irish writers union

Writers Union announces bursary

writing material The Irish Writers’ Union offered an exciting opportunity to one of its members in 2012.

A bursary was inaugurated to be granted by the Union to a member whom the Committee felt might benefit from a week at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at Annaghmakerrig, Newbliss, in Co Monaghan.

To be considered for this bursary, members were invited to send in their current details, together with a statement of artistic intent, clearly and concisely outlining the project they would like to focus on during their time at Annaghmakerrig.

The recipient was expected to provide his or her own travel expenses, while the Union undertook to provide a week at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at a date suitable to the recipient, subject to availability.

The opportunity was open to all fully paid-up members.

Applications were to be received by 15th February 2012.

The recipient will be announced at the Union AGM and Members’ Day on March 31, 2012.

EU copyright ends on Joyce

Ulysses Copyright on James Joyce's works in the European Union expired at midnight on January 1, 2012.

Writings of Joyce that were published during the Irish author's lifetime: Dubliners, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Ulysses and Finnegans Wake became available for wider publication and quotation.

Joyce died on January 13th, 1941, some 70 years ago.

In 1993, EU copyright law was harmonised and the copyright period was extended to 70 years.

The end of copyright protection will enable creative artists and theatre companies to stage adaptations and re-enactments. Public broadcast will also be possible.

However, copyright uncertainty exists on other works by Joyce, including some unpublished papers.

Union changes representative

Sorcha de Brun replaced Brendan Nolan as the union’s representative on the board of the Irish Writers Centre in November 2011, .

A long-standing member of the IWU executive committee, Sorcha was a member of the writer’s centre’s advisory committee which did much of the support thinking for the main board until it was wound down this summer.
She is a fluent Irish speaker, a published author, and a former joint disputes officer for the union.

Sorcha successfully negotiated recompense with RTÉ on behalf of members who saw their broadcast work published in collected works by the station on unsatisfactory terms to the writers.

Jack Harte, chairman of the IWC board said Sorcha will be a great addition to the board.

Brendan Nolan said he was very pleased that Sorcha had agreed to take up the position and leaves the union’s interests in good hands.

A living for a living writer

older man The European Writers' Council administrative board has welcomed a new proposal of the Irish Writers' Union on providing State support for writers in their old age.

The IWU committee discussed the possibility of approaching our newly elected government with the proposal to fund a pension-for-writers scheme, similar to that which has been proposed in Argentina and which is already implemented in some other countries.

Ireland benefits enormously through the exploitation of dead writers' reputations and works; but provides no State recognition for older living writers whose earning capabilities has diminished with time.

To strengthen the Irish proposal on the subject of providing a living for living writers the IWU is seeking a Europe-wide initiative together with the EWC which represents writers across the continent.

Proposed is: "That many writers, despite critical acclaim and earlier successes in their writing careers often find themselves in an impoverished state when approaching old age and Government should support these writers in recognition of the social and cultural richness which they have contributed to their communities and their country."

Before the Argentine parliament is a proposal to grant published authors a monthly stipend equivalent to some €640.

To qualify in Argentina, writers would be aged more than 65 years and have published at least five books or invested more than 20 years in literary creation.

Irish terms would be up for discussion; but would bear some resemblance to reality, according to IWU intent.

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Fair Use is not Fair Play

A doctrine of fair use when re-publishing copyrighted material is not fair play, according to the National Union of Journalists.

Richard Bruton td Richard Bruton TD Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (left) has set up a committee to examine the current copyright legislative framework.

Bruton said: "I am determined that government will make whatever changes are necessary to allow innovative digital companies reach their full potential in Ireland. Some companies have indicated that the current copyright legislation does not cater well for the digital environment and actually creates barriers to innovation and to the establishment of new business models. Moving towards a US-style 'fair use' doctrine is one suggestion that has been made. I am determined to respond to these suggestions in a comprehensive and timely manner."

But, the NUJ said it remains its contention that Irish copyright law does not go far enough in its protection of creators at present and any move towards the introduction of the "fair use" doctrine would be misguided in the extreme.

Instead, the NUJ recommends: that fair use doctrine not be introduced into Irish law and that the Irish Government does not lobby for its introduction at a European level; certain sections of the Copyright and Related Rights Act (2000) be repealed and the overall Act amended to restore the rights of the author and bring them in line with the Berne Convention;

That publishers be obliged to maintain accessible and up to date records of the origin of all images and content and be required to be able to prove that copyright has not been infringed during the publishing process;

Details:

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BBC Radio 4 reduces story opportunity

radio From spring 2012, the number of short stories broadcast on BBC Radio 4 will be reduced from three to one a week, said the BBC.

BBC Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams has made schedule changes so that stories, currently running at 3.30pm, Tuesday-Thursday, will be rescheduled with some broadcast at 3.45pm on Friday and some at 7.45pm on Sunday.

The Society of Authors has written to Ms Williams expressing surprise and seeking reasons for the changes.

