KOBO and Curtis Brown Announce Scholarship

KOBO AND CURTIS BROWN CREATIVE INTRODUCE. KOBO WRITING LIFE 2013 SCHOLARSHIP

 

Any readers of Frost magazine who are interested in a writing career may be interested in this new scholarship from Kobo and Curtis Brown. Companies make tuition at London’s premier writing school accessible for three up-and-coming authors

 

Kobo, a global leader in eReading, and Curtis Brown, one of the UK’s premier literary and talent agencies, have announced that together the companies are introducing the Kobo Writing Life™ Scholarship to advance opportunities for three aspiring writers this year. The Kobo Writing Life Scholarship provides tuition fees for a writer in each of the following course: the three-month novel writing course, three-month writing-for-children course, and six-month novel-writing course. Each course is offered by Curtis Brown Creative and held at their London location.

 

“Kobo Writing Life is dedicated to supporting authors and is committed to allowing them barrier-free access to readers anywhere in the world,” said Mark Lefebvre, Kobo’s Director of Self-Publishing and Author Relations. “Excellence in writing is critical and at the heart of an author’s success and we are thrilled to be able to work with Curtis Brown Creative to help writers hone their craft.”

 

“We are very excited to be partnering with Kobo on this initiative to open up our courses to writers who would not otherwise be able to study with us,” said Anna Davis, Director, Curtis Brown Creative.  “Kobo is an energetic supporter of new writing and a generous sponsor of this program.”

 

Applications are now being accepted for the three-month Writing for Children course held April-July. Applicants must complete the online application form and provide the first 3,000 words of their novel in addition to a synopsis. Details of the scholarship for the three-month writing-for-children course starting in September and the six-month novel writing course starting in February will be made available at www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk.

 

Curtis Brown launched its creative writing school in May 2011 as a way to reach new writers and foster their development as authors. In-depth courses are taught by industry experts including bestselling authors, agents and editors from Curtis Brown.  Kobo, through its self-publishing platform Kobo Writing Life, and Curtis Brown Creative are dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in writing and have partnered to develop strategic initiatives that foster the development of authors around the world.

 

This is the second project Kobo and Curtis Brown Creative have developed together. The companies also created the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Contest which resulted in a thousand, 100-word submissions to be judged by the author. The finalists will be announced on April 15 at London Book Fair.

Enter the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Challenge!

Are you in the process of writing a novel? If so, the Jeffrey Archer Short Story Challenge sponsored by Kobo and Curtis Brown Creative is the contest for you! One lucky winner will be awarded the grand prize of free enrolment in an upcoming Curtis Brown online novel writing course.

How to Submit

Authors should submit a 100-word short. The short can consist of any genre of fiction, as long as it stays within the 100-word limit.

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Submission deadline: 15th February 2013.

What Happens Next

The Kobo Writing Life Team will select 20 semi-finalists whose submissions will be collected in a free anthology available on the Kobo site! (Author names and photos will be included here as well, so get ready for your close-up!)

Contest judge and bestselling author Jeffrey Archer will evaluate the 20 semi-finalist submissions and choose three finalists. The finalists will be announced by Jeffrey Archer himself at the Kobo booth at London Book Fair on 15th April 2013.

The three finalists will be requested to submit a 3,000-word excerpt of their novel-in-progress to be judged by Curtis Brown Creative and will receive written feedback.

The lucky grand prize winner will be awarded free enrolment in an upcoming Curtis Brown online novel writing course! The winner will be announced on April 29th, 2013.

Tutors and guest speakers of past Curtis Brown creative writing courses include Jojo Moyes, Tracy Chevalier, Tony Parsons, Harriet Evans and Anna Davis. Find out more about Curtis Brown Creative here.

Full Terms and Conditions

The Contest is open only to legal residents of the forty eight (48) contiguous United States, District of Columbia, the United Kingdom and Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their respective jurisdiction at the time of entry (each entrant, an “Entrant”). Void in Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and where prohibited by law. The Prize consists of free enrolment in one (1) Curtis Brown writing course. The voucher is valid until December 31, 2013.

