Want to be an expat writer? Apply now for the fourth annual Parfitt Pascoe Writing Residency

It's that time of year again. No, I'm not talking about the back-to-school time of year, though somehow, even though I left school over 30 years ago, September still gives me the kind of thrill I used to have from getting a new pencil case to start the year... It must be a writer thing!
 
Judging by the number of people who want a preliminary Skype call with me to discuss their book project, it is clear that the summer months, whether you go to school or not, are the time when holidays are taken, you relax and finally start to think about what you really want to accomplish 'when you get back'.

For many people those 'big plans' include writing.

Question time
Well, folks, it's time to sharpen those pencils.   I need you to answer the following questions:

1. Are you fascinated by expatriate issues, such as culture shock, unresolved grief, portable identity?
2. Do you want to write about these issues?
3. Do you want to develop a portfolio of articles and blogs that you have written?
4. Do you want people to find you easily when they key your name into Google?
5. Do you want to learn more about writing articles and blogs?
6. Do you want to be trained and mentored by someone who has been writing and getting published on expatriate topics for over 20 years?
7. Would you like to be coached on getting the very best out of your PPWR involvement by a past recipient of the award and professional coach?
8. Would you like that training and coaching to cost you nothing?
9. Do you want to get to know the world's inter-cultural gurus?
10. Do you want to visit The Hague in Holland in late March 2017 and attend the finest expatriate conference there is at a special discounted price?
11. Would you like to be one of a team of conference reporters, covering every aspect of the conference and turning your findings into blogs and articles that get published?
12. Would you like to have someone to edit those articles for you?
13. Do you already have a blog or are going to start one this year?

 
If you answer YES to all those questions then read on...
 
How to apply for the fourth annual Parfitt Pascoe Writing Residency (PPWR) at the Families in Global Transition Conference
Each year Jo Parfitt and Dounia Bertuccelli work with four new expat writers, turning them into experienced, published writers. This year, for the first time, Cristina Bertorelli will join the team to provide additional coaching to the team prior to the conference too. Interestingly, both Dounia and Cristina are past PPWR recipients.
 
Why do we run the PPWR?
Jo Parfitt has been writing about expatriate issues as blogs, articles and books for over 20 years. She has also attended 12 FIGT conferences and has discovered that attending it has inspired her and provided her with such amazing contacts and friends that it has kept her 'fed' with fascinating things to write about for years to come. Now, she wants to help others who are starting out, just as she was all those years ago, to achieve what she has achieved while giving the conference she loves welcome publicity through the pieces written by the PPWR recipents. As far as she is concerned it is a win-win-win project, giving Jo a chance to give back to the community that has kept her in work for decades.
 
Now we offer coaching too!
And this time, for the first time ever, all PPWR recipients will also receive more than six hours free coaching from Cristina Bertarelli, to include topics such as communication, collaboration and team-building.

What you have to do

1. Applications for the 2017 PPWR must be received by Jo by 1 October. More information about applications is on the FIGT website.
2. Successful applicants will be informed in early October and must complete the eight lesson training program that will be provided free of charge (and usually costs £250) by Christmas. Anyone not completing the course will have their scholarship revoked.
3. In January 2017 coaching with Cristina will commence in group format, by webinar.
4. At the conference (23-25 March) you will be mentored and led by Jo and Dounia.
5. After the conference you pledge to write six blogs or articles about the conference and place them on your blog and external publications (we will help you). You must also mention FIGT via at least 10 posts on social media.
6. You will write up about every event (last year everyone wrote about 12 pieces) you attend at the conference and submit to Dounia for editing by June.
7. The pieces you write will appear on the FIGT website and, if we can get funding, in a book published by Jo's company, Summertime Publishing and available in print and digital format via online bookstores.

Not sure whether you can do this?
Purchase a copy of Insights and Interviews from the 2014 Families in Global Transition Conference book, published after Cristina and Dounia's conference, and take a look at what is expected of you. You can get it in print or e-book format from Amazon.
 
Age is no barrier. Our youngest, and one of our most committed scholars was only 16! We don't mind how old you are either!