From the Desk: Non-stop November

It’s been a bit of a non-stop November for Lapidus –  we've been travelling across the country for the NAWE conference, setting up the AGM in London in December, interviewing new board members, setting up events next year (Newcastle, March 23^rd and 24^th - save the date!) and the Creative Bridges International Call for Papers is well underway too!

Website Updates

At the request of the members, I have been trying to make the website easier to navigate. It turns out there is a whole school of web design dedicated to the construction of effective and navigable website menus. Researching them has been a little… daunting (terrifying?) and is best described as “ongoing.” It hasn’t been entirely fruitless, though. You may notice a few more buttons when you log in to the members hub which will hopefully make it a little easier to get around. Have a look and let me know your thoughts. What else would you like to see on the website?

AGM in London

As mentioned earlier, the AGM is in December – another opportunity for Lapidus members to meet up, share, have fun and connect. The event is filling up fast, but there might still be time to put your name down. This year, thanks to TS Eliot funding, we have made the event completely FREE! Hooray! Also, if technology is behaving on the day, I hope to live stream the event. So even if you can't make the trek all the way to London, you can still be virtually present at the AGM! Fingers crossed.

Open Mic!

If you do attend, there is an open mic taking place during the lunch hour for members to share their own delicious words. If you’d like to sign up for that, get in touch with Mary (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), coordinator of Lapidus London, and let her know you want to take part. Spaces are limited, so do this soon if you can!

I hope you’ve all had a productive and creative November. As we move towards the end of the year, and into the new year, we are looking for ways to make Lapidus International even bigger and better. Got an idea? Why not email me and we can discuss!

See you in December!

PS. I managed to sneak into the official photos at the NAWE conference. Can you find me?

Things I am happy about this month:

• -   Judging for our Flash Fiction Competition is well underway. Winner has nearly been chosen!
• -   Discussions are underway for a Lapidus writing retreat - watch this space!
• -   Creative Bridges Call for Papers - we've already started receiving submissions.

Things I am looking forward to:

• -   The Open Mic at the AGM! Can't wait to hear your writing!
• -   A new year of opportunities for Lapidus Members
• -   The end of year break! Time to hibernate zzzzz...

Things I am thinking about:

• -   How can we make Lapidus International bigger and better for our members next year?
• -   What will the prompt for our next writing competition be?
• -   Did I eat too much cake at the NAWE conference?

Richard Axtell is the Lapidus International Coordinator and a children's writer. He likes to make bad jokes, but you've probably figured that one out already. He's currently building a new website all about running wellbeing events and planning to bake gingerbread for the first time. You can find out what he is up to on his website: richardaxtell.co.uk