I'm feeling irked.

A particular organisation, one I respect and support, is advertising a position for a creative writer to spend several hours a week facilitating creative writing workshops for a total of twelve weeks.

Which all sounds great until you realise there is no payment offered for this.

I wonder in what other sector or profession would this happen. Are writers supposed to feel so grateful and flattered by organisations asking them in that they won't need or expect any actual payment for their work, skill and time? Fair play (perhaps) if it was a one-off... but twelve weeks? Really?

I love facilitating workshops. And this particular series of sessions sounds right up my street. But on principle, I won't apply. Firstly, I need to use my working hours in ways that will earn me money (a girl has gotta eat). Secondly, if I applied, it would be like conceding that organisations making these requests are rightly entitled to do so. Applying would devalue creatives across the board; writers, poets, musicians, artists... it would be pricing us all down and out of our own market. I question whether they would ask a solicitor or an accountant to work for nothing. Yet somehow, it is seen as acceptable to ask creative industry practitioners to work on extended projects for no money. What I'm really irked about is that this is not an unusual request.

There are certain situations when I am delighted to offer my skills (either workshop leading or writing commissions) for no or a lower fee. This would be at my discretion, if the work was a one off, perhaps an organisation that has very limited money or access to grants and funding. Or a unique opportunity or work placement that is too important to pass up.

But sometimes, like in this instance, it just feels exploitative.

Rant over.

Still feeling a bit irked, though...

This is me reading an extract of my story 'All About You' on Youtube, from forthcoming anthology About You (Comma Press, 2013). 

The video was made by Comma Press and LiteratureNorthwest. I was so pleased to be invited to do a reading (although watching myself on video makes me cringe inwardly and belatedly, instinctively try to fix my hair.)

Lots more readings by a fantastic range of writers and poets, recorded by Comma Press and LiteratureNorthwest, can be found here. It is like a supersized chocolate selection box (think high end luxury brand). There are loads of literary delights to sample, names you may recognise and know you'll enjoy and others that might be a bit less familiar; a chance (at the risk of stretching a simile to breaking point) to try a new flavour. 

My own favourite readings so far? Probably Michelle Green reading 'Debrief' from forthcoming collection Jebel Marra (Comma Press, 2013) and Rodge Glass reading 'Orientation #3' from forthcoming title LoveSexTravelMusik (Freight Books, 2013).

Reducing the Death Count

I just submitted a story that I've been working on for weeks. I have no idea if it's any good or not and will only know if a) the person I've submitted it to says they like it or b) I squirrel it away on the laptop and revisit it nervously in the future. It's a bit of a thoughtful one... a puzzle that doesn't just unravel for the reader; it needs a bit of mental tweaking to get to the heart of it. I like stories that require a tweak to fully reveal themselves.

But I also like stories that fall beautifully open in your hands like an advert-ready Terry's Chocolate Orange. I've been working concurrently on one of those. They are a delightful treat to write, and read. It is for Woman's Weekly who are an utter joy to work with. This type of story is not easy to write - it has to feel true, has to have sincerity, depth and a heart that the reader will relate to, but must be accessible at their point of need. Reading the magazine is their indulgence, perhaps the small portion of time they have carved out of a busy week to relax. Or the five minutes grabbed between meetings / appointments / life demands... so it has to deliver big. I love this challenge.

BUT. Both these stories have a bit of a high death count. Dead mother, dead baby, dead hamster (again), dead girl... The bodies are stacking up. And most of the stories I've written in the last few months seem to have some death element in them. I blame my subconscious mind.

So, my challenge for next week is to write something that has no dead people in it. Only living souls allowed. Wish me luck.

Fresh Air

I don't like to be innapropriately personal. I shudder slightly at the vulnerability in the status updates some people feel inspired to write; like bait waggling to social media sharks.

But I do feel I want to share this, not angling for sympathetic comments, but to mark the end of a silence in my writing.

It's been a tough year. And it has been a particularly tough three months. My dad passed away at the beginning of January after a long illness. He wasn't that old. So it wasn't a particularly good innings. There are the repeated phrases. People say things like 'I'm sorry you lost my dad'. It sound trite, like he wandered off in Tescos or he slipped unnoticed down the back of the sofa or something. Death really does inspire some peculiar words and deeds...  You'll know the kind of thing I mean.

But it also shows you who really is there for you when it hits the fan. I am incredibly lucky to have amazing friends, who seem to know the right thing to ask and say, and where to leave pans of sustaining vegetable broth / fish pie... where I will find them at just the point of need. I also have an incredible husband. I wouldn't have managed without him.

This is going to sound whingy - sorry. But I haven't been able to write properly for about 6 months, and I haven't written anything for about two. This isn't because of emotional turmoil, or grief (I'm a bit cynical about writer's block - just get on with it.) I just logistically haven't had time. If you are in a position to be able to drop everything to help out, you do, don't you? And I'm really glad and lucky that I could. I know not everyone has that luxury.

But I didn't realise 'not writing' had affected me so badly until in the pub the other evening Mr S asked gently about it. I've come to appreciate 'not writing' makes me very unhappy. I feel like a part of me is clawing to get out, make itself heard.

And so here I am, immensely glad I've been able to spend time with my family and see dad off with dignity, pleased I will still be able to support and help as needed. But it feels like fresh air to be back sitting at my laptop with my notebook open beside me.

I'm full of ideas. It's going to be a great year.

Lancashire Writing Hub

I have just finished a three month stint as guest editor on The Lancashire Writing Hub. You can see what I've been up to here. Thank you to all the fantastic writers who have contributed during my time there, and They Eat Culture, Jane Brunning and John Rutter for your support. I'm delighted to pass the baton onto Carys Bray who will be guest editor through December.

Flax 030 The Language of Footprints available on ereader

Looking for something new (and free!!) for your ereader?

Flax 030, The Language of Footprints published by Litfest is now available in ereader format. I am delighted to have a short story in here 'The Key Safe', alongside Naomi Kruger's story 'Causeway', and Ian Hill's piece of creative non fiction "Instar'. To read them, click here. You may need to download Calibre to do this successfully.

Sarah Jasmon, who was the brilliant reviewer for Litfest 2012, has written a lovely piece on The Language of Footprints collection on her blog here.

New Writing Cumbria also reviewed the collection.

It is such a delight to be involved with this project, and to play a small part in Litfest 2012.

Bio Punk: available on Amazon in ebook or paperback

Programmable memories, fatherless reproduction, nano-tech implants, amphibian-powered scar treatment, full body modification, brain-scanning lie-detectors, inter-species reproduction, self-determining synthetic ‘green goo’… 

All of this and more in Bio Punk; a true science / fiction collaboration, published by Comma Press and supported by the Wellcome Trust. Bio Punk anthology of short stories, (including one by me and my wonderful collaborator scientist Angharad Watson) is available on Kindle now, too! See Amazon to purchase a copy in paper or ebook format.