I had another story published by the good people at Metazen last week. This one’s a bit special for me as I wrote the first draft when I was on my Dark Angels workshop in Spain. It was the “personal piece” that I read to my fellow writers on the last evening of the course. …
Author Archives: neilsbaker
How to sell books
An intriguing package arrived on my doormat yesterday from writer Sarah Salway. It was what I call “granny wrapped”, after my nan who wrapped all Christmas presents in several yards of impenetrable brown parcel tape. I needed a kitchen knife, scissors and patience to open it. But this was not a process I wanted to …
A rather good week, if you’re asking
I was in London’s Free Word centre last week, where the brilliant Throwaway Lines project has become an exhibition. This project is all about turning litter into literature – or litterature, as those of us in the know call it. The idea is simple: give 26 writers 26 different scraps of paper found in the …
Where I write about a Chopper
Would you like a peek inside my messy broom-cupboard of a creative mind? Really? Well… The exhibition I’ve been working on with the V&A’s brilliant Museum of Childhood is now open. Their idea was to tell the story of post-war British childhood through a series of iconic objects. Part of my role was to write …
A turning point at the seaside
I have decided to draw a line in the sand. Running with my dog one morning this week, I thought more about what I might have learnt on my Dark Angels course in Spain. Having made such a big investment – both in time and in cash – in my development as a writer, shouldn’t I …
The one where I interview myself
Oh the narcism. As part of the writers’ collective 26, I’m working with the V&A on a project about british childhood since 1948. Part of my role is to run the project blog, on which I’ve been publishing interviews with other writers. Yesterday I got to interview… me. You can read the results here.
Dark Angels in Spain
I’ve just come back from a writing workshop in Spain. This was the “advanced” version of the Dark Angels course I took in Scotland last November. When I came home from Scotland, I wrote a long blog post about what I’d learned there. So, what did I learn in Spain? It’s hard to say. Dark …
Bespoke stories, written on the spot
A simple question can take you to some very interesting places.I had my second outing as a writer in residence yesterday. This time I was in Oxford Street Books, Whitstable, writing stories inspired by whoever came into the shop. To make life more difficult, I decided to try and write these stories – brief flash …
Stories from the festival writing shed
Sometimes it’s worth making a plan, if only for the fun of ripping it up I spent a lot of time thinking about how I would spend my time as a “writer in residence” at the Lounge on the Farm music festival. I experimented beforehand with new technologies. I spent ages downloading apps and trying …
In my tent, I reside
I’ve wanted to be a writer in residence for ages. Next weekend I finally get my chance, though not in the circumstances I imagined. What I had in mind, I think, was an august yet innovative institution – maybe a university or an arts organisation, a theatre. I would have a comfy office, a grand …