If the royals are not your thing for whatever reason (political, economical, social or you just find them a bit dull), then how about popping up to the Stoke Newington Literary Festival this weekend. The festival starts this Friday and winds down on Sunday evening with free events and ticketed ones from £3-£15.
Stokey's little festival has quite a small programme, but here quality definitely triumphs over quantity. It is also a nice alternative if, like me, you cannot find the time, money or transport to get to Hay Festival, which also happens to start this weekend.
There are a few free events such as, "Well Versed: Well Red Literature from the Morning Star", which has a variety of speakers poets and music; "A Hackney Anthology", which is readings from an anthology of local writers;"RIP The Book?", which will look at the rise of the e-books; and "Stoke Newington Poets"-I trust your intelligence to work that one out.
There is also a free writing workshop on the Saturday called "Storytails". This starts on the Saturday with professional writers sharing tips and doling out advice. On the Sunday, the group will reconvene to share what they have produced. If you have a story just waiting to leap out of you, but you don't quite know how to begin, go along.
*NOTE: I went to a very inspirational (paid for) event at the British Library last Friday with journalists Caitlin Moran, Grace Dent, Lauren Laverne, Miranda Sawyer, Laura Barton and chaired by Stewart Maconie about women in the media. I am telling everyone (well mainly women) that they can write and want to do a lot more air-punching than I did before. Just take it as positive encouragement.*
Back in Stoke Newington, by far the best-looking free event is one called "Pongy Prose for Whiffy Writers", where you can create your own smelly book. I don't really understand how, but I am intrigued. It does say it is an event for ages 6+, suggesting that adults are not encouraged to go along by themselves. However, if there is a small child you can borrow for a few hours take them as a child beard (like a gay beard but with children.)and play with smells and books to your heart's delight.
The paid for events vary from talks with popular writers such as Danny Wallace and Jenny Colgan to an amazing looking with John Cooper Clarke and Simon Day to "A Genteel Tipple Through Gin in Literature". The latter event tracks how Gin has been portrayed in Literature with gin cocktails available and it's only £4.
So indulge in the richer side of British culture that has nothing to do with crowns or corgies, but with homegrown writing talent.
I will be spending the weekend in a remote caravan in South-West Scotland with my family and a sausage dog. Not quite the same is it?
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