Scottish Association of Writers

This weekend brought over one hundred writers to the annual Scottish Association of Writers Conference at the Westerwood Hotel in Cumbernauld, an event eagerly anticipated from one year to the next.

This 57^th conference did not disappoint, with its mix of workshops, speakers, competitions and fun after-dinner quizzes, plus the quantity of food, coffee and tea breaks. More than anything else, it is always an opportunity to meet-up with people from writing groups all over Scotland, some well-known faces, others attending for the first time.

Two well-published crime writers, Simon Brett, and Marion Todd, were invited to give well-received after-dinner speeches on either evening, while our own long-term member of the SAW and author of twenty-three DCI Lorimer crime novels, Alex Gray, was presented with a gift and certificate of honorary life membership of the association.

To say the weekend is inspirational seems almost an understatement as I can’t imagine anyone going home without at least a renewed spark of creativity. This year, the workshop leaders whose sessions I attended were wonderful. Here’s a snippet of each:

• Map making and naming places in fictional fantasy worlds with Caroline Logan

• How to start writing plays from monologues with John Binnie

• Exploring the meaning of speculative fiction and the variety of ways to approach it with Conner McAleese

Each of these published writers was not only inspirational and engaging, but all were so encouraging and positive in the tasks they gave us to do that I’m more likely to explore these subjects further in my own writing. I heard of at least two other workshops that friends enjoyed so I’m sure there was something for every writer.

The competitions at the SAW are one of the annual features, where entries are submitted in December for longer work such as the first 10,000 to 15,000 words of a novel or non-fiction book, and January for the shorter competitions such as short stories, articles, children’s and poetry. The invited adjudicator does not only have to decide on the winners and commended but also must provide a written critique for each entrant. This is no easy task as some of the shorter comps can attract around sixty entrants, as I can confirm having adjudicated short stories and novels in previous years.

However, these added critiques are a vital part of the conference. Some of the writing clubs have friendly competition to see how many awards they go home with, but for most writers, it is the valuable feedback from a published writer that can encourage entrants to eventually send work out if their hope is for publication. It is exactly how I began to be published from my first conference.

For those new to writing, and to the weekend conference, it is such an inspiring and sometimes exciting place to be where there is always someone eager to chat about the writing world and its possibilities, or pitfalls. I also get to spend time with writing friends as well as daughter Victoria who is a YA author. Here we are at the Saturday evening Gala Dinner!

I don’t enter the story, article or novel competitions now as I’m published in all of those categories, but I did enter the Non-fiction Book Competition this year and was delighted to win third prize! Chatting to the well-published author and adjudicator Catherine Czerkawska afterwards I’m now encouraged to continue with this, and will take on board her much-appreciated suggestions. And that is the whole point of these adjudications – take what might make the work stronger. Anyone can, of course, choose to ignore any advice with which they don’t agree!

But… none of this would be possible without the very hard-working president, secretary and committee of the SAW who have copious tasks throughout the year to ensure everything runs to plan, as far as possible. I’m sure they must breathe a sigh of relief by the Sunday afternoon when they return home knowing it was a job well done. Thank you to each person involved. For anyone wishing to know who the current committee is and to find out more about joining the Scottish Association of Writers just click on the link to their website.

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In other news, I’m delighted that another of my little heart-warming short stories, On Air, is published in the current People’s Friend Spring Special Magazine!

Happy writing,

Rosemary