Writers of distinction
We commission the best writers so that we can publish features that are entertaining and informative. It's our 'no filler' policy and it proves that 'free' need not mean 'throwaway'.
These are just a few of the people who have contributed in the past.
Duncan McLean
Aberdeenshire-born Duncan lives in Orkney, where he organises Orkney Fine Wine Festival from his independent wine merchant business, The Longship in Kirkwall. He is a successful author, with several books to his name, and also plays in the Lone Star Swing Band, who manage to blend country, blues, jazz, swing and folk.
Cathy MacDonald
Our regular columnist Cathy MacDonald started broadcasting with the BBC’s Gaelic department in the 1980s. She runs her own independent production company, and presents Cuide ri Cathy on BBC Alba, Radio Scotland’s Sunday Greetings Programme, and Radio nan Gaidheal’s ‘drivetime’ show, from Monday to Thursday.
Trevor Royle
Trevor has written more than 30 books on the history of warfare and empire. He is an Associate Editor of the Sunday Herald and was recently elected an Honorary Fellow in the School of History at Edinburgh University. Born in India in 1945, Trevor lives in Scotland, with homes in Edinburgh and the Angus glens.
Rob Robertson
Rob is an award-winning sports writer with the Scottish Daily Mail. He has written books on Vladimir Romanov’s takeover at Hearts, the story of Andy Murray's rise to the top in tennis, a biography of Aberdeen football legend Willie Miller and a celebration of great Scottish football managers. He has covered major rugby and football matches as well as 11 Wimbledon finals.
Tom Bruce-Gardyne
Tom was doing perfectly well as an award-winning travel writer, working for the Sunday Telegraph and the Rough Guide series, among others. He then succumbed to the demon drink which he now writes about regularly. Countless wine articles have sent him all round Europe and South America, while three books on Scotch whisky have kept recalling him to his home town of Edinburgh.
Lydia Bell
Lydia is a freelance travel journalist who has lived in Australia, Spain and India and went to university in Edinburgh. She is a contributing editor of Harper's Bazaar magazine and now lives in south London - which may be why she loves spending time in the wide open spaces of the Australian bush, any desert and, of course, the Scottish Highlands.
Iain MacIver
After working in air traffic control in the RAF, Iain was a Gaelic presenter with BBC Radio nan Gaidheal for some years. He moved to London and worked on several newspapers before returning to freelance from the Western Isles. A co-founder of the radio station Isles FM, he is now a columnist and publicist living in Stornoway.
Lyndsey Rogerson
Lindsey is our regular writer on personal finance and has written for the Sunday Herald, The Financial Times and The Observer. She was personal finance editor of The Scotsman for two years and wrote about money for Scotland on Sunday for a further three years. Her work as a personal finance journalist led to an appointment to the Financial Services Consumer Panel.
Erlend Clouston
Erlend worked for the Guardian between 1979 and 1997, latterly as the newspaper's Scottish correspondent. Born in Shetland and based in Edinburgh, he can be viewed either as a corrupted islander or a civilised crofter.
Emma Robertson
Born in Orkney, Emma is a freelance health and beauty journalist based in Edinburgh. Starting her career as a features writer on glossy magazines, she now regularly writes for the Daily Express and msn. While Emma loves to put the latest fitness trends through their paces at the gym, she's no saint and is equally at home in the capital's sweaty clubs enjoying live music over a few pints of cider.
Mark Cocker
An author and naturalist who writes for the Guardian, Mark has written seven books including Crow Country which was short-listed for the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2008. His new project - Birds and People - is a groundbreaking collaboration with photographer David Tipling that will survey the cultural significance of birds around the world.
Matthew Evans
Matthew is a freelance photographer and journalist. Working in the art departments of various motoring titles made him realise that test-driving, snapping and scribing were more fun than sitting at a computer. He has written for us about a broad variety of cars from Land Rover through to Aston Martin and many in between!
Stuart Glen
An accomplished nature writer and photographer, Stuart grew up in the east end of Glasgow where a childhood fascination with nature led to an interest in wildlife photography. Images evolved into words - and his articles aim to convey his enthusiasm for the wonder of nature that surrounds us.
Kenny Kemp
Kenny has been Scotland's Business Writer of the Year three times. He has written several books on business and worked with Sir Richard Branson and Karren Brady, of The Apprentice fame. He now edits BQ Scotland, a new business magazine. He lives in Edinburgh and his favourite part of Scotland is the Kyles of Durness on a summer day.
Colin Cardwell
Based in Glasgow, Colin is an independent publishing consultant and journalist. He has held senior posts at Scottish Business Insider, Scotland on Sunday and the Herald and is currently editor of Business Herald and managing editor of Venturer, Scottish Equity Partners' client magazine. His most memorable moment in the Highlands and Islands was a midsummer's eve at Callanish standing stones.
Shona Main
Shona grew up in Shetland. She moved to Dundee when she was 17 to train as a magazine journalist and worked on Jackie. After studying law and a spell as a Dundee city councillor (when she was known as Civic Spice), she divided her time between parliamentary liaison, travelling and writing. She has contributed to the Herald, the Independent and various magazines and written a number of books on Italy. She is now writing her first work of fiction.
Rob Fletcher
Rob is an Edinburgh-based freelance journalist who previously taught English to Chileans and Aborigines, worked as a ghillie in the Grampians, and delivered several thousand Stirlingshire sheep. His writing has been widely published in Scotland and beyond and includes a guidebook to New Zealand, regular contributions to Scotland in Trust, and a monthly column in Scottish Field magazine.
Jim Dunn
Jim is one of Scotland's most respected motoring journalists. He was motoring editor for the Scotsman and its sister titles for many years and is now working as a freelance, which gives him more time to enjoy his Porche and his motor-boat.