Making your own work | Examples | Benefits | Costs | Links |
Grants | Arts Council BursariesLocal Authority BursariesTravel Grants
Commission Grants Special Project Grants Stipends (residencies) |
Funded opportunity for your practice to grow and developVery strong possibility you will create work that interests you and you can stand overPsychological and creative boost to your practice
Adds to your ‘reputational currency’ – how you and your writing practice are seen by the world at large Lets you say No to jobs that aren’t your own work Reduces financial stress: though low relative to other salaries, money can make a big difference in terms of basic living costs More likely you will be awarded other grants in future |
No such thing as ‘free money’ – application process can be onerous and time-consumingRequires an understanding of often very bureaucratic languageVery competitive
Risk of rejection – can be painful creatively and personally Risk you will not make the work that you proposed to make Time costs associated with some residencies Initial outlay required for some travel grants Finance: even bursaries will not fund you for more than a year, and even the maximum bursary is only subsistence-level (€15000 per annum).
|
’Writers need time: Here’s how to beg, borrow or steal’ by Mia Gallagher, originally published online in the Irish Times, https://wordsireland.com/writing-lives-writers-need-time-heres-how-to-beg-borrow-or-steal-it/ Paul Perry’s Guidance Sheet on Bursary Applications coming soon.
A comprehensive list of bursary and funding links is located here.
Arts Council Literary Bursary Award: http://www.artscouncil.ie/Funds/Literature-bursary-award/ |
Commissions | Playwriting commissions (usually through theatre companies and/or Arts Council)Local Authority commissionsSome Writers-in Schools projects
Percent for Art Schemes Essays & other non-fiction (journals/newspapers/ anthologies) Fiction (anthologies/journals) |
Opportunity to grow and develop through your own workStrong to very strong possibility you will create work that interests you and you can stand overFinancial and reputational acknowledgment of your value, skills and experience as a writer
Could lead to further collaborations with client/editor/commissioning body |
Application process for state or community funded commissions can be onerous/bureaucraticMoney often not very high relative to your labour/timeRisk your finished work will not meet client’s/editor’s expectations
Risk you may encounter artistic or personal differences with client, editor or commissioning body With community projects, risk of difficulty in managing diverse groups with differing expectations
|
Follow local authority Arts Offices, arts centres, literary and print journals online for updates on opportunities.Subscribe to newsletters from Words Ireland, Poetry Ireland, the Irish Writers Centre, Writing.ie, for additional opportunities. |
Retreat-style residencies | Tyrone Guthrie CentreCill RialaigCentre Culturel Irlandais
Yaddo (US) Blue Mountain Centre (US) MacDowell Colony (US) |
Dedicated time/place to make your own workSurrounded by other artists who can inform your practice creativelyDirect acknowledgement of your writing practice
Often prestigious – boost to your reputational currency Time away from usual work & domestic concerns Finance: Some pay you a stipend to work
|
Sometimes direct financial cost – e.g., bed/board/travelUsually indirect financial cost – e.g., mortgage or domestic bills at home while you are awayHighly competitive
Can be tough if you’re in a ‘stuck’ or ‘blocked’ space Risk you may not get on with the other artists
|
Click here for a good place to begin your research on residencies and retreats |
Writer-in-Residence roles | University fellowships or writing residencies (UL, UCC, TCD, Maynooth)State/heritage venues (e.g., Farmleigh)Libraries
Local Councils |
Often prestigious – boost to your reputational currencyFee usually allows some time for you to develop your own workCan bring you in contact with new readers/audience
Often beautiful places to work in Opportunity to meet academics, other writers, other arts professionals who can stimulate and inspire you Engagement with communities can be very rewarding and enjoyable Even work that isn’t your own writing usually has a creative element |
Fees vary widelyUsually these roles incorporate other work besides writing – e.g., teaching, curating, moderating, event managementOften require careful time management to ensure your writing needs are met
Can involve you working outside comfort zone Sometimes require you to learn new skills Often require negotiation skills and careful boundary management with other stakeholders (e.g., students, residency body)
