What The “Friend” Means To Betty McInnes


What The Friend Means

As part of our 150th celebrations, we asked our writers to let us know what the “Friend” means to them. Here, Fiction Writer Betty McInnes shares her thoughts:

“Brilliant Training For An Aspiring Writer”

I started writing for DC Thomson when they held a competition for a first instalment for a serial. As I had written short stories for BBC radio, I thought I would try my hand at this and my efforts appeared in a couple of their publications.

What brilliant training that was for an aspiring writer and I wrote about everything under the sun.

Editor Douglas Neilson contacted me and asked if I’d like to try a serial for “The People’s Friend” and the rest is history. Oh, I’ve had such a wonderful, happy time with you all. You became my friends and helped me on another learning curve.

I’m old now but look forward to my copy of the magazine every week and never drop off to sleep without reading a short story. Best wishes. Here’s to the next 150 years! Love to all my wonderful readers.


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Find out all about our 150th anniversary here, or click the tag below for more from our readers and writers.

Yvonne McKenzie

Yvonne works on the Features team and admits to being nosy, so loves looking after the Between Friends letters and finding out all about our lovely readers. She also looks after our health copy and enjoys writing about inspiring people that help make the articles in the magazine so interesting.