Rebecca Kuang, Bella Mackie and Jodi Picoult set to appear as part of New Writing North's autumn programme

New Writing North has announced that its packed autumn programme will include discussions and panels with authors Bella Mackie, Jodi Picoult and Rebecca Kuang, among others.

Events held at Waterstones Newcastle and Tyneside Cinema will include Mackie in discussion about her new "sharp and twisted" murder mystery What a Way to Go (The Borough Press). Louise Doughty is also scheduled to talk about A Bird in Winter (Faber) while Charlotte Vassell, author of The In Crowd, while appear as a part of a Faber Fiction event. 

A panel named "Four Seasons in One Poem" will discuss climate-themed poetry. The panellists include aboriginal writer Graham Akhurst who joins poets Yvette Henry Holt and Linda France. 

Kuang, Alan Hollinghurst, Jackie Kay and Picoult will headline the Durham Book Festival, commissioned by Durham County Council and produced by New Writing North with support from Durham University and Arts Council England. Hollinghurst will be celebrating Our Evenings (Pan Macmillin), his first novel in a decade, while Kay will be bringing her poetry collection May Day (Pan Macmillan) to the festival and Picoult will discuss her latest novel By Any Other Name (Michal Joseph). The full line-up will be announced on 14th August. The festival runs from 11th - 13th October 2024. 

Screenwriting Weekend (31st January - 2nd February 2025), sponsored by North East Screen, will feature agents, production companies and commissioners to help develop screenwriting opportunities in the north of England. A limited number of early bird tickets are currently available. 

Other workshops and courses to be delivered by industry experts include writing for children and young adults, a mindfulness for creativity workshop, writing crime fiction and a workshop exploring the foundations of fiction. 

The Northern Writers’ Awards, open from 26th November 2024 - 6th February 2025, will also return this year. The Hachette Children’s Novel Award is also set to return with entries due to open on 22nd October 2024. The award is open to debut authors of middle-grade and early teen fiction. 

Anna Disley, executive director of programme and Impact at New Writing North, said: “It’s a huge part of our work to help develop young talent, and to ensure those undeserved in our communities have access to creative opportunities. We’re proud to be uncovering, supporting, and providing career-making opportunities for writing talent at all stages, with thanks to the support from our partners.”