From Assistant to Lead – Working for WWM 2014-15

The Goal: to be a Lead Writer (14/9/13) – Lead Writer (4/3/15)

and lots of fun in between, Mentoring and covering in Lead Role and working as Assistant Writer in other groups.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

In September 2013, I met Jonathan Davidson (Chief Executive), for the fourth time at a Writing West Midlands (WWM) networking event. After 9 months of writing, attending workshops and classes, I had come to the realisation that although I can write, I was meant to be a poet. Despite working hard at writing for 9 months my only successful submissions had been poetry. I cannot believe that I could have forgotten that I was a poet.

BACKSTORY

I started writing at 12 and my final poem at Middle School was not only read at the Presentation Evening (funnily enough there is a photo in existence of myself and JV Birch standing side by side reading and now both of us have embarked on this true calling of writing after lifetimes spent doing other things) but it was also used in my 1st year of High School (Yr 9 nowadays) with the GCSE group as an analysis and reading task. BOOM!

2 years later I had my first poem published and for the rest of my YA life I had poems published. Then I left for university and started performing at open mics for a few years. After graduating I ran some workshops in schools and took a creative writing course. I continued to be a published poet for a few years before retraining as a teacher took over my creative mind and left me time poor.

2013

Over a decade later (close to 15 years) I re-emerged. Remembered I was a butterfly, opened my wings, closed my eyes and jumped.

Anyway there I was at the Network meeting, with Simon Thirsk and Ian Billing and I got talking to Jonathan, I told him of my future plans and he asked me ‘why wait?’ – to which there is no answer. I registered my interest in becoming an Assistant Writer there and then, funnily enough later that evening I was to meet Ruth Stacey and Jenny Hope who both work for WWM.

https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2013/09/14/my-writing-life-vs-sleep/

A link to the original blog post 14/09/2013

It is worth mentioning that all you lucky writers whose books I have bought, you have Jonathan to thank for that too, as he imparted this wisdom;

SUPPORT FELLOW WRITERS’ – WHEREVER IT IS POSSIBLE, this includes BUYING their books. We all know how important those sales are post publishing. Offer more than a congratulations if you can.

My application was confirmed two months later, in November and I had an interview at the Custard Factory mid-January. Where I was offered the opportunity to work as Assistant Writer to Ian MacLeod at the Senior (12-16) group.

Original blog post https://awritersfountain.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/my-new-opportunity-writing-work/

SEP: Offered my services

NOV: Application accepted

JAN: Interview and success

FEB: Started as an Assistant Writer

ASSISTANT WRITER

I worked with Ian for the remainder of the academic year Feb – July 2014 a total of 6 sessions. After the Summer I returned and have just finished working with Ian for a year.

MENTOR

In NOV 2014 I was approached and asked to work as a Mentor (1 to 1) along with Emma Purshouse and William Gallagher. It was a pilot project which ran for 3 months, DEC- FEB. it was a great opportunity.

FEB – JULY 2014 Assistant Writer for Ian

NOV 2014 Asked to join mentoring pilot programme

DEC – JAN 2015 Mentoring Role

SEP – JUNE 2015 Assistant Writer for Ian

MARCH 2015 Asked to become a Lead Writer

From SEP 2015 I will be the Lead Writer of YW Senior Group.

LEAD WRITER

On March 4th I was asked to be a LEAD WRITER (my initial goal), I accepted without knowing which group I would be placed with. I am delighted to be taking over the reins from Ian with a small group he and I know well.

We hope to expand the group numbers and I have so many ideas to try out with them. I am very excited!

In the true spirit of giving and as a huge thank you to the man himself… let me share this:

Jonathan Davidson has a new book out!  and here is a great blog, Nadia Kingsley is another great poet, where you can read all about it;

http://web236.extendcp.co.uk/fairacrepress.co.uk/tag/jonathan-davidson/

Week 3 October Ghosts, Meetings & Phenomenal Women

I decided at the beginning of the month that I would do less performance events this month and focus on my writing. I have found it hard, if not frustrating, especially as I feel I have missed out on some great events.

There is a certain amount of stress and pressure which comes from being under deadlines. I want this life, I want to have a full writing diary and lots of projects on the go, but I have to learn to find some balance. This life is tiring whilst I write alongside the day job (as many of us do) , I need to give myself enough time to rejuvenate and refuel. Energy is essential.

This week sees the Book to the Future Festival at  Birmingham University, it finishes tomorrow. There was a great programme of events, which I missed out on as I have done lots of day job work this week too. I managed to contact a few writers who were lecturing to get seminar notes in return to being on their mailing lists. I also managed to get to Phenomenal Women on Wednesday night. I am missing Ben Norris this evening as I promised Mr G the weekend and am chained to my desk until deadlines pass.

