Hello everyone, I’m thrilled to share some exciting news: I’ve recently been appointed as a member of the Advisory Committee for Promoting Yorkshire Authors (PYA)!
For those who may not yet know them, PYA is a vibrant, welcoming community group of writers and authors united by a shared passion for writing and a dream to see their work in print or as eBooks. With strong roots in Yorkshire, the group supports independent authors through networking, events, and practical help to perfect, promote, and popularise their books.
PYA organises regular meetings (both virtual and in-person), open mic sessions, training seminars, and more. They run an active YouTube channel with recorded events worth checking out, a monthly Espresso newsletter (with a handy archive for catching up), and a lively blog sharing the latest news, including their special interest groups like the Writers’ Support Group and Children’s Author Group.
One of the newer initiatives I’m particularly impressed by is the Beta Buddies scheme, a voluntary peer-review system in a private Facebook group where authors swap constructive feedback to help polish manuscripts. It’s all built on mutual trust and collaboration (no money involved), and there’s even a dedicated podcast episode on Spotify explaining it in detail. Initiatives like this are so valuable for raising the quality of independent writing.
PYA’s vision is clear and inspiring:
to advance the work of authors with a close connection to Yorkshire, improving the quality and global recognition of their books. Their mission boils down to the three P’s: Perfect, promote, and popularise the work of like-minded independent authors.
As someone who’s spent 35 years living and writing in West Yorkshire, and whose books, like my Pennine Way and Coast to Coast walking tales, draw deeply from northern landscapes and stories, this feels like a natural and meaningful fit. I’ve always enjoyed sharing the writing journey, whether through my own publications, poetry anthologies, or simply chatting with fellow writers about the craft.
In my new role on the Advisory Committee, I’m really looking forward to:
- Offering advice and guidance to PYA authors wherever I can—drawing on my experiences with self-publishing, traditional routes, poetry, travel writing, and more.
- Helping to promote members’ books and celebrate their successes.
- Contributing ideas to support the group’s events, initiatives, and outreach, so even more Yorkshire-connected voices get heard worldwide.
If you’re an aspiring or established writer with Yorkshire ties, I’d encourage you to check out PYA. Membership is free, and joining is straightforward via their membership form (link opens in a new window). Once in, you can access the members-only groups, add your books to their site, and get involved in the community. Their open Facebook group is a great place to start exploring, and the full site is at https://www.p-y-a.org/.
I’m genuinely excited about what lies ahead and can’t wait to collaborate with the talented writers in the PYA family. If you’re a member, do say hello—I’d love to hear about your current projects!
Here’s to more Yorkshire stories finding their readers.
Best wishes,
Peter Kay
Author, Poet, and now proud PYA Advisory Committee Member