scotland's creative writing centre 2015 programme

52 Pages·2014·1.37 MB·English

SCOTLAND’S CREATIVE WRITING CENTRE
2015 PROGRAMME
WWW.MONIACKMHOR.ORG.UK
I am delighted to be a patron of Moniack Mhor.
I’ve had many years of inspiration from the
surrounding land and the magical house, the
big bothy and the wee croft. Moniack Mhor is a
special place which firmly helps people on their
imaginative and creative journeys. The road
forks and it stops at Moniack. Down the short
hill, the vista opens. I’m proud to be involved in
a place that makes things possible for so many
different people from all over the world.
JACKIE KAY
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WELCOME TO
MONIACK MHOR
Moniack Mhor has a past steeped in stories. We’ve been working hard to extend
Built on the site of an ancient baron’s house, provision at the centre and have completed
surrounded by fields rich in the remains of the construction of our new Straw Bale
Bronze Age civilizations, the centre once Studio providing an inspiring space for
served as a croft. Its restoration came about workshops, tutorials and quiet writing. Our
in 1992 and was supported by funds raised developing garden offers expanded access to
through a 24 hour poetry recital staged by the panoramic natural surroundings of the
24 poets and 135 lay reciters. In 1993, its centre and includes a dry stone storytelling
founders Kit and Sophia Fraser opened the circle, complete with fire pit for the sharing
doors to its first course in partnership with of tales under a starlit sky.
Arvon (formerly the Arvon Foundation). We
want to build on this tradition of collective We are honoured to have gained the support
effort and offer something inspiring for the of our new patrons, Carol Ann Duffy, Liz
future. Lochhead, Jackie Kay, Val McDermid, Mairi
Hedderwick and James Robertson.
2015 heralds the official beginning of
Moniack Mhor as an independent writing As you flick through the pages of our
centre. Over the last year we’ve been inaugural brochure, we hope that you
talking with writers from all walks of life, stumble across something that inspires you
partners and tutors to create a programme to join us at Moniack Mhor. We look forward
that reflects and supports the rich diversity to welcoming you on the hill.
of literary activity locally, nationally and
internationally. Our programme offers a Best wishes
range of creative writing courses aimed to
support writers working at all levels, from All at Moniack Mhor
those who have never written to those who
are fine tuning. It provides increased support
and opportunities in the form of retreats,
events with industry professionals, awards
and fellowships. We are delighted to be able
to continue to offer bursaries in 2015 to
assist with course fees.
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WHO WE ARE
Rachel has been the centre director since Sarah is centre assistant at Moniack Mhor,
2010. Passionate about literature and organising the practical side of many of the
mythology, she has recently discovered courses and partnerships both in the office
the world of ceramics, and now creates and the house. She enjoys reading, walking
stoneware domestic pottery in her spare and film.
time.
Mark was our intern last season, assisting
Cynthia programs the courses at Moniack. with digital marketing, looking after writers
She is the author of four novels and a on our courses and helping with the creation
collection of short stories. From California, of this brochure. Now working on his first
she’s been in the Highlands for thirty five novel, he helps out every now and then as a
years, and loves golden labs. relief director.
For ten years Lyndy has taken bookings, Ruth takes care of our website and
shopped for special items and ensured the marketing materials and makes sure you get
bins are taken to the top of the drive. On to hear about the courses we have running.
Sundays, she bakes bread and listens to The She writes travel non-fiction and loves art,
Archers. She dislikes all the characters, but dance and making films.
would love to be in it.
Kelsey is the Youth Programme Manager at
Moniack Mhor. She helps deliver creative
writing opportunities to young people
from Scotland and beyond. She loves yoga,
reading non-fiction, and exploring the
beautiful natural world of the Highlands.
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CONTENTS
Welcome 3
Who We Are 4
Which Course is For Me? 6
Course Listings
Tutored Courses 8 - 32
Short Courses 33 - 37
Retreats 38 - 39
Special Events 40 - 43
About the Centre 45 - 47
How to Book 48
The Course Experience 49
Residencies & Awards 50
The Youth Programme 51
Moniack Mhor Literary Collective 51
Our Patrons 52
Thanks 52
Photo Credits:
All Moniack Mhor images by Nancy MacDonald except p6 Linda Cracknell, p25 Gerry Cambridge, &
p49 by Mark Phimister. Author photos: John Burnside by Niall McDiarmid; Linda Cracknell by Phil Horey;
Anne Donovan by Alan Dimick; Michel Faber by Eva Faber; Romesh Gunesekera by Yemisi Blake;
John Hegley by Travis Elborough; Helen Lederer by Matt Crockett; Liz Lochhead by Norman McBeath;
William McIlvanney by Iain McLean; Candia McWilliam by Lydia Morris-Jones; Tim Pears by Rory Carnegie;
Ann Sansom by Charlie Hedley; Peter Sansom by Charlie Hedley & Jo Shapcott by Rachel Shapcott.
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WHICH COURSE IS FOR ME?
‘I have never written anything,
but I’d like to record my family history.
I’m terrified I’ll be out of my depth on a writing course!’
‘I am on the third draft of a thriller novel and really need some
expert guidance in this final draft phase.’
Something for every writer at Moniack Mhor
– that is our aim. We suggest you think
about what you want from a course, then
use the advice below to find the best possible
answer.
EXPERIENCE. Courses specifically aimed at
writers at the very beginning are titled Let
Us Begin. For writers already immersed in
their manuscripts, there are courses titled
Progressing Your Work. Most courses are
open to writers of all abilities; the tutors
meet with students individually and tailor
make their tutorials. Retreats with Tuition
are for those who are further on with their
TUTORS. Look for tutors whose books you
writing and feel they would benefit less from
love. Moniack Mhor hires some of the best
workshops. They are comprised of one-to-
writers in the world to lead courses. You
one sessions and mean increased personal
might decide you want to meet a particular
writing time and more intense input from
writer based on reading their biography.
tutors.
Most writers read some of the tutor’s work
before arriving.
TIME. Most of the courses are Monday at
noon to Saturday at noon, but if you’ve less
time, we are also running several three day
courses, a one day poetry course and three
evening literary lectures.
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GENRE. In addition to fiction and poetry
courses, we have a wide range of genres
including science fiction & fantasy, historical
fiction, memoir, playwriting, poetry, short
story, mind, body & soul, writing for
children and young adults, non-fiction,
travel writing and comedy writing.

