Chiranjeevi tractor fight

I was doing some research about tractors (don't ask) and after the tractor chatroom and online forums, I found this great youtube video. Bollywood of course. Fantastic

To MA or not to MA

I'm doing more research on a possible masters in Creative writing. Here's a link to someone who did the distance learning, part time MPhil in Glamorgan. This is two years with four weekend workshops and a reduced cost residency week in Wales or (I think) Galway for about 1,500 sterling per year.

I've been mulling over MA's. Why do I want to do one?

Primarily, a writer who shows the commitment to take the year or two part time years to do one, shows the ability and drive to succeed - useful in any discipline.
But surely taking a year to write a novel or poetry collection demonstrates the same drive.

Also, I would like to learn. I would like to improve, in particular, my critical reading. Are there other courses which offer this?

Others I have spoken too have said the workshops can be great. But it varies depending on the class participants. And sometimes you can get more from your classmates than the workshop leaders (shock horror)
but you can find good workshops elsewhere for a lot less dosh.

Then there's the credibility that academia gives someone with an MA. I love to teach creative writing and schools, colleges, universities look more favourably on others who have done the academic thing. Can't do much about this thought I do have an MA (in Physics)

Then there's the networking. But if you have the Blarney (not sure I do to any extent) you can network at poetry readings, festivals, events, weddings, Tescos, whatever. I saw a famous poet in my local Dunnes stores the other day. I had gone as far as the cut price Easter Eggs before I'd worked out where I knew him from.

The money an MA costs (about 6,000 Euro give or take) and the money I'd lose by not being able to work full time is huge and I am poor, though not poor enough for subsistence grant. There are no bursaries, not even from the Arts Council. None. And look how many workshops/classes/festivals the 6,000 could buy in the mean time. That's not counting the time spent on work for the degree that may not be directly related to the writing I am interested in.

Any inputs? MA or Not MA.

More MAs in creative writing in the UK

There are so many MAs available, full and part time as well as distance learning. Do your homework. They are not all the same. Check the curriculum, the alumni, the fees and above all, the teachers. UPDATED 7-Apr-08

Anglia Ruskin in Cambridge looks like it may be leaning on its geography. It's for fiction.

Bangor University offers full and part time MAs in Creative Writing with the possibility of distance learning.

Birkbeck University in London offers a full or part time MA.

Brunel University has an MA for new novelists and Prof Fay Weldon.

University of East Anglia is where I would go in a perfect world. Andrew Motion is Professor of Creative Writing. It is directed towards those who are committed to writing, who have already produced work, whether published or not, who have a strong formal and aesthetic curiosity, and who welcome the chance to develop their writing in a university atmosphere. George Szirtes, Roberts, Trezza Azzopardi and Lavinia Greenlaw teach. Competition is intense. 45 places.

University of Exeter Julia Copus is a Royal Literary Fund Writer.

University of Glasgow has a taught MLitt.

University of Hull is in its second year of a Creative Writing MA.

Lancaster University's Creative Writing MA is long established. They have a distance learning MA too which sounds innovative and interesting.

Loughborough University doesn't have a lot of info but it's available full and part time.

Manchester University offers full and part time and distance learning and has 30 students split between fiction and poetry. Vona Groarke teaches and Martin Amis is being paid big bucks to show up now and then.

Newcastle University Full and part time options. Tutors include Jackie Kay, Sean O'Brien, Neil Astley and Jo Shapcott.

Northumbria University offers full and part time MAs.

Nottingham Trent University is building a reputation in writing. Visiting professors are Michael Eaton and David Almond, whilst recent guest lecturers have included Kate Mosse, Penelope Lively and David Lodge. There is a fortnightly workshop.

Oxford University offers an MSt in the Continuing Education department. Very low residence but very little teaching too. 12 students a year.

University of Plymouth has an MA/PgDip in creative writing too. Full and part time options. Not much to distinguish it from any other.

Roehampton University London has 20 places on an MA in Creative & Professional Writing. They offer specialised courses in fiction, poetry, writing for children, nonfiction and screenwriting and offers full and part time options. But online reviews of the university sound a bit lacklustre.

