The first BWA University Creative Writing Group for cross-disciplinary staff was launched this week at Aston University. “Brit Writers’ Awards are thrilled to partner with Aston University in Birmingham who are championing their national Creative Writing Programme for Universities” said Imran Akram, CEO of Brit Writers.
This pioneering national initiative promotes creative writing to students and the university’s wider staff community through a series of seminars and writing groups.
The project will involve the establishment of writing groups for staff from various disciplines, from professors to catering staff and students representing all departments, as well as a series of seminars at the university around creative writing and the publishing world.
Professor Helen Higson, Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor from Aston University, who is part of the group and hosted the launch, said; “We were delighted to welcome Imran to the launch of our staff writing group as the support of Brit Writers has been invaluable in getting this started and it will spur us on towards publication. The volunteers are currently excited but nervous about this new initiative and we could not do it on our own. We hope other universities will benefit from it.”
With the submissions deadline for this year’s Brit Writers’ Awards approaching fast at 5pm, Friday 25 February and international entries at the end of March 2011, Mr Akram says, “this partnership is incredibly important and fits perfectly with the BWA’s aim to get everyone into creative writing.”
Further information call Joanna West on 0871 237 4442 or email media@britwriters.co.uk
About Catherine Cooper:
Last July, Catherine Cooper, a retired Shropshire teacher, won at the inaugural Brit Writers’ Awards, winning an impressive £10,000.
On winning the award, Catherine signed with Oxford-based publisher Infinite Ideas. Her winning book, The Golden Acorn, first in the Jack Brenin series, was published in the autumn of 2010.
The book has been a hit on Amazon Kindle, with more than ten thousand downloads since Christmas. The second book of her four book publishing deal, Glasruhen Gate, is published this month.
We caught up with Catherine and asked her what made her enter the awards in the first place? In her usual humble style, Catherine said; “I entered the Brit Writers’ Awards in the hope that my book would make it to the final. I’d then be able to put the word ‘Finalist’ on the front cover of my book, and hope someone (an agent or publisher), would take me seriously as a writer and notice my book. I didn’t expect to win, due to the high number
Website: www.britwriters.co.uk
