Please tell us who you are and what you do?
I’m a teacher and writer – I’ve been
teaching creative writing in Lyme Regis and Uplyme since 2008. I’ve written three
films that were shot in Southern Africa and my book Lesser Known Lyme Regis was published by Roving Press last year.
It’s
a comprehensive guidebook to the town. Bee
at Serendip suggested I should write it as she didn’t have anything up-to-date
and reliable to offer visitors. I loved getting to know the town really well
and interviewing people for the book – there are so many passionate and
interesting people in Lyme. It took ages to write though as many of the best
stories (anything to do with smugglers and underground tunnels and hidden
chambers) were so hard to prove. I lived in fear of perpetuating myths. In a
way, it was a relief to return to fiction!
Where did your love of writing come from?
It’s hard to say! I started scribbling
stories as soon as I could hold a pencil. Like most people though, I just
stopped writing fiction as soon as I left school and poured all my writing
energy into letters and journals and the odd newspaper article. It took me a
couple of decades to get back to fiction.
What were you doing before you moved to Lyme Regis?
I did a degree in English Literature in
London, a postgraduate degree in Education from Cambridge University and taught
English in Tanzania and Leamington Spa before arriving in Mozambique in 1994. I
stayed in Maputo for 13 years, teaching literature at the university, training
teachers and writing film scripts. It was a really interesting and positive
time to be there – when I arrived in the civil war had just ended and people
were very keen to start rebuilding their lives. There was a great sense of
possibility and so much to get involved in.
What was it like working in the film industry in
Southern Africa?
I started writing English subtitles for the
major film company in Mozambique and was asked if I’d like to try writing a
script. What a dream. The company gave me lots of valuable feedback and were
extremely encouraging – conditions that were perfect for waking up my dormant
creativity. I’ve tried to replicate this kind of environment in my writing
groups.
I came to live in Lyme with my 5 year old
daughter and so my first priority was to find work that fitted around her. For
the first year I worked as a carer but missed being around people involved with
books and writing. My main loves were teaching and writing fiction so I decided
to put these together and teach creative writing.
How does one join the writing group? (is there a fee
involved? and tell us about group/individual sessions?)
I currently run five groups and see some
writers individually. I teach a structured course, introducing the elements of
fiction such as plot, dialogue, point of view and characterization. We also
work hard on developing a writing habit and ignoring the mean snipings of our
inner critic. Creative writing is a wonderful subject to teach as people gain
in confidence and ability remarkably quickly and the groups become very close.
You get to know and trust each other very well when you share writing. I also
see several individuals who can’t join a group or who are more interested in
working on a specific project such as a novel or memoir.
How often do the groups meet?
We meet once a week. Every year I teach
three blocks of ten sessions, following the school terms. I start a new group
every January and then the group stays together. If anyone would like to go on
the waiting list, all the details can be found on my website: www.blackdogwriting.co.uk. Each
block costs £100.
The writing group has released several books? (plans
for anymore?)
I produce a book of Stories from the Black
Dog every December. This year will be the 6th volume. All the students submit
their best work: it’s a real thrill for
everyone to see their stories in print - and the book makes a very handy Christmas
present!
Which three people would you most like to discuss
literature with?
I tend to enjoy books by people I’d like to
meet: wise people who I feel could teach me about life as well as literature.
My current top three are probably Marylinne Robinson, Elizabeth Stout, Tove
Jansson and Sarah Waters. (Sorry, Maths was never my strong suit.)
