Emma McRuvie entered Granite Noir’s first-ever short story competition on a “whim”.
She didn’t think she’d even make it to the final, never mind go on to win the competition.
But her thrilling tale Fenna, which explores grief and isolation, truly gripped the judges, earning her the top spot.
The 32-year-old from Bucksburn only started writing as a way to help her process her thoughts, and says she was also partly inspired by her love of films and physiological horror.
We caught up with last year’s winner Emma McRuvie to find out what she’s been up to since and her advice for anyone planning on entering…
From working as a countryside ranger to writing more stories
At the same time as winning the crime writing competition last year, Emma was offered her “dream” role as a countryside ranger with Aberdeen City Council.
She says her new job has kept her busy, but she’s carried on writing when she can — with a few stories in the works.
And while crime is still her main genre, she’s also been working with her film screenwriter brother on a comedy.
“Winning the competition really boosted my confidence,” she said. “It was something I’ve never done before, put my work out there, so it was nice to win and it’s encouraged me to write more.”
The film buff is excited for the return of the popular festival and hopes she can attend as many of the talks and shows as possible.
She added: “I think it’s just really nice to see things like this happening in Aberdeen, and you know the names it brings and the atmosphere that creates around the talent in Scotland and Aberdeen especially.”
Granite Noir competition returns for a second year
The very first short story competition was launched last year to unearth and celebrate north-east talent.
More than 100 budding crime writers tried their hand at creating a work of suspense and intrigue.
And it has returned in 2025 to give more murky-minded writers across the north-east a chance to share their tales.
Sharon Burgess, chief executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA), hopes there will be many more entries with “twists and turns” submitted this year.
Sharon, who is also one of the panelists, encouraged entrants to not hold back.
Emma hasn’t regretted taking the opportunity to share her work after entering the competition on a “whim”.
When asked if she had any words of advice for anyone looking to enter, or not sure if they should, the countryside ranger said it is a “very brave” thing to do.
“Be confident in your work and just go for it,” she added. “Because I applied on a whim, and I never thought I would make it to the final, let alone win.
“Even if you don’t win it’s still amazing to put yourself out there.”
How to enter the competition
The competition is once again open to individuals aged 18 and above.
One entry between 1,500 to 2,000 words per person is allowed and the entry must be in the theme of Granite Noir e.g. crime fiction, thriller, mystery or a genre that resonates with the festival.
The work must be original, unpublished and submitted as a PDF or Word document.
A panel including Sharon Burgess, P&J editor Craig Walker and Granite Noir organisers will judge the submitted stories.
The winning and shortlisted entries will then be announced at an awards ceremony during Granite Noir.
The chosen crime writer winner will have their story published in The P&J and Evening Express and receive prizes including a printed front cover of their story, as well as Aberdeen Performing Arts and book vouchers.
All entries must be sent to gncomp@aberdeenperformingarts.com by midnight on Sunday January 26.Â
To find out more or to apply, click here.
Read Emma’s winning story Fenna
Granite Noir: Full programme revealed for 2025 Aberdeen crime-writing festival
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