ANTHOLOGY TITLE COMPETITION  

Each year the NVP Anthology is one of the highlights of our year. A fabulous publication drawn from the talents of our members, with Poetry and Prose deftly written in our three languages, Scots, Gaelic, and English. 

For 2021 the Anthology team would like to invite you to name the upcoming publication. For the month of March, from the issuing of the newsletter, we’d like your suggestions via email to janet94crawford@gmail.com and then we will take it from there…

We’d narrow the selections down with a poll planned for April and you could play your part in the development of this annual highlight. The last five years titles are highlighted in the attached video to get you thinking: https://share.icloud.com/photos/05itjcgTqs734k2hhsYrtwvkw

Also… it would be great to have your work for consideration, submissions are open until 31^st March. Please see the following link for all the details: 

This year’s New Voices Press Anthology is now open for submissions. Submissions are invited from FWS members until March 31st 2021 for the next anthology. Poems, stories and other literary compositions or graphics should be submitted according to the layout, size and number indicated in our guide for submissions at https://federationofwritersscotland.wordpress.com/members-publications/new-voices-press-2/submission-guidelines/

Submissions should be sent to Sue Burnside at 

fwsanthology2021@gmail.com  Successful contributors will be notified by 21 May 2021.

Thanks

Janet Crawford

Upcoming FWS Events

We’re delighted to announce the opening of our Vernal Equinox Competition. This year we’re starting it a month later so as to give the anthology submissions a head start and the deadline will be April 30. Full rules here and at https://federationofwritersscotland.com/2020/01/18/fws-vernal-equinox-competition-opens/

To find out who are judges are and what they will be looking for go to Judges for 2021 competition

Membership of the FWS is free but we are always grateful for any donations which enable us to carry on our work.

You can donate by :

BACS transfer (Preferred)

to Bank of Scotland Federation of Writers ( Scotland)

Sort Code 80-22-60

A/c no. 12874968

Or by cheque payable to Federation of Writers Scotland

and send to Mark Wightman, treasurer FWS

5 Ashley Court,

Linlithgow,

EH49 7BD

or by Paypal

Or directly through Paypal’s own site https://www.paypal.com/uk/home to treasurerFWS@gmail.com where you can donate a different amount. Please make sure you indicate it is a donation. Thank you

Submissions now open until 31st March 2021.

Find guidelines here Submission Guidelines

THANK-YOU MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

As we start 2021, I thank all Federation members for your support during the year we leave behind. In particular, I wish to pay tribute to our Board members below. To be effective as chair and deliver the many facets of our organisation’s work, I need a good team behind me. All of us are volunteers.

Publicity: Anne Clarke (Newsmail), Caroline Johnstone (Social Media), Sue Burnside (Website), work tirelessly to keep everyone informed of events, competitions and successes. We welcomed Sue in 2020 taking over from Ruth Aylett  who managed our website for many years. We are very fortunate to have such a committed team. My thanks especially to Caroline for her work on social media.

Competition: As well as this newsmail, Anne Clarke efficiently runs our annual Competition. Thanks to judges Finola Scott, Charlie Gracie, Sheila Templeton, Mary Ann Kennedy and Stephen Barnaby.

Minute Secretary: Howard Singerman, diligently organises and records our meetings and was instrumental in obtaining our charitable status. (SC049724)

Treasurer: Mark Wightman maintains our finances and we appreciate his steadfast commitment.

Anthology Team: Thanks to last year’s Team Lead Anne Connolly for an inspirational and productive contribution. Welcome to Janet Crawford, the new Lead for 2021. Janet is also part of our Events Team. Appreciation to Alan Macglas, Emma Mooney, Sheila Templeton and Neil Leadbeater too.

Events: Without a Co-ordinator for most of last year, the team had to pull together to ensure events took place. Marie Therese Taylor organised attendance meticulously for many years and is now taking a well-deserved break. Latterly, Lesley Traynor and Rose-Ann Fraser Ritchie became our temporary joint co-ordinators bringing their enthusiasm to a full diary of events this year.

Membership: Marie Therese continues as Membership Secretary with support from Anne Clarke.

Education: More thanks to Ailie Hunter (Convenor), Lesley Traynor (Young Writers) Marcas Mac an Tuairneir (Gaelic+Young Folk) for undertaking their roles and raising awareness of important issues.

Makar/Scriever: Our 2021 Makar, Jim Mackintosh, and Scriever, Leela Soma, are now in place and both are actively planning a great programme for 2021. Thanks to Finola Scott and Charlie Gracie who undertook these roles so wonderfully well last year.

Ambassadors: Etta Dunn, Anne Connolly and Marc Sherland are omni-presents, supporting and sharing their experience. Marc delighted us with his inimitable and amusing hosting at Tinsel Tales

Volunteer: Could you be part of our team to fill our volunteer vacancies to organise Events, become our Social Media admin, or provide support for our Anthology Team? We need folk to commit their time especially and you don’t always have to become a Board member. We are a great group and very supportive of each other. It’s no exaggeration to say many of us have become lasting friends throughout our association with the Federation. Contact me at dandj@harleycs.plus.com. Comments or feedback are always welcome too.  

Jenifer Harley, Chair

Members of the Federation of Writers( Scotland) enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of readings on Thursday 17th December 2020. The poetry and prose readings covered a range of topics from birth to death and everything in between, with moods from sad to joyous and ultimately optimistic. The event ended with an official welcome to the new Makar and Scriever, Jim Mackintosh and Leela Soma, and a message of celebration and thanks to the outgoing postholders, Finola Scott and Charlie Gracie. Thanks, too, to MT Taylor and Marc Sherland for their captivating compering and to Jenifer Harley for her gracious organisation. Thanks, too, to all of the contributors. It was noted that the virtual nature of the event ensured its inclusivity, another cause for optimism in these strange times.

Watch the event here https://youtu.be/FvEl62Yb6ZU

Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year !

latest entries

And watch out for information on Tinsel Tales, an online festive reading 17th December 2pm