Conference 2026 Workshops
Below is a selection of our workshop leaders for this year’s conference. As you will see we have a wide range of industry experts who have created a well-rounded mix of carefully curated workshops to help delegates develop in every aspect of writing.
Their focus is on bringing stories, education, advice to our delegates: the authors, short story writers, publishers, editors, and playwrights. There really is something for everyone.
Please Note: This is very much the complete line-up. Any additional speakers we will update here as well as post out information via our newsletters and Facebook Group.
John Binnie
Adjudicator/workshop
John Binnie is a playwright and director who has worked in theatre since 1986. He co-founded Glasgow’s Clyde Unity Theatre with friends and went on to write and direct more than 30 productions that toured extensively across Scotland and internationally. His work has taken him to America, Germany, Singapore, Africa, and India.
John’s plays have won three Edinburgh Fringe First Awards, the Independent Theatre Award, and have been broadcast on BBC Radio 4. All of his work is rooted in community engagement, driven by his belief that everyone has a story to tell. Through his drama and writing classes, he encourages people to find their voice, grow in confidence, and express their creativity.
Most recently, he directed A Toast Fae the Lassies at Pitlochry Festival Theatre.
Come along to a fun, practical playwriting workshop led by director/ dramatist John Binnie. How do you begin to write a monologue for a play? The workshop will explore character and setting, with John encouraging participants to write a monologue (or two). No playwriting experience is necessary, only an openness and enquiring mind.
HELENSBURGH SHIELD – Short Stage Play – Maximum 20 Pages
Anne Hamilton
ADJUDICATOR/WORKSHOP
Anne Hamilton is an author, editor, and creative writing tutor who divides her time between Edinburgh and County Mayo. Her first book, a travel memoir titled A Blonde Bengali Wife (2010), was inspired by her experiences in Bangladesh and she continues to support the charity Bhola’s Children.
Her debut novel, The Almost Truth (2024), won the Irish Novel Fair and was shortlisted for the Primadonna Prize. Her second novel, Letters from Elena (2025), was longlisted for both the Lucy Cavendish Award and the Yeovil Prize.
Anne holds a Master’s degree from Trinity College, Dublin, and a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow. She currently teaches with The Open University and Cambridge University and is also one-fifth of Gill Merton, the collective author of the collaborative novel Entitled (2022).
You can find Anne on Instagram and Facebook, or through her Linktree.
A practical workshop on creating the building blocks of your novel from The End to A Beginning.
‘The Skeleton Story’ technique helps the author create both outline and review comprising elements of setting, character(s) and quest.
Suitable for plotters and pantsers alike!
CONSTABLE SILVER STAG – General Novel
Margaret Skea
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Margaret Skea is a multi-award-winning author of historical novels, short stories, and contemporary biography.
Her novels have received widespread recognition, including the Beryl Bainbridge Award for Best First Time Author(Turn of the Tide), longlisting for the HNS Novel Award 2016 (A House Divided), runner-up in the HNS Novel Award 2018 (Katharina: Deliverance), and shortlisting for the Bookbrunch Prize 2020 (Katharina: Fortitude).
She has also won numerous awards for her short stories, both contemporary and historical, including the Neil Gunn Prose Prize and the Overall Winner of the Winchester Prize, as well as the Chrysalis Prize. Her stories have also placed in competitions such as Fish, Rubery, Mslexia, and the Historical Novel Society.
Margaret straddles the worlds of both independent and traditional publishing, bringing experience and insight from both routes.
Her childhood in Northern Ireland, during the period euphemistically referred to as The Troubles, has strongly influenced her work. Much of her writing explores the experience of living with conflict and its impact on families, relationships, and personal integrity. Whether writing contemporary or historical fiction, her aim is always to provide readers with an authentic, immersive “you are there” experience.
Outline:
An interactive, illustrated workshop on crafting a short story.
1) Introduction:
The definition of a short story and how it differs and is distinct from other forms of prose – Flash Fiction / Novella / Novel – noting the UK / US divide in expectations of length, as well as the effect of genre and intended audience.
2) An examination of the essential elements:
Character / Plot / Setting / Conflict / Resolution / Theme and the specifics of the way they function within a short story.
3) A consideration of features such as:
Inspiration / Trigger / Starting point / Story arc
4) Presentation techniques:
Use of all (6) Senses / Structure / Word Choice etc.
5) Key Takeaways:
The best short stories –
– Linger with the reader long after they reach ‘the end’.
– Impact the reader, whether it is to move, challenge, shock, or entertain.
JOHN SEVERN INKWELL TROPHY – General Short Story
Emily Dodd
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Emily Dodd is a scientist, artist, poet, radio playwright, the author of over twenty fiction and non-fiction books, and a screenwriter for CBeebies. With a background in museum education, Emily weaves science, story, and a sense of wonder into everything she creates – including her songs.
Her recent non-fiction book Tell Me About… Space was selected by a panel of experts to be gifted to all children in care in England as part of the Letterbox Club. The television series Tiny Wonders has been shortlisted for three television awards and was the most-watched TV show on CBeebies in its first week, as well as the most-watched children’s show on BBC iPlayer.
Her science books have been translated into multiple languages and are sold around the world. Emily is currently the Scottish Book Trust Author in Residence for Inverness High School, and has previously worked as an Author in Residence in primary schools in Glasgow and the Western Isles, as well as Reader in Residence for Leith Library.