Royal Holloway in London offers full and part time MAs with Prof. Andrew Motion, Jo Shapcott and Susanna Jones sounds like the place for poetry.

Salford University offers a 15 month full time or part time MA.

Sussex University has an MA in Creative Writing and Authorship.

University of Winchester I think is the only place concentrating on Writing for Children. Full and part time options. I've heard good things about this MA.

In Person - Bloodaxe publishers

Bloodaxe, the poetry publishers are 30 years old. Have you ead the diverse and readable anthologies Begin Alive and Staying Alive? Recommended.

They have a DVD, filmed by Pamela Robertson-Pearce and a book edited by Neil Astley
coming out in April.

30 poets from around the world read to you in person... This is a new concept in publishing: your own personal poetry festival brought into your home. This trailer features 5 poems by 5 of the poets: Benjamin Zephaniah, Imtiaz Dharker, Brendan Kennelly, Jackie Kay and C.K. Williams. There are 30 poets in the DVD-book (plus Ken Smith bonus track). All the poems read are in the anthology. The filmed readings last a total of 4 hours, and can be played on 2 DVDs pouched inside the back cover. This publication of the world's first poetry DVD-book celebrates Bloodaxe's 30th birthday in 2008.

Premiere is in Dublin on Wednesday 23rd April in Damer Hall, 112 St Stephen's Green.

See link for more details. Apparently it's also on Youtube.

Padraic Fallon Memorial Poetry Competition

The Great and the Good in Athenry are commemorating their local scribe with a poetry competition.

Deadline: 14th April 2008
Winner to be announced in May.
Judge: Ciaran O’Driscoll - a Limerick based poet and member of Aos Dana who has published numerous poetry collections, most recently The Old Women of Maggione.
Poems must be 30 lines or fewer. Ciaran is writing a judge's report. I find these well worth reading.
Fee: 5 Euro per poem
Prizes: 500 Euro, 300 Euro, 100 Euro and ten 10 Euro book tokens.

Do read the conditions are they are very specific and you wouldn't want to throw away 5 Euro for the wrong typeface. The entry form is on the Charlie Byrne website but it says the deadline is March 14th whereas the form says both March 14th and April 14th. I'm banking on the April 14th as that was in another newsletter.

Strokestown shortlist

Well, I didn't make the shortlist again for this. My time will come. Mark my words. I went back to see which poems I sent and was disappointed in myself. Oh Woe. There's a poem in there.

Note that a couple of shortlisters are rhymers. About time we had more exposure of poems in form.

Judges: Peter Fallon, George Szirtes and Vona Groarke

Results: to be announced in Strokestown on 4 May

Tony Barnstone, Peggy Gallagher, David Grubb, Ian McEwen, Iggy McGovern (Hi Iggy), Hugh O'Donnell, Orlagh O’Farrell, William Palmer, Jane Routh, K.V. Skene

Poetry Now Festival

Here's the programme for the Poetry Now Festival - always worth a trip. And you can go to that fabulous second hand bookshop too.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Poetry Now Festival 2008.
THURS 3rd of April
1pm Poem-Springing: A Talk on Poems and Poetry by Belinda McKeon, DLR Poetry Now Curator - Free Event

8.30pm Keynote Address by Ruth Padel
Hooked Atoms and the Rustle in the Undergrowth: The Movement and Physicality of Words €18/14/12

FRI 4th of April
6.30pm Bernard O'Donoghue, Antonella Anedda and Jamie McKendrick €14/10/8
8.30pm Seamus Heaney and Special Guest €20/15/12

SAT 5th of April
2pm The Irish Times Poetry Now Award Announcement
Free Event
6.30pm Alan Gillis & Meghan O'Rourke & Dalgit Nagra €14/10/8
8.30pm George Szirtes & Henri Cole & Mimi Khalvati €20/15/12

SUN 6th of April
12 noon The Strong Reading €7/5
4pm Brian Turner & Sinead Morrissey & Kei Miller €10/8

FESTIVAL TICKETS ALSO AVAILABLE €80/55/45