Deirdre Cartmill
- County
- Down
- Genre
- Poet, Screenwriter
- Sessions
- Reading and Q&A, Discussion with Writer, Creative Writing Workshop, Master Class
- Age Group
- 11-15, 16 - 18
- Level
- Primary, Post Primary
- Languages
- Works in English ONLY
- Availability
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Mornings, Afternoons - Travel
- Yes
Publications/Repertoire/Productions & Background Experience
I have published two books of poetry, Midnight Solo (Lagan Press, 2004) and The Return of the Buffalo (Lagan Press, 2012). I received an Artists' Career Enhancement Scheme Award from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 2011 and spent a year affiliated with the Seamus Heaney Centre for Poetry at Queen's University. I’ve previously been shortlisted for a Hennessy Literary Award and been a finalist in the Scottish International Open Poetry Competition. I was a Writer-in-Residence at the Belfast Book Festival 2011.
I’ve written for film, television and radio under the name Deirdre Alexander. My short film Two Little Boys is being filmed in 2012. I’ve written for RTE’s Fair City and award winning Irish teen drama Seacht. I was a finalist in the inaugural Red Planet Prize, won the Claddagh Films Script Award and was a winner in the BBC Writersroom Undercover competition for staff.
I’ve also published short fiction and journalism and I hold an MA with Distinction in Creative Writing from Queen’s University, Belfast.
I’m an experienced creative writing facilitator. I’ve facilitated over a hundred hours of workshops for a diverse range of organisations including Poetry in Motion, BBC Blast, the WEA, VOYPIC and many community groups and writers groups.
Session Details
I like to liaise with individual teachers and discuss which format best suits their needs. Often a mix of formats – for example a creative writing workshop followed by a combined reading, talk and Q&A - can work well. I find that writing workshops work best with smaller groups such as single classes. Because of my varied writing background I’m at ease giving workshops on a variety of topics for example poetry, story structure, creating characters or generating ideas. Whatever the session, I like to break it down into manageable steps with the aim of taking the fear out of writing and leaving the kids with the feeling that they can do it too. I’m very open to finding a topic to write about that will work for a particular class and chime with something else they may be working on in the curriculum.
Age Group Details
Preferred age group: 11-18 year olds
Availability Details
I’m currently freelance so I can be flexible as long as a session is booked in advance.
- Telephone
- (0044) 7786 304948
- .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- Website
- http://www.deirdrecartmill.com