More than Writers

Image Credits:-   Some images from The Writers’ Summer School 2023 taken by Allison Symes. One photo taken on my behalf by Julia Pattison. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. My annual writing event is to spend a few days at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which is held at The Hayes Conference Centre. Many of you will know the venue for other events.  At the school, I catch up with friends and make new ones. Outside of the school contact is via social media. Some of us meet regularly on Zoom but there is something special about getting together in person. Writers buzz creatively off each other. It was encouraging to see a good contingent from ACW at Swanwick. Let’s see more of you there next year! The school has a wide range of four part and two part courses and one hour workshops. The four parters are usually split into two sections and held over two days. The two parters are usually held either side of a break on the same day. The workshops a...

Beautiful! There are some days when I feel I’m not cut out to be a writer. Before you swamp me with a deluge of sympathy or – worse still – start typing ‘ Hear, hear! ’ into the comments box, let me explain. It’s not that I can’t cope with the need to persevere, to refine and to edit. I understand that my work may need umpteen rewrites before I dare show it to anyone (and that’s just my shopping list). I’ve a well-developed penchant for beautiful stationery and I get irrationally excited at the sight of a large dictionary. And my friends must think I’m turning into a social recluse, as I often lose track of real-life conversations because I’m having a private chat with one of my characters in my head.              Most of the things I struggle with in regard to my writing can be overcome with a little ingenuity, a willingness to learn and a healthy dose of pig-headedness. Reading articles, going on courses and interac...