BRIDGET WHELAN writer

for writers and readers….

Indy Publisher and Literary Agents join forces to run a FREE novel writing course

Hurry! Applications close soon Indie Novella is a non-profit independent publisher devoted to supporting underrepresented authors. The Arts Council are now funding a free online nine week writing course which … Continue reading →

October 19, 2026 · 3 Comments

Free Novel Competition for Women in the UK and Ireland

The Women’s Prize Trust has just launched DISCOVERIES 27. This is a writing competition for unagented and unpublished women writers in the UK and Ireland. Submit the first 10,000 words … Continue reading →

September 28, 2026 · Leave a comment

It Doesn’t Have to Start with Stealing – AI and Writers

The Society of Authors is calling on the British Government to protect and enforce UK copyright law. It’s not arguing we should turn our back on AI, just that the … Continue reading →

September 21, 2026 · 5 Comments

A Quick Tour of 2026 Booker Longlist – Each Book Described in 40 Words or less.

I SET MYSELF this task because, not only was it good practice (Kate Mosse says we ought to follow the example of musicians and practise writing in the same way … Continue reading →

August 4, 2026 · Leave a comment

I Have Fallen in Love With The New Irish Passport

The 2026 design celebrates the wildlife, landscapes and seasons of Ireland, and includes poetry in Irish and English by Eavan Boland, Biddy Jenkinson, Thomas Beggs and Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe. The … Continue reading →

July 27, 2026 · 3 Comments

Writers, Be In It AND Win It

How just entering a competition can help your writing career International Short Story, Flash Fiction and Poetry Competition MANY WRITERS have made a successful career out of entering competitions, not … Continue reading →

July 24, 2026 · 4 Comments

A Great End to a Writing Course

I finished teaching a four week Writing History course at The Regency Town House last Friday and having Norma Curtis and Edward Milner as guest speakers was a great way … Continue reading →

July 20, 2026 · Leave a comment

Free Audiobooks Today for Millions

AUDIOBOOKS are part of my regular reading diet. In fact it is a rare day when I don’t listen. I listen when I am walking, gardening and doing those essential … Continue reading →

April 23, 2026 · 2 Comments

Getting Books into Bookshops – Sometimes there’s a Problem

I met thriller writer Jack Chandler on a Menorca writing retreat a couple of years ago. She has been in touch asking for support for a petition to help self-published … Continue reading →

March 16, 2026 · 3 Comments

Forget The Booker, Make Sure You Enter The Rooker Book Competition

I’ve just heard about the nicest writing competition I have ever come across, run by what sounds like the nicest football club. It’s an annual competition run by Lewes FC. … Continue reading →

February 26, 2026 · 4 Comments

Opening Pages — A Podcast from Mercia Press

From a cosy bookshop in Cork City comes voices from Ireland’s oldest independent publishing house.  In free podcasts Mercier Press authors read their opening pages, sharing the stories behind their … Continue reading →

April 4, 2025 · Leave a comment

A Generous Irish Short Story Competition for Anyone, Anywhere

The Moth Short Story Prize is an international prize, open to anyone from anywhere in the world, as long as their story is original and previously unpublished. The winning story … Continue reading →

March 19, 2025 · 1 Comment

Writing History in a Regency Kitchen

Join me in a three week course for fiction writers, historians and absolute beginners Designed for beginners, emerging writers and authors wanting to explore a new field, you will be … Continue reading →

February 9, 2025 · 2 Comments

Brilliant Opportunity for Disabled Writers at the Start of their Writing Career

Curtis Brown Creative is offering a free nine-month mentoring programme to four aspiring disabled authors. You can be at any stage of your writing career from just starting to having … Continue reading →

October 21, 2024 · 2 Comments

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