Emily holds a degree in Geophysical Sciences, an MSc in Communicating Science, and an HNC in Counselling. Her themes include storytelling, connection, science, the natural world, and mental health.
Outline:
Emily will be drawing on examples from her work in science theatre, fiction and non-fiction books, BBC radio plays, and screenwriting for CBeebies.
This workshop will include hints and tips on how to engage young readers through writing. Come along if you would like to know more about:
How to communicate difficult or complicated subjects while keeping them relevant and fun.
How to look after the young reader — for example, when writing a mental health-themed radio play for KS2 or when explaining climate change to a five-year-old in a picture book.
There will also be time for questions at the end.
UNDER 7s TROPHY – Story aimed at children under 7
Alison Chisholm
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Alison Chisholm has dedicated her life to poetry, both as a writer and a teacher. She holds diplomas in Speech Studies (ATCL, LLAM, and FLCM) and has spent over 40 years teaching speech and drama, with a particular focus on delivering poetry.
Her work has appeared widely on radio and television, as well as in magazines, anthologies, and fourteen poetry collections. She is also the author of seven books on the craft of writing poetry, alongside textbooks on writing short non-fiction, autobiography, mini-memoirs, and competition writing.
Alison has edited poetry anthologies, delivered readings, workshops, and courses across the UK and internationally (including Switzerland, Spain, and the Netherlands), and continues to share her expertise through Writing Magazine, where she writes regularly on poetry. She also serves as one of the Poetry Society’s advisory team, offering both written and face-to-face critique.
Her teaching career has included devising courses for the Open College of the North West, creating the distance learning poetry course for The Writers Bureau in Manchester (which she tutored for over 20 years), and contributing to the BBC Radio Write Now programme, where she reviewed books on writing, selected poems for broadcast, and recorded material for the show.
Alison has also adjudicated countless poetry competitions and is herself a multi-award-winning poet, with first prizes including the Wells Festival of Literature, the Sefton Annual Poetry Competition, and multiple categories within the National Federation of State Poetry Societies and the Ohio Poetry Association.
Outline:
This workshop will consider the dramatic monologue or persona poem, and how the device can be used to bring freshness and excitement to writing poetry.
There will be an introductory talk, discussion, and an opportunity to examine how to select a recognisable situation and then explore it from an unexpected angle.
We shall consider the form the poem will take — including free verse, blank verse, and rhymed patterns — and discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms.
We will also look at the voice requirements of the piece and the ways of communicating narrative and emotional reaction through the use of the first person.
Participants will have the opportunity to discuss possible approaches in small breakout groups and to begin and develop a new poem in their chosen form.
Guidance will be given on techniques of redrafting and revision, the importance of sentence structuring and punctuation, and the value of beginning and ending the poem in the right place. Advice on final polishing will also be offered for poets wishing to submit their piece for publication or enter it into a competition.
DOROTHY DUNBAR ROSE BOWL – Poetry
David McVey
Adjudicator / workshop leader
David McVey lectures at New College Lanarkshire and is a prolific writer, with more than 150 published short stories to his name, alongside a wide range of non-fiction focusing on history and the outdoors. His passions for storytelling and place are reflected in both his academic work and his creative writing.
Beyond writing, David enjoys hillwalking, exploring historic sites, reading, watching television, and supporting his hometown football team, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy FC.
A look at how to do funny, whether funny as form or funny as technique. Hints, tips, a few jokes and some exercises and tasks to get you started.
MARGARET MCCONNELL TROPHY – Humorous Short Story
Conner McAleese
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Hello! My name is Conner McAleese and I am an author and academic based in Dundee. My debut novel, The Goose Mistress, explored Eva Braun’s descent into madness during World War Two. The idea for the novel was sparked by an offhand comment in a Channel Five documentary, where the narrator referred to “Eva’s power over Hitler.” In all my studies, I had never heard Eva Braun described as “powerful”. Dutifully, I searched for literature that explained this perspective—only to discover that most (male) historians gave Eva Braun barely a page or two of attention. Worse, many dismissed her as a “war mistress,” despite her being by Hitler’s side since 1933.
Since publishing The Goose Mistress, I have focused on short-form horror. My work has been published in both the UK and the USA, and I won the University of Dundee’s Halloween Writing Competition in 2024. My short story I Live Alone was included in Haunt Publishing’s audio and written anthology Haunted Voices, and was highlighted in several reviews as a standout piece within the collection.
Alongside my creative writing, I recently completed my PhD in English Literature. My thesis, Terror, Trauma, and the American ‘Everyman’: Horror Literature after 9/11, examined the evolution of horror following the September 11th attacks. I broke new academic ground by applying trauma theory to horror texts shaped by the political upheaval that followed the introduction of the Homeland Security Act and the PATRIOT Act.
I am currently working on an edited collection, Mothers, Mothering, and Motherhood in the Stephen King Universe, as well as a monograph that builds connections between Appalachian rural horror and the Highlands of Scotland. Creatively, I have just completed my first full-length horror novel and am in the early stages of finding it a home.
This workshop is designed to increase your confidence in approaching a genre as broad and contested as Speculative Fiction. Our goal in this workshop is not to define Speculative Fiction with any finality. Instead, we will explore how we ourselves can define Speculative Fiction in a way that gives us confidence to write freely within the genre.
