Curtis Brown Creative, the writing school from the major UK literary agency, is delighted to announce an exciting new scholarship for Welsh writers. The Eluned Phillips Centenary Writing Bursary – a celebration of the centenary of the birth of Sara Adeline Eluned Phillips (1914–2009) – will enable one talented new writer born in or living in Wales to take up a fully funded place on Curtis Brown Creative’s next online novel-writing course.
Eluned, from Cenarth, on the Ceredigion side of the River Teifi, was only the second woman to win the Crown at the National Eisteddfod; firstly in 1967 and again in 1983. It was for this remarkable feat that she was most admired in her native Wales. She was known and loved as a wonderful storyteller and raconteur, and also for her sharp wit. Her stories of life in London and Paris, rubbing shoulders with such luminaries as Augustus John, Dylan Thomas, Jean Cocteau, Pablo Picasso and Edith Piaf – to whom she was a close friend – were legendary. Many of her stories are included in her memoir The Reluctant Redhead, published by Gomer Press (2007) and written in a matter of weeks on her trusty computer,‘shenkin’, which she acquired at the age of 90.
The Eluned Phillips Centenary Writing Bursary will provide the full fee (£1,300) for a writer born in or living in Wales to participate in Curtis Brown Creative’s three-month Online Novel-Writing Course, which begins on 3rd November 2014. Applicants are invited to submit the opening 3,000 words of their novelin-progress plus a one-page synopsis by midnight at the end of 22nd October 2014. The winning writer will be notified by 24th October.
Curtis Brown Creative launched in May 2011 with the aim of finding talented new writers and helping them to write compelling novels. The best students are offered representation at the Curtis Brown literary agency or its sister agency Conville & Walsh. Ten students now have deals with major publishers, including Jessie Burton, author of the international bestseller The Miniaturist; and Kate Hamer, from Cardiff, whose novel The Girl in the Red Coat will be published in 2015 by Faber. Courses have featured visits from authors such as David Nicholls, Jojo Moyes, Howard Jacobson, Tracy Chevalier and William Boyd. This three-month online course will be taught by Commonwealth Book Prize-winning author Lisa O’Donnell.
The funding for the Eluned Phillips Writing Bursary has been raised by her friends, family and close associates – including David Llewelyn of Curtis Brown’s sister agency Conville & Walsh. Further monies have been distributed to the local primary school at Cenarth to fund pupil projects. Anna Davis, Managing Director of Curtis Brown Creative says: ‘We’re very grateful to the friends and family of Eluned Phillips for opening up this opportunity for a writer from Wales, and excited at the prospect of discovering some great writing!’
Eligibility The scholarship is open to people over the age of 18, either:
• born in Wales.
• currently residing in Wales.
Applications Provided the applicant meets the eligibility criteria, a place on the Curtis Brown Creative Online Novel-Writing Course will be awarded on the basis of proven writing ability. We ask applicants to send us the first 3,000 words of a novel in progress, with a one-page synopsis, and to fill out our application form. Applicants for the Eluned Phillips Centenary Writing Bursary should apply to us in the usual way but should be sure to fill out the extra scholarship section of our application form. Selection The Eluned Phillips Centenary Writing Bursary will be awarded to the applicant whose submission material shows the greatest potential and promise in our view. The decision will be made by the Curtis Brown Creative team. Terms and conditions The successful applicant will be asked for proof of their birthplace (either passport or birth certificate) or current address (utility bill). We would request the applicant offered the Eluned Phillips Centenary Writing Bursary will agree to be interviewed for the Curtis Brown Creative blog.
All details can be found here…
http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/writing-school/scholarships/
