New Norwich Writers Circle Website

Following the imminent closure of norwichwriters.org.uk, Norwich Writers' Circle latest website launched today.

Our new online home includes all the latest NWC news and information, along side details on our forthcoming programme. You are also able to view videos from our popular YouTube channel and Twitter feed.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this Blog.

Please visit norwichwriters.wordpress.com for more.

Descriptive Language Workshop

17^th January 2012

Andrew Brammer’s enthusiastic explosive opening to his storytelling workshop “It’s Alive” set out to help us to develop and enrich the descriptive elements of our writing. It proved to be an exciting and entertaining experience bringing alliteration, assonance and onomatopoeia, metaphor, simile and analogies to intensify the effect of oral storytelling to his audience. These tools transferred to the written page allow us to imagine for ourselves the constructive layers that paint a landscape of the senses within the stories that we create.

An evening of humorous storytelling by Andrew Brammer on Friday 23rd and Friday 30th March 2012 at 8pm at the Forum. Tickets available from Theatre Royal Box Office 01603 630000

Manuscript Evening

Tuesday 15th November we will be trying out a new table arrangment for the manuscript evening in the hope that more people will be able to read during the evening.
Visitors welcome.
Remember to bring something to read; a script, story, poem or chapter of novel etc.  

Letton Hall

Between 19th and 22nd September, you are invited to come and join professional authors Nick & Claire Page for a taster programme in Creative Writing at Letton Hall, near Thetford.

The 3 night retreat is designed to give you the skills, space and inspiration to get creative. Whether you are an absolute beginner or an experienced writer, everyone is welcome.

For more information on the course, please visit lettonhall.org.

Wymondham Words

The Wymondham Words Festival returns next month.

The event's 2nd year, which runs from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th September, features a weekend of readings, conversation and music set in the beautiful and historic South Norfolk market town.

Amongst the weekend's highlights is evenings with George Szirtes and Heidi Williamson. The weekend also sees our current Open Poetry Competition adjudicator Helen Ivory host a writing workshop on the Saturday.

Please visit wymondhamarts.com for more Festival info.

Skylight Press

A new small press is looking for talented British writers to publish.

Skylight Press publish literary fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fictions titles, and our looking for submissions via e-mail.

To discover more about Skylight, please visit them online.

Forthcoming Attractions

Norwich Writers' Circle is currently on its annual Summer break. Our writing group will meet again in September, when our 2011/12 programme starts.

In the meantime, this Blog will be updated and include information on forthcoming meetings, along with all our regular member news, and the launch of our annual Open Poetry Competition. The OPC launch will also be complimented by Norwich Writers' first online poetry season.

Watch this space for all the latest NWC news.

Laurence Mitchell

This evening Norwich Writers' Circle welcomed back Laurence Mitchell to adjudicate our Travel Article Competition.

The travel writer commented that he was impressed by the high standard of 12 competition entries, and that he found the winner extremely hard to choose.

Laurence also commended all the entries for following his suggestions as outlined to us on his previous visit to us.

The competition winners were then announced as:

1st - The Colin Sutton Cup for Humour
Kalimera Strumphita
by Sally Newton

2nd
The Magical Mystery Tour
by Jo Amos

3rd
Sand Covered Nudists & German Wanderlust
by Anne Sanderson

We then heard a selection of the humorous competition entries, including all 3 winners, before chatting to the visiting writer.

Our next meeting is on 21st June, when writer, tutor and visual artist Clare Hamburger will be holding a workshop entitled Writing The Image.

We hope to see you then.

Wrekin Writers



Wrekin Writers have launched their own short story competition.

The competition, which closes on 11th July 2011, has a top prize of £150.00 for a short story of no more than 1,200 words.

For more information please go here.

Paeony Lewis Returns

Norwich Writer's Circle welcomed back Paeony Lewis tonight to adjudicate our In-House Competition Four.

Competition Four required Circle members to write the text for a Picture Book in no more than 500 words.

The successful children's author and tutor that she thoroughly enjoyed reading the 13 competition entries, relating them to her golden writing rules.

Paeony golden writing rules are that stories:

• feature writing that flows
• do not feature pedestrian language
• aimed at the correct audience
• must be child-friendly and centred
• include characters we care about
• have a clear story structure
• have an awareness of the illustrations
• include emotions expressed through actions
• feature clear language

The winners of the competition were:

1st
Only Joking
by Cathy Rushworth

2nd
The Big Surprise
by Mickie Dann

3rd
Rocky's Twango
by Maureen Nisbet

Commended
Listen, Can You Hear Me?
by Thelma MacFarlane

The meeting concluded, when a packed Sexton Room heard a variety of entertaining competition entries, including the winners. We were also then lucky enough to enjoy an interesting discussion with the visiting writer on the process involved in publishing a picture book.

We next meet on 17th May when we will be holding one of popular Manuscript Evenings. Please feel free to come along and join in.

The Reckoning

Congratulations to Norwich Writers' Circle committee member Victoria Bartlett, who has recently finished drafting her latest novel, The Elchilda's Reckoning.

Victoria's latest is a science fiction novel is a sequel to The Return Of A Dark Lord, which we have been lucky enough to hear extracts from in our regular Manuscript Evenings.

We look forward to hearing more extracts in the coming months.

G'Day Sally

In addition to Phyllida Scrivens, who has been previously announced, you can also join Norwich Writers' Circle committee member Sally Newton this Saturday - 23rd April - at the first G'Day Book Festival.

The festival, which runs between 9.00am and 4.00pm, at St Gregory's Centre For The Arts on Pottergate will feature books signings, creative writing, readings and a human library.

To read more about this growing literary event please go here.

G'Day Phyllida

Join Norwich Writers' Circle member Phyllida Scrivens on 23rd April at St Gregory's Centre For The Arts in Pottergate, when she will be a stallholder at the G'Day Book Festival.

The festival, which runs between 9.00am and 4.00pm, features books signings, creative writing, readings and much more.

To read more about this new literary event please go here.

Tonight's The Night

Tonight is World Book Night.

As part of the celebrations BBC Two, from 7.30pm onwards, will be broadcasting a whole evening of book-related programmes.

Congratulations to Norwich Writers' Circle member Phyllida Scrivens, who is one of 20,000 passionate readers selected to distribute copies of their chosen book this evening.

Check out the official WBN website for more information.

G'Day

St Gregory's Centre For The Arts, in Pottergate, is holding a Book Festival on 23rd April - St George's Day - called G'Day.

The festival, which runs between 9.00am and 4.00pm, features books signings, creative writing, readings, story telling and even a human library.

To read more about this exciting literary event please go here.

New York Norwich

Our fine city was recently featured in The New York Times.

The favourable article which describes Norwich as a book-lover's paradise can be read by going here.

World Book Night

Congratulations to Norwich Writers' Circle member Phyllida Scrivens who is one of 20,000 passionate readers who has been chosen to distribute a million free books across the UK and Ireland on 5th March.

On World Book Night Phyllida will be distributing 48 copies of her chosen book - Philip Pullman's Northern Lights - to the Maddermarket and The Garage's Youth Theatre Companies.

All the best from everyone at NWC.

Phyllida's Creative News

Following on from her recent BBC Radio Norfolk interview and play broadcast - both of which were featured in our current Midwinter Murders online series - Norwich Writers' Circle member Phyllida Scrivens' success has now been acknowledged by the University of East Anglia's Creative Writing School.

For more information, please go here.