Open Days, Courses and Events at Big Smoke Writing Factory

Upcoming Events at Big Smoke

For anyone who'd like to take a course with us, but aren't quite sure which one, or for anyone who'd just like to come along and meet members of the Big Smoke team (over, of course, a cup of tea), our Open Days are the perfect opportunity to drop into us at 7 Lower Hatch St, Dublin 2. Whether you're just starting to write (or even just starting to think about writing), or someone who's been writing for years, we're happy to talk to you and figure out which of our courses and workshops might suit you best.

Open Registration Days:

We're holding an Open Evening on Tuesday, February 16th, 5.30-8.00pm and we'll also have an Open Day while one of our advanced workshops treats audiences to a selection of their work upstairs: pop along to the Reading (admission is free) and our Open Day on Sunday, February 28th, 4.00pm-6.30pm.

(Please note that we can only accept cash or cheque payments for courses at open days. Credit card payments must be processed online at www.bigsmokewritingfactory.com).

Winter/Spring Course Offerings

We're offering the following courses - only a few weeks left to register! Information on how to book can be found at www.bigsmokewritingfactory.com, along with detailed course descriptions.

Our 10-week Beginning To Write course, for the writer just starting off, will be available once more at a number of different times during the week (daytime and evening). €240

For the writer ready to take a step up, we have the 12-week Beyond Beginners and Line Production courses, expertly facilitated by Nicole Rourke and welcoming new participants as well as returning students. €280

Looking for a more specialised course? Fiction writers may be interested in the Novel in Progress workshop, facilitated again this term by Claire Hennessy, who will also be putting her expertise in the arena of young adult fiction to good use in the new Angst and Adventure workshop. A course in short fiction, Writing Short Stories, will be brought to you by Maggie Smith Hurt, whose Demystifying Poetry will be returning to Dublin this term and comes highly recommended for its insights into poetry. All run for 12 weeks. €280

Yvonne Cullen's outstanding ongoing workshops continue to produce award-winning writers as well as people who know how to enjoy themselves! The Writing Saloon Workshop Sunday last December went wonderfully, a lovely mix of productivity and end-of-year cheer; while the Developing Poet crew are currently circulating short collections amongst the group as they reach their end of term. Some places will be available in The Developing Poet and the Intermediate Writing Train new terms (starting this month), as well as the Advanced Writing Train new term in March. Contact Yvonne to discuss placement in these workshops - yvonnesworkshops@gmail.com.

Guest courses this term:

We welcome back Abie Philbin Bowman's 10-week Stand-Up Comedy course, following a great term in autumn/winter 2009 which culminated in a successful comedy night at the Exchange in Temple Bar. €250

For the aspiring chick-lit or commercial fiction writer, we still have a few places available on Marisa Mackle's one-day course, Writing a Bestseller on January 16th (all day). €140

Upcoming events

'Parent and baby' classes: we are aiming to set up a writing course suitable for parents with small children (babies and toddlers), during the daytime. Please email us at bigsmokewritingfactory@gmail.com to register your interest - we hope to get Dublin's first class of this sort going by March 2010!