The workshop is split into three sections: Theory, Debate, and Practice. For the Theory portion of the workshop, we will begin to discuss what we thought Speculative Fiction meant prior to the workshop. We’ll then look at two definitions offered by the scholar R. B. Gill and begin to develop a working definition we can apply to our own writing. For the Debate portion of the workshop, we will look at how two literary heavyweights have battled over the definition of Speculative Fiction.
We will look at Ursula K Le Guin’s expansive vision for what Speculative Fiction can be, and Margaret Atwood’s more grounded explanation of what Speculative Fiction should be. For the Practice portion of the workshop, we shall apply our own understanding of the first two sections to two distinct writing tasks. This will take up the bulk of the hour we have available to us! The first task will draw on our own experiences, and rewriting reality to our own unique vision! The second task is a little trickier and will involve building a new universe from a pre-supplied object.
This workshop is for everyone, whether you read Speculative Fiction or not! My intention is to offer an experience that demonstrates how I combine my academic career with my passion for writing and how the two inform and improve upon the other. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at drconnermcaleese@gmail.com.
PITLOCHRY QUAICH – Speculative Fiction
Gill Sherry
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Gill Sherry began her writing career in 2015 while living in the Middle East, where she worked as Group Editor for a magazine in Kuwait—a role she continued even after returning to the UK. In 2019, her article More to Life was published in Ayrshire Magazine, leading to her becoming a regular contributor with articles and interviews appearing in every issue. By 2022, she was invited to step up as Editor, a role she remains proud to hold.
Gill’s work has also reached international audiences, with articles and book reviews published in The Toronto Pages(Canada). In 2023, her Flash Fiction story The Last Dance was featured in the Scottish Arts Trust Anthology, Soul Mates and Other Stories. She is also the author of two novels: Serious Foul Play (2020) and its sequel, A Serious Dilemma (2023).
Pitching the right article to the right magazine is vital if you want your article to be published.
This workshop is a step-by-step guide to success and explores the entire process from choosing the right subject, researching your target audience, and correctly submitting your article. The subject must be engaging and informative and must appeal to the readers of your chosen publication.
But a successful pitch relies on so much more than the quality of your writing. Other things to consider include the timing of your pitch, your approach to the magazine, and the length and layout of your article.
The workshop will explore how a title can help or hinder your progress, whether accompanying images are required and how much personal information you should provide with your submission. By following the correct process, there is no reason why you shouldn’t see your article in print. And once you’ve achieved success, there is no reason why that success shouldn’t continue!
ALISTAIR WALKER ‘Oscar’ TROPHY – General Article
Catherine Czerkawska
Adjudicator / workshop leader
Catherine Czerkawska is a novelist, non-fiction author, and award-winning playwright for radio, television, and the stage. Her work has been published by Saraband, Birlinn, and Dyrock Publishing, among others. She is best known for her historical and contemporary Scottish fiction, often inspired by real events, including The Curiosity Cabinet and its companion novel The Posy Ring, as well as The Physic Garden, The Amber Heart, Bird of Passage, and Ice Dancing, set in a Scottish Lowland village close to her Ayrshire home.
Her critically acclaimed novel The Jewel offers a vivid and entertaining portrait of Jean Armour, the wife of Robert Burns. Catherine’s books are widely available in both paperback and eBook editions. More recently, she has turned her focus to the Canary Isles Trilogy—Hera’s Orchard and Bitter Oranges—which bring to life the history, culture, and landscapes of the islands, while exploring the complexities of cross-cultural marriage.
Have you ever wondered how to turn real events into stories that truly captivate?
In this workshop, we’ll discuss the art of blending solid research with engaging storytelling. Focusing on historical non-fiction, you’ll discover how to take the raw material of primary sources and shape it into a narrative that feels alive to the reader —without losing the truth that makes it meaningful. Together, we’ll explore practical strategies for structuring your work and for helping you to find your own voice as a writer. Through exercises using real-world examples, you’ll begin to learn how to breathe life into people and moments from the past, crafting stories that are accurate but also entertaining.
JANETTA BOWIE CHALICE – Non-Fiction Book
Caroline Logan
ADJUDICATOR/WORKSHOP
Caroline Logan is the author of The Four Treasures series, a YA fantasy saga inspired by Scottish folklore and mythology. Her debut novel, The Stone of Destiny, was published in 2019, and she has since released four novels and contributed to five anthologies. Her books are widely available, including in Waterstones, and she has been invited to speak at festivals, schools, and even aboard cruise ships—where she combines her passion for storytelling with her background in science.
Who doesn’t love a map in a book?
From Lord of the Rings to Six of Crows to Star Wars, maps and world building are integral parts to any genre, but especially in fantasy and science fiction.
In this workshop you’ll learn how to create your own world, from scratch, including tips on how to draw your very own map. We’ll sketch out islands and use real world geography to make your map more realistic and easier to understand for your readers. There’s no need for a natural talent in drawing – anyone can draw a fantasy map, no matter the skill set! And once your map is complete, you’ll take a dive with a published fantasy author into mythology, politics, and what makes a world memorable. We’ll explore naming places, creating unique cultures, and how much you can share with readers without info-dumping!
SILVER THISTLE – Novel aimed at Teens
Malcolm Chisholm
ADJUDICATOR / WORKSHOP LEADER
Malcolm Chisholm spent his working life with BT in telecoms engineering before moving into Further Education, where he taught IT to students ranging in age from sixteen to ninety-one. Since retiring, he has turned his attention to the world of publishing, helping independent writers bring their work into print and eBook formats.
