I’ve always written. Writing is my means of capturing and interpreting experience (my own and that of others). Sometimes it’s a solace. Often it’s a challenge. Always it’s unexpected. I’m interested in the diversity and abundance of the world. If I can record some element of that, then I’m satisfied – for a few hours, at least.
I write poetry, fiction and drama: each has its own appeal. I also offer coaching on a one-to-one basis, run workshops, and teach at the University of East Anglia and the Open University. I’m an experienced live performer of poetry. I’ve done writing residencies in the tiny villages in the Ribble Valley, in huge metropolitan hospitals, schools and offices. I’m Chair of the Festival Committee of Poetry-next-the-Sea, the poetry festival held in Wells-next-the-Sea, and a member of the Inprint collaborative group of writers and visual artists. I divide my time between Norfolk and London.
I am available for readings, workshops, coaching and residencies. Please see my contact page for details of how to get in touch.
Biography
Raised in Sussex, Caroline Gilfillan spent her formative years in dusty East London houses practising the drums and writing songs, before heading north to take an MA in Creative Writing at Lancaster University. She was a winner of the North West poetry pamphlet competition in 2000. Drowned in Overspill, a pamphlet of her poetry, was published by Crocus Books in the same year. Since then she’s been a winner in a number of national poetry competitions. Her poem The Painter was put forward for best individual poem for the 2006 Forward Poetry Prize, and published in the Forward Book of Poetry for that year. She also writes fiction, has won several short-story prizes, and has recently had stories published in Mslexia and The London Magazine. In 2007 she was a winner of Channel 4’s The Radio Play’s the Thing competition, and her drama will shortly be broadcast on Channel 4 radio as a result. She is working on a novel and developing radio and stage plays.
Since moving to Norfolk a few years back she’s joined the Inprint collective of artists and writers, and become chair of Poetry-next-the-Sea, the poetry festival held in Wells-next-the-Sea, North Norfolk. An experienced tutor and workshop leader, she teaches Creative Writing for the University of East Anglia and the Open University, and for several years acted as a mentor to African writers, under a British Council scheme. She has run writing residencies in hospitals, newspaper offices, village halls and schools. In a former existence she played drums and sang in various rock and soul bands.