Writing Careers Roadshow for Universities
The University Writing Careers Roadshow is an initiative to support many emerging professional writers being trained by universities in the West Midlands.
What we provide... The Roadshow will include speakers representing different aspects of the writing industry. They will include, for instance, professional writers in various forms, those working in publishing, individuals who have expertise in writing on digital platforms, and representatives from organisations working with writers. Each Roadshow will be curated and chaired by Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive of Writing West Midlands.
Value to your students... We aim to support your careers department and creative writing tutors by providing an insight into the realities of life as a professional writer. We believe that Writing West Midlands is uniquely placed to prepare students for the transition into writing as a career—we can introduce students to many of the practical aspects of writing and give them a taste of the networking that they will need in order to sustain a creative career, improving their likely employability. As a result we hope that creative writing graduates will stay in the West Midlands, that they will develop as active professional writers and that the writing economy and ecology will be enriched.
How it works… Sessions are typically two hours, and can accommodate up to 90 students. They include: • • •
panel discussions made up of four writers, including Jonathan Davidson, see across for additional potential panellists. breakout discussion groups, each led by one of the panellists plenary Q&A session
Cost and booking... The cost of the Writing Careers Roadshow is £400 +VAT (price valid for 2015/16). To book, please contact Jonathan Davidson on 0121 246 2770 or jonathan@writingwestmidlands.org Whilst this is a typical format, we would be happy to talk about any specific requirements you may have.
About the panellists... NB These are examples of writers we anticipate working with; Jonathan Davidson is a writer and has worked for over twenty-five years in arts management and literature development. He is jointfounder and Associate Director of the Birmingham Literature Festival. His radio plays are regularly broadcast on BBC Radios 3 and 4 and his poetry has been widely published. Jane Commane is a poet and publisher. Her poems have been published in Tears in the Fence, And Other Poems, Iota and Anon. As well as writing poetry, she is editor at Nine Arches Press and editor of Under the Radar magazine.
Helen Cross is the author or three novels including the awardwinning My Summer of Love and Spilt Milk, Black Coffee; both of which she adapted for film. Her radio plays have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and she has been writer in residence at various festivals and universities and other venues all over the world. William Gallagher’s journalism has appeared regularly in Radio Times magazine, The Independent, the Los Angeles Times and on BBC local and national radio. He also writes Doctor Who radio dramas and runs The Blank Screen workshops for showing journalists and writers how to become more productive by managing their time and exploiting their computers. Fiona Joseph has written a number of books of fiction and nonfiction, including the biography, Beatrice The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune and the novel Comforts for the Troops. She is founder and publisher at the independent press, Foxwell Press.
Kate Long is the author of The Bad Mother's Handbook, Swallowing Grandma, Queen Mum, The Daughter Game, and Mothers and Daughters all published by Simon & Schuster. She was born and raised in Lancashire and lives with her husband and two sons in Shropshire. Leila Rasheed is the author of three books for ages 9-12, and several publisher-led novels for children and teenagers. She teaches writing at the University of Warwick, where she gained a distinction in an MA in Writing. She also has an MA in Children’s Literature.
About Writing West Midlands... Writing West Midlands is the region’s literature development agency, one of seven such agencies in the UK supporting creative writers and creative writing. We specialise in working with developing writers of all ages. Over the years we have built up a thorough understanding of the kind of support writers need; professional advice, peer support, access to training and development opportunities and occasional incentives to get out of the house! We also run the Birmingham Literature Festival, the annual Writers’ Toolkit and a year round programme of quality literature events. For more information on Writing West Midlands visit www.writingwestmidlands.org or telephone 0121 246 2770 Cover photo Š Lee Allen