|
Keep an eye on the social media feeds of Words Ireland and the seven organisations that make up the collective for updates on residencies. |
Promoting your own work | ||||
Public readings | Your launchBook festivalsSpecial events (e.g., Irish Writers Centre, local arts centre)
Launches of anthologies you are in |
Opportunity to bring work to current and new readersCan be a creative experience in its own rightOther than book launches, there should be a fee
Opportunity to mix with other writers Opportunity for book sales Many festivals are open to being approached by writers who want to read or take part A good publisher or agent will pitch you and your work to festivals |
Appearing publicly is stressful even for experienced public readersUsually require preparation: selecting & practising your readingGreater exposure means you can feel more vulnerable to criticism or lack of acknowledgement
Fees vary hugely Audience levels can be low Sales can be low – demoralising Extremely competitive – tons of festivals and events within festivals compete for readers’ attention Usually no fee for your own launches Risk of spending time chasing festivals for public appearances without being given a slot Events designed to promote your work often require a lot of promotion themselves
|
For a list of some of the literary festivals around Ireland, click here. |
Articles in journals/other media | National Newspapers, regional newspapers, literary journals, international literary supplements and reviews (TLS, LRB), specialist media (Cara Magazine, Image Magazine), paying online literary websites (lithub.com) | Opportunity to reach wider audiencesOpportunity for audiences to get a sense of person behind the workIf dovetail with publication of your work, can boost audiences and sales | Increasingly very low to no feesTime-consumingPressure to write might come at a time when you may be exhausted from finishing a major work
Can be personally exposing Promoting these on social media etc. can take up time
|
Every author should hold a copy of the Writers & Artists Yearbook which will give you a comprehensive list of publications throughout Britain and Ireland, and articles on best approaches for getting into various areas of publication. |
Moderating events | Book festivalsSpecial events (e.g., Irish Writers Centre, local arts centres) | Opportunity to reach wider audiencesOpportunity to engage with other writers as colleaguesRecognition of status
Opportunity to read work you may not have read before Opportunity to have conversations with writers you admire but would never otherwise meet Stimulating creatively and intellectually Can boost your own reputation by association Festivals open to being approached by writers who want to moderate |
Events generally not about your writing but about other writersVery time-consuming: requires reading, research, prep of questions and introRequires a lot of concentration, sensitivity & ability to improvise during event
Fees can vary Chance you might not get on with the people you are moderating Risk of spending a lot of time chasing festivals without being hired Often require promotion from you, sometimes written into the contract
|
For a list of some of the literary festivals around Ireland, click here. |
Writing for other people | ||||
Journalism | Any journal, broadsheet, magazine or blog | Possibility of interesting & varied subject matter; might feed your own workSome rates excellentBrings you as a writer to a wider audience
Can bring a lot of recognition (household name) Great discipline – writing to deadlines and to wordcount Can hone your skills as an editor Can result in you creating a fine piece of writing in its own right
|
Rates & work security in this sector are falling dramaticallyCan be time-consuming if you’re not a trained/experienced journalistDeadlines tight and sometimes last-minute
Might be challenging to balance dual roles as journalist and writer of your own work Can become tedious/predictable
|
See the Writers & Artists Yearbook |
Reviews | See list of journals and publishers here. | May bring you as a writer to a wider audienceGood discipline (deadlines/ wordcount)Can hone your skills as an editor
Some recognition of status Opportunity to read work you may not have read before Stimulating creatively and intellectually Can result in you creating a fine piece of writing in its own right
|
Time-consuming: rates do not reflect hours you put in reading or thinking about what you’re going to reviewChallenging if you are faced with work you are unsure aboutPossibly challenging to disentangle roles of being a writer and reviewing other writers
