My Creative Writing courses at Diwan in January

All details on the poster.  Register by going into the Diwan store you wish to take the course and giving your name and payment.  Places limited - advance booking essential.

Creative Writing and Spoken Word on the Radio

Creative Writing

& Spoken Word

on

Radio Lewa

at

artellewa آرت اللوا

19, Mohamed Ali Al Eseary

Ard El Lewa - Giza - Egypt.

web: www.artellewa.com

I am pleased to announce that I will be leading a:

Creative Writing Workshop on the Theme of Dreams 

Saturday January 12^th at 2pm to 4pm

and

Spoken Word & Performance platform 

 Tuesday January 22^nd at 6pm to 9pm

on Radio Lewa at Artellewa art space, the new radio station being set up and run by two friends and colleagues of mine, the Swiss artists Joerg Koeppel and Mirjam Burgin. Radio Lewa will broadcast between 10th until the 31st of January. But the workshop and presentations will only be on the days allocated.

Stay tuned for updates and further information!

A New Home for the Writers' Centre!

Dear All

I am very pleased to announce that as from the end of January 2013 the Writers' Centre will have a new home within the HUGE villa that is El Mesaha Arts & Culture Centre in Dokki, Cairo. http://www.elmesa7a.org/


There will be a menu of events such as:

• Writing salons - writers and artists gather to share, talk and present their work or ideas
• Writers' table - a designated time that writers can come and use the space to focus on their work and also network, share if they choose
• Writing surgeries - writers come with their current draft narrative that they are still working on and receive help to move it on
• Creative writing courses
• Day trips to places of literary interest in and around Cairo
• Short residential writing trips to places of natural beauty in Egypt
• Open mics - a platform for spoken word artists, writers and musicians to present and perform

Please keep watching this space for updates and actual event times and dates!

Creative Writing Courses starting January at Diwan Heliopolis and Zamalek

Registration open now. Places limited.

Creative Writing Course
with Linda Cleary

The Creative Writing course acts as an extended masterclass looking at various techniques and exercises

to open up and improve writing skills, work with metaphor and imagery,

create texts and narratives to given themes and word counts as well as free writing.

There is no criteria other than a willingness to open up one's writing;

the course is designed that people of varying writing experience can participate and each draw their individual benefits.

4 weeks (8 hour course)
One session per week (2 hour session) on Saturdays
Starting 12^th January
from 7:30 pm till 9:30 pm
at Diwan Heliopolis

Price: 480 L.E
Limited number - please register in advance at Diwan Heliopolis store (and give date and course name)
Age group: for adults (17 yrs +)

----------------------------

AND EXACTLY THE SAME COURSE AT DIWAN ZAMALEK - TIMES, DATES AND HOW TO REGISTER FOR ZAMALEK BELOW

4 weeks (8 hour course)
One session per week (2 hour session) on Wednesdays
Starting 16^th January
from 7:30 pm till 9:30 pm
at Diwan Zamalek

Price: 480 L.E
Limited number - please register in advance at Diwan Zamalek store (and give date and course name)
Age group: for adults (17 yrs +)

Opportunity for Script Writers in Egypt

 ACT - Alumni Community Theatre are currently taking submissions for

Famous for 15 Minutes Festival

Please see below for all their details and where to submit to:

1) What is the criteria for submissions?

- 15 minutes or less original plays (Arabic or english)
- Plays are expected to include 1-6 characters
- Simple sets.
- PROFANITY ONLY WHEN IMPORTANT TO THE PLAY

2) When is the deadline for submissions?
15th of January, 2013

3) When and where will the festival take place?
Cairo, May 2013

4) What is the e-mail address for submissions?
- alumnicommunitytheatre@gmail.com
- Subject line should include:
1) Your name
2) "Famous for 15 Minutes Festival"

5) Is a short playwright bio required?
YES!

6) How much will each playwright be paid for the entire run?
300 EGP

Paris, Berlin, Rome and Elsewhere!

Dear Community, I want to build some contacts in Paris, Berlin and Rome (though could be other places too!).

I am thinking to go to another country next year and it would be great to meet up with other writers (and other artist mediums) and venues.

I would like to deliver Creative Writing workshops (in English) and work with a venue where I can also develop and host various literary initiatives, salons, writing surgeries, events, readings, shows, happenings etc, the kind of thing I am doing here.

Any contacts are greatly appreciated ;)) Please comment here or email me on: thewriterscentre@gmail.com

Thanks and please pass this blog www.writerscentre.blogspot.com and also:www.artsresidencycairo.blogspot.com   to anyone who you think might be helpful or interested!

New Creative Writing Courses

Creative Writing courses at Diwan Bookstores - Only 1 place left on the Zamalek course!!! Book in soon for next week at Heliopolis!!! *All details for how to register on the poster

 

Creative Writing now in Zamalek also

Now at Zamalek also! Starting next week Monday 15th Oct. the course is already full due to demand.  But people can put their names down for the next maybe!

