A quick community update: I’ve now completed the full 14-module self-editing course, and I’m currently working through the final edit of the accompanying workbook. This course is designed to help writers edit their own work with more clarity, confidence, and purpose. It gives a practical overview of the self-editing process, helps demystify editing, and shows writers how to strengthen a draft before submission or before working with an editor. The workbook is being designed as a practical companion, with exercises and prompts to help you apply what you learn to your own writing. I’m really excited about this and looking forward to sharing more soon. What part of self-editing do you find most difficult:

Hi everyone, I attended the Irish Writers Centre Spring Publishing Day 2026 and took lots of notes throughout the sessions. Rather than let them sit in a notebook looking important, I’m going to turn them into something useful for us here in the community. Over the next few posts, I’ll be sharing some of the most valuable takeaways from the day — especially around literary journals, publishing, editorial thinking, and how writers can better understand the world their work is entering. What I found especially helpful was that the sessions didn’t just focus on ‘how to get published.’ They also looked at the bigger picture: how journals work, what editors are really paying attention to, how writers can find the right fit for their work, and why community, feedback, and persistence matter so much. I’ll be breaking my notes into three separate posts, one for each session, so everything is easier to read, revisit, and discuss. ✳️Here’s what’s coming: 🔸Post 1: key takeaways from Session 1 From Manuscript to Market 🔸Post 2: key takeaways from Session 2 Literary Launchpads — The Irish Journal Revolution 🔸Post 3: key takeaways from Session 3 A Seat at the Table My hope is that these posts will be useful whether you’re just starting to submit work, trying to understand the publishing landscape a bit better, or simply curious about how literary communities and editors think. #Publishing #LiteraryJournals #irishwriterscentre

Monday 23rd This week we’re doing a gentle clarity pass: making our writing easier to read without making it bland. Try this (10 mins): Take one paragraph you wrote recently and do a 'clarity sweep': 🔸Cut 10–15% of words 🔸Replace one vague word with a concrete one 🔸Break one long sentence into two Reply below with your goal for the week: ✳️What I’m writing: ✳️My goal by Friday: ✳️One thing I’m stuck on: