I’m about to start an exciting new role as part of my freelance writing work. This autumn I start as Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the University of East Anglia.

The Royal Literary Fund was established in 1790. The Fund comes from donations and legacies from authors – and until 1939 Dickens, Thackeray and Kipling held an annual dinner to raise money for it. Authors who left considerable donations to the Fund in their estates include G.K. Chesterton, Arthur Ransome, Somerset Maugham and A.A. Milne.

It has helped out writers for centuries with grants, paid work and awards. Writers it has helped along the way include Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Joseph Conrad, D.H. Lawrence, James Joyce and Dylan Thomas.

The Fellowship scheme is in partnership with universities. Writers work one-to-one with students to help them develop their essay writing. So that’s what I’ll be doing. Writing Fellows are appointed based on their ‘literary merit and aptitude for the role.’ It’s a role many writers covet, and I still can’t quite believe my good fortune in gaining one. This year 91 Fellows are working in 56 universities across the UK.

So if you’re studying at UEA and want a friendly face to talk to about writing, please sign up and come along and see me. I’m based in the Arts building. If you’d like more information call in at the LDC office. Or send me an email to find out how to book a 1 hour appointment to talk about your writing with me.