Tag: writer in residence

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Why I Enjoy Being A ‘Writer in Residence’

carolyncordon

From looking at my calendar on my phone, I see I’ve been a Writer in Residence since the first Monday in February this year. I’m enjoying my time there, almost all of the time, with only one little blip that wasn’t quite so wonderful …

It was a learning experience, and a lesson that I know understand, and so I hope that particular thing won’t happen again. Being a writer in residence on a regular basis, especially if the venue you are ‘in residence’ at, is a small one means you are quite ‘up close and personal’ with the owner/manager of that venue, and if there is trouble, the owner may have to think hard about whether or not you are of value to their business.

I’ve fallen foul of this ‘up close and personal’ issue in the past, and so took lessons from that experience, and tried to be careful not to fall foul of the same thing that went wrong last time, somewhere else.

The ‘trouble’ this time, was of a different kind, and it has been sorted out, and I am still welcome to be at this venue. I am glad of this, and happily drive off to the Gallery 14 cafe in Hamley Bridge every Monday morning that aren’t Public Holidays. It’s a nice cafe, in a nice town, the coffee is good, and I can set up my books there, and write or chat, as I wish, getting a free coffee whenever I ask for one!

The coffee is good, the ‘feel of the place is friendly and creative, and I have had some lovely conversations with people who have expressed interest in what I am doing there. I’ve sold a few books there too, and shared information about my writing group (Adelaide Plains Poets) and our activities, with people, and that information has been almost always been received with pleasure.

Yes, there was one person not so thrilled with me being there, a complaint was made, but the owner and I have talked it through, and all is fine now. I’m taking care to stick to my own small table though, and not get involved in other people’s conversations, unless they begin the conversation with me.

It is easy for me to stick to writing, and just be present, taking things in, perhaps, but keeping quiet, and writing … This can lead to creative writing happening, and having someone else make the coffee for me as I write, what a fine thing that is! And if I need some sweet food inspiration to go with the coffee, I’m in the right spot for that too, this cafe bake their own delicious items at home and bring them along for us to buy, and devour, with delight!

I certainly like writing at home too, of course, but being somewhere else brings along new ideas and thoughts, and as a creative writer, new ideas are always welcome, to bring new interest to my writing, for me, and I hope for my readers too.

I don’t know how long I will go on being the writer in residence at the Gallery 14 cafe, but I certainly hope it will go on for the rest of this year, and into 2022, because I like it there! It’s a mostly pleasant drive from my house to there, easy to park close enough nearby, and the staff and other customers seem to be fine people.

And my writing group, is going to hold an event at Gallery 14, as a part of our Gawler and Adelaide Plains Festival of Words (Recovery) this year on 23 July, where we will have lunch at the cafe, then hold a “Show and Tell” session, where writers will be able to read from their own writing, for an interested audience, which I think will be an interesting ‘new’ thing for the cafe, and the writers!

Having a Writer in Residence spot in a library would by good, too, especially if that library had a cafe there too, or a cafe nearby, anyway. It’s not that I’m a coffee addict, and usually only have one or two of those free cups of coffee, and Gallery 14, because I know what too much caffeine does to my brain when it’s time to go to sleep at night!

But I do feel that coffee is an important part of my creativity, or at least it’s something I like to have when I’ve settled down to do some writing, anyway … And if there is some yummy food available too, that is a bonus! I may be trying to lose a little bit more weight, but I can adjust what I have for my evening meal if I splash out for something yummy over lunch!

Today I met some new people and we had a lovely chat, and I also chatted with a regular customer I often meet at the cafe, and he sat and chatted with me about various things. It was all pleasant, and while I didn’t actually write a lot, and didn’t sell any books, it was still a worthwhile visit, spreading the word about who I am, and what I do …

So if anyone reading this ever gets the chance to be a Writer in Residence, I say go for it, be aware of any ‘things’ happening, and work on being of value to the venue you’re in residence at!

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Workshop Presenter and Guest Poet

carolyncordon

Yes, today I am getting out there, and talking to people in public, giving an writing workshop that will be quite different to anything anyone has ever done, I expect. Those attending will be using words already written and published, to write their own creative words, and who knows where their new words may go …

And after the workshop and lunch are done, I will be the guest poet at the Gawler Poets at the Pub event, where poets can come along and have a few minutes to read their poetry to a keen audience, for the cost of a gold coin! Yay! what poet wouldn’t want that?

I’ll have copies of my own books for sale today at a special low price, so here’s your chance. If you can’t be in Gawler today though, that low price will also apply tomorrow, when I’ll be doing my Writer-In-Residence gig at the Gallery 14 cafe in Hamley Bridge. I’ll be having lots of fun times with words there again on Monday, as I do every Monday 10.30 am (not public holidays).

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Research, Write, Retail

carolyncordon

When you get an idea for a book, you do a little bit of research, (perhaps), then you write the book, then the retail side of things comes into it, and you sell your book (or your publisher will do that side of things). For me, lived experience, random ideas, google, and reading books related to what I want to write about is my research. I don’t need to do anything too hefty, for the kinds of books I want to write.

