The Role of Failure in the Writer’s Process: Masterclass with Mia Gallagher (Saturday 12 April, 2025)

Take part in a day-long masterclass for early mid-career writers, with acclaimed author, editor and mentor Mia Gallagher, investigating the role of failure in the writer’s process. This masterclass will take place in-person (Irish Writers Centre, Dublin) on Saturday 12 April 2025. The session is limited to ten participants who will be selected through a submission process.

About the Masterclass

Failure is a common experience for all writers, along with rejection, doubt, despair and confusion. Yet it is often through failure and ‘mistakes’ that the writer can break through the old and discover the new, both in their work and in their perception of themselves as artist.

Once accepted, participants will share with Mia and the group a maximum of four pages work they feel is problematic – this can be work that has ‘failed’ in a publishing, artistic or other context. All participants will read each other’s work in advance. Participants will not be required to prepare feedback or critiquing on each other’s work, as this won’t be a workshop in the traditional sense. On the day Mia will lead a discussion of common themes, experiences, strategies and discoveries around failure.

Course outcomes

Courage, hopefully. A deeper connection with failure as a vital part of artistic process. A sense of the choices, habits, and tics which might be restricting their practice. A sense of perspective through understanding that every artist’s practice comes with failure and that we aren’t as alone, as writers, as we may think we are.

This masterclass takes place in-person (Irish Writers Centre, Dublin) on Saturday 12 April 2025 from 10.30am – 4.30pm, and will cost €135 (€122 Members).

Mia Gallagher

Mia Gallagher writes novels, stories and essays and has devised and collaborated for the stage. Her books include HellFire, Beautiful Pictures of the Lost Homeland, Shift and Dubliners, co-authored with visual artist Mario Sughi. Mia is a member of Aosdána, a contributing editor to the Stinging Fly, and has worked as an editor, mentor and tutor for over thirty years. She is currently working on her third novel, and regularly encountering failure in the process.

How to apply

To apply, please submit two pages of work you feel has failed, along with a short paragraph (100-150 words) describing what failure means in you practice. Please send this to projects@irishwriterscentre.ie by Sunday 9th March with the subject header: The Role of Failure in the Writer’s Process. 

If you do not receive confirmation within two working days, please email projects@irishwriterscentre.ie or call our office at 01 872 1302.

We aim to get back to all applicants by Friday 28 March 2025. Please note, if you have been selected for this masterclass, you will need to pay the fee (€135/€122 members).