Recent events have got me thinking a lot about ‘the right to culture’, and ‘the right to creativity’. Last year I took a PGCert in Teaching Creative Writing at Cambridge University, thanks to a bursary from First Story, and one of the things we talked about a lot was ‘What is creativity?’ and ‘Can creativityContinue reading “The Right to Culture & Creativity”
Author Archives: SJ Bradley
three lions on a shirt
In honour of the Lionesses historic win of the Women’s Euros, here’s an excerpt from my Work-in-Progress novel, A Patch Of Dirt. Set in Wakefield, the novel is my attempt at a small-town ‘state of the nation’ Brexit novel, taking place in a part of the UK that rarely gets documented. The context for thisContinue reading “three lions on a shirt”
We Don’t Want To Work, And Why Should We?
Here’s what I hate: going to work every day. And I’m not alone, it seems. Apparently thousands of people have recently quit their jobs or left the workforce forever, in what is being termed the ‘great resignation’. We shouldn’t really be surprised by this. Work is rubbish. Nobody likes going to work, that’s why weContinue reading “We Don’t Want To Work, And Why Should We?”
Urban Haiku
high rise concrete, twelve floor box:glimpses of central window –stairs lead to the stars SJ Bradley, 2022 During 2021/22 I’ve been at Cambridge University, taking a PGCert in Teaching Creative Writing, attending with a bursary from First Story charity. One of our assignments during the Spring term was to create a video introducing the haikuContinue reading “Urban Haiku”
Weak Heart
When I was a little girl I had a weak heart. A doctor discovered a murmur back when I was a fat legged baby. I hardly noticed, in those days, that mother and I were alone. She said he told her to keep me from strain – any type. Things I was not allowed toContinue reading “Weak Heart”
Backstreet Nursery
The letter came one morning as Paul was feeding the baby. He was still only half-dressed. Wearing most of his clothes, one unlaced shoe. “Oh no,” he said. “No way.” The baby hammered her feet, made demanding noises. Paul read the letter twice, and it said the same thing both times. “I can’t,” he toldContinue reading “Backstreet Nursery”
A Lockdown Surprise: Art At The Arms podcast
In February 2021, a monologue I wrote, “A Lockdown Surprise”, was produced by the wonderful Arts at The Arms team. Many thanks to producer Dermot Daly, actor Jeanette Percival, and organiser James Underwood and the entire team at Arts At The Arms for bringing it to life. The podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, Soundcloud,Continue reading “A Lockdown Surprise: Art At The Arms podcast”
Don’t You Forget About Me
Ricky Adam’s “Don’t You Forget About Me” is a photography ‘zine of abandoned office plants photographed after the first UK Coronavirus lockdown. The ‘zine has since been featured in The Observer and in Neues Deutschland. I was honoured to write the introduction, part of which is excerpted below. At five p.m., three men in darkContinue reading “Don’t You Forget About Me”
Green Cities Commission
In Summer 2020 I was commissioned by Lucy Turnell, a PhD student at the University of Leeds, to write two flash fiction pieces on themes of sustainability. The project was being supervised by Christopher Hassall, and the aim was to find out whether participants were more able to absorb information about sustainability when it wasContinue reading “Green Cities Commission”
Writer in Residence projects
In April 2019 I was overjoyed to be selected as a writer in residence for Alton Towers, led by the Liminal Residence. The project involved spending two days in Alton Towers, with five other writers, and producing a short story for their publication. You can hear me read the resulting story, The Stonechat, on theContinue reading “Writer in Residence projects”
SJ Bradley Author 