The Wright Wing

Disclaimer: While this man has an A-Level in Government & Politics (and a degree but it’s in Film so no one really cares) his opinions should essentially be ignored. By everyone. Always. His views are his own and not the opinion of Frost Magazine who like to use logic and reason to form their conclusions. Richard has a natural logic and reason avoidance technique he’s cultivated over the years and now his opinions are largely not worth the air they use to come out of his mouth. Enjoy.

 

Hello. My name is Richard Wright and let’s take a walk with the news.

 

I was talking to a very middle class girl the other day who got a bit upset talking about the colour of the new paint on her bedroom walls….yeah it was totes emulsh!

 

Speaking of bad jokes the Government has announced plans that Obese people on Benefits will have them cut if they refuse exercise. Define exercise please because one of the best ways to lose weight is to walk. And you walk all the time. So are we talking serious exercise? Which isn’t walking while listening to the 1983 Labour Party manifesto. No. That’s very dull exercise. Under the scheme it would be Doctors telling them how to exercise, which I suppose is better then someone who works for the DSS but it’s still not great. The reason this has me quite wound up is I am “technically” obese. I say “technically” I am also obese in reality. I have in the past been obese while claiming benefits. My life right now is changing because i have gallstones so I am on a diet, I am losing weight, at what point could I claim benefits? Is that going to be a dietary goal now? Turn up to weightwatchers and they’ll tell you that you can now claim heating allowance but you’re still a half stone off help with your council tax? I knew there was benefits to working out but this might be taking that idea a little too literally. But hey I’ll take this idea as seriously as Eric Pickles does. Yeah. We all know what I mean by that without having to lower this to the point of Eric Pickles is a tubby tubby man jokes.

 

In other news David Cameron’s attempt to successfully re-boot the Thatcherite franchise of Government seems to be coming into full effect as we are once again at odds with Argentina over the Falklands. Now The Sun, and you know anything can be helped by the addition of the carefully thought out and reasoned approach of The Sun, have weighed in with a rather helpful advertisement in an Argentinean newspaper telling Argentina in a diplomatic and well thought out way to get their “hands off” the Falklands. One of the things Argentina is bringing up in their renewed panties in a twist over the Falklands is a UN Resolution from 1965 saying that we should resolve the dispute. I’m not a diplomatic expert but you might have wanted to have brought that up a bit sooner really. It’s almost as if it’s not really about the UN resolution. It’s almost as if that doesn’t really play a factor and is something to help legitimise their claim. Again, I’m not a diplomatic expert.

 

Just in case it looks like I am only kicking The Conservative Party I am always amazed whenever Nick Clegg decides to “take a stand” on something. It’s like a tiny voiced child shouting from the back of a crowded bar fight that surely fighting isn’t the answer but yet not leaving the bar but handing the people having the bar fight chairs to hit each other with. Being admonished by Nick Clegg is a like when you get told off by a toddler. It’s cute and amusing but you know you can pretty much just ignore it. Nick Clegg has the moral authority of a custard cream. No that’s not quite right. Of a rich tea biscuit. I like custard creams.

 

As for Labour they have said they would offer the long term unemployed, whatever that means, a guaranteed 6 month job if they were in power. That sounds like a great vote winning policy. But wait, don’t go screaming Ed Miliband’s name in passion quite yet. They have also said they could not commit to the scheme if they won the 2015 general election. So this is basically the opposition’s  New Year’s resolution. No one should pay any real notice to it as it would clearly never happen. Just like that gym membership you say you’ll get just in case you loose your job. Apparently this is Labour setting out their idea for what should happen. This is the drunk uncle style of policy making. You know the Uncle who knows exactly how your life should be run. It’s very difficult to take anything Labour do or say seriously as you always get the impression that Ed Miliband is like a temp leader. Like he’s never sure when his contract will be terminated and so therefore isn’t taking the job as seriously as he might do. He also kind of comes across as a work experience leader. As soon as Harriet Harman signs his letter for school he’ll be out of there. Overall I would say the leader of the opposition isn’t really much of a leader but that’s he’s perfect for the current political climate because Labour aren’t really much of an opposition

 

 

That’s it. See you next week when I will be laying out my thoughts for how the story of John Major could be turned into a serious motion picture with Peter Capaldi as John Major, Helena Bonham Carter as Edwina Currie, Rowan Atkinson as John Redwood, Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Lilley and Stephen Fry as Ken Clarke. More cast details next week. Sadly I wouldn’t be able to use my working title for the John Major film of “Where’s wally?”