 

Salon The Wind Has Changed

Last week saw the arrival of Saskia Konniger, a Dutch novelist, who is on research in Cairo for her new book and staying with me at ARC.  In order to introduce her to some of writer community here and also to share readings I had a salon.  It was the largest salon yet of Cairo based Egyptian writers and also included Matt Henderson Ellis, another writer, with a book soon out, visiting Cairo at this time (Matt is an Amercian living in Hungary).

Here are just a few photos from the night which saw readings and performances including spoken word, narrative, novel excerpts, dance and performance poetry :))

Creative Writing Course starting 2nd October at Diwan Heliopolis

The new roll out of the Creative Writing course starts on 2nd October at Diwan Heliopolis!  All details are on the poster.  Book your place by registering in any Diwan store!

Activity!

Well yes, there is rather a lot of activity going on!

Apart from the new Creative Writing courses taking place currently at Diwan Maadi and Heliopolis, I am also editing a fabulous and envy making collection of short stories (and some not so short) by the writer Omar Refaat (who is one to watch for).  I also have to dash out to a Cilantro, as their bi monthly magazine has an article by me and some inserts of poetry from some of my students.  I have been invited to contribute an article to every edition - so watch that space :)

I was recently a judge for Quotes Mania - the competition here in Cairo being organised by Farida Fakher.  The winning quote was byYomna Magdy with: "Masks you wear to deceive the others blind you first"

At the beginning of October the novelist Saskia Konniger will be at ARC for a one week stay and then joining us at the end of Ocober for two weeks will be the mixed media and performance artist Lia Saile - links and info are on the ARC page: www.artsresidencycairo.blogspot.com

Other than this I plan some Writers' Centre events over the next month (keep tuned) and in the meantime I am addicted to neon colours for my nails (healthier than my crisp addiction!).

Bye for now!  :) 

Creative Writing Course at Diwan Maadi

Look at all those books!!! Ahhh lovely! ;)) And of course the creative energy! :) At Diwan Maadi on the new Creative Writing course ♥

Creative Writing Courses starting at Diwan Maadi 27th AND Diwan Heliopolis 28th August!

Writers' Iftar - a wonderful eve!

Last night was a Writers' Centre event in collaboration with El Mesa7a Arts and Culture Centre in Dokki and we had a lovely time! 

We first sat in the outdoor mezzanine space, eating and chatting (yum yum to Omar's mum who makes the BEST grilled vegetable platter and spicy potatoes!) then we moved (due to the heat) to one of the rooms inside the cultural centre and started the series of readings. 

Not only was it great to hear people's work, but we also had a discussion about publishing in Egypt and arrived at some future plans for integrating work into university syllabuses and other ideas.

Look out for upcoming events and news!!

*Photos from the iftar are on the photostream :) and here is one below ;)

Writers' Iftar

Writers' Iftar

Sunday 5^th August

7pm to 9pm

at El Mesa7a Art & Culture Center, 13 El Mesaha Street, Dokki

www.elmesa7a.org

All writers and those interested in writing are invited to this open iftar with readings from various emerging and established writers. You can also find out where to take Creative Writing courses in Cairo with Linda Cleary and find out more about what El Mesa7a Art & Culture Center can offer you.

-------------------------

Guest reader Mamdouh Sakr – Author of Diwan bestseller 'Did You Try Qat?'

and

Amira Ahmed, Nariman Youssef, Nihal Wahby, Nevine El Shabrawy, Omar Refaat,

Nadine Okasha, Monda Mahmoud, Linda Cleary

-------------------------

No entrance fee but please bring some food to share at iftar!

This is a Writers' Centre event in collaboration with El Mesa7a Art & Culture Center

www.writerscentre.blogspot.com

Exploring Freedom - a 3 evening Creative Writing Workshop at Darb 1718

Exploring Freedom

a Creative Writing Course with Linda Cleary

Course details

Freedom – a much used word, certainly over the last 20 months. Yet freedom is a concept, perceived differently by each individual and with many gradients.

This 3 evening course will explore the theme of freedom, creating texts and narratives spring boarding from that. Students will learn various master class exercises to open up and improve their writing skills and work with metaphor and imagery. We will also look over some selected texts for discussion and work.

There is no criteria other than a willingness to open up one are writing; the course is designed that people of varying writing experience can participate and each draw their individual benefits.

Course hours

3 sessions of 2 hours each

1st, 4th and 6th August

9pm to 11pm

LE 520

at Darb 1718 for Contemporary Arts

www.darb1718.com

For Registration

please contact Darb 1718 on 01117409697 to pay a deposit.
The deadline to pay is 30th of July

*Places limited to 15 people

Creative Writing Course starting at Diwan Tuesday July 31st

3 day course at Diwan Alexandria!

