Hackney invades Islington for one night only as Shortfuse - London's only weekly fusion of stand-up poetry, performance comedy and spokenword - hosts past winners of the Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition. Featuring Stewart Lee – co-writer of Jerry Springer: The Opera, Henning When - The German Comedy Ambassador in the United Kingdom, Joe Wilkinson – winner of last year’s contest, and Paul Hickman – a physical torrent of puns and props. Hosted by Nathan Penlington - ‘A natural performer, witty, inventive, stylish and original’ - Robert Newman

A friendly and supportive eight week course for writers just beginning to get to grips with the key elements of fiction writing. Character, plot, structure, dialogue and point of view will all be explored through writing and reading exercises in these weekly workshops. Students from 'Gearing Up' can move to our next level course 'Narrative Drive'.

…Local Comic Saint – The Simon Of Munnery - the mind and body behind Alan Parker: Urban Warrior, The League Against Tedium and Buckethead. Expect surreal philosophising, comic invention, freewheeling verse and a dribble of harmonica, or something else entirely. 'One of the most original and talented comics in the country' - The Observer. Plus different – but equally special guests – every week.

With special festival guest Russell Celyn Jones - a many times published, award-winning novelist and also the Head of the Creative Writing MA at Birkbeck College, he'll talk about the craft of fiction writing as well as reading from his own work. Plus Will Ashon will read from his debut novel Clear Water, and you also have the chance to read your own prose - submit your work in advance to submission@anythingbuthackneyed.com - max word count: 2000. Run in conjunction with 3:AM magazine