What does friendship mean to you?
Thank you for joining us for the first Words & Friends, plus community events and open calls for writing & writers
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Thank you so much to everyone who joined us last night for Words & Friends. This was a really fun collab event between The Good Egg Project and Orémi at Victor Hugo Deli - The Shore and we hope there’ll be more in the future!
It’s lovely to be welcomed into a new space and we were able to soak in the last of the summer sun across from the Water of Leith. Not only was the weather on our side, but Ini did such a wonderful job of creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere for new and familiar writers to come together, do some writing, and make friends.
Our first Words & Friends session focused on friendship, which felt like a good starting point for these events which aim to help people not only connect with their own creativity but also with other people who enjoy writing and making art. Ini and I have spoken a lot about how difficult it can feel to make friends as an adult, especially outside of education or work, which we wanted to remedy with this event (and other events).
Sometimes it can feel impossible to meet new people, but we hope Words & Friends can carve out time and space for people to come along to try new things, embrace their creativity, and make new connections.
I’m happy to say our first event was a success with people sitting together and chatting regardless of how well they knew each other. I loved hearing everyone chat about what they love about friendship, how these relationships recontextualise affection, comfort, and support outside of romantic relationships, and how they plan to keep open hearts so they can continue to grow with their friends. It felt like a really special and empowering way to consider and enact community, compassion, and care.
I’m looking forward to seeing how The Good Egg Project and Orémi can work together again before the end of the year.
But before I get dreamy about future plans, let’s take a look at yesterday’s tasks!
What did we get up to last night?
Our tasks were inspired by friendship, what it means to be a friend, and how to support each other through good times and difficult times.
These tasks are designed to be done with other people (between 2-5 people) and encourage you to spend time with others to connect and build stronger relationships and understanding, but you can also do them alone.
You can do these tasks using paper and pens or with a laptop or notebook.
Task 1
Consider the following questions about friendship and make notes:
What does friendship mean to you?
What do your friends do that makes you feel loved?
What do they do that makes you feel safe?
How do you show up for each other in hard times?
How do you show up for each other in good times?
What lessons have you learned from your friends?
What’s the best way to grow together?
Here’s an example of how one of our groups worked together to discuss and consider these questions:
You can make a list, a mind map, or use any other format to write your answers out. These answers are important for our next task which was inspired by Tandem Poets’ collaborative exercise You to Me.
Task 2
Take your answers from task 1 and free-write for 10-15 minutes around these ideas, delving into whichever answers stick out to you.
You can write lists, you can write short stories or anecdotes related to these answers and ideas, and you can write poems. Whatever medium suits you is what’s best.
When you’re done writing, read your free writing to the person (or people) you are writing with.
Task 3
Determine who is writer A and who is writer B (or writer C and writer D, depending on how many people you’re writing with).
Work together to highlight words, phrases, and ideas you like from each other’s work. When you’ve highlighted your chosen words, phrases, and ideas, writer A will choose one to begin your piece.
Then writer B will select another idea or phrase from your word/phrase/idea bank to continue the writing.
When writer B is done, pass it back to writer A to choose another word/phrase/idea to continue writing. Then pass back to writer B and so on until you reach a conclusion you’re happy with.
You can write a short story, flash fiction, or poem, create a comic, write a dialogue between two friends (or other characters), write a vignette, write a love letter to your friends, create a recipe for friendship, or write whatever your imagination(s) desire!
If you do these tasks at home, please feel free to send us your work, Ini and I would love to see what you write!
Community events
Loud Poets Spoken Word Showcase
Tonight, September 20, the Loud Poets return to their home at the Scottish Storytelling Centre with their September Spoken Word Showcase. This month they’re joined by poets and spoken word artists Yomi Sode, Drew Gill, Shak, and Noor. This evening promises to bring the best of spoken word and poetry to the stage and you don’t want to miss out!
Get tickets for the showcase here
FACE/OFF is an exhibition of portrait photography showcasing the work of 26 photographers who were matched a random to capture each other’s portraits in digital or analogue format. This collective opportunity for creative fun, collaboration, and community support was also a chance to expand portfolios, and an opportunity to exhibit their work down the line. Pop down to Leith Makers tonight, September 20 from 7 pm to celebrate the opening of the exhibition which is open until Sunday, September 22.
