Monday 21 March 2011

Stuff I've Done


Hi guys

I'm updating my writing CV and if you have the time I'd like your opinion on how the statement below works (or doesn't, as the case may be). I also intend to use it on my horribly out of date linkedin profile which is why I'm happy enough to throw it up here for all and sundry to see.

All criticism welcome.

gb


GERARD BRENNAN

Representation – Allan Guthrie, Jenny Brown Associates

Personal Statement

In October 2006 I was selected to partake in the Belfast Creative Writers Network’s Mentoring Programme, and had the pleasure of working with the award-winning Northern Irish writer, Ian McDonald. He read a collection of my short stories and helped me improve each one over six one-to-one sessions.

Between 2007 and 2010, I have received awards from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (Support for the Individual Artist Programme) three times to assist me in completing three novels, THE WEE ROCKETS, SHOT and FINAL SCORE. I also received funding from Northern Ireland Screen through the Script Development scheme for my screenplay, THE POINT.

Morrigan Books commissioned me to co-edit a short story anthology. REQUIEMS FOR THE DEPARTED is a collection of crime fiction stories based on Irish Myths. It was released in June 2010.

In October 2010, I performed a short one man show at the Black Box in Belfast. The play was based on my short story, AN IRISH POSSESSION which was adapted for the stage by the director, Conor Maguire.

Among numerous short story publications my most prestigious to date is a place in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF BEST BRITISH CRIME edited by Maxim Jakubowski (Constable and Robinson), released in April 2011.

DOWN THESE GREEN STREETS (Liberties Press), edited by Declan Burke, features my article on Northern Irish Crime fiction. This collection of essays, interviews and short fiction regarding Irish crime writing in the 21st century will be published in April 2011.

I have recently signed with Pulp Press to publish my novella, THE POINT (which my aforementioned screenplay is based on) and it is set for release in October 2011.

4 comments:

Brian Lindenmuth said...

I would change

"He read a collection of my short stories and helped me improve each one over six one-to-one sessions."

To

"He read a collection of my short stories and helped me improve each one over a series of one-to-one sessions."

The number of sessions isn't relevant and for an inexplicable reason it irks me.

Otherwise sounds good to me.

Michael Stone said...

I was gonna make the same point as Brian. Other than that it's pretty clear and, more to the point, VERY impressive. I keeps me some illustrious company. :)

Anonymous said...

Brian and Mike - Thanks a million for your responses. I'll make that change before I use it.

Much obliged

gb

seana graham said...

I don't really have anything to add, though I think that was a good call on Brian and Michael's part. It's an impressively diverse list of accomplishments, but it makes we never did really hear here how that one man show went.Did we?