Welcome to Slough Writers
Slough Writers Summer Barbecue
Slough Writers is a friendly and supportive group for writers of all abilities, living in the Slough area. To learn more about the group and our meetings, check About Us or see our latest Programme of activities.
We meet most Mondays at the Waterman’s Arms in Eton from 7:30pm in their function room. If you’re interested in joining, just drop in and say hello, or use the Contact Us button and drop us a line.
News
2012 Spring Competition Results
Spring Competition Results from Judge Carole Matthews (2012-04-02 21:48:26)
Slough Writers is pleased to announce the results of our Spring Competition on the theme of "Missing". The competition was judged by romantic comedy author Carole Matthews.
The results were as follows:
Far from the Malling Crowd by Wally Smith.
Missing by Kay Woods.
Polly Put the Kettle On by Linda Hurdwell.
From left to right, first-place winner Wally Smith, judge Carole Matthews, second-place winner Kay Woods.
Carole congratulated all the writers while also offering valuable insight into a full-time author's life.
2012 Article Competition Results
Result 2012 Article Competition (2012-02-01 19:19:10)
Mike Pearcy with Scooping A New Future Down On The Farm
Jenni Heward-Craig with Hidden Vintage
Lee Taylor with Paley Street
Fourth place was awarded by the judge Janice Raycrost to Wally Smith for A Village Passed.
The competition judge, Janice Raycroft, attended the meeting to give the results and present the prizes. Janice has worked on the Bucks Free Press; was editor of the Slough Observer; worked for Trinity newspapers; and is now editor of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire Life magazine. She said that the standard of entries was very high and judging was a difficult task.
Video Performance of "After the Wedding" Competition Winners
Video Performance of "After the Wedding" Competition Winners (2012-01-21 01:05:19)
Following Slough Writers' 2011 poetry competition, we're very pleased to present a video performance of the winning entries. After the Wedding features Sally East's The Bridesmaid, Jenni Heward-Craig's The Marriage List and Terry Adlam's After The Wedding Is Over, all read by competition judge Jonathan Steffen.
Additional performances by the authors themselves.
Video produced and directed by Mike Pearcy.
2011 Summer Competition Results
Summer 2011 Competition Results Announced (2011-11-29 16:24:47)
Monday 31 October - Halloween - was the night for the results of the Summer Competition with the theme of Horror.
Mike Pearcy with An Unexpected Act of Mercy
Sally East with All That I Am
William Campbell with Angel's Trumpet
Picture shows Sally East, Mike Pearcy and William Campbell.
There were 9 entrants and the entries averaged 4,600 words. Seven of the nine entrants attempted the ‘guess the author’ competition. Six of the entrants correctly guessed that Wally was the author of ‘Solo Descent’. Jenni and Mike identified five authors correctly; Wally identified seven authors; Sally E was awarded a bottle of wine for identifying all nine.
There was a maximum possible score of 80 points. The leading 5 entries were separated by 10 points. The result was: In joint 2nd place with 49 points were William (‘Angel’s Trumpet’) and Sally E (‘All That I Am’). First place with 53 points was Mike (‘An Unexpected Act of Mercy’).
Entrants commented on the quality of the critiques. While some people found it difficult to write the critiques, others said that the workshop evening on critiquing led by Wally earlier this term was very helpful. The entrants had a range of ways of going about the task of judging – some read all the stories through first to gain their first impressions, while others read them through more than once, before moving on to the next.
2011 Poetry Competition Results
Poetry Competition Summer 2011 Results Announced (2011-07-14 00:07:26)
Monday 11 July We were joined by Jonathan Steffen our judge for the annual poetry competition. After a few introductory remarks about himself and his writing he said how he had enjoyed judging the poems. How different and quite surprising they were and all of the utmost high quality. The Theme was After The Wedding. The results were as follows.
Sally East with The Bridesmaid
Jenni Heward-Craig with The Marriage List
Terry Adlam with After The Wedding Is Over
He gave a special mention to Dave Smith, William Campbell, Mike Pearcy, Sally Clarke, Tony Matthews, and Wally Smith whose poems he enjoyed very much. Mike took photos of the Judge with all the winners.
Sally East (front) came first, Jenni Heward Craig (left) was second and Terry Adlam (right) came third. The judge Jonathan Steffen is standing behind.
Annual Awards 2010/2011
Annual Awards 2010/2011 (2011-07-13 23:58:04)
At our recent AGM held 11th July we honoured three members with awards for their writing achievements and contribution to the well-being of the group over the last twelve months.
Writer of the Year award to Mike Pearcy.
Taylor Award (for services to the group) to Wendy Naylor.
Newcomer of the Year Award to Kay Woods.
Kay, Wendy and Mike
Writing for Dummies!
First and Second In National Competition. (2011-07-13 23:40:34)
On 11 July we learned that Terry Adlam had taken first place in the Ventriloquists Club of Great Britain script competition earning £50 and Jenni Heward Craig took second place with a £30 prize. Jenni made the announcement with a fixed smile but it sounded an awful lot like Terry.
