Write This

This is a paying market ... but only for short stories. They say

We are now paying our writers - except for the poets who might be the only good thing in the issue (i don't know) but the poet always gets screwed. They accept this as the blessing of their profession and we wouldn't want to deny them.

Sorry, mate. That's not even funny. That's pathetic.

If you want to submit a short story, here's the latest theme.

the blasphemy issue - issue 4.8
Opening Date: October 22nd
Closing Date: December 1st
Publication Date: December 21st

Summation: You love God. You hate God. We won't judge. Come to us to with your devotions, your confessions, or your proclamations. Or come to us with your disdain, your warnings. Bring us your Goddesses and Nymphs. Jesuses. Or your Darwins. Your Hubbardwacks. Your when you're dead you're dead. We don't care. And join together, one and all, in what shall be a heartwarming dialogue of "Fuck God." "Fuck God? No. God is Great. Fuck you." We will choose fairly from the pro god and anti god camps. No agnostics please.

The Phantom Tollbooth

My favourite children's book, full of wit and wordplay. Have you ever read it? I adore it. I reread it often as a child ann now often use it when teaching. Author Norton Juster and illustrator Jules Feiffer and now, after 49 years, they are getting back together again. The book is called The Odious Ogre. An brutish Ogre who meets a kindly girl who teaches him a lesson he is not likely to forget.

Ever Tried Englynion?

It's a British/Anglo Saxon type of Haiku. See this interesting post from Billy Mills in the Guardian. Writing in form is a challenge but I think every poet should try it.
Anglow Saxon/Viking forms are big into syllable counting. There are some variations but why not try the englyn cyrch. It's four seven-syllable lines of which lines one, two and four rhyme and the end of line three has an internal rhyme in line four:

_ _ _ _ _ _ a
_ _ _ _ _ _ a
_ _ _ _ _ _ b
_ _ _ b _ _ a

I didn't win the Patrick Kavanagh Award

AGAIN.

Where are these people going to see sense? Do I have to abandon the plan to win the Kavanagh before I get my first collection out there?

Have not even been shortlisted for the Troubadour Poetry prize nor Poetry Can. Back to the drawing board.

Don't think I've been shortlisted for the Varilux short story competition either. I just saw a twitter from 2 days ago from someone who was. No news is bad news.

And while I'm on the subject, I sent some really good poems to a minor poetry journal, thinking I was doing them a favour. Really. That's the kind of headspace I was in. Guess what? They rejected them. All of them. As if! That's the last time they get offered my fantastic work. More fool them, that's what I say. More fool.

And while I'm off subject somewhat, don't you think Robert Pattinson's hair has an unfortunate resemblance to Jedwards? Scary.

I'm off to eat chocolate...

Writing of a Medical Nature

Do you have any pieces of a medical nature, having an illness, having someone close to you with an illness, perhaps you work in the medical profession? Here's a journal you may find interesting, from the University of Toronto press, Ars Medica (link from Paperback Writer blog.)

Payment in contributor copies, electronic submissions preferred.

iad-T in the Park

Starting on Sat Nov 28th, IADT and the lovely people at DLR Arts Office are starting ad-T in the Park, a series of literary happenings taking place once a month at the Tea Rooms in the People's Park, Dun Laoghaire.

Writers, readers and booklovers of all ages are invited to drop in and join Mia Gallagher, writer-in-residence at the IADT, for an exciting mix of literature, cakes and hot drinks. iad-T in the Park offers you the chance to share your work in public, chat with other writers, meet some of Ireland's brightest literary talents - or just talk about the books you love reading.

The events are free of charge, open to all and will run from midday to 4pm.

Saturday 28th November Opening Lines 12noon: Open Mic. Poetry, fiction, spoken word, music, comedy all welcome, with a 3-minute time limit per act! Time is tight so turn up early if you want your slot guaranteed.

3 minutes!

2pm: Readings & discussion by writers-in-residence Mia Gallagher and Paul Perry

Saturday 30th January Murder on the Bookshelves (crime fiction) 12noon: Writing the Dark Side (workshop). A fun workshop exploring how to get the most out of your dark side, structure suspense and play with horror and thriller motifs.

2pm: Readings & discussion by crime writers Declan Hughes and Arlene Hunt.

Saturday 27th February Exquisite Fictions (literary fiction) 12noon: Fiction Slam. Calling all fiction writers! You are challenged to go head-to head in an epic battle of literary performance. Numbers for this will be restricted. Contact arts@dlrcoco.ie for details.

2pm: Readings/discussion by two of Ireland's most exciting young writers, Claire Kilroy and Kevin Barry

Love Kevin Barry. Do yourself a favour and read some of his short stories.

Saturday 20th March Stranger than Fiction (non-fiction & poetry) 12noon: Poetry Coffee Morning. Share your favourite poems with other lovers of the artform? Poems can be by yourself or another. Max two poems per person.

2pm: Readings & discussion by memoirist Lia Mills and historical writer Neil Hegarty.

Why not with poets?

Saturday 24th April Play 4 Today (drama) 12noon: Improvisation and Storytelling (workshop). A playful workshop exploring ways to create, build and improve your stories.
2pm: Presentation by Annie Ryan and Michael West of The Corn Exchange, the ground-breaking theatre company behind Dublin Theatre Festival hit 'Freefall'.
Emerging writers can also set up a one-to-one session with Mia to talk about their work. Space for these is limited to two per month and will need to be booked in advance.

Guess the first line

Here's a (old) competition from Betsy Lerner's blog. She who wrote the classic book on writing call The Forest For The Trees. Get it out the library now.

Match the first lines with the author's pictures. And identify the (American) authors too. Don't peak at the comments until you've had a go.

Read some more of BBetsy's blog for an good insight into agency work.