Most writers spend a great deal of time on their own, in
front of their computers/laptops/notebooks.
Even if surrounded by loving partners and/or boisterous children/demanding
teenagers, they still need to spend a lot of time alone in their heads in order
to write their books.
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| Kulikov, writer |
And it’s for this very reason that it is so important for
writers to be able to get together with other writers sometimes, others who are
doing the same things, who understand the ups and downs of being a published author.
Some may be lucky enough to have a group of fellow-writers living close
enough to meet regularly, while others may feel very isolated, with no other
writers living in the same area. Most of
us are, truly, scattered authors.
On its website the Scattered Authors Society describes itself as “A network of
children’s writers who share the highs and lows of publishing, along with quite
a lot of cake”. Membership is open to
all traditionally published writers for young people. It was started by fellow-author Anne Cassidy in the 1990s, though I didn't join till later when I was inspired by someone I met at a big writers’ conference. At the time of the conference I’d had only three books
published, and felt very much a newbie among all those confident and talented people,
but my inspiring fellow-attendee, who has since become a real friend, persuaded
me to join the Scattered Authors – and I have never regretted it! At the time, she said, there were two opportunities for members to get together every year: one weekend conference (in Coventry at
the time, later Peterborough, though that has now been dropped), and one
four-day retreat at Charney Basset in Oxfordshire. I tried the weekend one first, which I
thoroughly enjoyed, and then the same friend said I would love the Charney
retreat, so the following year I went to that one too.
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| Relaxing at Charney |
She was right – it was an amazing, fulfilling time, meeting
fellow-writers from all over the country, including Northern Ireland and
Scotland, people I would never have had a chance to meet any other way. Several of them have since also become good
friends, with whom I can exchange emails and phone calls. There is something about the combined
creativity of a whole group of writers in a relaxed atmosphere that is second
to none, and many fellow-attendees have gone on to write books that began, or
were inspired, during one retreat and subsequently went on to be published. Whenever I go to Charney, I come back fizzing
with new ideas and inspiration – “filling the well”, if you like. The retreat at Charney became so popular and
oversubscribed that when the Coventry/Peterborough weekend stopped, another
annual weekend “retreat” began in Folly Farm, in Somerset. Charney is in the summer, while Folly Farm is
in the winter, so Scattered Authors wishing to attend can choose which one
suits them best. In fact the word “retreat”
is perhaps a misnomer, conjuring up (as it does) a group of people silently and
solemnly communing with themselves and ignoring the world around them and
everyone else. The reality is very
different. There is plenty of chat and
much laughter, as well as sessions (which can be useful, inspiring and/or
hilarious) led by the members themselves which everyone can attend if they
like, or maybe only the sessions that particularly appeal. Alternatively some prefer to spend their time
in their room working on their latest book and only joining everyone else for
meals. Either way, it’s a unique
experience.
Somehow both these retreats managed to keep going all
through Covid (with restrictions), missing only one year in 2020. Now, however, with lockdowns over, leading to
everyone catching up on all the trips they were unable to do for two years, and
with the current financial problems facing us all, it appears that their days
might be numbered if not enough people want to attend. I feel it would be a
terrible shame and a grave mistake if they were allowed to wither away and die. Both Charney and Folly Farm are worth
fighting for.
Re the expense: it is interesting to note that other, big, writing
retreats/conferences charge a great deal more than these Scattered Authors
breaks, but as far as I can gather they are still going ahead as before, some
even putting their prices up but still getting customers. The Scattered Authors, of course, don’t have
(and don’t want) that corporate structure, whereby there is always enough in
the management pot to cover unexpected absences – we all pay for ourselves.
But it is so well worth it!
As I said at the start of this blog, writers need to get together
occasionally – and long may they continue to do so!
Scattered Authors website: https://scatteredauthors.org/
My website: lynnebenton.com
Latest book (inspired by a session at Charney!)
