2023-24 Writing Workshops
We are currently accepting applications for the following workshops:
A hybrid workshop with Sean O’Reilly
A mix of in-person and online workshops over a 6-month period for writers working towards a short-story collection or novel and also those who want to explore alternative approaches to narrative prose. The in-person sessions will take place in the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin on five Saturdays over the period.
An online fiction workshop with Danielle McLaughlin
This workshop will take place fully online over the 6-month period and is for writers looking to work on a short-story manuscript or a novel.
The workshops will run from late September 2023 until March 2024. The aim of both workshops is to help writers to engage more deeply with their work and to equip them with the tools necessary to develop their writing practice over time. During the workshops, participants will present works in progress to the rest of the group for close scrutiny.
The application deadline for both workshops is midnight (Irish Standard Time) on Thursday July 27th 2023. We are accepting applications via Submittable.
– Places on the workshops will be offered based on work submitted. We ask that you submit between 8 and 12 pages from a current work-in progress. This can be from a short story, a novel or some other piece of writing.
– Anyone applying for Sean O’Reilly’s workshop must be available to attend the in-person workshops at the Irish Writers Centre.
– You can apply for a place in both workshops if you wish.
– The application form includes a cover note. Use this space to let us know about your current writing project(s) and to tell us how you believe your work will benefit from participating in the workshop.
– Places will be offered by Thursday August 17th.
During the workshops, each writer presents work-in-progress to the group for discussion. All work is shared in advance and is closely read by the workshop leader and the other participants.
NB: There will be no attempt to impose a rationalised schema of creative writing exercises. The writing up for discussion each week is the raw material; any questions of writing technique or prose style will arise naturally from the work itself.
Over the course of the full workshop period, each writer can look forward to having their work reviewed and discussed on four occasions. In this way, the group will witness and contribute to the development of all the manuscripts in progress. The ultimate aim is for each participant to complete a strong first draft of their novel or collection.
The Hybrid Workshop with Sean O’Reilly
8 to 10 places available. Workshop sessions will take place in-person over 5 Saturdays in the Irish Writers Centre and online over Zoom on Monday evenings. The workshop starts with an online introductory session on Monday 25 September 2023 and runs until the end of March 2024.
DATES:
Saturdays, IN-PERSON, 10.30am-4.15pm
October 7th, November 25th, January 13th, January 27th, March 23rd
Mondays, ONLINE, 7pm-9pm
September 25th Introductory session 7pm–8pm
October 16th, 23rd
November 6th, 13th
December 4th
February 12th, 19th, 26th
March 4th, 11th, 25th
The Online Workshop with Danielle McLaughlin
8 places available. Workshop sessions will take place online over Zoom on Wednesday evenings, 7pm to 9pm. The workshop starts with an introductory session on Wednesday 27 September 2023 and runs until the end of March 2024.
DATES: (ALL ONLINE)
Wednesday September 27th Introductory session 7pm–8pm
October 11th, 18th, 25th
November 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
December 6th
January 17th, 24th, 31st
February 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th
March 6th, 13th, 20th
NB: All of the above workshop dates are provisional and changes may need to be made at short notice. Guest writers will be invited to speak to the groups for at least two of the evening sessions listed above.
Fees
The tuition fee for each workshop is €1800.
The concession rate for anyone who is unwaged or on low income is €1350.
A deposit of €200 (non-refundable) will be payable once a workshop place has been offered and accepted. The balance will be payable in two instalments at the end of September 2023 and in January 2024. (Where necessary an alternative payment schedule can be agreed.)
Free Places
Thanks to the support we receive from the Arts Council and to the continued generosity of our patrons, we are in a position to offer one free place on each workshop. These will be awarded to writers who are either unwaged or on low income. You can tell us why you want to be considered for a free place on the Submittable application form.
The Stinging Fly is open to submissions from writers of all backgrounds. We are committed to pursuing a proactive approach to diversity and inclusiveness. We strongly encourage writers from underrepresented areas of society to apply. If you are such a writer, we hope you feel encouraged to join us. If you know such writers, please spread the word (with our thanks).
Any questions? Contact Eoin: admin [at] stingingfly [dot] org
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Danielle McLaughlin is the author of the short-story collection, Dinosaurs on Other Planets, and the novel, The Art of Falling, which is shortlisted for this year’s Dublin Literary Award. She has been Writer in Residence at University College Cork and Visiting Writer Fellow at the Oscar Wilde Centre, Trinity College, Dublin. She has also designed and delivered workshops in Creative Writing for various organisations and festivals and currently mentors a number of emerging writers.
Sean O’Reilly is the author of two short-story collections, Curfew and Other Stories and Levitation, and three novels Love and Sleep, The Swing of Things and Watermark. He has led fiction workshops with The Stinging Fly since 2007 and has guest edited two issues of the magazine. He is a member of Aosdána.