23 January: 3 – 5 pm: Writing as Walking, Walking as Thinking….
Activist, Broadcaster and Writer Alastair McIntosh has created an altogether new kind of work of non fiction and essay in his extraordinary account of a walk he took back through his childhood as he revisited the islands of Harris and Lewis to write about place, nature and what it is to be human in the world.
Alastair will be talking to us about “Poacher’s Pilgrimage”, how he came to write that book – as well as how he wrote it – and will be talking to us, too, about his important work with our armed services in addressing non violence and trauma management, along with his interests in ecology, globalisation and land reform.
Bring notebooks! There will be much to think about and discuss…
6 February: 3 – 5pm: We Are Who we Say We Are: Literature and Identity
Duncan McLean burst onto the Scottish literary scene with his collection of short stories, “Bucket of Tongues” in the early nineties. Since then he has written fiction and non fiction, translated plays and written his own, and most recently, from his home in Orkney, has spearheaded something of a literary revolution in establishing his Abersee Press, a low-fi publishing initiative set on bringing local voices to international attention.
In a rare visit to Dundee, Duncan will be discussing the value of voice and place in literature, reading from his own and others’ work, and talking about what it is to create a literary context for somewhere that s far away from any so-called cultural hub.
Start thinking about your questions for Duncan now!
27 February: 3 – 5pm: Sara Hunt (Saraband) in conversation with Gail Low and Kirsty Gunn.
4 March: 3 – 5 pm: Publish – and Be Delighted!
Last year Kenny Taylor took over editorship of NorthWords Now, the popular and widely read critical and creative newspaper, and since then we have seen the publication widen its remit to publish essays and different kinds of non fiction, along with its recognised content of short stories and poetry and reviews.
It’s an exciting time for NorthWords, and for writing in Scotland – and Kenny is here to talk about what he’s looking for – as both a writer himself, and as editor – in long-form non fiction, along with his role in curating and helping to bring to a readership work by some of the newest writers being published in Scotland.
For those with work that is ready to be sent out to the world, NorthWords may well be your first port of call. Don’t miss this, or any of the terrific Writers Read sessions we have organised for you this term.
Hearing Writers Read is where writing can begin…
All events will be held at Tonic Cafe Bar, 141 Nethergare, Dundee