Scottish Book Trust has launched an exciting new writing project to encourage people to share their true stories of life and food, with a selection of the best submissions to be published in an e-book.
The Nourish writing campaign will run from 29 March – 7 June, and during that time Scottish Book Trust is encouraging the people of Scotland to spill their tasty tales. Whether it’s about growing your own, howking tatties, creative cooking, sharing a poke of chips or a celebratory feast, they want a bite of what fuels your body and mind.
People of all ages from across Scotland are invited to submit personal pieces of writing about what nourishes them in any form – story, poem, comic strip, play or letter – of up to 1,000 words long, in English, Gaelic or Scots via www.scottishbooktrust.com/nourish
Celebrities and authors such as Mary Contini and Catherine Simpson will be cooking up stories to whet writers’ appetites during the open call for entries. Free workshops will also take place throughout Scotland (Aberdeen, Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fort William, Galashiels, Glasgow, Inverness, North Berwick, Stirling and Thurso) to help writers learn the perfect ingredients for a good story. To add spice to the campaign Scottish Book Trust has an interview with Gary Maclean, winner of 2016 Masterchef: The Professionals, on its blog.
Scottish Book Trust’s favourite stories will be published in an e-book for Book Week Scotland (27 November – 3 December 2017), Scotland’s national celebration of books and reading.
Philippa Cochrane, Head of Reader Development at Scottish Book Trust, said:
“Food can evoke memories, connect us with others, present difficult choices or simply set us up for the day – it can challenge and inspire us and offer nourishment beyond what’s on the plate. From Arbroath smokies to Stornoway black pudding, Scottish food is quite distinctive in the culinary world. Through this campaign we hope to nurture and encourage anyone to get involved even if they’ve never written before. If stories be the food of life, write on. We can’t wait to feast our eyes on all the submissions.”
Mary Contini, Valvona & Crolla Director and author, said:
“Give yourself time to write. You’ll be enriched. You’ll learn to appreciate yourself and reveal the value in others. You’ll learn to observe, to understand and to see the joy in detail. Always a career is not built in a day…it is a culmination of your days, and the effort you put into each one. So don’t waste any time. Off you go…just write it down!”
The project is being run in partnership with the Gaelic Books Council, with stories from Sandy NicDhòmhnaill Jones and Maureen Macleod.
Submissions can be made online at www.scottishbooktrust.com/nourish. The closing date for entries is midnight on Wednesday 7 June 2017 except for school pupils who will be able to submit their stories until October.
