Life Update: Young Arts Professional @NCW

Hello all!

And so I write with some excellent news. A few weeks ago, I was offered the chance to become a young Arts Professional at the National Centre for Writing. Of course, I accepted! To summarise, I'll be organising a literary festival alongside nine other young people. I'm thrilled to have such an exciting opportunity and can't wait to 'begin' this September!

Happy holidays!

Lizzie x

Treasured

The delicacy of an embrace, 

a sweet, familiar scent

and palms entwined like roots beneath an oak tree

A voice to unify the boundless

the unknown, 

to entice rest into tired eyes 

and torn hearts
for lost amidst troubled times
a voice breaches from afar
and heals

An elegance
rhythmic heels angled to marble
and Wellington's to mud
Day and night a remedy,
a friend,
love unconditional in force
and resonating in the depths of self
memories reside. 

Lizzie x

The luxury of snow

I adore the snow. There is something almost paranormal about waking up to these nostalgic white sheets that can never be quite achieved in the presence of summer. I can write blissfully beside a roaring fire and feel at one with the elements, snowflakes encasing the ground in delicate whiteness and an icy glow.
I seized the opportunity and dedicated a few hours to my writing. I began with the expected, a lyrical poem illustrating the nostalgia of snowfall, then a short story which I am yet to complete. I was also tasked with writing a newspaper article to review a piece of theatre and enjoyed this thoroughly, despite the restrictions of non-fiction.

Lizzie x

FLY festival... success?

Good afternoon writers. The weather is dark and monotonous and yet strangely representative of my writing.

You are probably not aware of the FLY festival. It is held yearly at the UEA, Norwich, and is aimed to encourage young writers. This year I entered the UEA's annual competition for creative writing and came a respectable second place.
I have included a link to the website and strongly recommend a visit...
Fly Festival 2017

Lizzie x

Writer's block is not a force to be feared - not anymore

You're in a prime position: pencil to hand, mind vast, a mug of tea perched on a table. You can do this, can't you? Sure you can. You've spent weeks forming a cohesive plot and planning each detail with precision.

Think. Think. 

Nothing. There is nothing. You feel... empty. It's as if all that creativity you have been saving has disappeared overnight.
Don't panic. You are experiencing a classic case of Writer's Block. Writer's block is perhaps a writer's greatest fear. We can spend days, weeks, months even, just scrounging for the words to convey the workings of our thoughts. 

1. You haven't found the perfect plot...

We all pursue the hopeless once in a while. Don't fall into the trap of expanding on an idea that is simply mediocre. Find new inspiration: travel, record an event that interests you, observe the intricacies of modern life. 

2. You're focusing too much on one style...

We all have preferences. I am one for darker, cynical plots. Other writers will prefer light-hearted genres. Regardless, you must experiment with all the genres to explore your true potential. It's a matter of perseverance. Do not limit yourself to your comfort zone. 

3. Your lifestyle is holding you back...

Health is important despite what you might think. Drink water regularly, sleep well and take frequent breaks. 

4. You are facing distractions...

A writer must work in a quiet, comfortable environment. Banish the television and cancel that Netflix subscription you've always wanted... you can lose much of the day to distractions. Find time to yourself. 

5. You're overthinking...

Writing should come effortlessly. It's something that you have been born with and carry definitely in your blood. Write from the heart. 

Happy writing!

Lizzie x

'Black' - a five minute scribble

Black: rich and plentiful in his entirety. Unconditional. He sits within the empty silence in which the humans used to fill; suspended, rigid. He will not edge. Black envelopes the skyline with the breadth of his body, casting a paranormal darkness upon our Earth. He signals the passing of another day and the prospect of morning. Black entices the daylight into his grasp and engulfs its surfaces with systematic precision. Twisting, turning, crushing. He moves with a numbness - a resistance. Black houses the insidious without concern for their intent. He has never been challenged; there are no rules to his reign. 

- By Elizabeth Davy


Lizzie x

calling all writers...

Welcome to between the lines. This blog will be composed of thoughts to interest and inspire passionate young writers. Words have shaped human beings into people: strong, intellectual people. English is a vivid, abstract subject, in which we can cast our dreams and desires into reality. We can make the impossible - possible.

Today I embark on a new adventure: welcome to the world of between the lines.

Lizzie x