Chairman's report for 2009

Welcome to Wrekin Writer’s AGM, hopefully, if we’re quick we can get the formal part of the meeting over quickly as in past years. But before we look forward to a new year, I’d like to reflect briefly on 2009. What a year that was.


Simon kicked us all off to a good start with his romantic workshop in February. Falling in love with yourself as a writer and making time to spend with your writing with the same devotion you would a lover. I wonder how many of us used the diaries that he kindly handed out so that we could make dates with our writing?

March we all headed up to Attingham to suss the place out for the Book Fayre. It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed our time there.

May was the Book Fayre. Two days of totally contrasting weather but it didn’t matter we all had a fabulous time. Our guest authors all sold copies of their books and our competition was well received. Thanks to Darren for his very clever crossword and of course many thanks to Dorothy for arranging the whole event

June well what can I say other than ‘don’t feed the ducks.’ Liam O’Connell, a motivational speaker came to talk to us or was it to kick ass I don’t know but he certainly had an effect on many members. His message was we impose our own barriers and how is true is that so don’t. And also the Dyson, I still view mine suspiciously but the Dyson being a metaphor for those who drain us. There are still a few of us who use that term; it can be very apt at times.

July saw an intrepid group of writers heading south to a farm yard somewhere in Hereford with an impossible half mile drive way that seriously challenged the chasses on our cars. It was the Writers’ Bash. The idea was simple writers groups got together and for one balmy Saturday afternoon we all shared our work. The setting idyllic, the food excellent and the company absolutely amazing. It was an incredible afternoon and one I hope will be repeated. It was great fun to mix with other writers and to see what they were doing.

September we were privileged to welcome to the group Mary V Williams from Market Drayton Writers. A successful horror writer in her own right, Mary shared with us some of the secrets of horror writing. One phrase that really stuck in my mind was when she said ‘write about was scares you.’ That really got me thinking and although I haven’t written about it, what really scares me is once I watched an episode of Casualty – this family were driving along a country lane, the kids were fighting, the roads were narrow and around the corner came a truck, the evitable happened. I think the mother died and the others were badly injured. Not good when you live in a part of Shropshire where a b road is your equivalent to a motorway.

October was our annual workshop held in partnership with the Wellington Literary Festival. What a crowd greeted our speaker for the day Nick Fletcher. I was stunned and delighted to see nigh on thirty people there, even Nick was impressed. We all enjoyed a morning workshop on article writing and an afternoon workshop on short story writing and we all went away feeling that we learned something. A good day all round.

November our Writers’ Retreat for which I’d like to thank Mike and Susan White for arranging. Although I didn’t go this year I did see the pictures and it was wonderful to see the traditions of the Wrekin Writer Retreat were upheld. Raucous behaviour, lots of wine and the odd lap top scattered about the place.

And finally we arrived in December when thanks to my Vice Chair Barbara we all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas lunch at the Buckatree Hotel. That rounded a pretty amazing year off nicely or rather in style.

Perhaps though on a personal level I think the thing that meant the most to me was the way that over twelve months I watched so many of you not only progress but leap along the road to being writers. Articles, short stories, letters and novels were flowing from your pens. The successes being reported were amazing so well done Wrekin Writers last year, you did good. And for me it was a pleasure and a privilege to be your Chair and thank you so much for your support.

So here’s to 2010 and I wish you all every success.

Ambiguity

Don't you just love it.

The headlines on the front of the Shropshire Star tonight

FIRE SERVICE STAFF FREEZE IN MOVE TO CUT BUDGET

I have an image of poor firemen sitting in unheated stations waiting for a fire to warm them up.

However, the first paragraph reads 'Shropshire fire chiefs have announced a recruitment freeze because of mounting pressure to make budget cuts.'

Clarity is all important in whatever you write - maybe the reporters on my local paper need to remember that.