Over to Nat & Sian
For anyone who
doesn't yet know - what's the idea behind Small Stories?
The idea is to create a friendly, welcoming and creative space to
encourage people to share their stories, their art and their designs. Bristol
is such a creative city, with so many talented, interesting people, we wanted
to put together an event where you can share and discuss ideas, and make
friends!
How did you two meet?
We briefly worked together at a web agency in Bristol, and shared a
passion for writing so we just stayed friends. We are both a little workaholic
I think if we are honest, so we are always looking for new fun projects to get
involved with.
How did the idea
for Small Stories come about?
Nat: We were both
working as copywriters, and complaining that writing for the day job was
putting us off doing creative writing in our own time.
We decided we should do something about it, something that encouraged us
to write a bit each month. I was writing a short story at the time, and Sian
had just sent me the first bit of Perkalept. We needed something to keep us
motivated to write - and so, Small Stories was born!
Sian: For me it was also
inspired by my love of music. It's an area which constantly pushes you to do
better, to put what you create out there and always have a new goal, a new gig
to create tracks for. For me, I wanted to bring that feeling to a story telling
night. I thought it would be great for Bristol to have a cosy little low-key
event where writers could feel comfortable sharing their work and have
something pushing them to write each month. Nat and I talked around the idea
and it just so happened that we were both feeling the same.
A key part of Small
Stories is the live drawing, where did that idea come from?
Nat: I think this was
Sian’s idea! We both love the Scribble and Scratch events, and knew a few of
the illustrators. Sian just suggested we illustrate one on the stories each
month and I thought it was a great idea! We’ve now had Jordan Selig read his
beautifully illustrated children’s book ‘The Bristowl’, and are discussing
auctioning the drawings off for charity, so it’s really taken off!
Sian: I have to direct
credit where it's due - this idea really came from a conversation I had with a
friend, Tizz Chapman, who created the original logo design and also illustrated
the second event for us. I was talking to him about Small Stories at the
beginning of its creation and he just ran with it. That’s what Small Stories is
all about; creative collaboration.
How do you choose
what goes on the program?
Nat: There are so many
great writers in Bristol, and as writers ourselves, we know a few creative
types also. We ask that people get in touch and send us their story. We don’t
have a theme, but we try and pick an interesting mix of stories each month that
complement each other. We read them all, time them and then make the list! We
also send them over to the illustrator to pick which they would like to draw.
What they choose is as much a surprise to us as the rest of the audience on the
night!
Sian: I try to create
mini themes sometimes if I happen to notice one emerging from reading the
stories. Like for Chapter 4 the first half seemed to resonate with a seasonal
theme so I arranged the stories running from Spring to Winter in terms of their
content.
It's not something anyone would really notice I don't think, I just like
to do it anyway! If there isn't a connection, I try to vary them by length and
by content. We've had a few regular writers who are very funny, so I try to put
them at key moments of the evening like at the end of the night, to end the
event on a really good note.
We've been really fortunate in that we haven't had to turn anyone away
for bad writing yet! Bristol is full of really talented, unique writers with
amazing stories to tell, most of whom just write for the love of it.
Who's your
favourite short story writer (outside of the fabulous guests you have on your
events)?
Nat: Mine is Raymond
Carver for the brilliantly simple way he takes seemingly insignificant everyday
events and hints at how they change people’s lives. It’s the bits he leaves
unsaid that really make the stories powerful. I also love the fictional sci-fi
writer Kilgore Trout whose stories pop up in Kurt Vonnegut’s novels!
Sian: I have to be
honest; I don't read a lot of short stories. I've always been a
massive-novel-that-takes-3-months-to-read kind of girl. But I did really like
Angela Carter when I was at college. And I've read a few short stories by some
of my favourite authors, Diana Gabaldon, Kate Mosse and Barbara Erskine. They
all seem to have had a go!
What makes a good
short story & what's better about short stories than novels?
Nat: I love that the
writer has such tight control over what they tell us, and what they leave out.
I think the best short stories leave a little to the imagination, through
things left unsaid. They use a small amount of words to say something much
bigger.
Sian: What make a good
short story, hmmm, that's a toughie. The amount that you leave out I think. For
me that's the hardest part but also the bit I like best. You have to be
succinct but in a really interesting way.
What's on next
month?
We're in the process of going through some of the great stories people
have sent over, and they range from performance poetry to a touch of the
theatrical! Our designers are also working on some steam punk and sci-fi themed
logos and posters for our event on the 4th of Aug, and the Small
Stories: Big Books event on Aug 25th, so it’s a busy and exciting
month!
We will also now be hosting the event at Small Bar on the first of every
month starting in August – Small Stories, Small Bar. Perfect!
What are your plans
for the future?
We are planning to keep the event at Small Bar each month, but are
looking into some interesting event collaboration with other Bristol creatives
too. Next on the cards is the Small Stories: Big Books Event on Aug 25th
at the Lansdown in Clifton.
We are currently talking to Jordan Selig, author of The Bristowl about
recording some of the stories from previous events. There’s also the
possibility of a couple of events, and charity auctions of our illustrators
work coming up at Watershed, so watch this space…
What do you think
it is about Bristol that there has been such an explosion of cultural events?
Bristol is such a wonderfully playful, friendly and
collaborative city. It seems to lack the cynicism of some cities. People here
are very tolerant and encouraging when it comes to other people’s creativity,
which makes for some great projects! There’s a social conscience to the artists
here that makes it truly unique.
Small Stories contact info:
@smallstorybris
Natalie Burns contact info:
@NBurnsy
Sian Wadsworth contact info:
@Siany_23
http://twosconesandamilkshake.wordpress.com
Small Stories: Big Books (wuith Ann & Jeff VanderMeer at the Lansdown) https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/small-stories-big-books-tickets-12100640341
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