A short story competition which celebrates the work of one of the north-east’s finest Doric writers has been launched.
Amateur writers are being invited to submit their work to be considered for the 2022 Toulmin Prize – inspired by Aberdeenshire farmer and author, David Toulmin.
The prize is sponsored by his grandsons, Steven and Martin Reid, and is run by the Elphinstone Institute at Aberdeen University.
To apply, writers over the age of 16 must submit a short story concerned with some aspect of life in the north-east, written in Scots, English or a combination of both.
The story can be up to 4,000 words in length and should be submitted by June 6.
The winner will receive £500, and their story will be read by writer Sheena Blackhall at a university event later this year.
Tom McKean, director of the Elphinstone Institute, said: “We’re proud to be able to honour David Toulmin and his work in this way. His writing is powerful, evocative and witty, and he is one of the finest exponents of writing in the north-east.
“We have received a fantastic standard of entries in previous years and the winners have now been collated into an anthology celebrating Doric writing.
“I am looking forward to seeing the selection for 2022 and would urge people with a tale to tell to pick up their pen and stretch their imagination.”
Who was David Toulmin?
Mr Toulmin was born as John Reid in 1913, and spent most of his life working as a farm labourer in Rathen, near Fraserburgh.
In his spare time, he would write short stories, character studies and bothy tales.
He wrote about his often harsh farming experiences in his ten books, the first of which was published when he was 59-years-old, and also had a few articles published in local newspapers.
Before his death in 1998, Mr Toulmin lived at Pittodrie Place in Aberdeen and Westhill, and was awarded an honorary degree from Aberdeen University.
The Toulmin Prize has inspired a wide-range of creative writing in both Doric and English since it was first launched in 2008.
The prizewinning stories from 2008 to 2020 have been included in an anthology entitled Dinna Mess wi the Popo.
The title was taken from the 2019 winning story about a grandmother affectionately named Popo who ends a brawl in the family’s Buckie-based Chinese takeaway.
The book is supported by The Doric Board and is available exclusively from the Aberdeen University online store.