This will be a live demonstration of how to publish a printed book online using the Lulu.com website. We will use a ready-prepared book interior document and a cover image, both of which have been converted into PDFs to be uploaded to the Lulu website.
It will be assumed that delegates have a working knowledge of word processing, including inserting images when necessary and converting the word processed document into a PDF file. They should also be capable of downloading files from a website, opening a folder to extract a file, and selecting files to be uploaded to a website. People who do not have these abilities can still attend on the understanding that they will be able to source help in these matters.
Before the live demonstration we will look at reasons why an independent writer should consider self-publishing and include its pros and cons. Topics will include:
. why self-publish?
. editing your book
. book formats and costs of printing and delivery
. the Lulu.com template document
. typical printed book layout
. converting your book to pdf format
. uploading your book to the website
. cover design
. cover creation methods
. the proof copy
BARBARA HAMMOND TROPHY – Self-Published Book
Al Guthrie
Author / One to One
Allan Guthrie has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years in a variety of roles. He is the author of five crime novels, including Two-Way Split, winner of the Theakston’s Crime Novel of the Year, and Kiss Her Goodbye, which was nominated for an Edgar Award.
After twelve years as a literary agent with Jenny Brown Associates, he co-founded the North Literary Agency in 2017. He also serves as Editorial Director of NeoText, a US publishing company focused on short fiction and long-form journalism, with an emphasis on developing projects for film and television.
Al will be guiding our delegates with a number of one to one sessions
Grahame Anderson
workshop leader
Grahame Anderson worked in Print and Publishing for over forty years. He started his own Web Development and Internet Marketing business back in 1997. Working in this field he has helped Indie Authors and Scottish Publishers to launch more than 200 books in digital format.
He discovered writing when he turned 52 and has been learning ever since. He has three books under his belt his third The Best Seat in the Universe published July 2021 has been number one in Amazon’s self help charts. Hachette liked the book so much they re-published it in December 2024 and releasing the audiobook version. In August 2025 The Best Seat in the Universe was released in Taiwan in traditional Chinese and will be released soon in Saudi Arabia in Arabic in the coming months. Grahame has been commissioned to write a follow up book to this story which he is currently working on. He runs his own Digital Marketing Agency. Grahame is honoured to be the President of the Scottish Association of Writers.
Colette Coen
Speaker / Adjudicator
Colette Coen is a writer based in East Renfrewshire with over 50 short story publications, including Mslexia’s Best Short Fiction Anthology 2023, Five Glasgow Stories (Red Squirrel Press) and Writing Magazine (2nd place in comp). Most recently her short stories have appeared in Causeway/Cabhsair, A Playground in Beijing and Postbox Magazine, with poetry in Dreich and Poetry Scotland.
Colette has twice been shortlisted for the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Award and won the Waterstones’ Crime in the City Award in 2013. She has been placed or shortlisted in competitions run by Cranked Anvil, the Writing Magazine and Bibliophone. She won the Eileen Gilmour Creative Writing Award (run by East Renfrewshire Libraries) on two occasions. Colette completed the Faber Academy’s Writing a Novel course a few years ago and self-published her first novel – All the Places I’ve Ever Been – as a result. She has also published a short story collection – Forgotten Dreams.
Colette is the Federation of Writers (Scotland) Scriever for 2024. She regularly participates in live and online events and workshops and produces YouTube videos as part of her role to promote writing in Scotland.
Colette is a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading and runs Beech Editorial Services.
Recent Events: The Irish Diaspora and Scottish Literature (Govanhill International Festival); Federation of Writers (Scotland) anthology launch.
This guided workshop will encourage writers to use people, places and objects from their memory to spark ideas for fiction. It will provide techniques on how to encourage the imagination to play with the past to create new stories. It will explore using the senses and emotions to enrich storytelling.
Often writing can bring up strong emotions so participants are encouraged to take care of themselves and not force themselves to explore painful memories. The workshop will provide a safe space for writers to share their work in an encouraging, respectful and non-judgemental environment.
JOHN SEVERN INKWELL TROPHY – General Short Story
Laura Fyfe
Speaker / Adjudicator
Laura T Fyfe writes non-fiction, novels and poetry. She served as Stirling Makar and has worked for fifteen years supporting writers by facilitating writing workshops and communities across the country and online. She won the SMHAFF award, was short-listed for the Bridport and Plaza Prose-Poetry awards and has been published in a wide variety of literary magazines including Gutter, Butcher’s Dog, Atrium and Poetry Scotland. Her non-fiction titles, Wellspring and Magpie Mind help writers defeat procrastination and boost their creativity. She has published three poetry collections: Endless Blue (Stewed Rhubard), The Truth Lies (Red Squirrel) and Motherhood: Of Love and Loss (Figment Books).
Sending your work out there to be judged by others can be stressful at the best of times! It is disheartening to experience rejection, but exhilarating when you succeed. Just subbing your writing could be a full-time job in itself but if you carefully consider your process and build your resilience you’ll increase your likelihood of success.
In this workshop, you’ll learn insider tips from our award-winning writer, adjudicator and editor of anthologies: Stirling Makar, Laura Fyfe.