Challenging if asked to review someone you know
|
See list of journals and publishers here. |
Specialist writing | Technical writingSpeech writingPitch-writing
Copy-writing Educational content writing Corporate content writing TV/broadcast scriptwriting |
Depending on context, hourly/daily rates can be excellentCan be useful in honing editing & communication skillsUseful for developing fee/contract/negotiation skills
Can be opportunity to work in interesting field Research might inform your own work Opportunity to work as part of a team & learn for others
|
May involve a lot of energy-consuming negotiation around time & moneyYou may need to tender, which involves estimating the time you’ll spend & budgeting accordinglyRequires skill around estimating your time
Content area might be uninteresting Team dynamics might be challenging Generally you will have very limited status and influence and will need to accept terms of client/hiring body at all times
|
|
Facilitating other people’s writing | ||||
Teaching | Universities (e.g., UCD, TCD, UL, UCC, Maynooth, Griffith College, American College, IADT)- Undergrad- MA level
– MFA level PLC’s (e.g., ETB, some DITs) Irish Writers Centre Big Smoke Writing Factory One-off’s: libraries, writers groups, festivals Non-traditional outlets: community centres, prisons, resource centres Writers-in-Schools (Poetry Ireland/JCSP Libraries)
|
Opportunity to learn a lot about craft and challenges of writingOpportunity to see issues in your own work refracted through students’ issuesContact hourly rates generally decent
Can be stimulating and inspiring Recognition of your skills and experience Can offer a degree of security and stability either short- or long-term |
Time-consumingFees varyPrep essential but can eat up time and is unpaid
Can be interpersonally challenging Requires understanding of group dynamics & ability to manage groups Requires understanding and management of students’ expectations Workshop (critique) classes require strong direction Students often want/need extra on top of contact hours – requires boundary management Grading can be challenging –highly subjective area More senior roles usually involve a lot of administration – requires skills & time Increasingly competitive field Some roles require postgraduate qualifications (MA, MFA, PhD) If you’re doing more teaching than writing, it can become frustrating in the long-term
|
Yvonne Cullen’s article on teaching creative writing coming soon.The Irish Writers Centre’s open call for course facilitators is a good guide to determining if you’re at the stage to begin teaching: https://irishwriterscentre.ie/pages/become-a-facilitator
Strong public profile, teaching experience, an original idea are all desireable. For other organisations like community centres, the bar might be lower.
For a guide to the Liz Lerman critical response process, click here.
Work with Big Smoke: http://bigsmokewritingfactory.com/work-with-us/
|
Mentoring | Irish Writers CentreStinging FlyLocal Authority schemes
Arts Council schemes Freelance |
Opportunity to learn a lot about craft and challenges of writingOpportunity to see issues in your own work refracted through a client’s issuesIf through other body, contact hourly rates generally decent
If freelance you can set and adjust your own rates Usually very stimulating and inspiring Recognition of your skills and experience Often opportunity to work on sophisticated material with a view to bringing a project to completion One-to-one much easier to manage than a group
|
Unpredictable incomeRequires clarity re: cost to client vis a vis what you deliverSetting your own rates can be challenging
Cost to client can be hard to estimate when you’re starting off Working through a panel can take trial and error to identify trade-off: what you can do for the money being paid you Requires excellent time management Requires a high level of expertise & experience Requires empathy and passion Risk of client dissatisfaction – worst case scenario client blacklisting/ badmouthing you (Freelance) Risk of client not paying / delaying payment Risk you won’t ‘get’ a client’s work Crucial to have a tried and tested feedback/critiquing model If you’re doing more mentoring than writing, can become frustrating
|
Words Ireland is interested in adding to its panel of mentors. Minimum requirements are three books published and teaching / mentoring experience. https://wordsireland.com/mentoring-scheme-2017/Join the Irish Writers Centre as a professional member to be added to their list of mentors.
Writers also offer mentoring services through The Inkwell Group.
