2011 has seen a handful of new cafes come into the project
but even more importantly there are another half dozen people out there looking
for and managing to identify them. Several writers are getting interested and I’ve
spoken to quite a few about setting up as a writer in residence in a café. The most popular ideas are:
·
Running a creative writing workshop
·
Holding a creative writing clinic
·
Just writing
·
Selling and signing books
Unfortunately we didn’t get the funding
we applied for but some of the writers and cafes have found innovative ways
around that.
I’ve actually enjoyed visiting
one or two new cafés and chatting to the owners / managers about the project.
CaféLit is trundling along nicely
and bringing in come good stories. I’ve almost finished the copy edit on The Best of 2011 and although I’d read
all of the stories before, I certainly enjoyed reading them again. I think we achieved what we set out to do –
provide stories that go with a cuppa in a café. I’m delighted with how well
the drinks match the texts. So thanks go
to Debz Hobbs-Wyatt for her excellent editing.
For 2012 I’m keen to get more cafés,
writers and other creative practitioners involved. I’m keen to get CaféLit
into the cafés.
I’m toying with story cards and story pamphlets
also. I’m hoping to fund this by selling advertising. Also, I’d like to send
attractive notices to the cafés alerting customers to the Kindle version
of The Best of and to the online
versions.
I’ve started a Chip-in campaign
to raise funds to cover the cost of having a logo designed and getting some stationery
printed. Gradually, we’ll start producing merchandise that the cafés
and their customers can buy.
