Crichton Writers was formed in 2003 as a follow-on activity to a Creative Writing course led by poet, Tom Pow, at the Crichton Campus (Dumfries) of the University of Glasgow. The course had included work in poetry, prose, writing for film and theatre and playwriting - enough stimulus to have several writers wanting to maintain creative contact with each other. The university offered them meeting space and a small fund to create a first anthology of new writing (with Dumfries Writers). To date they have published eight anthologies, given performance readings in south west Scotland, Edinburgh and Cumbria, and worked in collaboration with artists and musicians. In 2011 they wrote about Food & Drink in Dumfries and Galloway, a project which had a publication and performances - the first of which was a lunchtime cabaret - Fromage, Potage et Pain - at The Swallow Theatre, near Whithorn, which featured a cheese, soup and bread lunch interspersed with poems about those very ingredients. There was also a performance at the Wigtown Book Festival in late September, with the publication A Banquet of Writing, and another in Dumfries a little later.
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Our project for 2012 is SPACE which is giving writers the opportunity to explore every aspect of space and time, with a mini-project called 'Nine Planets' exploring the recent demotion of Pluto as the ninth planet in our solar system. There will be a lunchtime performance of both strands on Saturday 25th August at The Swallow Theatre, near Whithorn.
April 2012 World Book Night
Crichton Writers joined Powfoot Writers, with Vivien Jones and Carolyn Yates, to celebrate books and the writing of them at The Powfoot Golf Hotel.There were two giveaway books - 'I Capture the Castle' by Dodie Smith and 'Rebecca' by Daphne du Maurier (plus 26 Treasures poetry chapbooks from a recent National Museum of Scotland project) Both groups then gave readings from their current work - Crichton Writers on dwellings and Powfoot Writers on memory - the gathering extended long beyond the readings as writers and audience got to know one another. Not a single book remained.
Carolyn Yates holds sway, with Leonie, Barbara, Pam, Cathie and Lorna
Linda Cracknell’s Workshop –Walking and Writing, Wednesday 18th April 2012
Linda set the Crichton Writers free to walk in the Crichton grounds on a cold but bright day. We were given three exercises to stimulate our creative processes either while consciously walking or when out on a walk.
For the first exercise we were given the first line of a poem and asked to walk across the grass and between the trees to a meeting place while thinking about the line of poetry. Whether it was the effect of the rhythm of walking or of the fresh air the result was some interesting pieces in remarkably short time.
The second exercise involved investigating a tree with all our senses (tasting with caution).We soon disappeared to find our particular specimens, only the occasional flash of red from wellies and skirt giving Cathie and Vivien away. Communing with a tree was a private and affecting experience leading to strong writing of both poetry and prose.
For the last exercise we had to imagine a person of specified age and gender wearing specified footwear and carrying a specified object in his or her pocket also including a handkerchief. Clearly the Crichton is full of ghosts. Nurses and patients, a ploughman and his horse were resurrected with great poignancy.
At the debriefing we all felt that the three exercises were enjoyable, interesting to do and a useful addition to the writing tool kit.
Leonie Ewing 19th April 2012
January 2012
We have entered a year's partnership - finance and folding - with Dumfries Writers in producing their origami-style bi-monthly publication Fankle which is full of poems and short prose - it's made from a single cunningly folded double-sided A3 sheet. Go to their website to find out more:
Crichton Writers at 2011 Wigtown Book Festival with their new anthology
and from their cabaret lunchtime at The Swallow Theatre
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Crichton Writers' Anthologies in print
2011 - poetry and prose on food and drink
in Dumfries & Galloway
2010 - a memoir album with photographs
In 2009 the group project was a celebration of sculptor, Elizabeth Waugh, in her 80th year. 'Words & Bronze' a CD of new writing and was produced, along with a reading and exhibition of 3-D poems at The Wigtown Book Festival.
2008 on local archaeology 2007 on gardens and gardening 2006 with artist Sheila Mullen
Each year the group decides on a writing project for publication and/or performance and this will be the focus of many of its meetings. With a high proportion of published writers in its number, stimulus workshops are often led by members though sometimes writers in a specialised genre may be engaged for particular purposes. Participation in such projects is not compulsory - often members drop in at meetings to touch base, to ask for advice or comment - the emphasis is on consensual activity.
2005 with Wigtown 2005 with 2004 with
Scribblers The Galloway Consort Dumfries Writers
Most of these books are still available.
Ask here.