RETREATS. Moniack Mhor is running one
full length retreat, for writers who simply
want time to write away from all the usual
distractions. Retreats offer single room
accommodation only. Often the writers
enjoy socialising in the evenings, but this
is not compulsory. If you need to run away
from everything, including people, this is
the week for you.
A RETREAT WITH A BIT EXTRA. We have
a December retreat, which is untutored
but includes an evening lecture with the
celebrity history writer Bettany Hughes.
‘Now I realise I can write!’
‘I’ve made new writer friends and we’ve
promised to stay in touch and support each other.’
‘Meeting these tutors has inspired me to change
the way I live and take my writing more seriously.’
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TUTORED COURSES
Courses run from Monday to Saturday
from noon until noon.
Single Room: £550
Shared Room: £490
Grants available, please see page 48 for
booking details
“I like reading poetry. You don’t have
to roll up your sleeves in the same way
as when you are reading a novel.”
BERNARD MACLAVERTY
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WRITING PRACTICE
WITH THE TEAM FROM
MONDAY
THE UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE MARCH 30
TO
SATURDAY
Kirsty Gunn, Jim Stewart, APRIL 4
Lindsay MacGregor & Eddie Small
DESCRIPTION
Find out why Dundee has been described as ‘one of the nation’s
literary hotspots’ in a special week-long taster course that gives you a
thorough introduction to all the bases of writing study and practice.
Kick start your writing life here and learn how to get exciting
creative projects off the ground in an intensive package of practical
workshops, discussion seminars and one on one tutorials.
Kirsty Gunn is the author of seven works of fiction. The Big Music
was listed for the James Tait Black and Impac awards and was the
winner of The New Zealand Book of the Year 2013. The Boy and the
Sea, was the 2007 Sundial Scottish Book of the Year and Featherstone
was listed as a New York Times Notable Book. She is chair in Creative
Writing at the University of Dundee’.
Jim Stewart teaches English and Creative Writing at the University
of Dundee. He publishes poems in various outlets. He is an editor of
Virginia Woolf for Cambridge University Press.
Lindsay Macgregor is a graduate of the University of Dundee’s MLitt
programme in Writing Practice and Study. Her poems are published
in New Writing Scotland, Northwords Now, Gutter, and Ink, Sweat
and Tears. Lindsay reviews poetry collections, edits Dundee Writes,
and co-hosts Platform, a poetry and music night in Fife. She
facilitates creative writing with community groups and schools
across Fife and Tayside.
Eddie Small is both a PhD student and a lecturer in Creative Writing
at the University of Dundee. In June 2013, Eddie’s book Mary Lily
Walker: Forgotten Visionary of Dundee was published.
www.dundee.ac.uk/study/pg/writingpracticestudy
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SHORT
STORY
MONDAY
APRIL 13
LESS IS BETTER TO
SATURDAY
APRIL 18
Claire Keegan & Bernard MacLaverty
Guest: A L Kennedy
DESCRIPTION
The tutors will ask participants to consider and re-consider the
structure of narrative. What does it mean to begin? What is
tension? And how and why does tension rise and fall - or not rise
at all? They will lead you through the structure of a paragraph and
discuss how movement and static work within the short story. All
writers will be asked to have read Constance Garnett’s translation of
Chekhov’s story A Misfortune in advance of the course.
Claire Keegan’s debut, Antarctica, was a Los Angeles Times Book
of the Year. In 2007, Walk the Blue Fields was published and went
on to win The Edge Hill Prize. Foster (2010) won The Davy Byrnes
Award, judged by Richard Ford. Her stories have been published in
Granta, The Paris Review, Best American Stories, The New Yorker and
translated into 14 languages.
Bernard MacLaverty has published five collections of short stories,
including Matters of Life & Death, and Walking the Dog. From
Northern Ireland, he now lives in Glasgow.
www.bernardmaclaverty.com
Guest:
A L Kennedy is considered one of the finest short story writers in the
UK. She’s written six collections, the most recent being All the Rage.
www.a-l-kennedy.co.uk
Optional submission of work ahead of the course.
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