Ncw Online

Simon is joined on the pod today by Tom Whyman, author of Infinitely Full of Hope: Fatherhood and the Future in an Age of Crisis and Disaster. Part philosophical theory and part memoir, Tom wrote the book while awaiting the birth of his child and deals with the challenge of maintaining hope in increasingly desperate times. Meanwhile, Steph and Simon take a look at our Creative Writing Online courses, get over-excited about the books they're currently reading (Daisy Jones and the Six! Lumberjanes!) and Simon finds a way to shoehorn discussion of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power into the show. Check out our tutored online courses: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/creative-writing-online/  Join our Discord: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/join-our-discord-community/ Everything we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/  Music by Bennet Maples.

Lewis Buxton returns! Steph talks to Lewis about his new poetry collection Boy in Various Poses, which explores masculinity, mental health and sport. We're also very pleased to have The Writing Life's first references to Lizzo and The Meg. Lewis' poems have appeared in The Rialto, Ambit Magazine, Magma, Oxford Poetry and Ink, Sweat and Tears. In 2020 he won the Winchester Poetry Prize and has previously come third in the Magma Poetry Prize and been shortlisted for the Oxford Brookes International Poetry Prize and the York Literature Festival Prize. In 2018-19 he was selected as one of the Poetry School & Nine Arches Press Primers Volume 4 poets and was the recipient of the Literary Festival Bursary from the University of East Anglia. He is Director of TOAST, a live poetry event and workshops project. Working with the best poets in the UK, TOAST produces monthly events at The Norwich Arts Centre, is supported by the Arts Council England and has won a Norfolk Arts Award for supporting new writing.    Check

Literary translators Shash Trevett and Geetha Sukumaran talk about their collaboration on the work of Tamil poet Nillanthan and Shash's involvement with our Visible Communities translator in residence programme.  Geetha Sukumaran is a poet and a bilingual translator. She has published two books in Tamil: Tharkolaikku parakkum panithuli (a Tamil translation of Sylvia Plath’s poems, 2013), and her own poems, Otrai pakadaiyil enchum nampikkai in 2014. Her English translation of Ahilan’s poetry, Then There Were No Witnesses, was published by Mawenzi House, Toronto (2018). She is the recipient of the SPARROW R Thyagarajan award for her poetry in Tamil. She is a doctoral student in the Humanities at York University, Toronto. Shash Trevett is a poet and a translator of Tamil poetry into English. She is a winner of a Northern Writers’ Award and her pamphlet From a Borrowed Land is published by Smith|Doorstop (2021). She is currently co-editing (with Vidyan Ravinthiran and Seni Seneviratne) an anthology of Tamil, En

On the podcast this week is Olivia Hellewell, a translator from Slovene to English of literary fiction, children's fiction, and non-fiction. Olivia is talking to Rebecca DeWald, our Emerging Translator Mentorships Programme Manager. They discuss Olivia's route into literary translation, the challenges of making a living from translation, and the importance of translating cultural references. This is a treasure trove for anyone interested in translation and also contains a surprising amount of discussion about Wotsits. Olivia was BCLT's translator in residence earlier in the year. Meanwhile, Flo Reynolds is back on the pod to introduce the new NCW Book Club book - Sudden Traveller by Sarah Hall! Find out more and join up here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/the-ncw-book-club/ Here's the Meet the World video mentioned during the conversation: https://youtu.be/U_7niLTXT0g  And the Mythical English Reader video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8oFttUu2bI  Join our Discord community! https://discord.g

"Books are dead," so declares Elle Griffin, a journalist and debut writer who is preparing to serialise her first novel via a Substack newsletter. Not sure what Substack is, or why you'd publish a book via a newsletter? Disagree (or agree!) about the fate of books? Curious about whether serialised storytelling and publishing might be for you? Simon chats with Elle about emerging new (and returning!) forms and how they relate to traditional and self-publishing. Meanwhile, Steph and Simon discuss the new Creative Writing Online courses and the revealed 2021 line-up for the Noirwich Crime Writing Festival. Lots of useful links this week: Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Noirwich Crime Writing Festival: https://noirwich.co.uk/  Creative Writing Online courses: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/creative-writing-online/  Check out Elle's newsletter: https://ellegriffin.substack.com/ Simon's newsletter: https://simonkjones.substack.com/  This is Buttondown: https://buttondown.email/  Musi

Tommy Sissons chats to Sam Ruddock on the podcast about his book A Small Man's England, a prose-polemic exploration of white, working class masculinity. Under discussion are the techniques Tommy uses to explore his argument as well as the core themes at the heart of the book. Meanwhile Simon and Steph talk about the newly announced Escalator talent development scheme for emerging writers, now open for applications to under-represented writers in the East of England: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/escalator/ Continue the conversation on Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW Sign up to our newsletter: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/newsletters/  Music by Bennet Maples.