"It seems a very odd move given that the BBC sponsors the prestigious BBC National Short Story Award and has done much to raise the awareness and appreciation of this wonderful art-form,” wrote Nicola Solomon the society's general secretary.

"Generally, the short story is experiencing a revival in popularity, having proved a perfect medium for the internet age; it is excellent for podcast and download. We are surprised that the BBC has not seen the commercial possibilities of this format and note that it is one of the most economical forms of programming - the only costs being those of paying the writer and the reader.

In response, Ms Williams said that extending the time allowed for the programme World At One had a knock effect on short story scheduling.

She said: "My intention while I am controller is to highlight and lead the agenda when appropriate with culture on Radio 4. I will showcase the Short Story on Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra as much as I can. However the number of Short Stories on Radio 4 has been diminished from 150 to 100 from April 2012 - some of these will premiere on Radio 4 Extra. In addition I hope that we will broadcast some more short stories on Radio 4 Extra.”

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Writers would be better off in manufacturing

A new survey on writers’ earnings makes for sobering reading for those considering writing as a career choice.

The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency (ICLA) recently commissioned a survey of Irish authors' incomes.

There were 466 respondents to the survey, which, per capita, makes it the most comprehensive in Europe.

Only 9.9 per cent of Irish authors surveyed earned more than €30,000.

The latest available Central Statistics Office figures for wages in manufacturing industries show that the average wage in 2006 was €29,900.

If they depended solely on their writing income ninety percent of published authors would be financially better off if they obtained a job in manufacturing by this comparison.

Another important finding with implications for policy-makers, was that the majority of authors earn most of their income from schemes such as busaries, residencies or teaching creative writing.

A full report of this important survey is awaited.

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Arts Council denies funds to Irish Writers Centre

The Irish Writers’ Centre was denied funding for 2010 by the Arts Council in a decision described by the Centre’s Board as myopic.

Until 2009, the IWC received an annual grant to enable it function as an organisation providing a venue and a service to writers and the public, but the grant was withheld last year on the basis of a value-for-money assessment.

Dublin has lodged an application to UNESCO for a special designation as a City of Literature.

But the Arts Council has not seen fit to fund the premier Writing Centre in the Capital city, said the IWC statement.

In response, the IWC Board said: “We will not fold up our tents and go meekly away. We firmly believe that there is an absolute need for the Irish Writers’ Centre at the heart of the literary landscape, and that it should be funded. We will continue to seek funding and support from every quarter.”

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Non-Fiction writers need not apply

Non-fiction writers continue to be excluded from the Arts Council-funded Writers in Schools scheme.

Unless they are creative non-fiction writers.

In response to Irish Writers’ Union representations on behalf of its members the Arts Council responded that its remit does not cover areas such as non-arts biography, educational reference, sports or historical books.

The Writers-in-Schools Scheme was initiated by the Arts Council in 1977.

In January 1996, the operation of WIS was officially devolved to Poetry Ireland. The scheme underwent an extensive evaluation process in 2005 and the issue of including non-fiction writers in the scheme was explored at that stage, said the Arts Council.

The Arts Council has told the IWU that the evaluation concluded that this would present huge difficulties within the current Arts Council/Poetry Ireland delivery of the scheme and would involve additional requirements in terms of resources, professional development, the development of criteria for inclusion, and so.

Easy Access

The report also concluded that students already have relatively easy access to such genres of writing, according to the Arts Council.

“For this reason, the parameters of the Scheme have not been widened to include non-fiction writers,” said Gaye Tanham Head of Young People, Children and Education.

"The Arts Council's remit in literature covers literary fiction, poetry, drama and some works of contemporary literary criticism, literary biography and creative non-fiction,” said the Arts Council.

It would not be appropriate for Arts Council funding to be targeted towards these areas, we have been told.

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Karen Gillece wins European Prize for Literature, Ireland 2009

The Irish jury of the European Prize for Literature for an emerging author of
fiction 2009 chose Karen Gillece as the Irish winner.

She was chosen from a shortlist of six writers for her four novels, Seven
Nights in Zaragoza, Longshore Drift, My Glass Heart and The Absent Wife.

President of the jury, Sorcha de Brún, described her as "a writer of immense promise, whose work has been marked by great artistic development in a relatively short period of time. Her novels display insight into the realms of human experience, as evidenced by her ability to portray a wide range of memorable characters. Her writing is rich and nuanced, and she shows a technical mastery of the narrative structure of the novel. Her voice as a young writer is assured and confident. Her novels are evocative and moving, the dialogue natural and unforced, and she moves seamlessly through complex scene changes and points of view, never losing sight of the direction in which the reader is being taken".

Karen Gillece was born in Dublin in 1974. She studied Law at University
College Dublin and worked for several years in the telecommunications industry
before turning to writing full-time.

She was shortlisted for the Hennessy New Irish Writing Award in 2001 and her
short stories have been widely published in literary journals and magazines.

The €5,000 prize will be presented to Karen Gillece by the European Ambassador of Literature in Brussels in September 2009.

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