feature INDEX
study people and events; listen to how people speak, how they walk, how they interact with others.” Carrying a notebook and writing down observations is useful. Overheard snippets of conversation in a queue or on the bus can inspire all sorts of themes and situations. Writing requires commitment, but it seems that many succumb to ‘the enemy within’. Despite all the big ideas and the passion, many aspiring authors are simply unable to sit down and get on with it. They listen to that little inner voice that provides excuses not to start. Deciding which part of the day is best helps; whether is it 2am or 2pm, writing for 10 minutes every day will create the habit of writing. Your subject matter may be a personal passion or an event or situation you have experienced. However, if you haven’t decided on a topic, Canterbury Laureate Sarah Salway suggests going to the library. “This will help work out what sort of book you want to read – those are the best books to write.” Some people fi nd that taking a course on creative writing can give them the confi dence to start, and there are many in the area to choose from. Linda, who runs writing workshops, suggests that a writing tutor can “guide you with their expertise, inspiration and know- how into how to get published”. Sarah agrees that beginner writers should join groups to meet other writers, not least because family and friends don’t always understand that sitting at a desk scribbling is actually very hard work! Finally, it is important to enjoy what you are doing, but to become a published writer, you have to keep going and fi nish. Linda says. “You must have the tenacity to overcome numerous rejections and believe I AM A REAL WRITER.”
W Courses
The Horsebridge Arts and Community Centre, Whitstable. Writing workshop with Linda James From January, every Sunday, 2-4pm More info and to book a place: writingunderwater@
tiscali.co.uk or T: 07969 051064
The Horsebridge Arts and Community Centre, Whitstable. Writing – Stage, Screen and TV 10-week morning class, cost £90 Starts 12 January More info and to book a place: 0845 606 5606
Canterbury Adult Education Centre. 10-week evening classes, cost £90 Starts 9 January • Creative Writing for All • Creative Writing – Further your Skills • Creative Writing – Advanced More info and to book a place: 0845 606 5606
Books
Get Started in Creative Writing: Teach Yourself by Stephen May. Publisher: Teach Yourself. RRP £10.99
Poetry Writing: The Expert Guide by Fiona Sampson Publisher: Robert Hale Ltd. RRP £12.99
14
hitstable-based writer and teacher Linda James says that writers are born observers. She says: “If you want to become a writer,
A crown of words Celebrated Kent author Sarah Salway is the new Canterbury Laureate and Index writer Denise Smith asked her a few questions about the post.
“It’s a great honour for me,” says Sarah, “especially being
based in Canterbury, which has such a rich literary heritage.”
Working through the Canterbury
Festival, Sarah is the fi gurehead for some exciting literature developing across the district.
The particular scheme Sarah will be involved in is an intergenerational
writing project ‘Wise Words’. She will work with teacher trainees at Canterbury Christ Church University and Writing MA students from the University of Kent to design workshops for community groups aged under 18 and over 60. “It’ll be really exciting to see what happens, not least because the words written by a seven year old may be just as wise as those written by a 70 year old!” The Laureateship is an annual programme that partners Canterbury City Council with the Canterbury Festival, and the crown passes to another writer next year.
A Laureate is normally associated with poetry, but this is not the case for Sarah. “We’ll be using all kinds of writing, including letters and text messages. There’s a wealth of writing initiatives already established in the area, and I’m very much looking forward to working alongside them.”
In addition to this venture, Sarah will also be working on her own writing project. This will use different methods of telling stories, and will be based on the green spaces around the Canterbury district from formal gardens to woodlands.
Sarah got into writing as a child by keeping a diary. She went into journalism from school, and worked for magazines and newspapers, including Cosmopolitan and The Scotsman.
It wasn’t until
Index Poetry Seeds (after Palm Sunday, Anselm Keifer) by Sarah Salway
Deep in the root ball of the ship the plant collector is making a nest.
He counts his catch, tucks each seed in its own hand-labeled box, ebony
cabinet ticking with paused hearts. He dreams one day of growing
a fresh desert, of dried moments in the old land coming back to life.
And as he waters the dust, sailors sleep and no-one sees the wooden
mast dancing in tune to the wind’s song until, reaching for water, it leans
too far, loses balance. White sails, like baby gowns, christen the sea.
she had a family that she started to write creatively.
Sarah has since
published three novels and a collection of short stories. Her fi rst poetry collection, You Do Not Need Another Self-Book Book will be published by the Kent poetry press, Pindrop in early 2012.
Her last novel
Getting the Picture was published in 2010, and you can learn more about her work at www.
sarahsalway.net
www.indexmagazine.co.uk
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