Small win in fight to save newspaper archives & send me festive book tips
Plus, Screenwriter weekender, Creative Associates Programme, Faber publishing open day, Northern Writers' Awards 2025, Aurora Prizes, Society of Editors Media Freedom Awards & more
My dear wordsmiths,
How are you this week? If you are new here - welcome - I’m Nicola and I have a bumper collection of upcoming opportunities for you this week from New Writing North, plus news from Harrogate Festivals and more.
I’m keeping this brief this week and switching up the format somewhat as it’s a busy one for me but a reminder that although this newsletter is free to please consider upgrading to paid and send me a like (if you like it obviously!). Just a reminder I’m always in the market for book news, new launches and author & journalist Q&A’s. Plus, let me know if there is anything you would like discussed in the world of books, writing and journalism! I’d love to hear from you.
ICYMI, Christmas is coming and with it an avalanche of new book releases to cash in and capitalise on those festive feelings and cosy book nooks. I’m planning to do a special newsletter dedicated to festive fiction so please send me you new novel recommendations, your faves from Christmas gone by and your winter vibes picks. If you’ve written one - even better! What book-shaped goodies should we stuff in our stockings?
Small win in fight to save under-threat newspaper archives
As any journalist who has worked at a legacy news title in the UK knows, the archives of local newspapers are a fascinating goldmine and link to the past. Although many local newspaper copies have now been digitised by the British Newspaper Archive, there remains are a treasure trove of photos and cuttings and notes, plus glass slides, microfiche tapes, photo negatives and random paperwork ( we used to call the archive room the dungeon when I was a trainee reporter).
To digitise costs a fortune and is very labour intensive so many local news brands, operating within an extremely challenged media landscape, have more than a century’s worth of history stored in cupboards and storage units across the UK. I imagine it’s probably similar at newspapers worldwide.
With the industry under enormous pressure and constant cost-cutting and rationalising of newsrooms, these archives have been shifted about and much history lost with every downsized office. I’ve seen it with my own eyes over the years - precious history launched into skips. Yet the appetite for retro/nostalgia content is enormous and the Google-attuned public surprised they cannot just access some of this content at the push of a button. It’s heart-breaking to consider this resource is being gradually lost through attrition in every move and centralisation.
So, led by the amazing Rachel Matthews at Coventry University, a bid was put forward, backed by many including myself on behalf of National World. It succeeded and a grant has been awarded from National Archives to work towards securing the future of local newspaper archives. It’s definitely a start and I’ll update you on progress. If you would like to get involved in the project please contact Rachel via LinkedIn.
“These collections go beyond the newspapers themselves to include such things as photos and cuttings libraries. Not only do they tell the history of this specialised form of a journalism practice, but they are often unique records of the history of a place. I will be working with archivist Gary Collins to bring together those working with collections to create a network and toolkit to help preserve them. Work will get underway in the new year; please do get in touch if you would like to be involved.”
Rachel Matthews, Associate Director Research Engagement at Coventry University
New Writing North unveils new programme
New Writing North has announced its winter programme, featuring a range of opportunities for aspiring and emerging writers across the region. The Newcastle-based charity supports the development of professional skills for writers in the north, as well as encouraging writing and reading for pleasure and wellbeing.
Screenwriting weekender: Topping the bill is a major TV industry event, the Screenwriting Weekender, sponsored by North East Screen. It runs 31 January to 2 February at Live Theatre, Newcastle and features a packed programme of workshops and talks on industry know-how, screenwriting skills and networking opportunities. The TV and film writer Peter Straughan, whose credits include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy starring Gary Oldman and the BAFTA-winning adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, is keynote speaker. Other guests include writer of the hit drama, The Responder, starring Martin Freeman, Tony Schumacher.
Emerging Creatives Associates Six month development programme: The next generation of writers and artists are being invited to apply for the Emerging Creative Associates six-month development programme, which starts in March 2025. Applications close 27 January. It offers training, mentoring, and networking with a £1,500 package of support.