 

Disclaimer: He’s rubbish at sticking with these things so you never know you might see him real soon and you might not. Let’s find out.

Calling Aspiring Bloggers! Win a year’s contract with Mira Ink, the home of teen fiction

Do you have a passion for writing?  Are you looking for an opportunity to showcase your talent and get paid for it? Look no further.  Mira Ink, the home of popular teen fiction books and ebooks has launched blogINK, a search for the next British blogger extraordinaire.

 

Write about the latest from The Glass Trilogy or follow Kayleigh Kavanagh in the Soul Screamers Series. Tell the world about Iron Fey or Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. This once in a lifetime contract starting in January as MIRA Ink’s blogger, will not only see you writing about the most exciting teen stories but also creating your blogs on a top of the range laptop, courtesy of MIRA Ink.

 

If you have blogging ambition, then start right now. Enter a 500 word blog of your choice via the blogINK App by midnight on 25th November.  Then ten finalists will be shortlisted by MIRA Ink’s judging panel on 29th November and then asked to create a 60 second YouTube video and use social media sites to show how enterprising they are at generating buzz around their video.  Finally, the winner will be announced on 14th December.

Claudia Symons, MIRA Ink Brand Manager says:  “This is an exciting campaign for us; we’ve never done anything like this before.  We know there’s a wealth of teen talent out there waiting to be unlocked.   We are looking for someone who would love the chance to write about the wonderful world of teen fiction and who’s not too shy to shout about it.”

 

Stages & Deadlines:

  • Stage One:  9th – 25th November – Participants to enter a 500 word blog of their choice via the blogink App.
  • Stage Two:  29th November – Ten competitors will be shortlisted by Harlequin’s judging panel and asked to create a 60 second YouTube video and use social media sites to show how enterprising they are at generating likes.
  • Stage Three:  14th December – The winner will be announced and win a yearlong paid contract at Mira Ink and a top of the range laptop.

Follow the action on twitter using hashtag #blogINK

Twitter.com/MiraInk

Facebook.com/MiraInk

Miraink.tumblr.com


Brigid Hains On The Launch of Aeon | Interview

Why did you set up Aeon?

Paul and I set up Aeon because we believed that we live at a point in history when people are questioning their own and their society’s values and beliefs, and in our view the only way to work through this is by having open conversation and debate about questions that matter deeply to people.

 

What is the main aim of Aeon?

To foster conversations about significant questions that go to the heart of contemporary dilemmas and interests: whether that be understanding the latest news about the Higgs Boson, wondering how we mark important moments in our lives, or thinking deeply about the meaning of work and leisure. Our topics range very widely, but our interests are unified by a particular ethos, or tone. We want Aeon to be a place that people visit, and spend time online, where they feel confident that each essay will be stimulating, and some will have the capacity to shift their perspectives altogether.

 

You have some brilliant essays coming up. Can you tell us about some of the highlights?

We have a wonderful lyrical essay on Bristlecone Pines – the world’s oldest living beings – and their prospects under climate change, by young science writer Ross Andersen. A searing memoir of life as a fostered adolescent and how a wild raccoon saved her sense of self by Lauren Slater, an award-winning essayist. A spirited defence of metaphor and inspiration by Jay Griffiths, author of the Wild; and a searching, deeply personal account of what it is like for Arab women facing the post-revolution world today by Amal Ghandour. A highly varied collection!

 

What do you think the most important news story this year has been?

In the spirit of our commitment to many perspectives, and the many qualities that make us human beings, I couldn’t say there has been one dominating story. Our desire is to get beyond the news and into the questions that lie behind the daily news cycle: from the lives of Arab women living through revolutions  to the consequences of climate change; questions of sexuality and gay rights in Uganda or the culture wars that are part of the US election.

 

How do you get your writers?

We do a huge amount of research and discussion within the editorial team. The initial point of contact varies: sometimes one of our editors will approach a writer they have worked with before; sometimes we cold-call somebody we’d love to have writing for us, and sometimes we are approached by writers who have something for us.

 

Describe a typical day.

