Newsletter and New course info

I hope you are well and settled into 2011, which is already going very quickly. I am writing to let you know that the booklet of short stories THE STORYTELLERS written by the children, teenagers and adults, who attend my creative writing classes, has made of a profit of €575 for St. Vincent De Paul! I am delighted.

Many thanks to all who bought a copy, the venues that sold them and, of course, to the writers who made the booklet possible.

It is now the time of year for planning holidays and the year ahead, so I thought it might be a good time to let you know about my courses and competitions coming up.

One Day Adult Workshops

Saturday 5th March:
One Day Novel Writing workshop on Writing Dialogue for Adults takes place in Skerries Mills. It runs from 10.30a.m – 3p.m and costs €45.
This course is particularly suitable to those who find writing dialogue challenging/interesting and want to learn how to make it believable and authentic. This day will be fun!

Saturday 7th May:
A second One Day Novel Writing Workshop for adults takes place in Skerries Mills. The topic for the day will be What Makes a Good Story? Submitting Work to publishers and agents.
It also runs from 10.30a.m – 3p.m and costs €45.

Teen EASTER Creative Writing Camp

This Easter, for the first time, I am running a Creative writing camp for 10 – 16 year olds in Skerries Mills from 26th – 29th April ( Tues – Fri).

It runs from 10.30am – 3pm and costs €120.

At the Mills we can go outside to the green to play games during the breaks and during the course we will cover the skills necessary for writing good stories – character creation, plot, dialogue, pace, description, endings, beginnings, twists in the tale and point of view. Like all of my courses, the group size will be limited to twelve.

SPRING / SUMMER 6 WEEK TERM OF CLASSES

A new six week term of summer classes begins the first week in May.

ADULTS:
There will be morning classes for adults in Skerries Mills on a Monday and Friday (10.30am. – 12.30p.m.),

CHILDREN:
After School classes in St. Oliver Plunkett school on Tuesdays 4 – 5pm,
and After School classes in Skerries Mills on Thursdays 2.55pm – 3.55pm ( 8 – 10 year olds) and 4 – 5pm ( 10 – 12 year olds).

Cost:
The adult six week term costs €105 if booked, and paid for, before 14th April or €120 thereafter (with the option to pay in two installments of €60).
The children’s term costs €72 if booked, and paid before, 14th April or €80 thereafter (with an option to pay in two installments of €40)

Paddy, owner of the Skerries Bookshop, collects fees for courses on my behalf, or you can post your booking to the address below.

SUMMER WEEKLONG COURSES FOR ADULTS, TEENAGERS AND CHILDREN

Creative Writing Summer Camp for 10 -16 year olds
takes place in The Grange, Ballyboghal from Monday 27th June to Friday 1st July from 10.30am – 3pm.

Intensive Creative Writing Summer Course for Adults
takes place in Skerries Mills from Monday 11th to Friday 15th July from 10.30am – 3pm.

Creative Writing Summer Camp for 10 -16 year olds
takes place in Skerries Mills from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd July from 10.30am – 3pm.

Intensive Creative Writing Summer Course for Adults
takes place in The Grange, Ballyboghal from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th August from 10.30am – 3pm.

Weeklong summer courses cost €130 if booked one month in advance of the course start date, or €150 thereafter.
Places are limited to twelve in each group.

WRITING COMPETITIONS THIS SPRING

Fish Publishing has a One Page Fiction story competition currently open and the closing date is 20th March.
Find out more [here]

FACEBOOK

You can find me on Facebook by clicking [here].
There are great photos of the Storytellers’ launch in December and I notice of my courses and writing competitions
Please share with your friends or suggest the page if you like it !

Finally, The Dublin Book Festival is coming up. You will find details [here] It is a good idea to check this website out, as you may want to attend an event between 2nd March – 6th March. There will be a lot going on – and you might get to meet your favourite writer!

Thanks for Reading !
Whether or not you attend a class with me this year, I hope you find the time to write by yourself at home. It is a wonderful gift. If you’ve got it, use it!

Best wishes,
Megan