SAW 2026 Results

Celebrating remarkable writing.

The winners, placed entries and commendations from the 2026 conference competitions. Congratulations to every writer recognised.

14 competition categories · 71 recognised entries

Choose a category.

Jump directly to an award. Each section brings together the adjudicator, winning work, placed entries and commendations.

General novel →

Winner: Kate Graham

Speculative fiction →

Winner: Lynn Genevieve

Teen novel →

Winner: Lizbeth Crawford

Self-published book →

Winner: NJ Mills

Children under 7 →

Winner: HELENA SHERIDAN

Flash fiction →

Winner: Fiona Atchison

Book review →

Winner: Nigel Ward

Non-fiction book →

Winner: Julie Bissell

Humorous story →

Winner: Linda Brown

Poetry →

Winner: Sandra Ireland

Stage play →

Winner: Tracey McBain

3–5 minute sketch →

Winner: Andrew Whyte

General article →

Winner: Susan McVey

General short story →

Winner: Lizbeth Crawford

Original entry pseudonyms are retained alongside the published titles, authors and clubs.

General novel

Constable Silver Stag – General Novel (Open)

Adjudicator: Anne Hamilton

1st Place

Necromancy

Kate Graham

Individual Member

Entry pseudonym: Stella

2nd Place

Detox

Matthew Richardson

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Bumblebee

3rd Place

MY BROTHER, THE WOLF

Elizabeth Frattaroli

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: CIRCE

Further recognition

Highly Commended

This Is Not A Western

Lizbeth Crawford

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Pookie

Commended

Rescuing Love

Elizabeth McGinty

Women Who Write With Elves

Entry pseudonym: Nipped

Commended

A Clean Slate

Linda Brown

Ayr Writers’ Club · History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Skivvy

Speculative fiction

Pitlochry Quaich – Speculative Fiction (Open)

Adjudicator: Conner McAleese

1st Place

The Maiden’s Tale

Lynn Genevieve

Sunart Writers

Entry pseudonym: Gwen

2nd Place

TimeShift

Iain Alexander

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Orwell

3rd Place

Threads of Resistance

Susan McVey

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Revolution

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Flesh Feeding

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers’ Circle · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Spawn

Commended

An Empire of Ashes

Susan McVey

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Aftermath

Teen novel

Silver Thistle – Teens

Adjudicator: Caroline Logan

1st Place

Read This Now Or Kiss Your Butt Goodbye

Lizbeth Crawford

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Starlight

2nd Place

Shifter’s Shadow

Lizbeth Crawford

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Aubergine

3rd Place

Little Playthings

Dawn Geddes

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Garland

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Cursed!

Dawn Geddes

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Ivy

Commended

Felinder

Margaret Woodward

Elgin Writers

Entry pseudonym: Feline

Self-published book

Barbara Hammond Trophy – Self Published Book

Adjudicator: Malcolm Chisholm

1st Place

Murder on the King’s Jaunt

NJ Mills

History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Lexie Conyngham

2nd Place

The Mario Mystery

John MacDonald

Bearsden Writers · Erskine Writers

Entry pseudonym: TOFU

3rd Place

Bitter Bonds

Heather You

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Heather Osborne

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Lilianne is Dead

Mamie Philp

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Harvie

Commended

Arrow of Alba

Allan Webster

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Cuthbert

Children under 7

Under 7s Trophy

Adjudicator: Emily Dodd

1st Place

HETTY THE YETI

HELENA SHERIDAN

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: SASQUATCH

2nd Place

Mr Jolly the Clown

Fiona Atchison

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Circus

3rd Place

Goodbye Miss Foley

Anjana Sen

Eastwood Writers · Strathkelvin Writers’ Group

Entry pseudonym: Mummy

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Calum’s Castle

Mary Veronica Colin

Bearsden Writers

Entry pseudonym: Calyx

Commended

Sienna the Swimming Squirrel

Margaret Morton

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Allsorts

Flash fiction

SAW Council Trophy – Flash Fiction

Adjudicator: Erskine Writers

1st Place

The Cold Snap

Fiona Atchison

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Frost

2nd Place

Tough Love

Kerry Fleming

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Ireland

3rd Place

Aiming High

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers’ Circle · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Marksman

Further recognition

Highly Commended

A Hammered Honeymoon

Iain Alexander

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Frankie

Commended

Malbec with Ice

David Hall

Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Linwood

Commended

Dear Flash Fiction…

William Duguid

Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Correspondent

Book review

May Marshall Silver Book Trophy – Book Review

Adjudicator: Greenock Writers Club

1st Place

The Place of Tides

Nigel Ward

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Scandi

2nd Place

Community

Margaret Woodward

Elgin Writers

Entry pseudonym: Countryman

3rd Place

In the Shadow of the Laird

Margaret Woodward

Elgin Writers

Entry pseudonym: Middleman

Further recognition

Highly Commended

The Echoes

Catherine Ogston

Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Dust

Commended

Boleyn Traitor

Margaret Morton

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Coronet

Non-fiction book

Janetta Bowie Chalice – Non Fiction Book (open)