DOROTHY DUNBAR ROSE BOWL – Poetry
Paul Smith
Speaker / Adjudicator
Paul Smith began his career in journalism in the 1996 as a trainee reporter with DC Thomson, serving on titles including The Courier, The Evening Telegraph and The Sunday Post. He went on to serve in the weekly press in Aberdeenshire as a Chief Reporter and Editor before joining the Press and Journal in Aberdeen in 2001. He spent the majority of his 16 years in newspapers as a sports writer and sports news editor. The first of 19 titles as an author, primarily sport non-fiction and sporting memoirs, was published in 2007 and those books have fallen under the wing of publishing houses including Birlinn, Black and White, Pitch and Mainstream. Paul. moved from journalism to the corporate communications field in 2012. In 2023 he was appointed Sports Editor at Large for the Arena Sport imprint of Birlinn, with a focus on commissioning and editing titles across a range of sports. That freelance post with Birlinn is combined with his full-time role as a marketing and communications director in the Scottish college sector.
Behind every great autobiography is a finely tuned machine. From cover design, to sales and from editing to publicity. Behind many great autobiographies is another key player: the ghostwriter.
Paul Smith is the author of 19 non-fiction titles primarily in the sports world, including five ghostwriting assignments with football players spanning the generations, and has been a collaborator on newspaper columns covering football, golf and rugby.
Paul will use his experience in journalism and publishing to shine a light on one of the hidden arts of writing and to share insights from his life as a ‘ghost’.
The session will focus on key components of a ghostwriting project, including: planning and storyboarding; research; interview techniques; writing style and approach; fact-checking and editing.
Paul, currently serving as Sports Editor at Large on the Arena Sport imprint for Edinburgh-based publishing house Birlinn, will also provide advice and guidance on the commissioning process and an overview of the sports book landscape.
JANETTA BOWIE CHALICE – Non-Fiction Book
Catherine Ogston
Workshop
Catherine Ogston has published flash fiction with Bath Flash Fiction, Reflex Press, Cranked Anvil, Firewords and the National Flash Fiction Day Anthologies 2020 to 2024. Catherine has been shortlisted twice for the Bridport Flash Prize and received a Pushcart nomination. She placed first at TL;DR Press (2022), Flash 500 (Nov 2023) and third at the Bath Flash Fiction Award (June 2024). Catherine also writes short stories and YA longer fiction, is a current student at Stirling University (MLitt Creative Writing) and is represented by Al Guthrie at The North Literary Agency.
The art of flash fiction is to tell a succinct story but you can tackle this in imaginative ways. Just as the hermit crab borrows the empty shells of other creatures hermit crab flash allows you to borrow the structure of another type of prose in order to tell your story in a creative way. Examples might be lists, recipes and quizzes but there are many more. Experimenting with different forms can help unlock the story you want to tell.
In this generative workshop we will read and discuss some examples of hermit crab flash fiction and why it works so well for short-form fiction. We will create some titles and ideas for our own stories. We will also look at places to read great flash fiction and where to send your pieces when they are finished.
Allan Gaw
SPEAKER / Adjudicator
Allan Gaw was a medical pathologist but now writes full-time. He writes short stories, novels and poetry. His international award winning short stories have been published widely. His novel, The Silent House of Sleep, won the Bloody Scotland 2024 Debut Novel of the Year Award. His poetry collections, Love & Other Diseases and The Sounds Men Make were published by Seahorse Publications in 2023 and 2025 respectively. The first four books in his Dr Jack Cuthbert Mystery series will be published by Polygon throughout 2025.
Humorous writing is a serious business. Humour as well as being inherently entertaining also serves to hook a reader and can help give characters and situations added authenticity. But how should you do it? Are there rules — lists of dos and don’ts — top ten tips? Of course there are, thousands of them, just like every other aspect of writing. But this workshop is going to take a rather more relaxed approach. Together we’ll look at examples, we’ll work out a few of those rules for ourselves, and I’ll tell you how I do it. And along the way, I hope we’ll have a laugh, but we’ll keep our serious faces on too. It is about literature after all.
Allie Marie
Speaker
Award-winning Virginia author Allie Marie planned to write police mysteries after her retirement from law enforcement. Those plans, however, were derailed when ancestry research inspired her True Colors Series, a paranormal mystery series set in Olde Towne Portsmouth, as well as a spinoff collection, The True Spirits Trilogy. She is currently working on her second and third books to complete the trilogy. Time travelers, ghosts, haunted settings, romantic elements, and familiar characters from both series intertwine to keep readers connected. She has written short stories and contributed to anthologies.
Her standalone historical, Return to Afton Square, again has modern local settings, but this time with a WW1 historical mystery. Not only does this story introduce the time traveler of the True Spirits Trilogy, it also includes familiar characters from the original series.
Short stories include It’s a Wonderful Life After All, and Tournament of Reckoning. She has penned short stories for the anthologies Murder by the Glass Cocktail Mysteries and First Comes Love, Then Comes Murder, and two short stories in Coastal Crimes: Death Takes a Vacation, which will release in January 2025.
And those derailed plans for mystery stories? They are finally getting their turn! Besides several cozy murder mysteries that will appear in new anthologies, Allie will be penning a crime thriller and starting a new historical mystery series to be set in the Smithfield and Surry areas of Virginia. She is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer for writer groups locally and abroad, and enjoys traveling and camping with her husband Jack.
