Final Blog post from our Writer in Residence

It doesn’t seem that long ago I was introducing myself as your writer in residence, but here I am already in the last week of my residency. So, what have I been doing for the last six months?

If I look at the notebook I’ve been using for the residency, it tells its own story of how busy and varied my time here has been.

  • I’ve run writing workshops and visited groups that meet in the library and local schools.
  • I’ve met people individually to provide advice and support on all sorts of writing including children’s books, novels, memoir, poetry, blogs, and family sagas.
  • I’ve run workshops for the book group and family history group at Fawdon Library where I heard some fascinating stories and memories (some of which feature in the Welcome to the Library anthology).
  • I’ve organised a poetry pop up event for National Poetry Day and shared monthly writing prompts on my noticeboard in the library.

As well as filling my own notebook, I’ve given out 250 new notebooks to schools and groups and anyone else who participated in the residency.

It’s been fantastic to see them written in or doodled on, especially in schools where teachers have allocated notebook writing time each week for children to explore their ideas without worrying about getting things wrong or being assessed.

Above all else, I’ve loved spending time in the library, writing and chatting to visitors and volunteers.

It’s been a privilege to be invited in to such a busy and vibrant community and I’m grateful to everyone who’s got involved – especially the volunteers who have been so helpful and supportive while I’ve been here.

Welcome to the Library

The final thing to do is to share the anthology of writing I’ve produced to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Jesmond Library. Welcome to the Library contains some beautiful pieces which show the many different and wonderful ways that libraries have been part of people’s lives. Copies will be available at the launch event at the library on 4 April (6pm-8pm) and from the library afterwards.

If you’d like to come to the event – which will feature readings from the anthology and the launch of this year’s Creative Writing competition – then book your place by emailing events@jesmondlibrary.org

I said at the start of my residency that my aim was to get Jesmond writing and I hope I’ve achieved that. So, keep on writing everyone and keep in touch.

You can find me on my website www.amandaquinn.co.uk and on X and Instagram as @amandaqwriter. I also have a mailing list if you’d like to receive news about future courses and workshops.

And, of course, you may also spot me in the library which has become one of my favourite places to sit and write.

Amanda