Poet Sally Second in Burnham
Poet Sally Second In Burnham (2011-06-02 17:31:12)
Sally East came second in the Think! Burnham poetry competition. Comic poet Ian McMillan presented her with her prize, a CD of his poetry, at an evening of poetry and cartoons at Burnham Park Hall. Ian McMillan was hilarious. His poems were illustrated by cartoonist, Tony Husband. A jaw-achingly entertaining evening!
Three Wins in Six Months in Writers New Competitions
Three Wins in Six Months in Writers News Competitions. (2011-05-11 16:52:17)
Lin Hurdwell, Tony Matthews and Wally Smith have all won prizes in Writers News subscriber competitions during the past six months.
Tony's story appeared in the February issue, Wally's in the March issue and Lin's is in the current issue (June). We are checking to find out if this is a record!
As well as Lin's story the June issue also contains a four page article about the screenwriter of the film The King's Speech by SW member Michael Pearcy and a press release about the result of our Autumn 2010 travel competition. Not forgetting that for many months member Tony Rossiter has had a regular column in Writer News on the theme how to write like....
Aren't we a bright bunch!
2011 Short Story Competition Results
Short Story Competition 2011 - Result Announced. (2011-04-20 23:14:34)
On Monday 18th April the result of the 2011 short Story competition on the theme of identity was announced.
William Campbell with Past Form
Michael Pearcy with Walking On Quicksand
Kay Woods with Note To Self
Main picture shows from the left Kay Woods, William Campbell, Melanie Gow (judge) and Michael Pearcy.
Terry introduced our judge for the short story competition - Melanie Gow the editor of online Beat Magazine. The theme was Identity and she said she had very much enjoyed judging. She gave us two handouts with quotes from Kurt Vonnecot and Joseph O'Connor. Her comments were many and varied .She had read a story every day and gave herself time to think about each one in depth. She emphasised that point of view is important but limits perspective. Detail is all- important for interest.
Author Julie Cohen Talks to the Group
Author Julie Cohen Talks To The Group (2011-04-11 19:08:16)
On Monday 4th April Author Julie Cohen gave a talk billed as How To Write A Synopsis of Your Novel.
Julie is an ex-secondary school English teacher who writes humorous, sexy women's fiction and romance. After suffering the usual rejections, her fourth novel was a 2004 short contemporary Golden Heart finalist. Harlequin subsequently bought it and she said she screamed with joy, and has never
looked back. She gained a wonderful Agent, and battled with her synopses, which she says she really HATES writing. Her hate was certainly our gain as she gave us two very good and comprehensive 'How To' handouts. We were encouraged to apply her maxims to the novels we are or would like, to write and although she emphasises that a synopsis may be difficult to do it is very well worth it as it SELLS the book.
A one-page synopsis is all they want and it also can be used as a blue print for the author. There was a lot of sense in what she said and left us wanting more. A truly enjoyable and entertaining evening.
Several people bought her books.
Reading of Winning Plays
Reading of Winning Plays (2011-01-20 00:07:43)
On 17th January we enjoyed readings of five plays from our 15 minute playwriting competition from summer 2010. Judge Edel Brosnan attended and the acting was bolstered by four actors from Total Theatre. For the full results see item Summer Competition, 2010 - results announced below.
Make Up by Terry Adlam.
A New Beginning by Paul Stimpson and Sweet Peas by Tony Matthews.
Saw The Last Of The Day by Jenni Heward Craig and The Arborist and The Biologist by William Campbell.
Great Welcome to our New Venue
Great welcome to our new venue (2011-01-11 11:42:16)
Monday 10 Jan was our first night at the new venue upstairs at the Palmer Arms. The meeting room is perfect for us and the bar after proved very acceptable.
The first evening was a member led discussion about our plans and objectives for the coming year. Let's hope we all live up to the goals we set ourselves. No pressure!
2010 Article Competition Results
Article competition - Autumn session - Winners announced (2010-11-29 21:00:00)
The winners of the autumn session article writing competition were announced at our meeting 29 November 2010. The task was to write a 1000 word piece about a travel destination which the author had not been to. A major element of this competition was obviously research. The judge was Denise Diorazio an experienced overseas travel agent based in Singapore.
The result was:
Wendy Naylor with Land of the Thunder Dragon
Jenni Heward-Craig with Big Fried Italin
Dave Smith with Looking Down From Heaven.
The picture shows Wendy Naylor, front with trophy, Jenni Heward-Craig and Dave Smith.
William Campbell runner-up in Guardian Travel Competition
William Campbell runner-up in Guardian Travel Competition (2010-11-20 00:00:00)
An article extracted from his Journal, about a near-fatal incident on his Saga holiday in Spain, has gained William Campbell runner-up place in the Guardian Travel Writing Competition.
The published piece can be read on the Guardian web page and scrolling down to Spanish boulder dash.
The originating text is available on William's web page as Stone Sober in Salobreña.
2010 Summer Competition Results
Summer Competition, 2010 - results announced (2010-11-08 20:00:00)
The result of the 2010 summer competition was announced on 8th November. The task was to write a 15 minutes play with a maximum of four characters.
