we can help you get your story ready.

When: Thursday, March 29. 7-8 PM

Where: Printroom Café & Bar, Lancaster

Want to share your 3-5 minute (2-4 pages A4) true story?

Email: storiesatthestorey@gmail.com to sign up for an open-mic slot.

Sponsored by Graduate College, Stories at the Storey is a pay what you decide event. Order free tickets via Eventbrite.

Good with Money and with Words? Volunteer Opening at North West Literary Arts C.I.C.

North West Literary Arts is looking for a dynamic board member to join us. If you (or someone you know) have experience in writing and managing art funding applications, accounting skills, and experience working with literary events, projects, and/or organizations, we’d love to chat about ways to grow our organization.

About Us: The Directors, Naomi Kruger and Yvonne Battle-Felton, are published writers, educators, and creative producers who are passionate about empowering emerging writers, providing platforms, and creating engaging literature-based events. Our past and current projects include performed workshops, literary salons, and a monthly true-story open mic night. We aim to increase diversity in publishing and most of our projects are aimed at writers over 30. 

We want to make literature accessible to writers from backgrounds under-represented in publishing and to engage audiences who may not currently see their stories reflected on the page.

Our mission is to build community one story at a time. We hope you’ll join us.

Please note, this is an unpaid role. To arrange a discussion about the role please email Yvonne and Naomi at northwestliteraryarts@gmail.com

Call for True Stories: January Stories at The Storey

Call for Writers, Readers, Storytellers, You

It can warm, guide, and move us; propel, protect, reveal: This month’s theme is “light” (loosely interpreted). Join us as we share true stories of light: walking with or in it, the pursuit of, the search for, the loss of, and everything in between.

Whether you are a writer, reader, storyteller, or can spin an interesting tale, we would love to hear your 3-5 minute (2-4 pages A4) true story loosely interpreting this month's theme. Have a true story to share? Message us here or email: storiesatthestorey@gmail.com to sign up for an open-mic slot.

Please note this month features the opportunity to have your true story recorded by and broadcast on Beyond Radio. As always, this is optional. If you would like to read and have your story recorded, please let us know. If you would like to read and would not like your story recorded, please let us know that as well.

The choice is yours.

Either way, we’d love to hear your true story.

When is it? The next Stories at the Storey is Thursday, January 25.  The event is 7-8 PM (Join us for drinks and refreshments at 6:30).

Where is it? Stories at the Storey is at Print Room Cafe in The Storey, Lancaster

What are we looking for? Stories at the Storey is a true story open mic night. The stories we are looking for are creative nonfiction, lifewriting, well-crafted true stories.

What is Creative Nonfiction? Creative nonfiction draws on storytelling techniques to create stories that engage readers. Create a scene for us; describe the setting, landscape (emotional, geographical, otherwise), bring your characters to life. For an example of Creative Nonfiction, read Truman Capote's In Cold Blood or Creative Nonfiction magazine.

Tips:

The most engaging stories are practiced. Whether you memorize your story, read it from a screen, or read it from a notebook, practice reading your story out loud.

Remember you have 3-5 minutes; that's about 2-4 sheets of A4. Your story will be concise. It doesn't have to connect all of the dots for us.

Engage us, invite us in to your world.

Relax: we want to hear your story as much as you want to share it.

So sign up for your slot and get writing!

Call for Actors to Bring New Writing to Life

Can you bring text to life?

We are looking for five actors to bring new writing to life for our Characters in Motion creative writing workshop. The workshop features short story drafts from emerging student, staff, and local writers.

Date: Thursday, December 14

Time: 6-8 PM

Where: Lancaster Campus, Alexandra Building 003 (AXB003)

This is a script-in-hand reading. Writers will submit short drafts (short stories, poetry, script, monologue, or creative non-fiction). Actors are asked to read through each draft prior to the workshop. On the day, a group of actors and I will meet from 6-7 to discuss each piece as readers might interpret them. From 7-8 you will give dramatic readings of each piece. After the reading writers and actors can ask questions about process, craft, choices, interpretations, etc…

Refreshments will be provided.

Please note that this is unpaid.

If you are interested in getting involved, please email me at yvonne.battle-felton@cumbria.ac.uk

Call for Writers for Performed Writing Workshop

Want to see your writing brought to life?

Submissions are open for drafts of new writing. We are looking for short stories (up to 1,000 words), poems (2), scripts (15 page max.), and creative nonfiction (up to 1,000 words) drafts for a performed workshop where actors will bring the writing to life. The performed-workshop is open to students, staff, and local writers. Please note, this is a developmental opportunity where actors/readers will interpret your work and perform it script-in-hand.

Submission deadline: December 11

Date: Thursday, December 14

Time: 6-8 PM

Where: University of Cumbria Lancaster Campus, Alexandra Building 003 (AXB003)

This is a script-in-hand reading. Writers will submit short drafts (short stories, poetry, script, monologue, or creative non-fiction). Actors are asked to read through each draft prior to the workshop. On the day, a group of actors and I will meet from 6-7 to discuss each piece as readers might interpret them. From 7-8 they will give dramatic readings of each piece. After the reading writers and actors can ask questions about process, craft, choices, interpretations, etc…

Refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in getting involved, please email me at yvonne.battle-felton@cumbria.ac.uk

Sponsored by University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts

Call for New Writing for Performed Workshops: See Your Characters Come to Life

Want to see your writing brought to life?

Submissions are open for drafts of new writing. We are looking for short stories (up to 1,000 words), poems (2), scripts (15 page max.), and creative nonfiction (up to 1,000 words) drafts for a performed workshop where actors will bring the writing to life. The performed-workshop is open to students, staff, and local writers. Please note, this is a developmental opportunity where actors/readers will interpret your work and perform it script-in-hand.

Date: Thursday, December 14

Time: 6-8 PM

Where: University of Cumbria Lancaster Campus, Alexandra Building 003 (AXB003)

This is a script-in-hand reading. Writers will submit short drafts (short stories, poetry, script, monologue, or creative non-fiction). Actors are asked to read through each draft prior to the workshop. On the day, a group of actors and I will meet from 6-7 to discuss each piece as readers might interpret them. From 7-8 there will be dramatic readings of each piece. After the reading writers and actors can ask questions about process, craft, choices, interpretations, etc…

Refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in getting involved, please email me at yvonne.battle-felton@cumbria.ac.uk

Sponsored by University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts