Bumper year for Burton Monday Writers

Report  April 2010 -  March 2011

“Burton Monday Writers has enjoyed a highly successful year,” said Lynda Turner, the group’s chairman. “Members’ work has been published across a wide range of media. This has been achieved through honing our skills via professional workshops and critiquing each others’ work, but mainly through members’ dedicated hard work.”

Successes have included, poetry and flash fiction published in anthologies and on the internet, members’ work shortlisted in writing competitions both for poetry and prose and winning entries in various competitions organised by the Bookbite website sponsored by Book Trust. Of special note was Mary Gladstone’s “Letter to Myself” which scooped a first prize. Other published material has included: Lynda Turner’s short story “Trapped” published in “My Weekly” magazine (Jan 8 2011 issue), non-fiction articles by Bunty Marshall and Dea Costello in “The Oldie” magazine, various letters in newspapers and magazines and a poem by Maggs Payne was published in The Burton Mail, read by Alan Titchmarsh on his BBC Radio programme “Melodies for You” on Remembrance Sunday, and read live on Radio Derby on November 11^th by Burton Monday Writer’s Vice-Chair Shelagh Wain, who was interviewed about the group’s activities.

The group aims to attract local adults, aged 19 years plus, who are serious about writing and developing their creative writing skills through weekly writing exercises and professionally tutored workshops. Currently, average attendance is eleven members. Weekly meetings begin with news, competitionupdates and any social events planned. Members are invited to read their work and constructive discussion follows which is positive, helpful and encouraging.   A writing exercise led by one of the members is an essential part of each meeting. Members can try new topics, move outside their comfort zones, unleash their creativity and get over that dreaded “writers block”. It’s no wonder the group’s motto is Keep writing!

Monthly workshops led by professional tutors are an integral part of the group’s activities. In 2010 funding was obtained in the form of a grant from Burton and District Arts Council to support the workshop programme. Recent topics have includedflash fiction, writing for radio, free-verse poetry and editing.  Members have also led mini-workshops on writing the sonnet, short stories for women’s magazines and non-fiction magazine articles. 

The group is supported by the Adult Learning Community for room hire and hosted an Open Meeting Writing Your Memoirs in October as part of the Adult Learning Festival. This was a very successful event attracting several new members to the group.

A weekly newsletter is distributed via email. The group’s website www.burtonmondaywriters.co.uk  was redesigned in 2010 as a showcase for members’ work, an introduction to the group’s activities and displays the current programme.

Affiliated to the National Association of Writing Groups (NAWG) several of the group’s members have enjoyed success over the years in NAWG’s annual creative writing competitions.  Chair Lynda Turner was Highly Commended in two sections of NAWG’s 2010 writing festival and Vice-Chair Shelagh Wain was runner-up and Highly Commended in two of the poetry sections.

In June 2010 the group published its third anthology Burton Monday Writers…write their delights.  This contains work from fourteen members. To celebrate the group’s 10^th Anniversary a dinner was held in September and entertainment  provided by local professional storyteller Roisin Murray.

 

There is no annual membership fee. Meetings cost £2.50 per person per week and include refreshments. The group meets every Monday afternoon (1.15pm - 3.30pm) at the Library in Burton Upon Trent. New members are always welcome.

www.burtonmondaywriters.co.uk  email: Burtonwriters@aol.com