Terry Adlam with Make Up
Tony Matthews with Sweet Peas
Paul Stimpson with A New Beginning.
PHOTO - rear: William Campbell, Terry Adlam, Edel Brosnan, Jenni Heward-Craig.
Front: Tony Matthews and Paul Stimpson.
Jenni Heward-Craig was highly commended for her play Saw the Last of the Day. Also Highly commended was The Arborist and The Biologist by William Campbell.
The judge sent her comments, which were very complimentary. The five winning plays are on our Website for those who wish to read them. They were presented as a rehearsed reading at our meeting on 17th January when the judge Edel Brosnan was present to discuss the competition.
Annual Awards 2009/2010
Annual Awards 2009/2010 (2010-07-12 20:00:00)
At our recent AGM we honoured three members with awards for their writing achievements and contribution to the well-being of the group over the last twelve months.
Writer of the Year award to Lee Taylor.
Taylor Award (for services to the group) to Wendy Naylor.
Newcomer of the Year Award to Sally Clarke.
From left to right: Sally Clarke, Lee Taylor and Wendy Naylor.
Sally Clarke, a recent addition to the group, gained Newcomer of the Year for the improvement in her writing skills. Sally has recently set up a haiku website, and is looking forward to encouraging others to write poetry.
Wendy Naylor, grandmother and long-time member of the Slough Writers, received the Taylor Award for services to the group. Ever willing to step in and help, she has worked hard to ensure that everything has run smoothly during the 2009/2010 season.
The final annual award – the Writer of the Year – went to Lee Taylor. It was a popular decision, as Lee has managed, in the few years in which he has been a member of Slough Writers, to be included in the anthology for the Bristol Prize, and win a number of our internal competitions as well as local competitions. Now retired, he is hard at work on his first novel.
2010 Poetry Competition Results
Poetry Competition, Summer 2010 - results announced (2010-07-11 21:30:00)
The recent World Cup in South Africa was the inspiration behind the latest poetry competition. Slough Writers used the theme ‘South Africa’ to explore the country, its history and its future through poetry. The results were:
Roy Cecil with From Rift to Rainbow.
William Campbell with Beads Tanka - linked tankas in Zulu and English within a beads necklace.
Jenni Heward-Craig with DeVilliers Street.
Photo of the winners - William Campbell (left), Eileen Maduray, Roy Cecil (centre), Donald Mathray and Jenni Heward Craig (right) - (pic by Michael Pearcy.)
The judges were three South African born teachers who live and work in Slough, Salo Mathray, Donald Mathray and Eileen Maduray.
Eileen Maduray said: “although the judging was difficult, the poems themselves gave us a chance to revisit South Africa through the writers’ eyes and words.”
There were thirteen entries. The winner was a poem charting the history of South Africa ‘From Rift to Rainbow’ by Roy Cecil, a long-time member of Slough Writers. Second place went to ‘The Beads Tanka’ by William Campbell – based on expressions used in the Zulu language. Third place was taken by Jenni Heward-Craig with ‘De Villier’s Street’, a poem about what it’s like to yearn to return to South Africa.
2010 Short Story Competition Results
Short Story Competition, Spring 2010 - results (2010-04-12 21:00:00)
The results have been announced for the 2010 Slough Writers short story competition. The theme, to create a pastiche of a favourite writer, was well-contested; according to the judge, retired English teacher Elizabeth Hurst, it was a highly entertaining but intellectual competition to judge.
The winning story, "The Son Also Rises" by Lee Taylor, beat out strong competition from entries in the style of Ray Bradbury, Harper Lee, and Franz Kafka, among others.
The complete results were as follows:
Lee Taylor with The Son Also Rises - a story about one man's shopping day in the style of Ernest Hemingway.
Terry Adlam with The Fete of Little Whippinshall - a hard-boiled Mickey Spillane pastiche about a retired policeman in Kent.
Jenni Heward-Craig with Ease and Education - transferring Jane Austen to a modern-day council estate.
Well done to all the winners.
From left to right, Jenni Heward-Craig (3rd), Lee Taylor (1st), Elizabeth Hurst (judge), Terry Adlam (2nd).
2009 Summer Competition Results
Summer Competition, 2009 - results announced (2009-11-09 17:22:34)
Over the summer, nine stalwart members attempted to change history with the 2009 Summer Competition. Judged by members, each entrant had to write 5000 words of Alternative History. The resulting stories ranged from Elizabethan (or is that Spanish?) England to the real end of Amelia Earhart.
After much reading and critiquing, the final results for the stories were:
Mike Pearcy with The Great British Soviet, a dystopian view of Britain under Soviet rule.
Tony Matthews with I Want To Go On Living, giving Anne Frank the happy ending we all wanted for her.
Lee Taylor with The Origins and Early History of 'Grace', a psychedelic take on how the French Revolution might have been prevented.
Lee Taylor also managed to see through the anonymous entries to win the prize for "Guess the Author".
Many congratulations to the winners and all those who took part.
From left to right, Tony Matthews (2nd), Mike Pearcy (1st), Lee Taylor (3rd).
