For the eighth consecutive year, we invite you to join our Poetry and Fiction Writing Groups, at least four alumni of which have since had their first book published, while others have succeeded in having their writing published in literary magazines and publications.
Our Writing Groups are open to young and more experienced writers who wish to work in a supportive and inspiring environment, discuss their work with like-minded peers, give and receive constructive feedback, and listen to experienced, well-established writers and people from the book industry in the UK and Greece. The groups work on a peer-to-peer basis.
Fiction Writing Group
Our Fiction Writing Group will explore a number of current key themes in British and Greek literature such as history, gender, co-existence, intercultural dialogue and conflict, inequality, ageing, migration, disability, and feminist issues, as well as the current situation in Europe. Under the guidance and supervision of the moderator, participants will exchange views with emerging and more established Greek writers, journalists and publishers, who will share their journey to professional writing, their perspective, knowledge and experience.
Poetry Writing Group
How do we write about the experience of others? How do we turn a news item, or somebody else’s text, into a poem that, indirectly, also relates to our own life? After last year’s workshop focussing on personal experience, this year, the Poetry Writing Group will focus on – and use examples from – issues arising from other texts: news items, non-fiction, prose fiction, etc.. Brief analyses of selected poems will serve as springboards for the participants’ own poems, interpreting the world around us.
The working language is Greek, but participants should also be able to work in English.
The Writing Groups will be held at our Athens office.
Moderators
Fiction Writing Group: Vangelis Provias
Vangelis Provias’ books The Black Shoes for the School Marching Parade – Short stories (2014) and Missolonghi Square – Short stories (2016) are available from Olkos Publications. He has translated the books Insomniac City by Bill Hayes (Ropi Publications, 2017), Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks (Ropi Publications, 2018) and Facing Death by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (Ikaros Publishing, 2019). He has moderated the British Council’s Fiction Writing Group since 2013 and has also taught the online creative writing course at the University of Piraeus. In 2016 he completed the Study of the United States Institute on Contemporary American Literature programme at the University of Louisville, U.S.A. Together with Theodoros Grigoriadis, he taught the American Literature @Athens American Center programme at the US Embassy in Athens in the autumn of 2019.
Poetry Writing Group: Panagiotis Ioannidis
Panayotis Ioannidis has published three books of poems – To sossivio [The Lifesaver] (2008), Akalyptos [Uncovered] (2013), and Polonia [Poland] (2016), which was nominated for the State Literary Award as well as the Anagnostis Award – while his fourth, Rinokeros [Rhinoceros], will be published in 2020. He was on the faculty of the Cavafy Archive/Onassis Foundation for the first five years of its educational programmes and is poetry editor of the monthly The Books’ Journal, on the editorial board of the poetry journal FRΜΚ and founding curator of the poetry readings Me ta loyia (yinete) [Words (can) do it].
Programme
| Fiction Writing Group | 8 January–1 April 2020 (12 classes) Every Wednesday, 18.00–21.00 |
| Poetry Writing Group | 13 January–6 April 2020 (10 classes) Every Monday, 18.00–20.00 |
The programme (PDF, 103 kb) will include guest talks by renowned Greek writers, journalists, editors and translators.
How can I apply?
To apply, please complete the application form (MS Word, 44 kb) and email it to Katerina Galani at Katerina.Galani@britishcouncil.gr by Friday 3 January 2020.
Participation fee
There is a participation fee of €130.
How do I pay the fee?
Once we’ve confirmed your participation, we’ll ask you to pay the fee. You can make the payment in one of two ways:
- in cash or by credit card (VISA, DINERS and MASTERCARD) at our Athens office (17 Kolonaki Square, 106 73 Athens), Monday to Friday, 09.00–14.30
- via bank deposit (Citibank account: 0/444215/003, IBAN: GR 5108400010000000444215003). Please quote your name followed by ‘Poetry Writing Group’ or ‘Fiction Writing Group’ in the ‘Αιτιολογία’ field on the deposit slip (e.g. Eleni Papanikolaou, Fiction Writing Group). Scan the bank deposit slip and send it by email to Katerina.Galani@britishcouncil.gr.
General Conditions
- We reserve the right to make changes to the course content and programme details.
- We reserve the right not to run a group with fewer than four participants. Fees will be refunded.
- No refunds will be made after the programme has started.
- Places cannot be guaranteed until fees have been paid.
- The maximum number of participants per group will not exceed 15.
Information
- For further information about the writing groups, please contact Katerina Galani: Katerina.Galani@britishcouncil.gr | 210 369 2386
- For further information about our creative writing programme, please contact Maria Papaioannou: Maria.Papaioannou@britishcouncil.gr | 210 369 2336