Free Word

Ronnie McGrath joins us on May 9th for the Caribbean Literary Salon, in conversation with Kerry Young and Kevin LeGendre about his time in Jamaica and how it has influenced his writing. In the next few days we'll be publishing an interview we did with Ronnie, but in the meantime, here he is reading a short piece of his surrealist poetry.

Kerry Young is the author of 'Pao' and 'Gloria', two novels which explore the history of 20th Century Jamaica through the eyes of Pao, a young boy who comes to the island following the Chinese Civil War and rises to become the Godfather of Chinatown, and his mistress, Gloria, building a new life for herself in Kingston following a violent tragedy in her home town.

Kerry Young spoke to us about telling the story of Jamaica, writing two books entirely in longhand, and why feedback - even from people you don't like - is important.

Hear Kerry read an extract from 'Gloria' in our previous podcast.

Kerry Young was born in Kingston, Jamaica, to a Chinese father and mother of mixed Chinese-African heritage. Here she reads from her new novel, "Gloria", set in Jamaica in 1938, when a violent act forces sixteen-year-old Gloria Campbell to flee her hometown with her younger sister to forge a new life in Kingston.

Kerry comes to Free Word on the 9th of May for the Caribbean Literary Salon, to talk about Jamaican writing with Kevin LeGendre and Ronnie McGrath.

Every language has unique words untranslatable into other tongues, which can speak volumes about the character of the cultures they come from.

At our Migration Stories event, our Translator in Residence Ollie Brock brought together multilingual poets Nii Parkes, Maria Jastrzebska and Sofia Buchuck to talk about how they navigate the interlocking words and ideas of their different languages.

We asked them and the audience to tell us some of their favourite untranslatable words, and to explain what they tell us about the cultures they come from.

This podcast was produced for Free Word by Alice Bloch, a freelance broadcast journalist and radio producer. The music was written and performed by Sophia Buchuck.

'Editing Matters' is a series of podcasts from The Literary Consultancy and Free Word, for writers who want to further develop their manuscripts.

Each week, we'll be looking at different aspects of the editing process, from first to final draft.

In episode four, we talk to director of The Literary Consultancy, Rebecca Swift, about what's required of a manuscript you hope to publish. We also weigh up the options available to writers, and reconsider publishing not as a final hurdle, but rather as one step in the lifelong journey of becoming a better writer.

The Literary Consultancy (TLC) is the UK’s leading manuscript assessment and editorial advice service, providing expert, market-aware editorial appraisal and help to writers at all levels writing any where in the world. Learn more at literaryconsultancy.co.uk

'Editing Matters' is a series of podcasts from The Literary Consultancy and Free Word, for writers who want to further develop their manuscripts.

Each week, we'll be looking at different aspects of the editing process, from first to final draft.

In episode three, we talk about the long hard slog between the first draft and the finished product with Damien Brown, who spent three years writing and re-writing his memoir about his time as a doctor with Medecins Sans Frontieres, now published as 'Band-aid for a Broken Leg'.

The Literary Consultancy (TLC) is the UK’s leading manuscript assessment and editorial advice service, providing expert, market-aware editorial appraisal and help to writers at all levels writing any where in the world. Learn more at literaryconsultancy.co.uk

'Editing Matters' is a series of podcasts from The Literary Consultancy and Free Word, for writers who want to further develop their manuscripts.

Each week, we'll be looking at different aspects of the editing process, from first to final draft.

In episode two, we muse on the myth of the lone writer, and hear why even great writers need great editors. Our guest is Tom Bromley, a TLC manuscript assessor, editor, ghost writer and author of eight books including 'We Could Have Been the Wombles'.

The Literary Consultancy (TLC) is the UK’s leading manuscript assessment and editorial advice service, providing expert, market-aware editorial appraisal and help to writers at all levels writing any where in the world. Learn more at literaryconsultancy.co.uk

'Editing Matters' is a series of podcasts from The Literary Consultancy and Free Word, for writers who want to further develop their manuscripts.

Each week, we'll be looking at different aspects of the editing process, from first to final draft.

In episode one, we discuss teething troubles in first drafts. Our guest is Tim Clare, a TLC manuscript assessor, performance poet and author of 'We Can't All Be Astronauts'.

The Literary Consultancy (TLC) is the UK’s leading manuscript assessment and editorial advice service, providing expert, market-aware editorial appraisal and help to writers at all levels writing any where in the world. Learn more at literaryconsultancy.co.uk