May the circle be unbroken by Sheena Wilkinson

Thirteenth of the month, and I’m at Arvon for the thirteenth time. Spooky! 

I’ve written about Arvon for this blog before, and it’s possible I will again, because it’s such a big part of my writing life. This time, for the fourth time, I’m here (Totleigh Barton) with the group of young writers I run in Belfast. There are fifteen of them, from nine different schools or colleges, ranging in age from 15 -21. They are all committed writers who attend my monthly workshops and this week is the highlight of our writing year together. We’re so grateful that Arvon, through the generosity of the Harvey McGrath Trust, continue to support the group. The young writers are raring to go, just as I was exactly ten years ago when I first went to Arvon as a student.

Totleigh Barton

In 2007 I was unpublished, full of nerves and hope and bad habits (writing habits, not the other kind, for which I haven’t the time or energy.) If I’d known then that ten years later I’d be writing fulltime, bringing young people to Arvon and sometimes tutoring there myself, I’d have been thrilled. I didn’t know; I only hoped, and that first week at Arvon, with Lee Weatherly and Malorie Blackman as tutors, was the first time I dared to hope a bit harder.

I’ve just come back from the Scattered Authors summer retreat at Charney Manor, which, for the third year, I co-organised with that same Lee Weatherly. And Lee herself has twice tutored my young writers here at Totleigh. It all feels very – circular and right. One of the tutors, Louise Wallwein, and mid-week guest Catherine Johnson, are writers I have got to know through Arvon too.

And of course books are part of the circle, not just people. I’m typing this post at the same desk where, just over three years ago, I typed the first chapter of Street Song. I hadn’t intended to: I thought I wasn’t ready to start, but Arvon had other ideas.

started at Arvon!

This time a year ago, here as a student, I was sent my cover for Street Song. You have to walk for some time to get a wee bit of 3G signal, so the picture downloaded very…very…slowly. My heart was in my mouth as I saw the cover unfold – luckily I loved it. Today I have a copy of the book to give to the library here, in recognition of the part Arvon played in the book’s creation.

And today, very, very slowly, the cover for my next novel, Star By Star, downloaded unto my phone. How neat and fitting, especially as it was here last year, daydreaming lazily after finishing the short radio play I was here to write, that the story for that very novel seemed to download itself – much faster than the picture – into my mind. 

A great place to daydream a story into existence

I don’t have anything very pithy to end with. I just feel very much, here in this beautiful place and at this particular time, that the last ten years have given me so much, and Arvon has been a huge part of it. Another writer at Charney last week spoke of the importance of being grateful, and I’m very, very grateful for Arvon.

I have a new notebook with me, labelled New Novel Plans. I can't think of a better place to begin...