Right now we are in the middle of launch so we have a great deal going on. The longer rhythms of commissioning essays and working with our writers to get the essays right goes on all the time. So every day we are in correspondence with writers, working on drafts, researching possible stories and researching pictures (which are very important to our highly visual site).

At the same time as this we meet every day to discuss the day to day management of the website, and the kinds of responses we have had to each essay. Every day we also connect to our social media communities, as well. If we are serious about conversation, we need to be agile and responsive to our readers as well as commissioning work that we believe in ourselves.

 

Tell us a bit about you

I’m originally trained as an environmental historian, and also have an academic background in anthropology. I’ve always had wide intellectual interests, especially in science, environment and historical topics. For a very long time Paul and I have both been interested in how ideas work in the world – both through people’s personal experiences and also through social action and wider discussion – so Aeon is very much an expression of that mutual interest. On a personal note, I’m Australian, I’ve been living in London for most of the past 6 years (I’ve also lived briefly in New York) and Paul and I have a daughter who is 11.

 

Aeon is an online magazine. Do you think print is dead?

Not at all! I love print, both in magazine and book form. However the digital space offers a fluidity and reach that cannot be matched in print for a new magazine like ours. As new devices come on the market, digital will be able to offer something closer and closer to the immersive reading of print. There are things that print still does very well – the ultimate balance between the two is hard to predict.

 

What is Aeon’s business model? How do you think you will make money?

Our business model is to spend the first year or so investing significantly in the magazine in order to build up a strong following or community of interested people – readers, writers, artists and photographers. Once we have established that reach we will start to build opportunities for generating revenue. We are not sure what forms these will take and are watching closely how other publications are doing so – from micro-payments for articles, to higher levels of service for subscribers, live events, and online fora.

 

What advice do you have for people who want to get into publishing?

I’m not sure that I have any particular advice for people who want to get into publishing – but for those who are interested in writing for a magazine like Aeon I can say: know you subject very well, and read deeply into it if that’s appropriate. Authentic personal experience married with significant technical or empirical knowledge is a powerful combination. Write often, but with discipline and seek advice and help with your writing. And approach us with a pitch if you think you have something that’s right for us!

Londoner’s Life Overheard 36 by Phil Ryan

It’s funny how you slip into a new routine. Since my light bulb moment in Covent Garden when I created this new column I am now so much more attuned when I’m out on my travels. My ears are set to scan especially in cafes. You learn to filter in a way. And then if you’re lucky a phrase or a voice reaction somewhere behind you or off to the side catches you. I have a Samsung S2 phone which means I can quickly tap away on my qwerty keypad during and once the conversation is over. So just a quick snatch from one such encounter. Hampstead. A cinema foyer. Outside a girl is on the phone.
Girl: No you’re not listening. I only slept with him because he asked (she listens for quite a long while) Yeah but he did ask nicely…

But to this week’s offering. A tea room in Cambridge.

Middle aged man in very sensible clothing. “Well I still don’t see what’s wrong with Turkey again. Your brother loved it last year” Sullen girl ”Dad it’s full of weird hairy guys staring at me on the beach you ask mum” Middle aged man “You’re imagining it. Anyway perhaps they don’t see blonde haired people much you know they’ve all got dark hair haven’t they?” Sullen girl “It’s not about my hair dad. I’m fourteen now” she pauses “And I’m (whispers very loudly) “Getting much bigger you know up there” Middle aged man “What do you mean?” Sullen girl in exasperation “Breasts Dad big ones” Middle aged man sounds shocked “Really does your mother know” Sullen girl “Yes of course she knows she keeps buying me loose tee shirts but I’m not swimming in tee shirts. Can’t we go to an apartment in Portugal like Auntie Gwynn and her lot. It had its own pool and everything and she said it cost as much as the hotel we stay in less even” Middle aged dad “Really it costs the same for an apartment. I’ll talk to your mother. I’m sorry about your chest issues” Sullen girl suddenly brightening “Don’t sweat it Dad I’m not. They look great.”

At this point a lady I presumed was the mother appeared.

Middle aged man “Hello love. Jasmine and I have had a brainwave. D’you fancy Portugal for a holiday this year just for a change?” Lady “Isn’t it a bit fish orientated dear?”

They then agreed on going back to Turkey and talked about nothing but the sales in Marks and Spencer. The daughter went back to texting.

