Earlyworks Press Interview

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(Part of) Chapter One - `Forrest`s Formula` by Elena

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Writewords talks to Kay Green of Earlyworks Press

Tell us something about your background.

First of all, it’s not actually a company. By trade I’m a freelance writer, proof-editor and English teacher. My aim for the Press is to make it pay for itself. I don’t think it’s ever likely to pay the rent as well! I’ve been in contact with other writers and small presses for years, as a writer and a lover of non-mainstream publications but as most people do, I spent the first ten years or so of my writing career as a lone wolf trying to find a way in. A couple of years ago (and about ten years after everyone else) I started realising the potential of the Internet – the end of the ‘lonely garret’ concept! So I built myself a website, designed the club forum and started looking for writers and illustrators who would like to use it in interesting ways. Everything else has sprung from that.

How do you find writers?

Through the competitions. At first, we simply waited to see who would find us on the website but it’s been up for over a year now, and is getting a lot of attention. We are a small club by internet standards and the work on the club forum is fairly in-depth. We realised that maintaining an open invitation would lead to too much instability. If people go to the bother of entering a competition and their work gets shortlisted we know they aren’t just casual browsers. We do still consider applications on the site sometimes though. It depends whether people offer work that impresses us and how busy we are in the club.

What excites you about a piece of writing-

Learning! Especially about the nature of people and communications. When a piece challenges an idea I’ve had, or demonstrates something I hadn’t realised before, I’m absolutely enthralled but, to quote an old chestnut, don’t tell me, show me – I like to do my learning through a good story.

and what makes your heart sink?

Firstly reading something that doesn’t have a heart. Too many people write because they want to be a writer, rather than out of a love of story or poetry. You can tell a mile off when you’re reading something by someone who doesn’t read!

Secondly, finding I’ve started on something that is offering me sex, violence or fear for no good reason. There is far too much written on those lines and too often it’s totally directionless. There is no subject a writer can’t treat in an interesting way with a bit of thought so expecting the reader to enjoy a story just because there’s a fight or some sex in it is depressing.

A longer version of this interview is available to WriteWords Full and Community Members.
Click here to learn more about becoming a member.

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nessiec at 14:21 on 20 January 2007 Report this post