This week we have a special episode for anyone considering or embarking on a career as a literary translator. Sarah Ardizzone, translator and mentor, guides us through a detailed, nuts-and-bolts exploration of what it takes to be a literary translator. Sarah is joined by Rosie Eyre, a recent mentee on our Emerging Translator Mentorships programme, and Jamie Lee Searle, who was a mentee ten years ago. Together they explore the challenges of the industry and share tips on how to break in. Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna, who talk abut the upcoming Time To Write workshops for young writers. Find out more here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/working-with-schools/workshops-for-young-people/ Join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW Find out more about what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/  Music by Bennet Maples.

Tsitsi Dangarembga is a novelist, playwright and filmmaker who joins us on the pod today to discuss her groundbreaking work and its influence on readers. Tsitsi is the author of Nervous Conditions, which in 1988 was the first book to be published in English by a black woman from Zimbabwe and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, and its sequels The Book of Not (2006) and This Mournable Body (2018). She was shortlisted in 2020 for the Booker Prize. Tsitsi lives in Harare and is the director of the Institute of Creatve Arts for Progress in Africa Trust. Asking the questions is Molly-Rose Medhurst, student writer and activist who worked with us as an intern earlier in 2021. Take a look at an article she wrote: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/must-reads-for-lgbt-history-month/ Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Join our Discord community! https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Music by Bennet Maples.

William Ryan is the author of historical crime fiction novels, including the Captain Korolev series. William joins us on the pod to talk about his latest project, the Writers' & Artists' Guide To How To Write. It's a nuts-and-bolts framework for writing a book, avoiding common mistakes and asking yourself the right questions up front. Meanwhile we talk about the Early Career Awards winner announcements. Find out about the winners of the 2021 Desmond Elliott Prize, UEA New Forms Award and Laura Kinsella Fellowship here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/early-career-awards/ Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Music by Bennet Maples.

Award-winning poet and short story writer Jen Campbell is on the pod to discuss her prolific work in children's fiction, non-fiction and poetry as well as how she built an online platform for her writing across YouTube, Patreon, a podcast and more. Jen's tips on being productive (and forgiving yourself when you're not) and how to make the internet work for you and invaluable. Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna, who look back at the week's International Literature Showcase and get giddy with excitement for the reveal of the Early Career Awards winners next week! Check out the ILS commissions and videos: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ils/ Early Career Awards: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/early-career-awards/ Jen's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/jenvcampbell  Music by Bennet Maples.

Something of a minisode this week, as Steph and Simon pick their favourite podcast episodes since lockdown began in the UK in March 2020. They also dive into the International Literature Showcase, which next week reveals its new list of unmissable writers courtesy of Kei Miller! Let's do some links: Discover 50 umissable writers at the International Literature Showcase: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/international-literature-showcase-2021/ Book for Joy Francis' keynote: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/recovery-reimagining-literature/ Book for Innovation & Enterprise in the Literature Sector: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/innovation-enterprise/ Book for Kei Miller presents... https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/kei-miller-presents/ And here are Steph and Simon's podcast picks: J. Michael Straczynski on becoming a writer: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/j-michael-straczynski-on-becoming-a-writer-staying-a-writer/ Greg Kasavin o

Joe Michael Straczynski is the creator of influential science fiction classic Babylon 5; he has worked extensively for Marvel and DC comics, was nominated for a BAFTA for his screenplay Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood; co-created Sense8 with the Wachowskis for Netflix; worked on the screenplay for the first Thor movie, helping to shape what is now the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and in the 80s worked on Murder, She Wrote, The Twilight Zone and animated shows such as He-Man and the Master of the Universe and The Real Ghostbusters. His novel Together We Will Go is out in 2021. He has won the Inkpot Lifetime Achievement Award, the Ray Bradbury Award, the Eisner Award, the Hugo Award (twice), the Saturn Award and many more. His bio also mentions that he is a terrible singer, an abysmal dancer and that he sucks at poetry. Joe is on the show this week to talk about Becoming A Writer, Staying A Writer: The Artistry, Joy and Career of Storytelling, his new book on writing which is out now. Simon is very, very

Jessie Greengrass is on the pod to discuss her latest novel The High House. Jessie is an award-winning writer and was selected by Elif Shafak for the 2019 International Literature Showcase. Asking the questions is Vicki Maitland. Meanwhile, Simon and Steph look back at the City of Literature festival (which you can catch up on here: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ ) and look forward to the upcoming Early Career Awards and 2021 International Literature Showcase featuring a new list of incredible writers selected by Kei Miller. Book for the (free!) big reveal of Kei's new list: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/kei-miller-presents/ Find out more about the International Literature Showcase: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ils/  Join our Discord server: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.