Faber Publishing Open Day: There’s also a host of opportunities for young 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 UK’s largest independent publisher’s London office for a practical insight into careers in publishing.
Publishing experience: Five-day work placements and bursaries of £500 are also available at publishers, bookshops, and literary agents to gain real world experience.
Inkubator: There’s an opportunity too for creatives interested in using their artistic practice to work with young people and communities, with an ‘Inkubator’ aimed at writers and freelancers in the North East, with a £1000 bursary.
Workshops: The New Writing North Academy is offering a host of online creative writing workshops with industry experts on topics including, advanced structure in stories for screenwriting, writing crime fiction, and writing a novel for Young Adults. This winter also sees community workshops including the free Young Writers’ Groups on Saturdays, hosted in Cramlington, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Shields, and South Shields, as well as Safe Space drop-in sessions in Gateshead.
Northern Writers’ Awards 2025: Winter also sees the return of the flagship Northern Writers’ Awards 2025, which are open from 26 November 2024 to 6 February 2025.England’s biggest writer development programme is free to enter, and offers 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 YA fiction, poetry, fiction, narrative non-fiction, short stories and writing for television. For poets, Northern Writers’ Awards Poetry Workshops take place at Leeds Central Library from January 22, led by Northern Writers’ Award-winning poet Shash Trevett
Sunderland New Screenwriters: For anyone in Sunderland keen to learn about writing scripts for TV, Sunderland New Screenwriters offers taster sessions on the topic from November to January in libraries across Sunderland in partnership with Culture House Sunderland.
The Hachette Children’s Novel Awards 2025: for debut manuscripts of middle-grade and early teen fiction is also open to entries until 13 January 2025. These Awards will support two new writers through a bespoke development programme devised by New Writing North and Hachette. Each writer will receive a £3000 bursary to help develop their work towards being ready to submit for publication.
Find out more by viewing full Winter Season brochure HERE (PDF) and see the New Writing North website for full listings.
Slow Horses writer announced for Harrogate
Harrogate International Festivals has announced highly acclaimed, internationally bestselling thriller writer Mick Herron as Programming Chair for the 2025 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, the world’s largest and most prestigious celebration of crime fiction. Mick Herron is the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Slough House thrillers which are the basis of the award-winning TV series, ‘Slow Horses,’ starring Gary Oldman.
He has been shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year six times and won the award in 2022 for Slough House. Previous Programming Chairs include Ian Rankin, Val McDermid, Elly Griffiths, Denise Mina, Lee Child, Vaseem Khan and Ruth Ware.
“ I attended my first Harrogate weekend ten years ago, and each one since has provided a wealth of happy memories. So, it’s an honour and a thrill to be invited to work alongside a brilliant, dedicated committee.”
Mick Herron
Aurora Prizes for Writing - winners announced
Winners have been announced for the Aurora Prize, a national writing competition, seeking outstanding new writing in short fiction and poetry. Since 2016, Aurora has provided a platform for writers, offering a prize that is truly national (and international) with its heart in the East Midlands. This year’s award-winning judges are best-selling crime novelist Vaseem Khan and esteemed poet and author Andrew McMillan. Winners include Arctic Circle by Sarah Macallister (short fiction) and To the Trans Man Who Sees My Therapist After Me by Oliver Carmichael (poetry). More winners and shortlist details via the link.
Society of Editors Media Freedom Awards 2024
Honouring Excellence in campaigning and investigative journalism, the awards brought together more than 300 journalists from all sectors of the UK news media for a ceremony presented by ITV News’ Lucrezia Millarini and attended by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Minister Stephanie Peacock MP. Big winners of the evening included PA Media which was crowned the National News Media Organisation of the Year as well as The Sun which was awarded the Investigation of the Year National prize for its investigation into BBC News presenter Huw Edwards with reporter Scarlet Howes named the Journalist of the Year National.
A full list of winners can be found at www.societyofeditors.org.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to send me those festive faves!
Nicola x