A lesson in backing myself

Well this is it! Today I launch my Nichola Thompson - writer website.

For years, one of my computer passwords was a variation of the sentence, "I am a writer," and today I really feel like that tentative affirmation has finally become a reality.

I have submitted a funding grant proposal in support of "First Blood, Last Blood," a collection of stories, to be performed as a live reading in the Irene Mitchell Studio at the St Martin's Youth Arts Theatre on May 20th, 2023, and I couldn't be happier. Whether I receive the grant is almost immaterial. I mean, the money would help, money always helps, but I have paid the deposit on the theatre and the rehearsal space, and the production is going ahead regardless.

It really feels amazing to have backed myself, and for a project I have long dreamed about completing. I am passionate about women's stories, about their representation, and in the redressing of historical inequities in medical and literary funding for uniquely feminine projects.

I conceived the idea for the performance whilst writing a grant application for another talented artist, and I thought to myself, "Why am I not doing this for myself?"

All too often we as women support the personal and professional lives of others. And although this is a good and worthy thing, sometimes we can lose ourselves in the telling of someone else's story.

It feels great to take a breath, square my shoulders and stand in my own light. And ironically, I will still be telling other's stories. But the stories will be about women, their bodies and their personal experiences. And the weaving of those stories, the creation of the weft and warp, the fabric of each piece will be uniquely mine.

If you've dropped in and read this blog, thank you and welcome. I would love to hear from you, and I'll hope you'll enjoy hearing from me as I set out on my creative journey.