Who wants to have dinner with Sir Alexander McCall Smith?

You only have 7 days to enter The Alnwick Story Fest Fearless Writing Competition, and breaking news...you can NOW win the chance of having dinner with a literary legend.

I am very excited to announce the news that Sir Alexander McCall Smith, who is one of our headlining authors at the Alnwick Story Fest this year, will be hosting a little dinner with the winner of the Fearless Writing Competition on the Saturday night before his big headlining event.

Sir Alexander McCall Smith, affectionately known as Sandy, is one of the world’s most prolific and widely read authors. Formerly a professor of Medical Law, he became a global literary sensation with The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series. His body of work includes over 100 titles, spanning academic texts, children’s books, and internationally bestselling novels such as the 44 Scotland Street series and the Isabel Dalhousie novels. Translated into 46 languages, his books have earned him a devoted following worldwide. In 2024, he was knighted for his services to literature, academia, and charity.

And YOU could be having dinner with him on 1st March 2025

Two weeks ago, we launched the The Allyson Kent Award for Fearless Writing, a competition in honour of Allyson Kent, an extraordinary writer who embraced courage and honesty in her work until the very end.

The Allyson Kent Award is more than a competition; it’s a call to action for writers to:

1. Open up conversations about difficult and important topics.

2. Create connections and foster a courageous writing community.

3. Explore the power of writing as a tool for processing and healing.

Read all about it here.

Deadline 7th February 2025

We are delighted to announce that the winner of our competition will be invited to have dinner on Saturday night of the festival (if you’re coming) with our very own literary legend Sir Alexander McCall Smith and get to pick his brains to achieve your own literary success.

Read about how to enter here.

Sir Alexander McCall Smith will be talking at Alnwick Story Fest 1st March at 7pm BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW