{"id":155,"date":"2016-12-07T23:07:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-07T23:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nethergatewriters.org\/?p=155"},"modified":"2021-03-12T10:46:52","modified_gmt":"2021-03-12T10:46:52","slug":"chattering-from-the-chair-thursday-17th-november","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nethergatewriters.com\/?p=155","title":{"rendered":"Chattering from the Chair – Thursday 17th November"},"content":{"rendered":"

David Carson presents another look at the events of our last meeting.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

We were nine members who gathered to discuss some writing and to welcome Jen Butler from the Scottish Association of Writers. As very recent affiliates to the Association, we were keen to learn more of its work, and of how we might participate in, and benefit from, its activities.<\/p>\n

Jen introduced herself with a fascinating autobiographical account of where she started from and how she arrived where she is now. The \u201cmessage\u201d – that her main motivating drive throughout has been to write and to continue writing – was not lost on us.<\/p>\n

Jen then highlighted some of SAW\u2019s main work. This included the annual conference in September each year, with various options for attendance, some of the next swathe of competitions, focussing on drama and 5 Minute Sketches. She also indicated that the crime novel and science fiction, were on the horizon.<\/p>\n

A feature of SAW\u2019s competitions that appealed to us was the possibility of a club taking on an adjudication role in 2018 if it has entered the competition of the previous year. And a further reward is that SAW could sponsor a competition for us.<\/p>\n

Jen also described the workshops in the Write Down South, Write Up North that can aid club and individual development. In the context of how SAW is financially supported, Jen gave details of the 100 club (\u00a31 per month) and, naturally, encouraged us to join.<\/p>\n

Jen ended her presentation by encouraging us to read and contribute to the Writers\u2019 Umbrella, and online magazine of which she is the editor.<\/p>\n

The evening ended by Jen delivering a workshop on the art of writing articles – non-fiction – for newspapers or magazines.<\/p>\n

She emphasised the role and importance of hooks and grabbers, both of which we attempted to exemplify in way we wrote, then and there, our articles. Topics ranged from ice-hockey to therapy to assisted dying to serial killers, and all of life in between! It was an entertaining but above all informative session.<\/p>\n

All agreed it had been a very worthwhile evening as we thanked Jen warmly for her attendance and expertise.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll look again at what was covered when we discuss our programme at the upcoming AGM.<\/p>\n

The next meeting of NW is on Monday 12 December at 7pm in R2F10 of the Dalhousie Building<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

David Carson presents another look at the events of our last meeting. We were nine members who gathered to discuss some writing and to welcome Jen Butler from the Scottish Association of Writers. As very recent affiliates to the Association, we were keen to learn more of its work, and of how we might participate… Read More »Chattering from the Chair – Thursday 17th November<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-meeting-archive"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t