PRESENTER
Allie Marie is the award-winning author of seven novels and numerous short stories. She has presented courses at the Dublin Writers conference, the Scottish Association of Writers, various writing conferences in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, South Dakota, Tennessee, and for local writing groups.
PRESENTATION GOAL
Present an interactive overview to help new and experienced authors learn how to use the five senses to create engaging settings or authentic characters in any era, from authenticating tastes and smells to visualizing clothing styles to feeling textures as a character would, so that the prospective reader will be as involved as the character in the story.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
Assisting attendees in developing skills that will enhance their creativity, enabling them to develop a method of incorporating the tedious task of research with the fun part of “experiencing” it through the five senses.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Beginning author to published author looking to enhance writing skills.
PRESENTATION TIME
One to two hours, as needed.
MATERIALS AND LOGISTICS
Presenter responsibility: Materials for course activities, PowerPoint presentation
Venue Hosts: Access to PowerPoint equipment; easel and chart pad if available
VENUE AND DATES
SAW Glasgow, Scotland March 2025
CONTACT INFO:
Allie Marie
PO Box 3476
Suffolk, VA 23439 USA
cell: +1-757-275-5553
alliemariebooks@gmail.com
PRESENTER
Allie Marie is the award-winning author of seven novels and numerous short stories that include the paranormal. She has presented courses at the Dublin Writers conference, the Scottish Association of Writers, various writing conferences in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, South Dakota, Tennessee, and for local writing groups.
PRESENTATION GOAL
Present an interactive overview to help new and experienced authors learn how to create believable characters who are a bit out of this world. Discuss the types of characters found in the paranormal genre, and ways to convince the prospective reader to relate to and become as involved as the character in the story.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
Assisting attendees in developing skills that will enhance their creativity in other-worldly settings, enabling them to develop believable characters, from time travelers and ghosts to fantasy creatures, dragons to pixies, and shapeshifters to angels and demons.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Beginning author to published author looking to enhance writing skills.
PRESENTATION TIME
One hour, or as needed.
MATERIALS AND LOGISTICS
Presenter responsibility: Materials for course activities, PowerPoint presentation
Venue Hosts: Access to PowerPoint equipment; easel and chart pad if available
VENUE AND DATES
SAW Glasgow, Scotland March 2025
CONTACT INFO:
Allie Marie
PO Box 3476
Suffolk, VA 23439 USA
cell: +1-757-275-5553
alliemariebooks@gmail.com
XXSandra Ireland
Speaker / Adjudicator
Sandra Ireland is the author of four psychological thrillers, all published by Polygon. Beneath the Skin, shortlisted for the Saltire Society First Book Award, 2017; Bone Deep; The Unmaking of Ellie Rook and Sight Unseen. Her next novel Waterbound, currently out on submission, is a speculative climate change thriller set on Scotland’s east coast in the next century.
In 2013, as a mature student, she graduated from the University of Dundee with a First Class Honours Degree in English and Creative Writing. She was awarded a Carnegie- Cameron scholarship to study for an MLitt in Writing Practice and Study (also at Dundee), graduating with distinction in 2014. She was that year’s joint recipient of the Gavin Wallace Memorial Prize.
Sandra is currently an associate tutor at the University of Dundee, convening modules on creative writing and folklore. She also works with various charities, delivering therapeutic creative writing programmes to those living with long term physical and mental health conditions.
She is represented by Jenny Brown of JBA Literary Agency.
You may be taking care of the wordcount, but who is taking care of you? Writing can be an isolating and often frustrating business, but sadly our own mental wellbeing is often not a priority. We cannot be our most engaged and creative selves with an anxious mind and heavy heart. This workshop will put you and your wellbeing centre-stage, exploring topics such as ‘imposter syndrome’ and that pesky inner critic which so often sits on our shoulder. Together we can halve your writerly worries and build some resilience!
William O'Hara
Speaker / Adjudicator
William O’Hara is a seasoned and award-winning writer, performer, producer, director and actor with extensive and diverse experience in radio, television, theatre and film.
Accolades include a BAFTA, Sony & New York Radio award and British Writers Guild award for Best Light Entertainment Writer which led to an additional BAFTA for Dave Allen in 1996.
Experience
Writer, Producer, Actor, The Glasgow International Comedy Festival. 2020 – 2021
Leeds University – Lecturer in Screenplay and Television. 2012 – 2014
Script Consultant/Developer and Artistic Director, Dumfries Community Arts. 2011 – 2014
Festival Director Govan Comedy Festival.
2002 – 2004
BBC Scotland Network Script Development Editor. 1997 – 2002
Head Lecturer and Writer for ‘WriteSun’ Lanzarote. 1998 – 2002
Writer in Residence, Castlemilk Glasgow. 1999 – 2001
Writer, Producer, Presenter “Heavy Metal” series for Discovery Channel. 1998
Commissioned Writer;
TV
“Life according to Fred” Fred Macaulay, BBC Scotland. 1998 -1999
“Through the cakehole” Jo Brand CH 4 Network. 1993 -1996
“The Unique Dave Allen”, BBC Network.
1991- 1992
Radio.
“Comedy Masterclass Series” BBC Scotland.
2007 – 2008
“Loose Talk” BBC Network. 1992 – 1994
Film.
“Lazarenko’s Point” Independent. 1988
“Crying with laughter”. Synchronicity. 2009
Theatre.
