As a budding writer do you need an extra kick to keep you at the keyboard? The Big Smoke Writing Factory can give you just that.

MidLandscapes is the title of their first Creative Writing Workshop to be held in Athlone as part of this years festival and as the title suggests it examines the effect the landscape has on the writer. Led by author and director Nicole Rourke, this intensive one-day workshop aims to get your creativity juices flowing and is suitable for writers of all genres.

There will be a particular emphasis on landscape/setting and its influence on the writer as well as the notion of the landscape itself as character, other areas covered include voice, dialogue, plot and style. The workshop will be fast-paced, challenging and productive and is aimed at beginners as well as those with previous writing experience.

This is the first workshop by Big Smoke Writing Factory in Athlone and it provides a unique opportunity for Midlands writers. Commenting on the workshop, Festival Committee Member Mel O’Flynn said “the Big Smoke Writing Factory are a renowned group of writers and creative writing instructors in Ireland. We’re delighted to welcome them to Athlone for their first workshop here and hope that as many people as possible will take part in this unique opportunity”.

The writing workshop with Big Smoke Writing Factory takes place on Saturday 8th October at 10am in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel and is €20 pp. Athlone Literary festival takes place on October 7th, 8th and 9th.

A full festival programme is available on www.athloneliteraryfestival.com and the Festival can also be found on Facebook and Twitter. To make a booking, please contact literaryathlone@gmail.com or phone/text, 086 2282760. More information about Big Smoke Writing Factory can be found on www.bigsmokewritingfactory.com.