The SOMW is for anyone from a healthcare background who wants to write (and not just about health, either).
DO COME AND JOIN US — you will be warmly welcomed. We have members from across the UK and beyond, all from medical and allied professions, including medical journalists and students. Some of us are just beginners, others are published authors, and all stages in between. We love to write, whether it’s fiction, poetry or all manner of medical matters.
JOURNAL: Twice-yearly our editorial team produce our printed journal The Writer, to which any member can submit contributions. Themes are wide-ranging, from short stories and non-fiction to funny tales, poems or anything concerning medicine and health care, including medical and academic essays.
ON-LINE PRIVATE LISTSERVER FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION.
ON-LINE POETRY FORUM: We have a moderated, on-line Poetry Forum which is a members-only Google-Group for sharing poetry we have written, enabling poetry-orientated members to comment constructively on each other’s work.
ON-LINE SCRIPTWRITERS’ FORUM: As above, but for budding playwrights and scriptwriters.
TEACHING: We seek actively to develop members’ writing skills, including workshops on developing creative writing, academic workshops and developing relevant IT skills.
COMPETITIONS: We hold twice-yearly writing competitions. There are three categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction and Poetry. The Non-Fiction category includes the medical component, which in the near future will have its own category. Prizes are presented at the two conferences. Winners and best entries are published in The Writer.
CONFERENCES and WRITING WORKSHOPS: We meet together twice a year, and also have virtual conferences. Non-members are also welcome. In the Spring we have a one-day conference in London. Our autumn conference, usually from a Friday to Sunday in October, is held at different venues across the country, chosen to facilitate travelling for as many as possible. Each conference has a theme, invited speakers, writing workshops, prizes, a chance to catch up with friends, and a lot of fun! Recent themes have included: “Creativity and Mental Health”; “Why write, what and how?”; and “Improving our writing and gaining confidence” .