A week or so ago I wrote – Being with other writers is sometimes the best medicine for self doubt and for me it’s always inspirational – I hadn’t reckoned then with the world beyond inspiration – the world of MAGIC !
On Friday I had the privilege of joining Wendy in conversation with her long time colleague and writing friend, the lovely David Almond– a conversation, part of which was recorded for Wendy’s forthcoming radio series. David (in case you didn’t know) is a Whitbread prize winner, has a Carnegie medal and recently won the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen medal for children’s literature
I’d met David before, and had once seen him deliver a workshop to a group of women in the prison where I worked. On that day, like the magician he is, he produced a series of objects – a pastry cutter is one I remember- from a cloth bag. He spun stories around each object before encouraging the women to find their own stories. They loved him!
Talking with David on Friday, both on and off air, like the women at the workshop, I came under his spell. He is of course world famous and yet so very modest, so much one of us. He talked about the times we all experience when the writing isn’t going so well and you feel like giving up. He talked about the other times, the good times, when stories seem to write themselves – when its magical – and hearing him talk I felt a little bit of that magic rubbing off.
He gave us his fascinating take on the writing process, his thinking on the artifical barriers we create between different forms – the novel, a play, opera- barriers which children just don’t recognise. The need to be playful and free in our writing.
Most of all he told us stories and he is a master story teller – so to hear all of this and more tune in to July’s programme of The Writing Game. I promise you, you are in for a wonderful treat and you will be inspired!
The first Writing Game goes out on May 4th 7pm on Bishop FM 105.9 and will be available after this date as a podcast from the radio’s website so no excuses for not listening.
David Almond is currently working on a play for the Durham Mysteries cycle Noah and the Flood – Noah is a Geordie!
Lovely post – two cups of tea in the best. most creative company. I’ve just listened to the tape which captures I think the fragile, potent creativity of a truly gifted writer. Gillian W is transcribing the tape so a hard hard copy will eventrually be acailable of the Bishop FM website. After transmission of course.
As you say, Avril. Inspiring. So pleased you were there.
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