This week I had planned to be out at events for 4 nights in a row, it has been a challenging week at work and I decided I do not have enough energy to deal with that many performances.

• Tuesday I performed at Mouth & Music, Jasmine Gardosi headliner along with PTR Williams.
• Wednesday I attended a writing meeting at Writing West Midlands
• then hotfooted Birmingham University for Phenomenal Women with Jan Watts.
• I was supposed to go to PFL Poetry for Lunch and Hit the Ode on Thursday, however I decided to take time off I missed Lorna Meehan perform at HTO!
• On Friday I missed Spoken Word at The Ort, Birmingham and Spoken World’s at Burton.
• I did go to a Stanza meeting, there were only 3 of us, last month there were 14. A small group were out in Malvern to see Carol Ann Duffy.
• Today there are poetic happenings in the Library of Birmingham, Ben Norris performs at Birmingham University and tomorrow Maurice Riordan speaks at Notts Festival of Words – at Notttingham University.

I now have a 5 day stretch to write and finish several projects I am working on and take on a new opportunity. Towards the end of the week I have some book promotion events, charity events and a book launch also next weekend sees our own VIRTUAL WRITING RETREAT – INKSPILL! Then it’s half term, Halloween and a bunch more events.

 

MOUTH & MUSIC Tues 14th

This month’s M&M was electrifying – we had 4 Birmingham Poets amongst us – Jasmine Gardosi was Head-lining, along with PTR Williams. Those factors were the only differences to the usual stellar line up of open mic-ers – but it was just one of those nights that caught an extra sprinkling of magic along the way. Funny really because it was Ghosts and Ancestors theme and those of you who know me, know I am a complete scaredy cat!

 I had written a 2 poems (especially for M&M) that I couldn’t wait to perform, I plan to use it them on the Halloween circuit in a fortnight (42, Halloweeny Night at the Ort, Word Up) – they went down well and from audience reaction had the right amount of spooky foreboding! Perfect. The other 2 poems I shared were written a while ago now, 2013.

I really enjoyed all the sets and seeing people I haven’t seen for months. We also had several performers new to M&M and they were fabulous, hoping they will be back. The lovely Saffron Toms brought her kit and snapped amazing, arty photos of the night to catch the atmosphere. The venue is incredibly dark so just on light settings alone she deserves a lot of kudos. All photos are copyright Saffron Toms. Just a taste – think there are over 60 shots posted online.

© Saffron Toms 2014

Jasmine Gardosi

 

Jan                                                                                                   Tessa Lowe                                                              Mogs

Katie Wragg                                                               Caution Poet                                                                      Najma Hush

 Myself – Nina Lewis

Wednesday 15th October – Writing West Midlands Meeting for Writers with Young People

Annually WWM get all the Lead and Assistant writers from the Midlands groups together. It was a fun meeting and they were also selling off book overstock from the Birmingham Literature Festival… discounted books -yes, please!

I also signed up for the possibility of training to mentor Arts Awards later on this year.  

 

Wednesday 15th October – Book to the Future Festival – Jan Watts – Phenomenal Women Event

From The Custard Factory (WWM HQ),  I hot footed in torrential rain to the University to take part in the Book to the Future Festival for the 2nd year. Jan Watts organises an annual Phenomenal Women event, there were 12 poets booked to perform including;

Janet Smith

Swingerella

Jasmine Gardosi

Charley Barnes

ScrubberJack – Jackie Smallridge

Andrea Smith

Kathy Gee

Heather Wastie

Jan Watts

and myself, Nina Lewis

It was a great night and secretly for me – it was also a celebration of meeting Jan Watts a year ago!

I performed my post office rant (written the day before) and a couple from the Maya Angelou collection – as it was phenomenal women….

 

Friday 17th October Stanza

I had had a terribly challenging day at work beforehand (emotionally drained) and unfortunately that blew my Thursday performance plan out of the water. I spent time writing some new poetry and on Friday night (after another long work day) I went to the Stanza Meeting armed with a poem about Migration. Big thanks to Mike Alma for the lift, I was far too tired to drive and wouldn’t have been able to go otherwise!

 

This weekend sees many Poets and bands in Birmingham for Oxjam, as well as all the other exciting things I have mentioned- I am happy writing – trying on the ‘reclusive writer’ for a while until deadlines pass!

Next week is already filling up – there is a Hanbury Hall Project I am involved with as well as other things, including lots of days of work (as it is half term the week after = no income) I am busy writing new poetry and have a job application to send off as well.

\ Happy Writing! /

The Busy Saturday – that Became a Lost Weekend!

