Meet the Team: Claire Bell, Editor

We're delighted that Claire Bell will be the chief editor for our 10th anthology, to be launched in November this year. Over the years, Claire has taken on different roles: writer, judge, editor. A little bit about Claire....

Stories of Life: What are you reading right now?

Claire: Eliot’s early years by Lyndall Gordon (about TS Eliot)

Stories of Life: What are you writing right now?

Claire: At the end of April I had the privilege of running a poetry workshop on my book Unravelling at a dementia retreat in Port Broughton. It was well-received and I enjoyed presenting it. It was focused on helping the carers (and those living with dementia, if they were able) to put their strong, complex emotions into words as both therapy and communication. There’s something compelling about hearing someone’s story when you’re in a similar place. The participants really engaged with my story, presented through the workshop as episodes between writing activities. I feel that was a good format. I would love to do this sort of workshop again!

Stories of Life: A writing quote that inspires you?

Claire: ‘If our lives are truly “hid with Christ in God,” the astounding thing is that this hiddenness is revealed in all that we do and say and write. What we are is going to be visible in our art, no matter how secular (on the surface) the subject may be.’ ― Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

Stories of Life: If you could have a superpower it would be…

Claire: If I could have a superpower, it would be…to grow fruit and vegetables well enough that we could eat our own produce every day! I’m sure this is a superpower because, no matter how hard I try, it’s something I cannot achieve.

Stories of Life: A fun fact about yourself …

Claire: My sport when I was an undergraduate was fencing.

Feedback Month runs from 1 to 30 June. You will be able to upload story drafts via our website here. This is a service whereby one of our experienced editors volunteer their time to read your story drafts, and give you feedback - what works well, what you could consider changing for more effective storytelling. What you do with that feedback is entirely up to you. We will endeavour to get feedback to you in time for you to make any changes you wish. (Our submission period is 1 April to 31 July.)