18 Monday Jul 2016
Posted in Short Stories, Short Story, writing
Kurt Vonnegut tells us how short stories should be written. This is very apt after a stimulating conversation with new and old friends at the National Writers’ Conference in Birmingham at the weekend. At least two of his points came up in our conversation: start as close to the end as possible and write to please just one person. I’m not sure about saying, ‘to heck with suspense,’ I think something has to be held back otherwise why does the reader hang around? Answers on a postcard.
04 Monday Jul 2016
Tags
60's Penguin Classic, Collectable, Limited Edition, Mantle Arts, Mantle Lane Press, Midlands' Writers, short story collection, Support Midlands Writers
I’ve some rather lovely news to share. Those wonderful people at Mantle Lane Press are going to publish a small collection of my short stories entitled, Night Swimming.
Shock horror!
Mantle Lane Press is based in Leicestershire and is an offshoot of Mantle Arts. Their aim is to support Midlands writers.
My collection will fall into their limited edition small books collection. These are similar in size to the Penguin 60s range and each features a cover image by a different artist, ensuring that they are attractive, unique and collectable.
I’ve just signed the contract and I’ll let you know more about it when I do.
Right, I’m off to give myself a good pinch.
08 Monday Feb 2016
Posted in Birmingham, Birmingham Writers, creativity, Culture, Scholarship, Short Stories, Working Class, Writers, writing
Tags
Kit de Waal, marginalised, Scholarship, Sleaford Mods, Stories, Working Class, Working class stories, writing
Birmingham writer, Kit de Waal, has set up a scholarship for marginalised people. She wants to give someone, who wouldn’t otherwise have it, the opportunity to write and to develop as a writer.
Kit says, ‘I really see a gap in white, working-class stories – it’s a massively neglected area. I don’t think the experience of the white working class is valued enough.’ I couldn’t agree more.
She also talks about some of the reasons for the lack of working class literature, ‘I think there are gatekeeping processes at work in publishing. First, you need an agent, and you need the time to write. That’s one way you’re going to be filtered out of the system. Maybe there is a lack of confidence in our working-class stories, in whether people want to hear them? But sometimes we have to tell them, otherwise other people do so on your behalf, and that’s no good. We have a responsibility to tell our stories, and the industry has a responsibility to hear them.’
Working class stories are really important to me. My father was a builder, a labourer and tells some incredible stories of friendship, betrayal, law breaking, violence and toe curling humour. These stories are not represented in publishing. These are the stories I write and the stories I want to read.
I think this is the reason I enjoy Sleaford Mods. They tell modern day working class stories with none of the romanticised crap that you see in shows like Call The Midwife and the like.
Please read the whole of the article on Kit and her scholarship here and if you are a working class writer apply.
How about a list of great working class books or stories?
21 Thursday Jan 2016
Two fine members of TSFG flying the flag for local authors.
Mick Scully and Fiona Joseph will be appearing alongside Luke Kennard and Catherine O’Flynn on February 23rd @6:30-8pm. More details here:http://www.foyles.co.uk/Public/Events/Detail.aspx?eventId=2748
24 Tuesday Nov 2015
Posted in competitions, Short Stories, Short Story
A short story competition judged by the marvelous, Paul McVeigh. Get those entries off now!
06 Tuesday Oct 2015
Tags
Birmingham, Birmingham Literature Festival, Birmingham Rep, fiction, Heart FM, Performance, Rachel New, reading, Short Fiction, short story, The Door Space, uk
As part of this year’s Birmingham Literature Festival, I shall be taking part in the Short and Sweet: Short Fiction Salon and reading a new short story. This event is hosted by fiction writer and Heart Breakfast presenter Rachel New and is Free!
Fiction writer and Heart Breakfast presenter Rachel New.
So, treat yourself to an earful of fiction and come down to The Door Space at the Rep, next to the Library for a 6pm start.
All details and how to book (remember its free) can be found here.
26 Friday Sep 2014
Posted in Art, competitions, Poetry, prize money, Short Stories, writing, Writing West Midlands
Tags
Birmingham, Competition, Coventry, Joel Lane, Lost Districts, Novels, Photography, Poetry, Prize Money, short stories, The Black Country, Visual Art, West Midlands, Wolverhampton
Hi, only a week to go now before the Lost Districts
competition launches.
