Guernsey Society of Authors is a small group of authors, comprising of both members and non-members who meet in the Dorey Room, in the Guille Alles Library once a month. Earlier this year, The Society of Authors (SoA) invited members to form their own local group in addition to the support they offer us individually. I have been a full member myself for about twelve years and I have found the free advice and support they give me invaluable. Based in London, the Society gives regular talks and advice sessions and these are available to attend in the UK, and often online too, but here in Guernsey we rarely have the opportunity to discuss the ups and downs of being a writer face to face. And believe me there are many ups and downs!
In our meetings we share our experience of the publishing world, from how to face ‘writer’s block’ and get through it, to submissions, dealing with the heartache of rejection slips, finding an agent, details of copyright, editing, etc. We are all published or soon to be published authors, and one or two of us are just starting out. Several of us members of theSoA (Society of Authors) but not all. We welcome new and aspiring writers to join us as we all started out with a passion for writing, and a dream of becoming published.
Our next meeting is TUESDAY 14th October at 7.15pm in the Dorey Room, Guille Alles Library, St. Peter Port.
As any new writer knows who is hoping to see their words published, the road to success is a rocky one – whether you write fiction or non-fiction, poetry or prose, the ‘Way In’ might be signposted, and invitations for submissions tempting, but how achievable is it to wake up one morning and realise you are a published writer and can hold your own book in your hand? So if you have a manuscript in the drawer which you almost chucked in the bin years ago, or if you are half way through a novel and never manage to finish it, we are here to encourage you. If you’re a freelance writer, when you send off an article to a magazine we can share your anticipation, and your excitement if an acceptance email pops into your inbox, or conversely we will understand your disappointment because there are, as in many areas of writing, numerous failures. We’ve all been there and when you’re on your own without people to talk to who understand the passion we authors have, it’s hard.
Membership to our group is free, but if you would like to join The Society of Authors in the future, being a member of our local group gives you entitlement to 20% discount on the membership fee. For more details on what the SoA is all about, please visit their website: https://societyofauthors.org/
When Radio Guernsey producer spotted our poster in the local bookshop Writers Block – he phoned me to ask more about it. To my delight he invited me to talk about our new local group on BBC Radio Guernsey Steph Watkins morning show. It was really great! You should be able to listen to some of it here:
Theresa Le Flem 