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The end of my CNF project, the beginning of everything

Updated: Nov 5, 2022



I am fast approaching the end of my project, writing my memoir, supported by Arts Council England (ACE).


I have been preoccupied with this in the last year, speaking to fellow writers about writing a memoir, and drafting more chapters to share with my mentor, recent Carlos Palanca judge, Ms. Susan Lara.


There have been a few highlights of this project for me, including researching nurses and the history of UK nurses with the help of the Royal College of Nursing RCN Libraries and running 2 x workshops for their members. It was uplifting to share stories, ideas, and perspectives with fellow healthcare workers while hearing their own narratives on caring, sacrifices, and personal journeys.


Creatively, I have developed a lot and learned that whilst writing poetry is the core of my being, jumping over the fence to the field of creative non-fiction can be so liberating too. There is something special about telling the truth about one’s experiences.


American novelist Flannery O’Connor once said, “I write to discover what I know.” I have been mulling on these words for quite some time, to realise that we all have stories to tell, no matter how trivial our day-to-day is, there is a story in them; that we are all non-fiction. One of the hardest tasks of my journey is to focus on what matters to me, despite the array of experiences I have had, and to shed light on these in order to connect to others. Sometimes, because our life is so thick and colourful and deep, I realise the truth in what William Zinsser writes: “Every successful piece of nonfiction should leave the reader with one provocative thought that he or she didn’t have before. Not two thoughts, or five – just one.” It is only in the quietest of nights and the stillest state of mind that something becomes apparent, a crumb shines, and a thought becomes more succinct. It took me some exciting (and sometimes boring) re-reading and re-examining of my manuscript to find this crumb of light. My manuscript is still far from perfect, but at least I have it. Now I have 50k words and counting. And if it is not for ACE which allowed me time and money to get more leave from my full-time work and write, I would not have this rough manuscript with me. My desk would have still been empty. I am so thankful for this experience.




 
 
 

1 Comment


This is such an inspiring journey! Writing a memoir is a powerful way to preserve personal and collective history, and your dedication to storytelling is truly commendable. With 50k words and counting, this project deserves to be showcased on LinkedIn to reach a wider audience. A service of LinkedIn Profile Writing in UAE can help highlight this achievement, making it visible to literary and professional communities. Your story is a testament to the power of persistence and creativity, wishing you success on this incredible journey!

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