Book Projects

At Fighting Words, we regularly produce anthologies of students’ work and other publications. Proceeds from the sale of all our books help support our free writing programmes .

Books by Young Authors: The Fighting Words Book Project
Each year, Fighting Words welcomes a class of Transition Year students to work on short stories that are published in May. They draft, re-draft, edit and complete the stories with encouragement from Fighting Words volunteer tutors. The class choose the title of the book and work with a designer on the cover.
The students also organise the launch of the book in their school as well as managing all the publicity. Details about our books are below – each collection is unique and hugely enjoyable

A Small Collection of Wonder: Stories from Stasis

Launched on Tuesday, 18th May 2021

During this tough year a remarkable group of young authors from Colaiste Mhuire, Coolock, came together once a week to create, invent and write. Joined online and supported remotely by Fighting Words mentors they tirelessly worked on their pieces and pulled together a fantastic, inspiring collection.

The anthology was launched on Tuesday the 18th May by Sheila O'Flanagan who also wrote the foreword.

From the foreword:

To The Future And Back Again

Twenty-three bright and enquiring minds travelled to DCU each Tuesday afternoon between January and March 2020 to explore the known and unknown universe through the lens of creative writing, resulting in this incredible collection of short stories.

From the foreword:

The Mind's Penumbra

Twenty-seven extraordinary young writers from Dunshaughlin Community College, Meath, came together to author the 2019-2020 collection of short stories, plays, poetry and graphic fiction.

From the foreword:

Dissent Into Madness

Dissent Into Madness - Launched on Tuesday, 14 May 2019

The authors of the 2018-2019 book project came from Beneavin De La Salle College in Finglas. Nineteen 4th year students worked with a team of Fighting Words writing tutors to produce a collection of short stories.

Paul Howard wrote the introduction and the book was launched by Fighting Words co-founder Roddy Doyle.

Beyond Boundaries

Beyond Boundaries was launched on Wednesday 16th May 2018.

Twenty four transition year students from Manor House School, Raheny have been visiting Fighting Words each Tuesday, since September, to work on their short stories.

They drafted, redrafted, edited and completed the stories with encouragement from Fighting Words volunteers. After a lot of discussion they decided on the title of the book and worked with a designer on the cover, which was inspired by a drawing by one of the writers.

What's the Stories?

What's the Stories was launched on Wednsday 17th May 2017.

Nineteen transition year students from the school have been visiting Fighting Words each Thursday, since September, to work on their short stories.

They drafted, redrafted, edited and completed the stories with encouragement from Fighting Words volunteers.

They chose the title of the book and worked with a designer on the cover.

25 Stories High

25 Stories High was launched on Tuesday 17th May 2016.

Twenty five transition year students from the school have been visiting Fighting Words each Thursday, since September, to work on their short stories.

They drafted, redrafted, edited and completed the stories with encouragement from Fighting Words volunteers.

Brain Storms

Launched: 18th May 2015

The 2015 Book Project: Written by transition year students at CBC Monkstown Park with a foreword by Kevin Barry.

“Mature writers are often embarrassed by their juvenilia, but if these boys from CBC Monkstown go on to become writers, they are not likely to feel that way.” Irish Times.

Long Story Short

Launched 26th May 2014

The 2014 Book Project: written by transition year students from Donabate Community College with a foreword by Paul Murray.

"The stories in this collection are very different, exhilaratingly so. But they all share what you might call an unflinching quality, a determination to tell their own story in their own way." Paul Murray, from the introduction to the anthology.

Blank Pages

Launched 20th May 2013

“Written language is once more the supreme mode of communication, of conversation, of reference, of record and of learning... Language is safe and well in the hands of these young writers.” John Banville – Introduction

Blank Pages.. was launched at St Mary’s Holy Faith Secondary School, Killester on Monday 20th May 2013. The authors were joined by family and friends at the event.