Adjudicator: Catherine Czerkawska

1st Place

Unstable and Dangerous

Julie Bissell

Women Who WWE

Entry pseudonym: Biker

2nd Place

Out and About

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Qurious

3rd Place

British Cinema and Society from Hitchcock to Bond

Rosemary Gemmell

Individual Member

Entry pseudonym: Producer

Further recognition

Highly Commended

A Patchwork of Place and Memory

Loretta Mulholland

History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Beth

Commended

It’s Raining Butterflies

Angela Blacklock-Bro

Edinburgh Writers Club

Entry pseudonym: Butterfly

Humorous story

Margaret McConnell Trophy – Humorous Short Story

Adjudicator: David McVey

1st Place

Finding the Right Muffin

Linda Brown

Ayr Writers’ Club · History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Melody

2nd Place

Lifts, Tucs and Knitted Swimwear

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers’ Circle · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Penpusher

3rd Place

The Stand-In

Mary Veronica Colin

Bearsden Writers

Entry pseudonym: Juniper

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Heroes of the haggis

John MacDonald

Bearsden Writers · Erskine Writers

Entry pseudonym: Clover

Commended

MAKING HAY

Myra Duffy

Bearsden Writers

Entry pseudonym: SUNSHINE

Poetry

Dorothy Dunbar Rose Bowl – Poetry

Adjudicator: Alison Chisholm

1st Place

Not Black and White

Sandra Ireland

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Starling

2nd Place

Fence

Mary Veronica Colin

Bearsden Writers

Entry pseudonym: Myrtle

3rd Place

The Forests of Sweden

Caroline Stewart

Club not listed in the published results

Entry pseudonym: Edgarina

Further recognition

Highly Commended

To a Thistle

Greta Yorke

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Flora

Commended

Two Cats

Bernadette Wardrop

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Idun

Stage play

Helensburgh Shield – Short Stage Play (open)

Adjudicator: John Binnie

1st Place

NO SHELTER FROM THE STORM

Tracey McBain

Individual Member

Entry pseudonym: Tiny Dancer

2nd Place

Chains

Julie Bissell

Women Who WWE

Entry pseudonym: Witch

3rd Place

The Seamstress

Jane Campbell (Orr)

Individual Member

Entry pseudonym: Agnes

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Knock Twice

Dawn Geddes

Angus Writers’ Circle

Entry pseudonym: Ghost

Commended

BROACHING THE SUBJECT

HELENA SHERIDAN

Ayr Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: DAFFODIL

3–5 minute sketch

Largs Shield – 3-5 min Sketch

Adjudicator: Ayr Writers’ Club

1st Place

Accommodating Others

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers’ Circle · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Occupant

2nd Place

Student Support Group

Catherine Ogston

Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Essay

3rd Place

Lost and Found (Maybe)

Andrew Whyte

Angus Writers’ Circle · Fife Writes · Perthshire Writers

Entry pseudonym: Reluctant

General article

Alastair Walker Trophy – General Article

Adjudicator: Gill Sherry

1st Place

Seasons In The Saddle

Susan McVey

Ayr Writers’ Club · History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Troubadour

2nd Place

The Crow

Anjana Sen

Eastwood Writers · Strathkelvin Writers’

Entry pseudonym: Sunset

3rd Place

That Taste of Summer Sunshine

Julie Bissell

Women Who WWE

Entry pseudonym: Apple

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Revive the Giant’s Breath

Elaine Mulcahy

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Plantlife

Commended

Pittenweem Arts Festival Hidden Treasure

Morag Moffat

Erskine Writers

Entry pseudonym: Fife

General short story

John Severn Inkwell – General Short Story (Open)

Adjudicator: Margaret Skea

1st Place

Ashes To Ashes

Lizbeth Crawford

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Star-ghost

2nd Place

Another Darkest Hour

Gerry Mann

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Chartwell

3rd Place

Echoes

Julie Bissell

Women Who WWE

Entry pseudonym: Darkness

Further recognition

Highly Commended

Dragging Life Around

Nigel Ward

Eastwood Writers

Entry pseudonym: Belford

Highly Commended

Packed And Ready To Go

Susan McVey

Ayr Writers’ Club · History Writers

Entry pseudonym: Leaving

Commended

No More Biryani

Jameela Muneer

Edinburgh Writers’ Club

Entry pseudonym: Ouroboros

More conference honours

Special awards.

Poetry Wall winner

Anjana Sen

Eastwood Writers

Dragons’ Pen winner

Franziska Kerber

Greenock Writers