Edinburgh International Festival. 1990 – 2004
Adelaide Fringe Festival. 1995
Belfast. 1994
Glasgow Comedy Festival. 1989 – 2005
Television and Film & Radio appearances;
“Down among the Big Boys” (Film) with Billy Connolly, BBC Network. 1993
“Sick as a Parrot” Polygram International Video. 1994
“Loose Talk” BBC Network. 1992 -1994
“Crying with laughter” (Film). 2009
Comedy Masterclass workshops for BBC Scotland Radio. 2007
14 episodes of “Heavy Metal” for Discovery Channel. 1998
This workshop will explore the disciplines required to successfully write for any genre.
To achieve this, the format of a sitcom script will be used as a model to expose the practices required to successfully construct;
• Rounded characters.
• A fully fleshed-out story.
• All of the elements involved in the process.
Approach:
A Comedy Script incorporates all of the ‘ingredients’ needed for story writing whilst also demanding the additional tier of humour.
Methodology:
The fundamental ‘building blocks’ to be examined chronologically will include;
1. Characters.
2. Characterisation.
3. Story.
4. Economy of Storytelling.
5. Scene Construction.
6. Pace and Tone.
7. Layering and Balance of Sub-plots and Themes.
8. Arc of Episode & Series.
9. Jokes.
10. Resolve.
The unique nature of crafting scripted comedy exposes the challenges faced and methods available to merge these disparate qualities.
Benefits:
Understanding the crucial symbiotic nature and relationship between these component parts empowers the author to successfully create a producible and ‘actor friendly’ script of any type that tells a complete and compelling story.
MARGARET MCCONNELL TROPHY – Humorous Short Story
Alan Gibson
Speaker
Author A. B. Gibson wrote his first novel following an eclectic life as language professor, advertising executive, and entrepreneur. For most of his adult life, he wrote and produced television, radio, print, and digital commercials and built his reputation as one of the most innovative and creative in entertainment advertising.
After four decades writing in the constraints of thirty and sixty-second formats, he made the switch to long-form novel writing. He’s published three best-selling horror/thrillers under the pen name A. B. Gibson, The Dead of Winter, Tracked to Kill, and High Voltage. He made his debut in Urban Fantasy with the late 2019 release of Summer Thunder.
His first book, The Seeding, is the inspiration for a horror film currently in pre-production.
Gibson serves as Co-founder and Chairman of OneClick.chat, a video social engagement platform that often competes for time with his writing. He currently resides in the small town of Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Schedule a one-on-one session with author and ad man Alan B. Gibson, who will help you refine your pitch and dazzle a producer, agent, or a man on the street with your story.
A workshop for those who wish to blend literary genres, or who are looking to increase reader interest by tweaking their manuscripts to include a subgenre.
Robin Cutler
Speaker - NOT IN PERSON
Robin unfortunately has had a bad bout of CoVid which has left her not feeling at her best. This has forced her to make the difficult decision not to travel and therefore her presentations this year will be pre-recorded and available on the website nearer the conference weekend.
ROBIN CUTLER is the President of LMBPN Worldwide Publishing as well as the CEO of How To Publish Books.com, a consulting service for indie authors and publishers. Robin both created and led the development of IngramSpark, an international, award-winning self-publishing platform from 2013-2020. She has published over 1000 books as Assistant Director at USC Press, and is CEO and founder of her trade imprint, Summerhouse Press. Robin also worked for Amazon for six years.
The publishing world is quite fluid in terms of options for authors. In the beginning, many authors find that self-publishing on IngramSpark or Amazon KDP can give them all they need to be successful. For some authors, they find more success by partnering with a traditional publisher. In this keynote, veteran Robin Cutler (President of LMBPN Publishing; creator of IngramSpark and former Amazon manager) will give you the pluses and minuses of what it means to contract with a publisher, as well as tell you what publishers are looking for in an author and their work.
Planning is the key word when considering a fictionalized series. It’s great if you can do it because many publishers will only work with an author writing a multi-volumed series. World-building is a must as well as a thorough understanding of character development. On top of that is knowing the genre that you’re writing in. It’s a difficult process but can be extremely satisfying and financially rewarding if done correctly. This workshop will help you determine if developing a series is right for you and your work.
Sheena Macleod
Speaker
Sheena Macleod writes historical fact and fiction. She gained a PhD at the University of Dundee, where she lectured in mental health nursing. After leaving teaching, Sheena combined her love of history with her passion for research and turned to novel writing. She has published a number of short stories ‘Reign of the Marionettes’ is her first published historical fiction novel. ‘So, You Say I Can’t Vote!: Frances Connelly: The Working-class Woman’s Route to the Vote’, a non-fiction book, was co-written with journalist, Laura Linham. Tears of Strathnaver, a Scottish historical fiction novel, is set against the background of the Highland Clearances.
Sheena is the Club Development and Affiliation Officer for the Scottish Association of Writers.
Getting the right level of descriptive writing isn’t always easy. Through reflection, writing exercises and discussion, this workshop will take you through the key aspects of using the five senses during the planning, writing and editing stages of your writing in a way that is unique to your own author voice and genre.
In this workshop we will look at sub-genres of cosy mysteries, along with specific and general trope requirements. We will then produce a plot outline for a new cosy, giving you the opportunity to explore how to thread the strands through the story. Depending on numbers, we will create a rough ‘Three Act Structure’ outline together or individually.
