Story Wagon tours to help writing and storytelling happen in public spaces.
7 months ago
🦕 National Museum Scotland, Typewriter Revolution Exhibition, 2021-22
Adding sparkle at Polka Theatre’s Big Christmas Bash 🎄✨
I have a story, Flux, in Dark Mountain 18, Fabula. A collection of fictions about the near future. Honored to be included alongside writers like Paul Kingsnorth and Kirsty Logan.
You can listen to an audio version of the story here for free.
The story is about mutuant organic delivery drones, and is set in a besiged pub in Northumberland.
Our streets need magic. They need alternatives to consumerism, distraction and isolation. The Story Wagon will provide writing space, reading activities and storytelling to the public for free in the outdoors.
It’s a pop-up writing den that can set up outside shops or community centres. It’ll provide desk space, cups of tea, typewriters and books. It will host a programme of writing, reading-out-loud and and storytelling activities. Its large veranda can be unfurled to provide sheltered outdoor arts activities, in line with social-distancing.
This wee wagon is my next big project, it brings together all I’ve learnt from busking, travelling, and facilitating creative writing. It will offer space, it will offer sanctuary.
*edit! thanks to kindness of 210 people we crowdfunded £11k to get the Wagon started!
Write Here is a community creative writing playground. It is suitable for absolute beginners as well as wizened imagineers.
Write Here is a space to loose your imagination, to find new words and worlds.
You’ll be encouraged to explore your unique flow of words and to play with words in a non-judgmental and supportive space.
There are online sessions each Tuesday at 7pm BST. They take place using the Zoom software. The cost is free, donations are welcomed but not necessary. 20% of all monies raised will be donated to organisations platforming underrepresented voices in literature.
To get the zoom link please email luke@storiesforstrangers.com
Each session will begin with a welcome, a short period of freewriting and a grounding exercise. Throughout the session, there will be multiple opportunities for you to write, with prompts to help you. Each week will revolve around a different theme and there will be a section of writing advice to encourage your explorations. Each class is facilitated using exercises from meditation practices, clowning workshops and life drawing classes. By drawing from different disciplines we hope to provide a space in which imagination and playfulness can reach their full yumminess in a way that is encouraging and supportive.
"Because we are all interconnected, living with one another means getting to know one another’s stories. It means understanding one another not just on the surface, but from the inside out. That means listening with an ear of love tuned to nothing less than beauty. It means listening for truth - including the tough truth that always flows from stories that require confession, forgiveness and redemption. And what is this ‘past’ that is the stuff of story but a wave on eternity’s ocean. And what are we today but its surf-tossed leading edge. That is a thrilling place in which to be alive."
My novella Expectations Are The Thieves of Joy was launched on a full moon in Edinburgh, the city its story takes place in. Thank you to the mad coven of barmy characters that inspired this tale to come to life, some of whom made it to the launch. Seeing people from across all the years of my life in one room was like sticking my heart in a microwave. I thought that I might burst. Thank you to Typewronger Books for hosting, and all those who came out to play.
Photos by Alastair Watson
✨The book launch for Expectations Are the Thieves of Joy is happening at the lovely Typewronger Books in Edinburgh on the 8th of February at 7:30pm. I’d be delighted if you could join.
event link. 🦚✨