Writing

25 Posts
Everyday Metamorphoses

Everyday Metamorphoses

Creative writing, Kafka, and the art of waking up in the morning

Bad Diagnoses: What’s Wrong With Writer’s Block.

Bad Diagnoses: What’s Wrong With Writer’s Block.

Writer’s block exists. But it is not a useful diagnosis.

Nourishing Tainan | 滋養台南

Nourishing Tainan | 滋養台南

A residency exploring food, stories and the philosophy of everyday life.

Dragon-Carving for Writers: Read the work online

Dragon-Carving for Writers: Read the work online

A British Council funded project, working with seven writers and translators from the UK and China.

Residency at Nanning Literature House

Residency at Nanning Literature House

This December, I'll be at the Nanning literature house in Tainan on a 10-day residency.

Writing and Pedagogy at Bard College

Writing and Pedagogy at Bard College

Exploring writing-based teaching practices at Bard College

Freedom to Write Retreat 2023

Freedom to Write Retreat 2023

This June, I'm guest writer with Freedom to Write, talking about ethics and nonfiction.

Moving to Taiwan

Moving to Taiwan

From August this year, I'll be in the city of Tainan, running some fun writing projects.

Dragon-carving for Writers

Dragon-carving for Writers

Literature and creativity in translation, funded by British Council Connections Through Culture

Awakening Between the Lines Exhibition

Awakening Between the Lines Exhibition

An exhibition of artwork from women survivors with commissioned artwork from some of Bulgaria's most talented illustrators.

Hello, Stranger - Now in Korean

Hello, Stranger - Now in Korean

My book, HELLO, STRANGER, is now published in Korean.

Hello, Stranger to be BBC Radio4 Book of the Week

Hello, Stranger to be BBC Radio4 Book of the Week

Tune in to find out about Hello, Stranger

Elee Kirk: Snapshots of a Life in Museums

Elee Kirk: Snapshots of a Life in Museums

In Memory of Elee Kirk

Creativity on the Academic Margins: Podcast

Creativity on the Academic Margins: Podcast

A podcast interview about writing, creativity and the challenges of teaching in multilingual environments, with Dr Tim Hannigan.

New Book Chapter: A Rude People Subjected to No Restraint

New Book Chapter: A Rude People Subjected to No Restraint

A new book chapter, in Travel Writing in An Age of Global Quarantine edited by Gary Fisher and David Robinson.

On Bread and Fiction

On Bread and Fiction

Writing fiction is like making bread. You need to know when to knead it, and when to just let it rise.

Amateurism, Professionalism and the Art of Creativity

Amateurism, Professionalism and the Art of Creativity

If you want to create, you need to be professional. But you also need to be an amateur.

Writing Without the Hard Grind

Writing Without the Hard Grind

Writing doesn't have to involve misery.

Nietzsche’s Ten Commandments for Writers

Nietzsche’s Ten Commandments for Writers

Advice on writing from the most literary of all philosophers.

Architecture & Conjuring: How to Build Convincing Worlds

Architecture & Conjuring: How to Build Convincing Worlds

Two approaches to world-building

Calvino’s Surprising Advice on Writing, Editing and Life

Calvino’s Surprising Advice on Writing, Editing and Life

How to stop getting weighed down.

The Flaws of Writers

The Flaws of Writers

The medieval Chinese writer on the flaws of writers.

On Vacation: Reeling in the Mind

On Vacation: Reeling in the Mind

Nourishing life to nourish your writing, and nourishing writing to nourish your life.

Big Beasts, Little Beasts, and the Value of Creative Writing

Big Beasts, Little Beasts, and the Value of Creative Writing

Creative writing teaching is about more than churning out big-shot novelists.

Complete Write a Novel Course

Complete Write a Novel Course

A comprehensive guide to writing that first novel.