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Books Talk Back - Aspiring Writers in Bristol

Posted on: 25 Feb 2016

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Books Talk Back is a series of events aimed at helping, supporting and encouraging aspiring writers with talks from published authors, feedback on works in progress and plenty of fun and laughter. It is the brainchild of Isabelle King, and this year she's bringing Books Talk Back to Bristol on May 18th at The Hen & Chicken. Books Talk Back is partnering with Bristol-based independent film showcase CineMe to put on a one of a kind event. Ben Allen got to sit down and talk to Isabelle about all this and more...

 

BEN: Hi Isabelle, thanks so much for talking to me today. So firstly, how did Books Talk Back get started?

 

ISABELLE:  I'd worked as an actress for a few years and it was an idea of mine that came about because I'd always been interested in writing, in particular fiction writing. I really enjoyed it as a creative hobby but I didn't really understand how you'd go about pursuing fiction writing as a career. The more I investigated this the more I found that a lot of writers that I knew of and respected seemed to come from an academic background – or had undertaken an MA in creative writing which was never an option for me. I wanted to create an event to help people like me gain insight and ideas about pursuing a writing career . I did the first event in a pub in South Ealing which was my local pub at the time. I absolutely loved Naomi Wood, the author of The Godless Boys, and I got in touch with her on Twitter and she was really up for doing the event!

 

So, what happens at an event?

 

At each event I have a published author as the guest speaker. I lead an open conversation with the author about how they got started in writing and the process of working on their first novel. Following that, a panel of pre-selected participants read an extract from their unpublished writing to the guest author and the audience and then get a bit of feedback on it. At the end I usually have a big Q&A with the guest author. I like to try and keep the tone quite informal and relaxed, hopefully quite fun as well. I don’t want the event to feel like a seminar or lecture, I want it to be a fun occasion where everyone feels they're involved. It's a bit of fun but with an underlying focus to it. Overall, the aim was to create a platform for aspiring authors to share their work and get instant feedback on it, and also it's a great networking opportunity.

 

Do you have a dream list of authors you're approaching? Or do you tend to go for local authors?

 

I don’t really have a dream list to be honest; I’ve loved the variety of guest authors I've had at events so far which have included Naomi Wood, Tracy Chevalier and Hayley Long. They are all just brilliant writers and they've all been so warm and generous and engaging with the audience. With Naomi, for example, I just loved her book which is why I got in touch with her. Naomi was an Eccles Centre for American Studies Writer in Residence which is how I got connected with the British Library who very kindly host some of my events. With the British Library, I always use writers on their list - such as Tracey Chevalier, who did my most recent event, although she was very much on the dream list as well. To be honest, in terms of event planning, there been a bit of making it up as I go along so Books Talk Back has developed quite organically. It's been very much a passion project – all events have been non-profit.

 

Photo Credit: Ben Galpin

 

So it's all for the love?

 

Yep, it's all for the love! I've recently been exploring the possibility of developing Books Talk Back into a business venture but because I feel very passionately about the Books Talk Back ethos - to support and showcase new writers from really diverse backgrounds, I'll ensure that I still host events that are free for people to attend in addition to any for-profit events.

 

It's amazing to host these events for free - I imagine it must take up a lot of your time?

 

It does! It's actually really rewarding, because a lot of the participants on the panel go on to do some really good stuff, and it's nice to know that the event helped them out in a way, or gave them a bit of a confidence boost. I actually read at my first event, and for me I found it so helpful. I'd been working on this novel for about a year, and I'd never really talked about it that much. I'd never read it to anyone and reading at my event just helped to give my unpublished work a bit of validation. Sometimes it's just quite nice to have a bit of recognition that you are doing something that other people might not have known about.

 

How nerve-wracking was it standing up and reading this thing that you've been pouring your heart into for a year?

 

I host the events, but changing hats from the host to the participant, I have to say, was a bit nerve-wracking. The feedback I got was great actually, it helped me to find a time period for the novel. I always get participants to come armed with a few questions before they read so the audience has something to focus on. I'd originally set my novel in the '50s and I read out an excerpt from the first chapter. What I asked people was 'What sort of time period comes across to you?' Naomi and much of the audience said they got a much more Victorian vibe from it which was really helpful to know. It ended up with me actually changing the time period. That was a really helpful bit of feedback.

 

How is the novel coming on now?

 

It's coming on really well, thank you! I actually put it to one side to focus on a children's book I was writing - which is now finished and is actually getting published!

 

That's amazing, congratulations!

 

Thank you! So yeah, I love that novel but I got involved with some events in Norfolk and started writing children's stories and I absolutely love it. 

 

You're planning an event here in Bristol in conjunction with CineMe, how did you start working with them?

 

Well, I got to know Bristol through (local award winning film-maker) Oliver Park, we worked together on a film called The Solider back in 2013. Last October I went to a CineMe screening because they were screening Vicious (Oliver's award winning short horror film) and I hadn't seen it yet so I went to see it at the Tobacco Factory. I really enjoyed their event, and in a way it's quite similar to Books Talk Back. I loved that we had a similar vibe. After that I got chatting to James from CineMe and sent him an email about a potential collaboration, it seemed like a good idea so we're working together for an event in May. It's going to combine a bit of Books Talk Back and a bit of CineMe. It'll have a focus on screenwriting and the process of transitioning from script to screen. 

 

 

Have you ever felt like you'd want to give screenwriting a go?

 

I'd love to write a screenplay! I think it's just been the case of not having enough time to sit down and write a script. I've been writing fiction, and that's on top of having a full-time job and occasional freelance work - it all adds up! It is very much on the agenda, but not in the immediate future. I'd love to write my own film.

 

That's interesting, because you're currently co-producing Oliver's next film - Still. How's that going? Is this the first film you've produced?

 

It's my first film, but I'd consider the events as producing really. It's sort of similar, but it's certainly the first crowdfunding campaign I've done. With Books Talk Back, I get venues for free through support and sponsorship but this project needs money to get off the ground. It's been a real learning curve. I love the process, I've never known that much about being involved behind the scenes on a film and I have to say I really enjoy it - there's a real kind of family atmosphere to a film. 

 

So how is the crowdfunding campaign going?

 

It's going really well. I feel very confident with how it's started - we've done really well over the last couple of weeks! We're all nervous about it, as anyone would be!

 

If you're not nervous, then you probably aren't as invested as you should be! You must be the same leading into a Books Talk Back event?

 

Absolutely. Is it all going to run on time, are people going to enjoy it? Is that weird, inevitable thing that's completely unforeseen going to happen?

 

Has anything ever gone really wrong at an event?

 

Touch wood, not yet! But you know, these things do happen and all you can do is be prepared!

 

Photo Credit: Ben Galpin

 

So, how often are you running events right now?

 

Well, it's always been as-and-when. It depends on the authors and the venues. I've just scheduled the events around them but I’m more focused now on creating annual programmes. This year I've got a really exciting programme coming up. I'm running events in Bristol, London & Norwich so it's great to be branching out. They're all going to be non-profit until around January 2017, which is when I'm looking to launch the business.

 

It sounds like it's going to be a busy 2016 for you! I can't wait to see the Books Talk Back/CineMe collaboration and of course, Still!

 

Thank you!

 

The Books Talk Back/CineMe collaboration happens on May 18th at The Hen & Chicken - 210 North St, Bristol BS3 1JF. If you want more information on Oliver Park's follow up to his multi-award winning film Vicious, check it out here - www.igg.me/at/still.

 

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