• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
    • Eastleigh Basics Bank
    • Community Food Larder at Chandler’s Ford Methodist Church
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies

Continuing Professional Development

Swanwick 2024

August 23, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Many thanks to Jen Wilson, Penny Blackburn, Val Penny, Keith Hinchy, and June Webber for images from Swanwick. Other images from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by yours truly, Allison Symes. Other images created in Book Brush using my photos.

When this post goes out, I will be back home, having recently enjoyed another lovely week at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, which is based at The Hayes, Derbyshire. This week sees me immersed in the world of writing, which is just one of many reasons I adore going. It is also the place from where the only German prisoner of war from World War Two successfully escaped and fled back to Germany.

On the writing front, delegates are free to choose which courses and workshops they go to and there is a wide range of topics to choose from too. There is something to suit everyone, no matter where they are at in their writing journeys.

There are four part and two part courses to choose from, as well as the one hour workshops, plus I find I always learn something useful, as well as enjoying being entertained, by the after dinner guest speakers, who are all renowned in their fields.

[Read more…] about Swanwick 2024

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: am reading, am writing, Continuing Professional Development, courses, creative writing, networking, residential writing school, The Hayes, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, workshops

Making the Most of a Writing Event

July 19, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots and photos from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes. A huge thank you to Julia Patterson for taking the image of me leading my editing workshop at the 2023 Swanwick.

I’m shortly off on my travels again to a major highlight of my writing year, The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in lovely Derbyshire. I meet up with friends I only see online for the rest of the year (though that is wonderful).

Indeed, one writer I plan to be catching up at Swanwick is Val Penny, author of the DI Hunter Wilson series, whom I’ll be interviewing here again next week. I hope to write more about Swanwick for a later post here but I am running a two part course called Editing as a Writer, Editing as a Competition Judge, which I’m looking forward to presenting.

I thought it might be useful to share some tips as to how to make the most of any writing event you might go to, whether it is a week long residential one like Swanwick, or a single day event. (I am hoping to get to another of those soon too run by the Association of Christian Writers).

[Read more…] about Making the Most of a Writing Event

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: am writing, Continuing Professional Development, courses, creative writing, networking, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, workshops, writing career development, writing events

The Writing Community

October 6, 2023 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-
Most images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Many thanks to Julia Pattison for taking the image of me at my editing workshop at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. Many thanks to Wendy H Jones for supplying the Writers’ Narrative image (which I’ve added text to). Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.

One of the joys of the writing community is it is supportive. Given most of the time you are at your desk, writing alone, having your fair share of rejections or not hearing back on competition entries and so on, that support is wonderful and vital. We all need a lift at times.

As well as writing events and conferences, which are fabulous ways to get to know other writers, there are a number of writing communities online. There are monthly groups which meet up in person such as the Hampshire Writers’ Society, which meets in Winchester.

[Read more…] about The Writing Community

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: advice, Alliance of Independent Authors, am reading, am writing, Continuing Professional Development, Hampshire Writers' Society, networking, the writing community, tips, Writer Beware, writing scam information

Diary of a Swanwicker

August 11, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-
Images taken by Allison Symes at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick. One image adapted in Book Brush for the Feature Image. Many thanks to Julia Pattison for taking the image of me just after my editing workshop. One image directly from PIxabay.

It was with great pleasure I returned to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick for that treasured time where I can be fully immersed in the world of writing. As ever, I’ve been looking forward to catching up with friends and making new ones. I did so within an hour of arriving at Derby Railway Station and got chatting to a fellow long term Swanwicker on the coach laid on to take us to the Hayes.

[Read more…] about Diary of a Swanwicker

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes, am reading, am writing, Continuing Professional Development, creative writing, developing your writing, editing workshop, flash fiction, Open Poetry Mic Night, Open Prose Mic Night, Swanwick, The Writers' Summer School, workshops, writing courses, writing friends

How To Guides

April 28, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits: Most images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Screenshots taken by me, Allison Symes.

I mentioned briefly in my Book Recommendations post last week I have used how-to-write guides (and still turn to them for reference when needed). I adore Stephen King’s On Writing, which is a great mix of memoir and writing advice. Many writers speak highly of it.

[Read more…] about How To Guides

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: am reading, am writing, books, Continuing Professional Development, creative writing books, how to guides, non-fiction, the Mslexia Indie Press Guide, the Writers and Artists Yearbook, writing advice, writing career advice

Local Author News – Allison Symes – Summits, Talks, and Interviews

February 26, 2021 By Allison Symes 4 Comments

For once I’ve summed up my news in my title! January and February have been incredibly busy but fun.

One thing all writers want is to build on what has gone before so we move forward. Those moves forward can be in big steps, little ones, or anything in between. Often one thing leads to another. It is the way of the writing life a lot happens over a comparatively short period and then nothing for a while. A bit like London buses – three turn up near enough at once! But you get used to that.

Feature Image – Summits, Talks and Interviews, Image created in Book Brush by Allison Symes using Pixabay image.

[Read more…] about Local Author News – Allison Symes – Summits, Talks, and Interviews

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Allison Symes, author newsletter, Chandler's Ford Today, Continuing Professional Development, email list, international writing summit, lots going on!, podcast, The Writing and Marketing Show, website changes, Wendy H Jones, WI talk, writing a regular column, Zoom

Continuing Professional Development

December 11, 2020 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Continuing Professional Development occurs across most industries and it applies to writing too.

How come?

Feature Image – Continuing Professional Development. Pixabay.

[Read more…] about Continuing Professional Development

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
Tags: Continuing Professional Development, creative writing, graphic design, social media, tools of the trade, writer development

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

Building On What Has Gone Before

Categories

Tags

am writing arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • Robbie Sprague on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Mike Sedgwick on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Chippy on VE Day – Thursday 8th May 1945
  • Allison Symes on Review – The Chameleons – Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor
  • Janet Williams on Review – The Chameleons – Sudden Death at Thornbury Manor
  • Christine Clark on Brickmaking in Chandler’s Ford

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2025 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.