Swanwick continued ...

...and of course I'm not disappointed - just exhausted! I had resolved this year to pace myself, not to attempt all that's on offer, but it's hard to resist going to anything and everything that looks interesting. So, with sessions starting at 08.00 and going through until midnight, it can get a bit out of hand!

My specialist course this year is "Creative Non-Fiction" with the American author Kathryn Aalto. If you haven't seen her recent book "The Natural History Of Winnie The Pooh: A Walk Through The Forest That Inspired The Hundred Acre Wood", you've really missed something - the prose is superb, the story tremendous. I've found her sessions not only very inspiring but, most importantly, really firmly grounded and I'm learning a lot. The shorter classes I've done so far have been fun but useful too. But today is timetabled as a "Prevarication Free Day!" so we're all beavering away at our own projects, without the usual domestic and work constraints that so often impede progress in our home situations.

Of course, the social interaction on these weeks is a vital part of the mix and, in addition to several old friends, I've met some great new ones. It's fascinating to hear what other people are writing, their experiences of publishing and marketing their work, all their ups and downs in choosing to put pen to paper. Many of them have their work on sale in the book room; after hearing them read at open mics or discussing their books over dinner, the temptation to spend a small fortune there is almost irresistible!

Award presentation for the short
story competition