Unique opportunity for writers wanting to write for children

New Writing South -- the literary development agency - and Theatre Centre - an organisation that commissions and tours new writing in schools - are looking for 5-10 writers in the south east to be a part of the national Skylines Project. 
Skylines is an innovative programme for playwrights to develop skills for Young People’s Theatre designed to develop a writer’s ability and interest in creating work for young audiences.

The project will involve five groups of writers from across the UK, one of which will be at The Writers' Place in Brighton.  There will be an initial gathering for all writers involved, which will take place in London.  There will then be three sessions in Brighton, led by professional writers that specialise in writing for young audiences to include exercises and tasks, with some self-guided study and an online learning/interaction element. This will culminate in a sharing event, led and directed by Theatre Centre actors and directors to showcase ideas at the end of the process with a young audience.

The introductory event will be taking place in London, ideally towards the end of March/beginning of April. Sharing will ideally take place by Autumn 2012.  The timing of sessions will be negotiated with our venue partners based on individual needs and other programming.

This is a fantastic, unique and free opportunity for writers wanting to write for children and young people. If you are interested in being a part of Skylines please contact Chris Taylor by email only chris@newwritingsouth.com saying why this project would work for you.

IN YER FACE versus SUBTLE SUGGESTION - whose side are you on?

New Writing South are hosting The Monday Night Moot in Brighton next week and we're invited to join in the debate with Billy Budd playwright Martin Lewton and award winning actress, choreographer and director Miranda Henderson.  

As audiences walk out of the current RSC production of Marat/Sade (‘Utter filth and depravity‘ said the Daily Mail so that's a recommendation then), Rattigan and Wesker are enjoying revivals.The Monday Night Moot is a monthly creative and intellectual whiz, which invites two speakers to talk passionately for 15 minutes, each presenting an opposing view on a burning issue.  It’s then over to the audience to talk back, participate and give their verdict! 

Date: Monday 14 November 2011 

Time: 7-9pm
Venue: The Writers' Place, 9 Jew Street (off Church St), Brighton
Cost: £5

To book: visit the NWS website: http://newwritingsouth.com/members-area/blog/workshops/the-monday-night-moot/  

or call 01273 735353.

Online Community for Young Writers

If you are (or know anyone who is) between 13 and 18 go to  New Writing South's JUST WORDS. It is an online community for young writers. There you can set up a profile, upload your creative writing and get feedback from other writers. With top tips from professional writers (including me), as well as information on competitions, events and opportunities, it really is the place to see your writing flourish and get connected.

http://newwritingsouth.com/justwords/

Here's my top tip as it appears on JUST WORDS

What is your top tip for a young writer?

Practice.

Practice like a guitarist strums a tune or an artist makes a 30 second sketch of an interesting face in the crowd.

How many ways can you think of describing the colour grey between bus stops? Rain grey, ash grey, the blue grey of cigarette smoke, the slimy grey of a fresh slug trail…

And remember there are only two ways of learning how to write:

1)  Write – take risks, try. Try again.

2)   Read – anything. The good stuff will show you the way ahead while the bad stuff will tell you what to avoid. The bad stuff may even give you the confidence to persevere because you know, deep inside, that you can do better …

A Poetry workshop that inspires, transforms and let's you do things you never thought about doing before

Just heard about an exciting writing workshop that will be run by the performance poet Paradox in central Brighton on Friday April 2 .
NEW WRITING SOUTH are the hosts and they describe it as being “genuinely transformational”. It certainly sounds very special, very different…here’s what it will contain 

An entertaining, thought provoking, performance from Paradox
A theatrical introduction exercise
A historical of the question "What is the meaning of life?"
An examination of perception
A critique of belief/celebration of perspective
A date with death
A guide to the poetry in paradox and the paradox of poetry
A challenge and opportunity to write and perform an epic semi-autobiographic tragicomic poem, that inspires you to live a more creatively meaningful life 

No previous experience or creative writing skills necessary, just the willingness to be more than you thought you were.

A semi autobiographical tragicomic poem: write it, perform it. Bet you never thought you'd want to do that. But now you've read about it you are tempted, aren't you?
Cost for the full day workshop is £35. Bookings can made via the New Writing South website - click on the title of this post.

Looking for web wizards

New Writing South are looking for young people aged 13- 18, living in the Brighton and Hove area with a passion for creative writing. They want them to join a panel to help develop t their new website and become ambassadors for the literary organisation serving the south east of England. Click on the title to find out more and make contact with Anna Jefferson.

The ULTIMATE vocational subject

Just joined in the discussion at The Guardian's cultural blog about the benefit of writers visiting schools.
Here is what I had to say...

As the ultimate vocational subject, creative writing has an important place in the classroom and the university lecture hall. Using the written word effectively is always an asset, especially when faced with the most daunting of blank pages - the one that appears on job application forms.

As a member of New Writing South's Creative Learning team (www.newwritingsouth.com ) I have been a writer in school and can testify that it is a rewarding experience. No, it's more than that, it is an exciting experience...And it's not just for the gifted and talented.

I worked for 10 weeks with a group of year 8 students and their parents all of whom lacked confidence in their literacy skills. We linked writing exercises to the history of the school and in one session parent and child imagined themselves on a railway platform at the start of WWII as the first evacuees were leaving. Everyone - even the shyest - chose to read out what they had written.

No one spoke, no one moved, as parent after parent, child after child, used a story to say the things that are rarely said aloud.

One immediate outcome of the project was that the parents as a group elected to carry on studying together to improve their literacy skills and be a more effective support to their children.

Margaret Atwood said a word after a word is power...our children need that power and having a writer in school is one way of giving them a space to play with language, have fun with it and claim it as their own.