Word by Word Members
Meet the team behind Word by Word. Based all over the UK, we work together to create a welcoming space where ideas and works can be shared, given feedback on and celebrated. If you'd like to join us, feel free to get in touch.’
Makeda
My main work is in Production, working in Music and in Radio with a focus on jazz and music education. I am also an Illustrator whose works celebrate and centre the lives of black folk. I both co-host and host radio shows, where guests have included members of Scrapbook Mixtape, Selina Thompson and Belinda Zhawi. My work, though varied, speaks to a passion in celebrating and amplifying voices, particularly black folk.
I began Word by Word in April 2020 recognising that there were so many people that I knew who wanted to write, or who were really creative, but didn’t have the time or space to have a go. It has been such a joy to watch our collective grow into a space of so much care, encouragement and talent.
I am primarily a poet, although I am also interested in exploring other literary forms. Word by Word has given me the space to test out ideas, and gain confidence both in my writing and as a workshop facilitator. I am constantly inspired by the incredible array of works that people share, whether in the workspace or in a workshop and cannot wait to see how this community continues to bloom over the next year and beyond.
Abi
I am a psychology student who prefers the arts over science. I am passionate about combining multiple art forms to create an experience. Running the LS6 project, I platformed both spoken word artists and musicians on a livestream raising money for Leeds Hospitals Charity.
Word By Word encouraged me to write and share, this led to an extract of my journal being published on Gurls Talk. At Word By Word, not only do I contribute to the workshops, but I also take pride in curating the Soundcloud for more auditory experience of the beautiful work produced by the WbW collective.
My name is Ysanne and I'm an English Literature student at Uni of Leeds. I'm really interested in all things writing: at the moment I'm reading a lot about collective trauma and how remembering through writing can heal. Themes of home, displacement and belonging often feature in my writing, I'm still experimenting with genres and would like to try some scriptwriting soon!
I'm quite new to Word by Word and have found it incredibly welcoming so far, it's definitely inspired me to dedicate time to writing again. I'm looking forward to becoming more involved this year and am excited to see what the next months will bring!
Ysanne
I am a script writer and filmmaker who is absorbed with writing intended for performance. My original play ‘Stan’ ran at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and my short film ‘The Morning After’ was produced in 2018. I am currently in pre-production for my new short ‘Hoarding’.
Word by Word empowered me to experiment with different writing mediums, namely poetry and narrative non fiction pieces, and now my poem ‘We Again’ will be published in our first Zine: ‘Re-birth’.
I am also preoccupied with climate change activism and work in film, and high end dramas from Sky and HBO, as an Eco-Cordinator and Advisor.
Georgina
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Jen
Working for an educational publisher, I aim to spread positive messages about inclusion, special needs and cultural safety in the classroom.
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Outside of work, I see writing as a tool for reflective practice and have kept diaries since I was a child. As a space for privacy and free-thinking, these have enabled me to document my experiences and check in with myself, when everything outside may seem too hectic or difficult to process.
For me; the best aspect of Word by Word is its supportive environment, that fosters creativity and sharing with openness. Workshops have introduced us to so many approaches to writing, and I'm so grateful to have facilitated some too. In summer 2021, we'll be sharing our first published work surrounding Re-birth, part of our up-coming project, Word by Word Presents. Exciting times ahead!
I work for a national network of food banks, supporting people who have needed to turn to food banks to share their stories in authentic and impactful ways. I’ve never thought of myself as a writer but have always found writing cathartic.
When I became involved in Word by Word at the onset of the pandemic, I couldn’t have foreseen what an effective antidote it would be to the monotony of spending time with my thoughts. We’ve managed to build a space which has provided community at a time of enforced isolation and which nurtures creative growth. I’m excited to be able to open this space up as we publish our first Zine: ‘Re-birth’.
Mailles
Hey guys, my name is Cameron. I started studying Law in lockdown which has been a challenging experience and I have found some much-needed relief in the creative space that is Word By Word.
Like most people, I'm finding things in the world a little exhausting right now, so it’s nice to find solace in writing when I can. I’m not perfect but my comfort space is talking rhythmically about escaping the systems that scaffold the suffocating environment that we call Earth...
Cameron
I am Katie Malvina and I am an arts manager; specialising in event production and programming. I have mainly worked in music event production as well as tour and project management for musicians and bands. I am currently living in Bristol, building up my network and very much looking forward to discovering the music scene here.
I started writing creatively out of a need to express myself when talking was too hard. My work mainly focuses on my own emotional experiences, using nature and colour to give life to my words. I write poems about life, death, love, vulnerability and the importance of accepting the darkness within you. I joined Word by Word at its conception in April 2020, just at the beginning of England’s first lockdown. Being part of a supportive and encouraging writing group has given me the confidence I’ve been looking for, and has been crucial for my development as a writer and poet. Having never shared my work before, the collective has been a true gift. My poem ‘Eldest of Four’ was included in the Bound Art Book Fair’s show Hypertext and my other poem ‘There She Stands’ will be featured in our first Zine ‘Rebirth’.
Katie
I’m a freelance writer predominantly interested in sound and the practise of listening as a way to promote environmental awareness.
I also write for MANHUUD, a prosthetic penis sleeve startup committed to combating micropenis stigma, as well as encouraging healthy conversations surrounding masculinity.
I have loved exploring writing as a therapeutic process with Word By Word, in particular experimenting with free writing and poetry. Being part of this writing community during the pandemic has been an invaluable source of comfort and inspiration!
Layla
I am an NHS dietitian by day, the founder of food aid charity FEAST With Us by evening, and very newly, a poet by night!
Throughout lockdown, as an extreme extrovert, I have channeled my creative juices by putting pen to paper, and attending Word By Word workshops.
These sessions have taught me some literary techniques that have enabled me to tap into some of the more challenging aspects of lockdown life, and ultimately have empowered me to share my musings. Thanks so much, Word By Word!
Hannah
I am an NHS dietitian by day, the founder of food aid charity FEAST With Us by evening, and very newly, a poet by night!
Throughout lockdown, as an extreme extrovert, I have channeled my creative juices by putting pen to paper, and attending Word By Word workshops.
These sessions have taught me some literary techniques that have enabled me to tap into some of the more challenging aspects of lockdown life, and ultimately have empowered me to share my musings. Thanks so much, Word By Word!
Melody
I am a novelist, poet and an aspiring teacher. My poetry looks at where things are, my novels and short stories look at where things could be. Much of my work and practice is concerned with but not limited to: critical pedagogy, reimagining ways of being, curation of Black knowledge and developing Black communities through education and the arts.
