A look back at what we have learnt over the past few months from a few of the very inspirational speakers.

Jessica Wragg arrived back to the university with a new and accomplished novel, ‘Girl on the Block’ which came out in June 2017. Having once been a student here, she had a lot to tell us about the journey she took in the world of writing. Her experiences of being a butcher from the age of 16 and being able to write about those experiences from her own, very personal perspective. She emphasises that it is good to write about what you know, and in her case, that is the meat industry.  She also taught us to compromise to a degree with publishers, but to the extent that you feel is right.

Helen Mort, inspiring Poet and novelist. Helen spoke on how writing can be really difficult and in some ways you must be sensitive to the world but connected with it. She was not shy to mention that many times she had failed to succeed but that what we need as writers is a self-believe and this will keep us going. Helen believes that often good writing can feel embarrassing or uncomfortable but that the writing itself is not a bad thing. She also spoke of her challenges writing about the Hillsborough disaster as it did not directly affect her. She had trouble to convey this writing at first but was able to overcome it by writing from the perspective of a character in one of her novels.

Golnoosh Nour’s ‘The Ministry of Guidance’ was published this month! Golnoosh is a writer of short stories and also poetry who tries to find and write on content that she likes. She recommends independent presses as a good platform to get your work out there. Golnoosh also talks about how sex, perhaps shy or embarrassing as it may seem, can be political and it can be used for a purpose in a story or even to reveal something about one of her characters. Advice she gives to us is, not to worry about rejection as it may be inevitable and find your literary voice.

Vicky Grut was shortlisted for her book, ‘Live Show Drink Included’ by the Edge Hill Short Story Prize 2019 last year. She explained to us her way of writing short stories, taking time to ‘excavate the world’. To begin writing, she finds her character followed by a conflict which sets this character on a journey. In continuing, it is good to keep questioning and asking, ‘why’ in situations with your character. Further tips she gave were about how writers groups can help with drafts for your work as you are all in the same boat. She also stresses that if you do not write ideas down, they go, which is why she always keeps a notebook with her when she is on the go.

By James Hamblin