It’s tricky as some of these London Overheard’s of mine sometimes don’t always work out. So I’m keeping my ears open on your behalf. Keep listening!

Gore Vidal Dies: His Greatest Quotes

Gore Vidal died yesterday at the age of 86. Frost has gathered some great quotes, a story and a video of his wit and genius. Enjoy and RIP Gore. The New York Times’s brilliant obituary has this gem:

In 1968, while covering the Democratic National Convention on television, he called William F. Buckley a “cryptofascist.” Buckley responded by calling Mr. Vidal a “queer,” and the two were in court for years. In a 1971 essay he compared Norman Mailer to Charles Manson, and a few months later Mailer head-butted him in the green room while the two were waiting to appear on the Dick Cavett show. They then took their quarrel on the air in a memorable exchange that ended with Mr. Cavett’s telling Mailer to take a piece of paper on the table in front of them and “fold it five ways and put it where the moon don’t shine.” In 1975 Mr. Vidal sued Truman Capote for libel after Capote wrote that Mr. Vidal had been thrown out of the Kennedy White House. Mr. Vidal won a grudging apology.


“As the age of television progresses the Reagans will be the rule, not the exception. To be perfect for television is all a President has to be these days.”

“A good deed never goes unpunished.”

“All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting to encounter yourself.”

“Andy Warhol is the only genius I’ve ever known with an IQ of 60”

“There is no human problem which could not be solved if people would simply do as I advise.”

“Sex is. There is nothing more to be done about it. Sex builds no roads, writes no novels and sex certainly gives no meaning to anything in life but itself.”

“The more money an American accumulates, the less interesting he becomes.”

“The four most beautiful words in our common language: I told you so.”

“Congress no longer declares war or makes budgets. So that’s the end of the constitution as a working machine.”

“We should stop going around babbling about how we’re the greatest democracy on earth, when we’re not even a democracy. We are a sort of militarised republic.”

“Think of the earth as a living organism that is being attacked by billions of bacteria whose numbers double every forty years. Either the host dies, or the virus dies, or both die.”

“There is no such thing as a homosexual or a heterosexual person. There are only homo- or heterosexual acts. Most people are a mixture of impulses if not practices.”

“Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates.”

“Fifty percent of people won’t vote, and fifty percent don’t read newspapers. I hope it’s the same fifty percent.”

“I never miss a chance to have sex or appear on television.”

“It is not enough to succeed. Others must fail.”

“A narcissist is someone better looking than you are.”

“Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically by definition be disqualified from ever doing so.”

“Democracy is supposed to give you the feeling of choice like, Painkiller X and Painkiller Y. But they’re both just aspirin.”

“Envy is the central fact of American life.”

“Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.”

“Some writers take to drink, others take to audiences.”

“The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of the people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along, paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return”

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.”

And check out this great video:

How to Start Your Writing Career At University

Sometimes it pays to get a head start in life. The years of university can go pass in a blur and while you are getting a degree, other people are getting ahead in their careers. University is stressful and piling on any more work can cause burn out, so here is a few ways to get your foot in the door of a writing career. So when you leave university, you have that all important head start.


Write for the student paper,
if there isn’t a student paper, make one. Lots of people, including Richard Branson, got their start from doing a student paper. You will learn all the basics of journalism and will make invaluable contacts. You will also have a market for your publication: you’re fellow student.

Start a Blog: Starting a blog had made many people rich and famous. Think Belle Du Jour. You will also get into the habit of writing regularly, learn what people are reading most and gain invaluable skills.

Write as much as possible: You probably won’t get paid at first but you will find your voice as a writer and also learn the discipline of writing. Many people give up because of the sight of a blank screen.

Ask for feedback: Ask your most trusted friends and family for feedback on your writing. It’s the only way you will get better. You will probably have some bad writing habits or overuse certain words. Only ask people whose opinion you trust. Don’t take the feedback negatively, but as an opportunity to learn.

Write an e-book: There a number of e-readers out there. Amazon’s Kindle has made it very easy for anyone to write a book and sell it on Amazon. Write fiction or take something you know and sell your wisdom to someone else. If you write 500 words a day, it will take you 160 days to get to 80,000 words. It is completely manageable to do that in a year.