On today’s blog, we have an interview with poet, Joanie Browne. Joanie recently published a collection of poems about life, view through the lens of laughter and love. “I came to creative writing while doing a back to education course.” She said. “I am an early school leaver and was attending a Health Care Course, when one of my tutors noticed that I may have a talent for writing. While I had always found it easy, I had never considered I had a talent. I followed up with a […]
We know there are tonnes of books out there ranging from the preachy to the overly technical, about writing. There are books which are near evangelical or which give writing as a spiritual gift. Whatever works for you, I suppose. There are also books which help you get off the sofa and up to the writing desk/table/laptop/notebook (take your pick) to actually write. Once you’re there, there are books to help you when you put pen to paper. Some would say that the best preparation for writing is reading. This […]
From the creative team of Shane Ormond, Kevin Keane, Colin O’Mahoney, and Alice Coleman, The Guards aptly had its recent launch at Dublin Comic Con. The rise of the Irish graphic novel has seen some of the best illustrating and writing talent in Ireland, coming to the fore. The Guards is no exception. Described as “paranormal crime series about people who don’t belong”, this book has been gaining attention already. “Detective Kate O’Sullivan is in a nose dive. Her casework is a mess, she can’t remember her last arrest that didn’t end in […]
If you’ve ever spent money on a book that isn’t bound properly, you’ll know all about it when the spine creases or breaks or the pages fall out or when it won’t open flat so you constantly have to hold it in a way that lets you see the words closer to the centre. OK, having a book which isn’t bound properly isn’t huge in the grand scheme of things, but it is annoying, plus if pages fall out of your book, it does ruin the effect somewhat. It can’t […]
There’s a lot to consider when you take the plunge as a self-published writer. Perhaps “taking the plunge” isn’t the right phrase, as diving in may not be the best tactic. If you are eager to get your work out there, there are probably a few things you need to consider before rushing to print. There are things you just have to do when you self-publish. You spent a lot of time writing your book. You need to look after it. Treat it right. Give it the respect it deserves. Carefully […]
Over the last 20 years the West Cork Literary Festival has brought us diversity in writers, events and workshops. Running for a whole week, from Sunday 17th to Saturday 23rd July, its calendar of events is even fuller this year. In terms of heavy hitters, it’s got the lot. From David Mitchell to Marina Warner, Louis De Berniéres, John Banville and Gloria Steinem, there is no shortage of world renowned faces to see. There really is too much to chose just a few favourites, so we thought we’d pick out a […]
Maybe you’ve written your book. Maybe you’re only starting out on the writer’s road. Whether you haven’t put pen to paper yet, or are in the final stages of editing, you need to think about how people will find out about your work. Books need to be marketed and book marketing can take some hard but rewarding work. Even if your main slant in life is creative, this does not preclude your from getting involved in promotion of your work. If you’re a self-published author too, you’ll realise that you […]
Thinking about Starting that Short Story So if you’re busy putting together a short story, you might be interested in some of the tips out there for creating the best work you can. The short story is an art form which is hard to tackle head on, never mind master. You often have a lot to say but not enough time to say it and sometimes it can be easy to become procrastinator extraordinaire. The short story is a great place to find your style and voice. This is not to […]
This weekend (Friday 27th-Sunday 29th May) sees the boutique book festival take place in Enniscorthy for the 4th year running, putting it firmly on the map of Irish literary festivals. Wexford has a wealth of writing talent, from John Banville to Billy Roche, Carmel Harrington and of course Colm Toibín, whose native county features as a backdrop to much of his work. What makes Wexford Literary Festival nice is its size, accessibility and the fact that it’s possible to make it to most, if not all, of the events. So […]
Getting Your Poet’s House in Order You’ve built up a lot of poems, on a range of themes and subjects; maybe over a long period of time. You may also have taken a break from writing poetry and come back to it again. You’ve now got a selection of poetry some of which may be handwritten, some printed out and some sitting in random desktop files. What do you do with them? We’ve taken a look at lots of different advice from a range of people and come up with […]
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