Glasgow Science Fiction Writers' Circle - History

History

The origins of the Circle lie in a science fiction short story competition — originally suggested by the SF writer Chris Boyce — that ran for several years in The Glasgow Herald newspaper (now, The Herald). The winning entry was published in the weekend edition of the newspaper that coincided with what had effectively become, at that time, an annual science fiction convention known as Albacon.

In 1986, Ann Karkalas of the University of Glasgow Adult & Continuing Education Department contacted the competition's judge, the writer (and the Herald's then-Science Fiction reviewer) Duncan Lunan, about the possibility of starting a science fiction writing evening class. Both knew each other previously from the Glasgow Science Fiction Circle, a group of readers and writers which had met during the 1960s and 1970s. Duncan was willing to teach the course, and indeed the classes would go on to run for the best part of a decade.

Many of those who attend the first year's class were so enthusiastic about writing that — once the class finished — they wanted to continue meeting. So they did; at the suggestion of Lunan, this new group began to refer to itself as the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers Circle, although the group remains remarkably anarchic and non-hierarchical in form.

Although the Circle's early membership largely overlapped with that of the evening classes, the two entities gradually became more distinct. After the evening classes were ended, the Circle has continued to attract new members through word of mouth, brochure entries, and its own website.

Having survived several changes of venue, frequency of meetings and an almost complete turnover of members, the Circle currently meets every second Tuesday. Venues have included St Aloysius Church, the Glasgow Film Theatre, the city’s branch of Border's bookshop, and a smaller function room of a Glasgow church.