You’ll remember from my earlier post that Lost Districts is all about celebrating the work of writer and poet, Joel Lane, who is sadly no longer with us. So, if you know a photographer, or visual artist, who’s based, or has work based in the West Midlands, UK, get them to check out the Lost Districts page, they could win £100 and have their work splashed across the web!
05 Friday Sep 2014
Posted in Art, Comics, comissions, Q & A, Short Stories, Writing West Midlands
Tags
Anya Jung, Art, Birmingham, Birmingham Literature Festival, comic book, Free event, Garrie Fletcher, short story, West Midlands, writing
Ripped straight from the Birmingham Literature Festival programme.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the finished thing. The Q & A should be interesting, especially if you guys turn up.
Raven: Comic Book Commission Q&A with the artists
October 8 @ 6:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Free
comicsketch
Raven is a collaboration between writer Garrie Fletcher and artist Anya Jung. Commissioned by the Birmingham Literature Festival; they will focus on the relationship between narrative and image, and the journey from snatched ideas and rough sketches to a finished product you can hold.
A modern take on an urban gothic tale, set amongst the twisted architecture of Birmingham; Raven will explore the real and the distorted in this documentation of the loss of childhood and the reclamation of hope.
Raven will be created within the Library of Birmingham throughout the ten days of the Birmingham Literature Festival. This event is the opportunity to see how Garrie and Anya are getting on with the process of collaborating and to find out more about the process of creating a comic book from scratch.
Garrie Fletcher cropped for website
Garrie Fletcher
about-portrait-newAnya Jung is an illustrator and recent graduate from University College Falmouth. She takes her inspiration from stories, myths and fairy tales as well as the world around her, often drawing on location to capture the essence of a place. She enjoys working in traditional mediums and only deploys digital tools in the final stages of the creative process to bring an image together. To see more examples of her work please visit http://www.ajungillustration.co.uk.
Garrie Fletcher likes words, big cities and avoiding Northampton. He writes short stories, novels, comics and poems. He’s a member of the Tindal Street Fiction Group and loves talking nonsense to kids. His work can be found in various anthologies, Unthology 5 being the most recent. You may even have seen his work at the cinema, if you’re not prone to blinking. https://fletchski.wordpress.com/.
This is a free event. No need to book!
Details
Date:
October 8, 2014
Time:
6:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Cost:
Free
Event Categories:
Comic book, Free, Illustration
Event Tags:
2014, fiction
Organizer
Birmingham Literature Festival
Venue
The Foyer, Library of Birmingham
Centenary Square, Broad Street Birmingham, B1 2ND
+ Google Map
Check out the original posting here for maps, art samples and a scary photo of me.
24 Thursday Jul 2014
Tags
Art, audience contributions, Birmingham, cherry reds, fun, improvised music, Kev Eadie, Leanne Bridgewater, Miss Adventure, Music, poetry reading, Tim Fletcher, uk
This evening I’ll be reading selected poems or possibly a short story, if only I could decide, damn this indecision!
Anyway, whatever it is it’ll be fun -blush- not because me but because of the other wonderfully talented people that’ll be there and because it’s hosted in the rather wonderful Cherry Reds on John Bright Street, Birmingham.
Hmm, looks good.
14 Monday Jul 2014
Posted in Short Stories, Unthology 5, writing
Tags
Charles Wilkinson, Collections, Garrie Fletcher, Interview, short stories, uk, Unthank Books, Unthology 5, writing
Most of you that follow this blog, or my twitter feed, will know by now that Unthology 5 is out. You’ll also know that Unthology 5 is an incredible collection of short stories that wrestle with a topics as diverse as child abduction and the end of the world. You’ll know that these sublime tales come in many shapes and sizes, some no more than a couple of pages focusing on a single character and others more abstract and far ranging. But, do you have any idea what writers talk about when they meet up? What do they think is the perfect short story, or the required number of crustaceans for a tale? No? Well, you’re in luck. Those wonderful people at Unthank Books have been posting conversations between the writers of Unthology 5 and my conversation with Charles Wilkinson is now up. Just click on the picture below to enjoy.
Garrie Fletcher 