Northern Writers’ Awards win helps take Zaffar Kunial from Hallmark to Grasmere

New Writing North is delighted to learn that Northern Writers’ Award winner Zaffar Kunial, who also won third prize in the National Poetry Competition in 2011, has been announced as the Wordsworth Trust’s 2014 poet in residence. Already a full-time writer at Hallmark Cards, the West Yorkshire poet was awarded a Northern Writers’ Award of £5,000 by New Writing North in 2013 to buy him time to write his debut poetry collection.

Since winning the Northern Writers’ Award, he has performed readings at events across England. Now he is to step into the shoes of respected poet Judy Brown, moving into the Wordsworth Trust site in Grasmere to be involved in their contemporary literature programme, mentor local poets, and continue to develop his own writing.

Zaffar Kunial is just one of more than 150 writers who have won Northern Writers’ Awards. The awards, with a total prize pot of more than £40,000, are currently open for entry and writers from across the North of England should head for www.northernwritersawards.com to see what’s on offer and how to enter. Deadline for submissions is 17 January 2014.