Winter opportunities for the region’s aspiring writers

The wrapping has come off New Writing North’s winter programme with its various opportunities for aspiring and emerging writers.

Already announced is the Screenwriting Weekender, sponsored by North East Screen and running from January 31 to February 2 at Live Theatre, Newcastle.

It features workshops and talks on industry know-how, screenwriting skills and networking opportunities.

Delivering the keynote speech will be screenwriter Peter Straughan whose adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light is on TV now.

A few bursary places are available to support northern writers, thanks to FilmNation TV.

Meanwhile applications close on January 27 for the six-month Emerging Creative Associates programme aimed at the next generation of writers and artists.

Starting in March, it offers training, mentoring and networking plus a £1,500 package of support.

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Opportunities for people aged 18 to 25 interested in creative careers, including a free Faber Publishing Open Day, with travel expenses covered, to spend a day at the publisher’s London office to get a practical insight into careers in publishing.

Five-day work placements and bursaries of £500 are also available at publishers, bookshops and literary agents.

There’s an opportunity too for creatives interested in using their artistic practice to work with young people and communities. An ‘Inkubator’ aimed at North East writers and freelancers comes with a £1,000 bursary.

The New Writing North Academy offers a host of online creative writing workshops with industry experts, topics including crime fiction and writing for young adults.

A host of community workshops includes the free Young Writers’ Groups on Saturdays, hosted in Cramlington, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Shields and South Shields, and also Safe Space drop-in sessions in Gateshead.

New Writing North now has a new space at the John Marley Centre, in Newcastle’s West End.

It’s the new home for its West End Writes programme which includes its weekly workshops for older residents, Remembered West, Brown Girls Write and its multilingual creative writing programme, World Writes.

Anna Disley, executive director of programme and impact at New Writing North, said: “Our mission is to practically support and nurture talent from across our communities, and remove barriers to transformative creative opportunities.

“Thanks to our partners and supporters, there are a number of bursaries for career-making prospects on offer too.”

The 2025 Northern Writers’ Awards – England’s biggest writer development programme – are open (and free) to applications from November 26 to February 6 next year.

On offer are mentoring, support, placements, publication and cash awards to new, emerging and established writers in the North.

There are submission periods throughout the year, including awards for children’s and young adult fiction, poetry, fiction, narrative non-fiction, short stories and writing for TV.

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For emerging poets, Northern Writers’ Awards poetry workshops will take place at Leeds Central Library from January 22, led by award-winning poet Shash Trevett.

For anyone on Wearside keen to learn about writing for TV, Sunderland New Screenwriters offers taster sessions from November to January in libraries across the city in partnership with Culture House Sunderland.

The Hachette Children’s Novel Awards 2025, for debut manuscripts of middle-grade and early teen fiction, are also open to entries until January 13, 2025.

Two new writers will be supported through a development programme devised by New Writing North and Hachette. Each will receive a £3000 bursary to help make their work ready to submit for publication.

New Writing North works with partners across higher education, publishing, literature, media, healthcare and local government to create opportunities across the region.

Its winter season brochure can be seen here or go to the New Writing North website for a full run down of its activities.