Hoy, Orkney, 5 – 7 October 2007

The Old Man of Hoy, Orkney.

FOURTEEN writers took Stevie’s boat to Hoy and checked in at the newly refurbished Hoy Hostel for this, the first retreat of the Fellowship. Hosted by the first G M B Fellow, Pam Beasant, it promised in-depth workshops, private writing time, one-to-one mentoring sessions and great food.

It didn’t disappoint. The High island provided every kind of weather, but there wasn’t much time for watching the scenery. Friday was get to grips night – who are we all? What are we writing? What are we expecting? Where’s me bed and what fantastic showers these are!

Saturday offered a day of workshops – Alison Flett, busy with her novel after successful poetry collections, offered advice on voice; Janet MacInnes, short story writer and Big Voice herself, gave students an exercise which had several folk waking up in the wee smaa hoors cogitating – (yes, there was homework!).

The long haul novel, dialogue, poetry – busy tutors, busy writers – it was a packed day, punctuated by soups. Writers were to be found in various corners, sucking pencils.

In the evening, John Aberdein read from his new work in progress; John McGill from his novel The Most Glorified Strip of Bunting, to be published by Two Ravens in November; and Fiona MacInnes gave extracts from the work generated by her Scottish Arts Council writing grant. It was a late night.

Pam Beasant gave a publishing workshop the next day; there was mentoring, and feedback. The tidying up seemed easy (‘if you hae bread left, mind we hae ducks…’) – and on the way back to Stromness there were rainbows over the water. A good sign.

The writers found it useful, hard work, inspiring. More importantly, perhaps, they had a chance to meet each other and identify a common need to pay attention to Orkney, note things down, tell new stories and share them.

The Hoy hostel is a well kept (maybe too well kept!) secret – it’s a splendid venue for writers, artists, musicians and did the Retreat proud. As for the Fellowship – there can only be one first GMB Retreat, and this was a worthy beginning.

The sense of confidence generated, and the work which is beginning to filter through as a result of the weekend, is testimony to Pam Beasant’s steady stewardship of Mackay Brown’s legacy – the next generation of Orcadian writers.

© Morag MacInnes, 2007

Links

• GMB Website