It’s really only after the covid year of 2020 that I’ve come to realise how important writers festivals and similar events are to me. I always enjoyed them, but also thought they were a bit like the cherry on the cake. Now I think they’re far more important, almost essential.
Writers spend so much time by ourselves, those solitary hours of working. It’s something I enjoy, but you can have too much of it. There’s a danger of losing perspective and motivation, as if you’re writing words that just disappear into the ether. So getting together with like-minded souls for some feedback is therapeutic, inspiring and motivating. And fun.
Last year I was slated for three sessions at the SWF, but the in-person sessions were all cancelled. I did one event on zoom, but it wasn’t the same. It made me realise how much I missed live events.
This year I was on a crime writers panel, which more than made up for it, not least because fellow writers Sulari Gentill, Candice Fox and Tim Ayliffe are all such warm and supportive people. And highly entertaining!
Sulari, Candice and I were able to have dinner together the evening before, swapping notes and exchanging news. There were plenty of other old friends to catch up with at the festival – journalists and writers – as well as new people to meet.
I left sleep deprived and hung over – but also with my batteries recharged!