A Writer Wants to Publish with Órfhlaith Foyle

Course Summary

This is a full one day online workshop and will suit beginning and intermediate writers who aim to publish their work. They may be working on short stories/a novel and interested in how to prepare their MS for submission to an agent and/or publisher.

Participants can bring samples of their own work to edit during creative writing tasks. However, no one’s work will be ‘workshopped by their peers’. All reading of one’s own work is the writer’s choice.

Course Outline

10am to 12.20 pm

Editing and re-writing

Examples of the editing process of published writers past and present. Creative writing tasks will encourage the participants to explore the boundaries of their own writing.

Reading your work aloud to hear its voice, rhythm, flow etc.

Reading for spelling and grammar, Reading for sense and subtext.

Following the story’s line, Character, truth, dialogue and action.

Final fine line read-through

What to do if a re-write is the only option?

Synopsis. What is it supposed to tell?

A synopsis forces the writer to see their work in a precise one page presence.

Do’s and Don’ts of synopsis writing.

Length, tense and spoilers.

LUNCH. – Write a synopsis. Even just in point form

2.00 pm to 4.30 pm

Work on your synopsis (examples from published writers etc.)

Researching Agent/Publishers, approaching your chosen agent/publisher.

Covering letter – why have you approached this particular one?

This leads onto the covering letter which needs dedicated research. Samples provided.

Frame your book i.e. its title, word count etc.

Your pitch – what is the heart of your book. Why would somebody want to read it? Believe in your work.

Information about you, your writing experience etc.

Why have you sent your work to this particular agent or publisher? Do you know and admire some of the authors they represent/publish? Have you met them at a reading/launch or follow them on social media and felt encouraged to send them your work.

Course Outcomes

An intense examination of their MS/collection. Does it flow? Does it say what you want it to say? Is the voice really there? The story line, characters, dialogue etc?

An in-depth look at where and to whom they send their work

A written synopsis.

A covering letter.

Órfhlaith Foyle is a short story writer, poet and dramatist and lives in Galway.

Órfhlaith received an Arts Council of Ireland Literary Bursary October 2025 to assist her in writing her fourth short story collection The Other Poet Drives a Black Mercedes, published by Doire Press September 2026.

If this course is booked out below please contact bookings@irishwriterscentre.ie to be added to the waiting list