New Creative Writing Course at Diwan starting June 26th

The new Creative Writing course starts next week, Tuesday June 26th at Diwan Heliopolis.  Please see the poster for all details! ;)

Short Story Course starting this Saturday May 26th at Diwan Heliopolis

Dear All
For those who have already taken the Creative Writing course; a reminder that the next Short Story course begins this Saturday May 26th 7.30pm at Diwan Heliopolis.
All details are below - only some places left!

Short Story Course
with Linda Cleary

for those who completed the 4 week Creative Writing course or who have proven writing skills.

This course focuses on work on character, voice, atmosphere and plot

and we continue with further creative writing expansion techniques.

We also read published short stories for discussion and understanding format,

focusing on the necessary elements for each student to produce a final draft of a 1000 word narrative.

4 weeks (8 hour course)
One session per week (2 hour session) on Saturdays
Starting 26th May
from 7:30 pm till 9:30 pm
at Diwan Heliopolis

Price: 480 L.E
Limited number - please register in advance at any Diwan store (and give date and course name)
Age group: for adults (17 yrs +)

Creative Writing Course starting at Diwan Tuesday May 22nd

*Starts Tuesday May 22nd! Register soon to get your place!
Creative Writing Course
with Linda Cleary

The Creative Writing course acts as an extended masterclass looking at various techniques and exercises to open up and improve writing skills, work with metaphor and imagery, create texts and narratives to given themes and word counts as well as free writing.

There is no criteria other than a willingness to open up one's writing; the course is designed that people of varying writing experience can participate and each draw their individual benefits.

4 weeks (8 hour course)
One session per week (2 hour session) on Tuesdays
Starting 22nd May
from 7:30 pm till 9:30 pm
at Diwan Heliopolis

Price: 480 L.E
Limited number - please register in advance at any Diwan store (and give date and course name)
Age group: for adults (17 yrs +)

Cat on a Bedouin Roof

The cat from the Writers' Centre ought to have her own blog!  She is featured in so many articles :)

Jenna Crowder, who along with Keith Lane, is staying with me at my small 'art home' Arts Residency Cairo and working on some interesting material as well as leading workshops at Townhouse gallery, has just written her latest blog post about their stay and project (and along with many well written and poetic accounts - one can find the cat..)

http://ornamentalfoxes.com/light-filtered-through-the-essence-of-lemons/

Centre Update

Dear All

I hope you are all well!

Thank you all so much for expressing an interest in the Centre and I know that step by step it is going to be a wonderful and inspirational place for us all.

Just to update you, for the present time the Centre is event based only ( at a later date it will be open daily as a space for writers to sit, write, read and share), please keep looking here and the Facebook page for details of upcoming events and updates.

The Menu of what is on offer is on the tab above and if you are interested in Membership or have any questions, please contact me.

Many, many thanks.

Linda

Hug the Word Then Kiss It Free

Hello Dear Writers and Enthusiasts of The Word

Nabeela Akhtar has written a review of the launch party and her blog is well worth looking at for her other articles; http://hugyourbackpack.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/the-writers-centre-2/

Thanks Nabeela!!  :))

Account of the Launch Party by Reine Naggar

Have you ever seen a cat eating jam? I had not till yesterday. My cat Mitsy who lived for  16 years, ate foul medames,boiled courgettes and even raw carrots but never jam.

 

A few days ago we were preparing for this special event. It was a cool summer evening and we were on the roof of a hotel in el Azhar, a very crowded but history rich discrict of Cairo.

 

A group of young artists were meeting to interact together to read poetry and prose, sing songs, and play musical instruments. There was a side table containing drinks, snacks and some chocolate and jam cookies.

 

While everyone was busy listening to the performers, an apricot coloured cat that had been roaming around in a friendly manner, decided to jump on the table and started systematically licking the jam off the cookies.

 

She was quite offended when I hurried to carry her down and place her on the floor. Thinking that she was very hungry, I took the few cookies she had licked, broke them into tiny pieces, and offered them to her.But no, she wanted only the jam. I was distracted from listening to the program. Mrs Apricot stealthily peeped at us to see if we were watching her, would jump on the table again and I would run to carry her down.

 

At the end of the evening I realized that I had not followed most of the program. All I know is that I kept carrying Mrs Apricot gently off the table- she was pregnant- to place her on the floor!.Next morning I woke up with a terrible backache the reason is clear.

 

Was it worth attending this event after all? Definitely. I am so proud that so many young Egyptians are so creative. If only they did not smoke so much. Anyway we were sitting in the open air, the weather was heavenly, a soft breeze was carressing our cheeks. The sky was clear. The moon showed up as a thin crescent of light, embracing one bright shining star. A priceless diamond.