The writing part, that’s where you get really serious about what being a writer is all about. You plot out your book, whether fiction or nonfiction (or you go the other way, and just write, and tidy up later). Either way, you have to get a books worth of words written and more, before you can have a book.

So you do the hard part, and a book comes into the world, then the other hard part comes to the fore, and you sell the book, sell the idea of having the book, sell yourself as a great writer, and sell your book as a must have item for your personal library, or bedside table pile of ‘books to read’. You tout your book to libraries, and book shops perhaps, and ;et friends and family know you have a new book out.

Writers can be shy and retiring types, and that can be a bonus in having time and inclination to huddle down and get your writing done, but once you have your book written, you have to come out into the whole other world, and get down and book/boogie, talking about your book to as many people as possible, in as many places as possible.

Being a writer is a many faceted thing, and if you’re not prepared to do the selling side of things, you might not do very well out of it, financially … My most recent ‘thing’ is being the Writer-In-Residence at a local cafe, once a week. Every Monday morning, I head out to Hamley Bridge, not too far away, with a pile of my books for people to look at, and perhaps buy. I sit there, chatting to anyone who wants to chat, ready to listen to them too, because for me as a writer, everyone may have a story I can use in my writing – with names and details changed of course, to make the story my own!

Some of my books on display at Gallery 14

I’m there for a couple of hours, chatting, and just being there, so that people will see me, and connect me up with that author, and perhaps even if they don’t want any of my books there, they may tell friends and others about me, and that could lead to that other person coming along and buying a book. My book sales so far are not anything to get excited about, but that’s ok, I love chatting to people, I have writing time if no-one is there to chat with, and my coffee is free! (It’s good coffee too, and the food looks excellent!)

If I go on enjoyng being a Gallery 14, as I am now, I imagine I could become a regular, for sure. It’s only fifteen minutes from home, the books aren’t too heavy for me to carry, and I’m having a good time, why would I not give up a morning every week to do this! If I eventually go on to selling more books, more bonus. I would only have been sitting at home letting the dog out and back in, and writing (maybe), anyway. No book sales happening there!

Being out in the community could lead to many other things, bigger things, who knows? Wendy Williams, who owns the cafe was willing to give me a chance to do this, and is helping with letting people know about it, so I’m going to give it my best shot!

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Writer in Residence – First Session Done

carolyncordon

So my first session as the Writer in Residence at Gallery 14 is done, there’s a new poem come into the world as a consequence. I had a coffee there, delicious, and free, as is the deal. I sit there, with my books, writing and prepared to talk about my books and writing to anyone who drops by, even without the free coffee, this is a great gig!

The venue is in a good spot, things happening all around, various people dropping in at the cafe, and even if they don’t come and chat with me, they can see me there, and being present often enough will make me almost a resident, rather than just ‘in residence’ …

Wendy, who owns the venue, is supportive, and listened to me read the poem I wrote today, and seemed to like it, and she has put the word out online, about me being there, so maybe there will be even more things happening next Monday! And Wendy’s sister who writes screenplays was there, and we had a bit of a chat about that, which was interesting. I can see up both perhaps working on something together, you never know!

I’ll go online later today and see how things are looking, in terms of likes and shares and things, and who knows what may happen next week, because I will be there at that cafe every Monday morning, except for Public Holidays, with my books and prepared for going with the flow, whatever happens, I’ll be there happening too! I have a novel I’m writing, and a new poetry collection, and hey, I have books to sign too, if anyone wishes to have their own!

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Preparation is the Key!

carolyncordon

When having to do a new thing, being prepared in advance, knowing what to expect as much as possible, while being aware that the task may change, are important things. I have a new role I will be taking on from next Monday, that of the Writer in Residence at Gallery 14 in Hamley Bridge, a lovely small town not that far from where I live.

I’ve been to this cafe three times now, and discussed this role with the owner, and she is happy for me to be there, ‘Doing my thing’. I’ve been a Writer in Residence before, at a different cafe, and then at a hotel. The hotel ‘gig’ ended, and other things came along, but now I’m ready for this Writer in Residence ‘gig’ again!

Gallery 14 is a lovely cafe, good coffee and great food, and I’m looking forward to meet more people living in Hamley Bridge, and sharing news about what I’m there for, what I’m working on myself, and the things I could do with them, if they were interested. I can do creative writing workshops in a range of subjects, genre, and I will have a range of my own books with me, for people to look at and perhaps purchase.

I love talking to people, and am looking forward to it, very much. And if things are a little bit slow, I have two writing projects I can be working on. I have a novel I’m writing, and a new poetry collection too. Both of these are in the approaching halfway mark, and I hope to bring them closer to getting published stage, by the middle of the year would be nice, but before the end of the year will be close enough.

I have the text for a flyer I plan to leave at the Cafe, so people can read about me, and know who I am, and what I’m doing there. I will be at Gallery 14 in Hamley Bridge every Monday (except for Public Holidays) from 10.30am. I imagine I may be there for a couple of hours each time. This feels like a great thing to be doing!