I loved last Saturday – I have been too busy to update the blog regularly this last week, now I have some time and am trying to get posting so that as of tomorrow we fall back into real time, otherwise we will still be ‘in April’ by May!

Saturday 12th April, was such a busy day that I ended up suffering hot flushes and had to have a powernap to make it through!

My day started early (which is a miracle in itself – as many weekends I am not awake until the afternoon) but it was the start of my Easter holidays and the pressure of work has disappeared. I have been awake most days between 7-8. It was closer to 9.30 when I woke up which didn’t give me long to make a decision and drive to the train station. Especially as I had to pack a bag for an overnight weekend too!

I took a train into Birmingham, reading through my set on the 20minute journey. Making it in good time to the Urban Coffee House and Najma’s Exhibition.  Read all about it here.  Female Force

Female Force was the opening exhibition launch event for Najma Hush a.k.a Photogiraffe.

I couldn’t stay for the whole event unfortunately as it didn’t finish until 1.30pm and I was due in  The Hive, 30 miles away at this time.

I told Ian about the event at the WWM Meeting on Thursday, I knew the travel time would be tight, had I stayed on the train I may have made it in time, but we went to a party in the evening and I needed my car.

 I work for Writing West Midlands as an Assistant Writer, once a month in The Hive (library) with Young Writers – 12-16 year old age group.

I just made it in time for the Writing Group, it was fun to tell the kids where I had been, especially as this week Ian asked me to share my poetry with them. We were looking at role-play and dialogue, I had intended to write a poem especially for the group. Clearly there was no time. They seemed to enjoy the two I shared.

We had a great meeting, they really enjoyed the role play and drama, Ian is great about me having more input – he knows my intention to become a lead writer (even though I have just agreed to do another full year (academic year) as an assistant writer with Ian), it will be great experience. Next month we have a change of venue into the studio and there was mention of a murder mystery, I hope to help Ian with some practical activities/ideas for our next session.

After the meeting I raced around the shops to buy Claire cards and a present – as we were going to her 40th – a buffet and band at a local pub. I couldn’t find a suitable card in time, so I tried to pick one up in town when I had driven back there. I ended up with the PERFECT one! She is as close to 40 as a 30 year old and all the cards seemed more appropriate for people over 70 – I found one that perfectly matched our birthday wishes for her – which were basically fulfilled that night. It was a great party and the band ‘Happy Accident’ were absolutely amazing, all covers, lots of Kings of Leon and it was great fun – especially all of us dancing together.

The sad thing was they bought a tray of mini desserts out that we didn’t know about – having moved around to the dance floor and Stewart had made a custom peanut cake that none of the staff could find the next day – when we all really needed the sugar!

It was a late night 1.30 am and in the morning we got up early, just after 8, as that was the original plan. We ended up staying until teatime. I had a great morning in the garden, in the sun, with Mr G and 4 of our close friends. Eventually there was talk of pubs and all day breakfasts, several trips to the shops to stock up on fridge drinks. We did all make it to the pub by 3 – they were serving carvery  by then, a Sunday Roast would have been PERFECT – but we were a little cash negative after the bar bill from the birthday party the night before.

Eventually we made it home, close to 6pm to share a lovely evening together after a fabulous (tiring) weekend!

Writing West Midlands – Network Meeting for Writers

Copyright © 2014 Lee Allen

Last week WWM (Writing West Midlands) had a launch event, to showcase Lee Allen’s new design, featuring many poets and writers I know or at least have met, at other events.

 

What a week it has been! Last week went REALLY slowly, this week has shot by. This evening saw the first of 2 meetings for all the writers who work for Writing West Midlands in creative writing groups for young people. It was an inspiring meeting and great to chat to everyone – I would say network – but happily I knew most of the writers there!

I have been at work all day and by the end of that I felt like I should /could just go to bed and sleep. I also had to forego SpeakEasy for the second time this year! The set list this month looked good, including the Headliner, Ash Dickinson. No doubt May will roll around before I have time to blink!

The meeting was a great experience, spending a few hours with so many writers in one room. I hadn’t realised Hayley Frances had starting working for it was lovely to see her again this evening and she told us about a project ‘Page Talk’ I may be getting my teeth into next month (May), of course I will be blogging about it.

And as always I didn’t have much of a chance to talk to everyone I wanted to – in fact I turned around and half the people had left!

I have several pages of scribbled notes, a ton of inspiring ideas and a few emails to fire off as a result of this meeting at the

It was a great way to start my Easter Holidays – 18 days in my writing skin 🙂

AND I got to test drive my SATNAV gifted last night (thanks again Mike!) – and even learnt how to make the volume work. Happy with today’s achievements.