 

Linda the creator of this project looked happy and satisfied.She had put so much effortand money into it. Had gone through so much frustration to accomplish it. God bless her. 

Well Mrs Apricot, next time I will get you a small pot of jam just for you.

 

Well done Linda. Keep up the good work.We definitely need more people like you to make the world, and especially Egypt a better place. Thanks.

Delighting in the Child - a Free Writing Workshop

Delighting in the Child - a Free Writing Workshop

at

The Writers' Centre

Thursday 26^th April at1pm to 3pm

and Friday 27^th April 4pm to 6pm

Impromptu event at the Writers' Centre tomorrow and Friday - rediscover your child essence and creativity. We cover so much of our creativity with responsibility, habits and thoughts - let's get back to some of our original unformed and uninformed intentions and do some writing around it!

This is a free event - a gift from my child to yours :) 

Please register with me if you are coming and let me know which day ;))

Feel free to bring an instrument, paints, materials, camera - anything you would like!

*This is an adult workshop

-----------------------------
 

Join the group on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/374437262578364/

This Tuesday! Launch Party! Marhaba! ;))

This Tuesday 24th!! Please mark your calendar and see you there!

Please come and celebrate the opening of the Writers' Centre from 7pm to 10pm! Share the event please, it is an open invite! http://www.facebook.com/events/173433632777193/

We will be having a launch with readings, spoken word performance with

Nina El Shabrawy, Amal El-Zaafarany, Zeinab Mobarak, Annie Rebekah Gardner, Zeyad Salem, Omar Refaat, Eslam Albaaly, Emily Smith, Reine Naggar, myself (!)Linda Sharbat Cleary, Yusra Badr, Nora Mortagui, Nadine Nashed, Monda Mahmoud, Amira Ahmed, Nawara Belal also music with Maurice Chammah on violin and we are very pleased to have guest star singer/poet Tamara Yousry with Mariam Ali, and Yvonne Buchheim with an acapella piece and comedy from Mo'love

Launch Party Update!

Hi everyone! OK, just over a week to go and we will have the launch party! http://www.facebook.com/events/173433632777193/ We have some great people who will be performing/reading their work; Nina El Shabrawy, Amal El-Zaafarany, Zeinab Mobarak, Annie Rebekah Gardner, Zeyad Salem, Omar Refaat, Eslam Albaaly, Emily Smith, Reine Naggar, myself (!) Linda Sharbat Cleary and music with Maurice Chammah on violin and then a small ensemble orchestra with Saleh Mohamed Mohamed amongst others. If you want to read/perform please book a spot sooooooooon - remember 5 to 7 minutes maximum and there will be no mic or speakers ;))

Creative Writing Courses for Children and Teenagers

Two new courses starting soon for 9 to 11yr olds and 12 to 15yr olds, see the posters for all details!

Writers' Centre Launch Party! Tuesday 24th April

Writers' Centre

Launch Party

Tuesday 24^th April

7pm to 10pm

Please come and celebrate the opening of the Writers' Centre!

We will be having a launch with readings, spoken word performance and acoustic music.

*If you would like to read or perform please let me know!

Event page on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/events/173433632777193/

The Writers' Centre - situated on a roof in old Cairo, with inspiration abounding, this is a space for writers to hang out and write. The centre also has a private library and an ongoing menu of events, readings, workshops, courses, salons, residencies and writing holidays.

www.writerscentre.blogspot.com

On the roof of Arabian Nights Hotel

10 Al Aaded Street (off Al Mansouria Street), El Darassa, Old Cairo

You can view a map here:

http://www.hostelbookers.com/hotels/egypt/cairo/47198/map/

Launch Party for the Writers' Centre Soon!

Hi everyone!

Well I'm soooooo excited about the Writers' Centre and all the great plans I have for it and I am literally ITCHING to start!!!  I will go there Friday and hopefully the carpenter will have got near to completing the renovations and then I can set a date for the launch party and we can all start to enjoy the space and WRITE!!!

I can't wait to meet you all over there!  :))

New Creative Writing Course at Diwan

The next Creative Writing course at Diwan is open for registration!  Go to any Diwan store to register.  All details on the poster!

The Writers' Centre

The Writers' Centre

opening soon in El Darasa, Old Cairo

A space for writers to hang out, write, use and contribute to the private library, network and share with an ongoing menu of events, readings, workshops, courses, salons and surgeries

Also offering:

Writing days out in places of inspiration and interest

Residential writing holidays to various places in Egypt such as Bahariya oasis, Nuweiba, Aswan, Siwa and Fayoum

On site residencies available to both emerging and established writers

Writing holidays at the Writers' Centre with accommodation provided in the hotel below

Choose membership with benefits or pay as you go. Some things will be free.

Menu of prices available soon