Learn more about the launch event here
Creative Conversations
The University of Glasgow Creative Writing Department recently launched the autumn semester line-up of Creative Conversations. Their next session is on Monday, September 23 with poet, writer, and author of How We Named the Stars, Andrés N. Ordorica. The events are free and open to all!
Check out more from the UoG Creative Writing Department here
The Chicken Coop Writing Group
That’s right! We’re clucking back! Come down to Lost in Leith next Tuesday, September 24 for an evening of creative writing with a bunch of curious and hilarious writers as we take on work and corporate culture. We’re going to be looking at how we protect our peace and set boundaries in a world that expects employees to go above and beyond their contracts. It sounds intense, and it might be, but we’re going to do our best to find the humour in the darkness of pushing our own wants and needs aside as we line the pockets of the corporate elite.
Book tickets for the Coop here
Hame-ish is back in style next Tuesday, September 24 for the latest installment of their cabaret. This month they’re featuring poet Shasta Ali, who will joined by musicians and poets Stephen Watt, Jack Hinks, Sally Gall, Rituals the Poet, and Lloyd Robinson for the Hame-ish Live portion of the evening. This line-up is spectacular and Hame-ish is such a wonderful evening that brings performers and audiences together in a way few other events do!
Get your free tickets for the cabaret here
Open calls for writing & writers
HalloZINE FAIR Table Applications
Coin-Operated Press is open for HalloZINE FAIR stallholder applications. If you make zines and live in Edinburgh (or can travel to) the National Library of Scotland, or fancy a day of spooky zine shenanigans you can apply to table your zines at our HalloZINE FAIR now! They’re also looking for volunteers to help out at the Zine Fair too. The application deadline is Monday, September 23.
Submit your interest here
Bursaries for Emerging Scottish Playwrights
Moniack Mhor Creative Writing Centre is offering two last-minute bursaries to attend their upcoming playwriting course. The bursaries are for emerging Scottish playwrights who experience barriers to the art form to attend their Playwriting Course with Penelope Skinner, Al Smith, and Guest Reader Douglas Maxwell from September 30 until October 5. They have a £400 bursary on offer for each writer.
To apply send in a short writer's bio, a synopsis of any play in draft, and a short script extract of up to 1500 words to pauline@moniackmhor.org.uk. The application deadline is Tuesday, September 24.
Learn more about the course here
Women’s Prize Discoveries 2025
Discoveries 2025 is now open for submissions! Women's Prize, Curtis Brown Creative and Audible UK are collaborating to run this writing development programme and prize for unpublished female novelists. The prize is open to women writers currently residing in the UK or Ireland. To enter you need to submit the first 10,000 words of your novel-in-progress across any genre of adult fiction. The winner will be offered representation by CBG Books and awarded a cash prize of £5,000! The deadline for entries is January 13, 2025.
Find out more here
Thank you for reading!
I am feeling really good after returning to events last night and I’m looking forward to the Coop next week! It’s nice to be back in creative spaces and to meet so many wonderful people.
It’s a privilege to be able to help people connect with their creativity and to read and listen to the words they write as well. I can’t tell you how much it means to see people being creative just because they can in these spaces and I hope everyone who comes along to these events or who subscribes to this newsletter can find some peace in making art no matter what stage of the journey they’re at.
After the Coop next week, things may get a little sporadic with the newsletter as I’m getting married next month. I’m super excited to get married, but I can’t deny that wedding prep has jumped up a notch as we’re less than a month out.
I’ll be doing my best to stay on top of news and updates, and sharing events and open calls, but I don’t want to over-promise on what’ll be achievable in the next few weeks!
Anyway, if you can make it to the Coop next week, please do come along! It’ll be lovely to spend some time with you and get words on paper.
Until next time, take care!
Naomi x
P.s. If you know someone who’d like to do some writing or get started on their writing journey, please consider sharing this newsletter with them.
P.p.s. This week we started training Taco to be off-lead and while it’s been scary, her happy little runs around the park have made it all worthwhile.