For Playwrights: http://fishamble.com/fishamble-supports/
Mia Gallagher, author of this document is available for mentoring and can be contact via Words Ireland
|
Editing | Through publishersFreelanceStructural editing
Copy-editing Proofing Guest-editing a journal
|
Opportunity to learn a lot about craft and challenges of writingOpportunity to see issues in your own work refracted through a client’s issuesIf freelance you can set your own rates
Usually very stimulating and inspiring Recognition of your skills and experience Often opportunity to work on sophisticated material with a view to bringing a project to completion If editing a journal/anthology, it’s a creative process in its own right One-to-one easier to manage than a group Can be exceptionally satisfying
|
Unpredictable incomeIf hired through an organisation, hourly rates can be lowRequires clarity re: cost to writer/publisher/journal vis a vis what you deliver
Requires clarity around what sort of editing you are offering (Freelance) Setting your own rates can be challenging (Freelance) Cost to writer can be hard to estimate when you’re starting off Requires good time management If working with a journal/ publisher requires clarity around the limits of your role Requires strong interpersonal skills – negotiation, boundaries, trouble-shooting Requires a high level of expertise & experience Risk of writer/journal/publisher dissatisfaction Risk of writer or organisation blacklisting/ badmouthing you Risk of writer or organisation not paying you or delaying payment Requires technical and creative understanding of how to question a writer on issues in their work and/or suggest fixes If you’re doing more editing than writing, it can become frustrating in the long-term
|
www.afepi.ie |
Programming / Curating | FestivalsOne-offs for organisations (e.g., Local authorities, Irish Writers Centre, other writing organisations)Part of ‘In-Residence’ residencies | Exciting, satisfying and stimulating workOpportunity to create beautiful & meaningful eventsOpportunity to meet and work with artists you admire, sometimes from many different disciplines
Opportunity for you as writer to become known to wider audience/readership Fees can be decent High-profile – can increase your reputational currency Can increase your visibility/status with funding bodies May lead to other roles curating/programming Very rewarding engagement with diverse communities
|
Time-consuming – often to the point where the rate doesn’t directly reflect the time spentRequires strong budgeting & financial management skillsRequires ability to haggle/negotiate
Requires people management & general admin skills Time & boundary management essential Risk you may not have enough of a team working with you – overload Requires a lot of promotion Event/programme usually about other people, not your work Stressful: things always Go Wrong Risk you will lose a lot of money if you get the programme wrong Risk you will have little or no audiences Risk of artist dissatisfaction Risk of audience dissatisfaction Risk of funder dissatisfaction Strong risk of exhaustion (If you do a lot of this) Risk of you being seen as curator rather than writer – can be very frustrating in long-term
|
|
Judging | AwardsCompetitionsInterview panels – e.g., writers-in-residence, curators, etc. | Often prestigious, recognition of your reputation and professional statusOpportunity to gain more insight into your own aesthetic preferencesOpportunity to read excellent work by others
Opportunity to work collegially with academics / other writers you respect Opportunity to debate critically/aesthetically Very useful to see how the ‘other side’ works & learn how you or your work might appear to an interview/judging panel
|
Can be time-consuming to read work or applicationsCan be challenging to make decision – especially if faced with writers/applicants in strong competitionChallenging if you know people being interviewed/submitting
Risk of making ‘wrong’ choice Risk of alienating somebody who you don’t select Fees vary: some panels don’t pay anything |
|
Externing | UniversitiesSome PLC’s | Opportunity to learn about craftOpportunity to learn about the teaching & learning of creative writingOpportunity to see issues in your own teaching practice refracted through students’ work, teachers’ assignments and grades
Contact hourly rates good Can be very interesting Recognition of your skills and experience Can offer a degree of security & stability in the short-term Opportunity to engage in a collegial way with other writers and tutors and university bodies May lead to other externing/tutoring work
|
Assessing grading practices can be challengingCan take time to get used to a teacher’s marking style & choicesRequires understanding of where teachers are coming from & your own prejudices & preconceptions around ‘good’ writing
Requires high concentration, usually over a short period of time – can be tiring in the short-term Requires excellent reporting and analysis skills Very unpredictable/occasional income stream |
|
Moderating | [see ‘moderating’ under Promote heading] |