In the final episode of our Imagining the City series, author and artist Lynn Buckle joins us from Dublin to talk to Flo Reynolds about writing her first book, feeling like a fraud and how to write positively about the climate crisis. Lynn's first novel, The Groundsmen, was published in 2018 by époque press. Nominated for the Republic of Consciousness Prize, it was listed as Easons Best of Irish Literature and featured in a year-long book tour of Ireland and the UK. What Willow Says was published in May 2021 - find out more here: https://www.epoquepress.com/what-willow-says  Meanwhile, Simon and Steph talk about the Norfolk & Norwich Festival and having writers back in the building at Dragon Hall. Find out more here: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/  Join our Discord writing community! https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Abir Mukherjee is the Times bestselling author of the Sam Wyndham series of crime novels set in Raj era India. His debut, A Rising Man, won the CWA Endeavour Dagger for best historical crime novel of 2017 and was shortlisted for the MWA Edgar for best novel. His second novel, A Necessary Evil, won the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing and was a Zoe Ball Book Club pick. His third novel, Smoke and Ashes, was chosen by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 Best Crime & Thriller Novels since 1945. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with his wife and two sons. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/ 

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Derek Owusu is a writer, poet and podcaster from north London. He discovered his passion for literature at the age of twenty-three while studying exercise science at university. Unable to afford a change of degree, Derek began reading voraciously and sneaking into English Literature lectures at the University of Manchester. Derek edited and contributed to Safe: On Black British Men Reclaiming Space. That Reminds Me, his first solo work, won the Desmond Elliott Prize 2020. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/  Image (c) Josima Senior.

Three writers reflect on the atmospheric pressure of the year they’ve just had in Weather With You – a series of three written commissions and podcasts that address what it means to be a writer today, and why we write. Kerri ní Dochartaigh was born in 1983, in Derry-Londonderry at the border between the North and South of Ireland. She read English Literature and Classical Civilisation at Trinity College Dublin and trained as a Waldorf teacher in Edinburgh. She taught in Edinburgh and Bristol, before returning to Ireland in her early thirties. She writes about nature, literature and place for the Irish Times, Dublin Review of Books, Caught by the River and others. She now lives in a railway cottage in the very heart of Ireland. Thin Places is her first book. Part of the City of Literature festival. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ More about Weather With You: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/open-doors/weather-with-you/  Image (c) Manus Kenny.

Icelandic writer Valur Gunnarsson joins Sarah Bower to discuss his work, with a focus on alternate histories. He is best known as a writer of creative historical fiction; his first novel was a Viking fantasy and his third an alternative history where the Germans invade Iceland in World War II. Meanwhile, his second novel was a piece of autofiction set in the aftermath of the economic collapse of 2008. His fourth book, Bjarmalönd, is set in the former Soviet Union. He also co-founded Grapevine magazine and has made three albums and a poetry book.  Valur was in town virtually as part of our Imagining the City residencies, which you can find out about here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/ Meanwhile, Simon and Steph get over-excited about recording the first podcast IN DRAGON HALL since March 2020. While some Covid-19 rules remain in place, this week marks the first public event held in the building since the start of lockdown. As such, the centre is a hive of activity - as you'll he

In the third of our Imagining the City podcasts, New Zealand writer Liz Breslin talks to British academic and poet Tiffany Atkinson about writing communities and how writing can help you discover yourself. Liz also reads two of her poems, including one from her new collection, In Bed with the Feminists. Flo Reynolds also jumps on the pod to introduce the next Book Club book, In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri. Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. BCLT Event with Jhumpa: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/sebald-lecture-jhumpa-lahiri/ Our City of Literature events: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ Imagining the City resources: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/  Join the Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW Music by Bennet Maples.

Our Imagining the City series continues with virtual writer in residence Marcin Wilk, at home in Krakow, talking to bookseller Joe Hedinger from Norwich's famous Book Hive bookshop. Marcin is a non-fiction writer and has written two biographies of famous Polish women and a history of Poland in the year before World War 2. They talk about writing in the pandemic, Polish culture and history, how to be organised when you're very busy, his love of Virginia Woolf and much more. Audio quality is a little lower than usual due to irritating technical glitches - apologies You can find out more about Imagining the City and read Marcin's articles here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/ Find out more about our City of Literature strand at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/cityoflit-21/ Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW  Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Music by Bennet Maples.