Royal Society of Literature Events

RSL Event: Friday 2 March at 12.30pm Claire Tomalin & John Carey Charles Dickens: The best of men, the worst of men Chaired by Maggie Fergusson This event is now sold out. However, a limited number of returned tickets may be available on the door. Venue: London School of Economics and Political Science, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building, Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3LJ.  RSL Event: Monday 5 March at 7pm Karen Armstrong What is religion? Chaired by Colin Thubron In response to escalating religious fundamentalism and division, Karen Armstrong argues that religion has more to do with behaviour than belief, and urges us to make compassion 'a clear, luminous, and dynamic force in our polarised world'. Venue: Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1 9AG To book tickets, ring 020 7520 1490. RSL V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize 2012 We are pleased to announce that this year's prize for the best unpublished short story is now open. The winner will receive £1,000 and their entry will be published in Prospect and the RSL Review. In addition to this, there will be an opportunity to appear at an RSL event with established short story writers in autumn 2012. Download the rules and entry form from our website. RSL/Man Booker Masterclasses There is still time to enter the ballot for a place on Hanif Kureishi's Masterclass, The Art of Writing Fiction (14 April at Somerset House, London), and David Almond's Masterclass, Crossover Fiction (26 May at The Lit and Phil Library, Newcastle). Applicants should email their names to Rachel Page rachel@rslit.org by 6pm, Friday 2 March. For more details, visit our Masterclass page.    RSL Review 2012 The latest edition of the RSL Review is now available. Articles include: Margaret Drabble, Andrew Motion and John Carey on the new Elizabethan literature Robert Binyon on the writer's role in the current economic crisis Claire Tomalin and Victoria Glendinning on the art of biography     Non-RSL events which may be of interest: Monday [27 February], [6.30]pm Tennyson Kings Place, 90 York Way, N1 9AG Poet in the City invites you to a very special celebration of one of the nation's favourite poets. Featuring the ex-Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion, this event will explore the life and work of the great giant of Victorian verse, with a fascinating twist that links him directly to 2012. Fellows and Members of the RSL and their friends can buy tickets at a special discounted price of £7.50. On contacting the box office to book they should simply quote the code: PINC1 Box office tel. 020 7520 1490. Standard tickets are available online at www.kingsplace.co.uk. Mslexia Women's Short Story Competition 2012 Mslexia 2012 Women's Short Story Competition is for previously unpublished stories of up to 2,200 words by women writers. Judged by Tessa Hadley. 1st Prize:    £2,000 plus a week's writing retreat at Chawton House Library and a day with a Virago editor 2nd Prize:   £500 3rd Prize:    £250 Three other finalists will win £100 each, and all winning stories will be published in issue 54 of Mslexia. CLOSING DATE: 19 March 2012 Entry fee: £10 per story. Professional critiquing service £45 per story. Contact us: 0191 233 3860 / shortstory@mslexia.co.uk / www.mslexia.co.uk/shortstory.  Bookhouse Become a freelance proofreader with our Basic Proofreading by Distance Learning course. This recognised course is designed to give you the skills, judgement and understanding of the publishing process that you will need to succeed as a proofreader. You can work your way through five marked assignments with help and guidance from an expert tutor. Studying at your own pace, you will be able to build your confidence and learn the essential skills needed to become a successful freelancer. On completion of this course you will be awarded a certificate stating that you gained a Pass, Merit or Distinction. You will also be given the opportunity to be listed on our Freelance Finder, a valuable resource used across the publishing industry to find professional freelancers. For more information on this course email Lottie@bookhouse.co.uk or call us on 020 8874 2718.   The Undershaw Alliance Undershaw in Surrey is a Grade II Listed Building commissioned to his own designs by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1897. The Undershaw Alliance hopes to create a Conan Doyle Museum and Centre for British and Irish Crime Writing, with a library and conference facilities. To support them, or for more information email David Rose at undershavian@gmail.com. The Royal Society of Literature Somerset House, Strand London  WC2R 1LA 020 7845 4676  www.rslit.org