Keri-Rae Barnum
SPEAKER
Keri-Rae Barnum is the CEO and owner of New Shelves Books, one of the largest book sales and marketing content providers in the US. A sought-after publishing expert, Keri works with both traditional and indie press authors on creative marketing campaigns to achieve their goals.
Her career has been largely focused on working with bookstores and libraries as well as digital and Print On Demand platforms. She loves teaching authors “the ropes” and spends a large portion of her time working on education and sharing her knowledge with the writing and publishing communities. A favorite venue for this is the New Shelves Books advice vlog, Free Advice Fridays. (www.NewShelves.com/FAF)
Amazon is the leading retailer in both print and eBook sales in the UK and US. As such, it is important for authors to optimize their Amazon sales platform to gain a competitive edge in the industry. In this comprehensive workshop, Keri will share 3 focus areas every author should be optimizing for better exposure and improved book sales.
You will learn how to:
• Optimize your book’s sales page on Amazon to better convert browsers into buyers
• Capitalize on Amazon algorithms to improve your book’s visibility and sales ranking
• Claim and optimize your Amazon Author Central profile for better reader connections
The publishing industry has seen major highs and lows as well as industry changes over the last three years. Keri-Rae Barnum will discuss current book sales trends, predictions for 2023 and offer insights for how authors can best position themselves to win big in the year to come.
Margaret Bowman
Speaker
Margaret Bowman is an award-winning Writer who was born and raised in Dunfermline, Fife. She came to Dundee many years ago now to commence nurse training at Ninewells and has had a long career with the NHS taking retirement early to pursue a career in writing.
Margaret’s works include mainly historical features and poetry which has been published in various history and other magazine publications in the UK. She has had poetry published in the Scottish Book Trust ‘Rebel’ and ‘Future’ editions; The Writers’ Umbrella; Angus Writers’ Circle Anthology- A Kist of Scots and the University of Dundee Botanical Garden Anthology.
She also writes Theatre Reviews for Abbey Theatre Club in Arbroath and the Carnoustie Theatre Group productions.
Margaret is currently President and Press Secretary for Angus Writers’ Circle and is their representative to the Scottish Association of Writers. She is also Secretary for Tay Writers,Dundee, and a member of Fife Writes.
Also, she is Press Secretary for the Friends of Carnoustie and District Heritage Group.
Margaret was awarded the Christie Trophy for outstanding contribution by Angus Writers in 2019. She won the Eastwood Silver Salver for Poetry from the Scottish Association of Writers in 2020 and again in March 2022. She also won the Alistair Walker Trophy for Article Writing in 2022.
She was also delighted to be selected by the Friends of Broughty Ferry Library as winner of their Poetry and Prose Competition – May 2022
‘The Lost Airfields of Angus ‘is her debut non-fiction book which also won awards from the Scottish Association of Writers in 2020 and 2021.
Margaret is currently researching material for her next book which will be about the Wartime Defences of the Tay Estuary which she hopes to complete by the end of 2023
This workshop will provide an insight into the reasons why Research is important for Non-Fiction Writing – for books, feature articles, memoir etc; Examples of what sites are readily available for researchers; Gathering and Storing Research Material; Developing a Work Plan; Referencing Your Work; Copyright and Restrictions to be considered before publishing.
Palo Stickland
SPEAKER
Palo Stickland is the author of a fictionalised family history Finding Takri which covers Scotland in the 1950s and Punjab from 1906. Alana, a novella set in Scotland and Turkey and an anthology of shorter works called Playing on the Mountain. She is Inclusion Officer with the Scottish Association of Writers and facilitates a memoir writing group for Fife Writes.
In this workshop, we will consider how we define Memoir. We will discuss the importance of developing a theme and being honest in your writing as well as the legal implications when you come to publishing your work. We will take part in a writing exercise and give feedback.
Ian Elves
Adjudicator
I’m 72, with degrees in Chemistry and Literature. A former local government officer, I’ve been writing for pleasure, on and off, for fifty years. I’m still struggling with the first chapter of my first novel, ‘The Magician’, but my second won the Pitlochry Quaich in 2022, and I will be submitting it to agents in the coming months. I work with the Women Who Write With Elves (Melrose) and the Teesside Writers’ Group (Middlesbrough).
XXLindsay Littleson
Speaker / Adjudicator
Lindsay Littleson has four grown-up children and lives in the village of Uplawmoor near Glasgow. In 2014 she began writing for children and won the Kelpies Prize for her first children’s novel The Mixed Up Summer of Lily McLean. The sequel, The Awkward Autumn of Lily McLean, was published by Floris Books in 2017. Guardians of the Wild Unicorns was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for both the Stockton Children’s Book Prize and East Sussex Children’s Book Prize. Secrets of the Last Merfolk was published by Floris in 2021.
In 2015 her WW1 novel Shell Hole was shortlisted for the Dundee Great War Children’s Book Prize and she enjoyed engaging in research so much that she was inspired to write another two historical books, A Pattern of Secrets, set in Victorian Paisley and The Titanic Detective Agency. Her latest novela with Cranachan Books are The Rewilders, longlisted for the Spark! School Book Award and Euro Spies.
Creating atmosphere – using the senses. Make the reader feel! Building suspense -discussion of techniques employed by writers and film makers. Task: Create a short paragraph inspired by a picture. Use at least 3 of the techniques to create suspense.