NAWG’s eleventh annual Festival of Writing has been a success and all who participated enjoyed themselves at St Aidan’s College in Durham between 31st August and 2nd September.

About 90 writers took part in 21 differing workshops with seven excellent tutors on the Saturday and Sunday morning. Poetry, short and long prose, non-fiction and theatre were covered by Steve Bowkett, Marvin Close, Doris Corti, Iain Pattison, Jean Saunders and Simon Whaley. Unfortunately workshop tutor James Nash was injured in a car crash and had to cancel only a couple of days before the Festival. At short notice, Alison Chisholm and Doris Corti helped greatly when they took over James’ workshops.

 

Doris Corti's workshop

 

 

Simon Whaley

Friday evening’s entertainment included a Meet the Board session, when the officials of NAWG introduced themselves and explained their position in the Association. The tutors then made themselves known to everyone, bringing wit and humour in plenty.

Mic Cady, formerly of David & Charles publishers, gave a highly informative talk on books and publishing. Mic’s talk was enjoyed by all those present and everyone was fascinated by his tales of what goes on behind the scenes of a large publisher.

Mic Cady

 

This is the full list of successful writers in this year’s writing competition:

 

Free Verse Poem

Winner: John Statham (Alsager Writers’ Group);
Runners-up: Dea Costelloe (Burton Monday Writers’ Group); Shelagh Maeve Wain (Burton Monday Writers’ Group); Mary Williams (Drayton Writers’ Group).
Highly Commended: Collette Drifte, Beverley Ellis, Maria Josephine Nelson-Langford, Maggie Spooner, Wendy Webb, Diane Wilson.

 

Formal Poem

Winner: Diane Wilson (Free Spirit Writers);
Runners-up: Hilary Adams (Keele Writers’ Group); Aine Maire Chadwick (Willpower Writers’ Group); Peter Davies (Walpole [Suffolk] Writers’ Group); Christine Mundy (Thames Valley Writers’ Group); Stuart Randall (Moorside Writers’ Group); Elizabeth Richards (Wilmslow Writers’ Group); Wendy Webb (Norfolk Poets & Writers’ Group).
Highly Commended: Colin Ferguson, Rebecca Latyntseva, Maggie Spooner.

 

Diane Wilson receiving her prize

Poem set to a Well- Known Tune
Winner: Jackie Mitchell (Hexham Writers’ Group);
Runners-up: Hilary Adams (Keele Writers’ Group); Fred Baxter (Alsager Writers’ Group); Diane Cook (Congleton Writers’ Forum);

Humorous Poem
Winner: Christine Mundy (Thames Valley Writers’ Group);
Runners-up: Stuart Randall (Moorside Writers’ Group; Joyce Wilson (Hexham Writers’ Group)

Christine Mundy

 

Short Story / Monologue
Winner: Christine Clement-Green (Phoenix [Lincoln] Writers’ Circle);
Runners-up: Richard Rayner (Wilmslow Writers’ Circle); Tony Smith (Battle Writers’ Group and Bexhill Writers’ Group).
Highly Commended: Ruth Brown Richard Hallows, Mary Lowther.

Erotic Short Story
Winner: Ghislaine Goff (Associate);
Runners-up: Margaret Cronin (Camberley Writers’ Group); Steve Douglas (Telling Tales Writers’ Group); .
Highly Commended: Nicholas Brigham; Mary Lowther; Derek Mark Pattison.

Travel Article
Winner: Jacqueline Smith (Associate);
Runners-up: Elizabeth Robertson (Pandora [Edinburgh] Writers’ Group); Diane Wilson (Free Spirit Writers)Highly Commended: Pam Dickinson; Barbara Olive Smith; Mike Wilson.

Jacqueline Smith

 

Children’s Novel

Winner: Jan Sprenger (Thames Valley Writers’ Group)

 

Ten-Minute One-Act Play

Winner: Gary Heap (Writers’ Reign);

Runners-Up: Nicholas Brigham (Hexham Writers’ Group); Ronald D. Haywood (Hexham Writers’ Group)

 

Gary Heap

 

Anthology

Winner: Vaughan Writers;

Runners-Up: Angus Writers’ Circle; Harlow Writers’ Workshop; Irwell Writers; Keele Poets.

 

Vaughan Writers

 

 

The 100-word mini-tale was won by Penny Sutton, with Liz Richards and Anne Steward as runners-up. If the writer with pseudonym Turi Naffe can send in their real name and address, they will also receive a runners-up certificate.

 

Competition categories for the 2008 Annual Creative Writing Competition will be decided at the October meeting of the Board of Trustees of NAWG.

The rules and entry form will be sent out with the December issue of Link.

The top three places in the NAWG/Writers’ News Short Story Competition (theme: Commemorations) were also announced. In first place was Sylvia Birchall, who won the elegant crystal trophy to hold for one year as well as worthwhile prizes from Writers’ News.

Jackie presenting Sylvia Birchall with her prize

 

 

Lynne Worwood won a £25 book voucher for second place, while Peter Caunt won a £10 book voucher for his third-placed entry.

A winner for the second time at the Festival was Penny Sutton, who won the holiday accommodation prize. Penny is now contemplating the possibility of a two-week self-catering holiday in a five-bedroom holiday home on the Atlantic coast in Brazil.

This opportunity was provided by NAWG trustee Nicolette Ward and her partner Steve.

A selection of writing books provided by Writers’ News was won by Pat Newcombe, while around seventy raffle prizes were claimed by happy winners.

Pat Newcombe

 

Among the prizes were signed books from NAWG patrons, including Gervase Phinn, Rt. Hon. Lord Radice, Alan Ayckbourn, Prof. David Lodge and Jilly Cooper.

NAWG board member Pam Fish raised over £200 with the raffle, and the sale of Festival pens and books over the weekend added welcome funds. Thanks go to volunteers Wendy Bowkett and Alan Smith for their great efforts.

Attendees also had the opportunity of one-to-one tutors with four of the workshop tutors and thanks go to Steve Bowkett, Iain Pattison, Jean Saunders, Simon Whaley and Doris Corti, the latter standing in for James Nash.

Thanks also go to Writers’ News for the provision of bags in which attendees found a wide selection of material relating to writing. Writers’ News also contributed copies of Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook to every category winner. Their generosity is appreciated by the board of trustees.

Attending on Saturday was Elizabeth Whyman, of Mslexia, who provided material and information about the magazine.

Friday evening saw the launch of Alison Chisholm’s The Handy Little Book of Tips for Poets. After an introduction by Mike Wilson and Steve Bowkett, Alison said a few words about her life in poetry before signing copies for enthusiastic buyers. The book is available from NAWG Publications for £3.50 plus 50p p&p. Send a cheque payable to NAWG to: HLBTP, 40 Burstall Hill, Bridlington, East Yorkshire YO16 7GA.

Alison Chisholm with her Handy Little Book of Tips for Poets

 

 

The Festival organisers have become accustomed to the great hospitality of St Aidan’s College and this year was no exception. The food was excellent and all the College staff were willing to help with all the little things that needed to be done to make such a successful Festival.

Next year? Plans are already being made for a Mini-Fest at Leicester University on Saturday, 19th April. This will be a one-day Festival and NAWG hopes to welcome many writers who find it time-consuming and expensive to travel to Durham in the autumn. Full details will be made available soon.

The twelfth Annual Open Festival of Writing is scheduled for the weekend 5th, 6th, 7th September 2008 at St Aidan’s College. Brochures should be available with the April issue of Link. Start saving now and be there. Join us and this seat in the gardens of St Aidan’s College could be yours!