I came to writing late in life; despite always having been a voracious reader, I was in my late 30s before I ever considered that I could write my own stories, explore my own creativity.
Even after I began writing, it took me many years to share my work with others. I wrote secretly, keeping my work from family and friends. The idea of sharing my words seemed like an invitation to be judged — and worse, to be known. I have always been quite reserved, and though I am very emotional, I am sometimes slow to reveal that side of myself. Writing has been an exercise in humility in many ways: to create something that sometimes other people do not like or appreciate (and to believe in the work anyway); to receive rejections from journals and publishers; to learn how to take criticism from editors; to develop the knowledge that sometimes, you are not good enough and must work harder, practice more, do better.
And no matter what I set out to write, my self always bleeds through into my work. Sometimes, this is experiential: childhood escapades, people I’ve known, things I’ve said and done and seen — all of these things have made their way into my writing. Sometimes, the vulnerability is in the things I try not to write about — my faith, for instance, or parenting. These things feel too precious to attempt to deconstruct for a story, and that probably says a lot about me in itself!
And then there are the things that come through in my stories without my permission. Family, womanhood, emotions, and fears — everything that makes me me — always come to bear on my writing, simmering under the surface, impacting the tone of every piece and obscuring the lens through which I see the world.
All of this is to say that I honour the act of sharing the written word, and as a result, I am a deeply appreciative reader. Working on the Gazette, and getting to read other people’s words, is something I genuinely love. I believe in the importance of the magazine — both in terms of its rich historical impact and its current and future relevance as part of the fabric of the faith community on this island. And there is something very satisfying and rewarding about being involved in presenting the written word to readers. Every story we share has meaning, both on a personal level and as part of the wider Church community. And I feel very lucky to play a part in that process.
During my time as Acting Editor, I was fortunate to work closely with all of our regular contributors, as well as make new connections. I am so grateful to everyone I worked with over the last few months, all of whom made my experience so interesting and so fulfilling. I have been supported and uplifted by so many people in my time as Acting Editor, and I am deeply grateful for the trust that was placed in me. It has been my pleasure to play a part in telling the story of the Church of Ireland.
That said, I am looking forward to returning to my Deputy role, in which I shall continue the journey of creation, discovery, and enquiry that makes the job so enjoyable. And I am very glad to do so under the editorship of Clark, whose vision for the future of the Gazette is so exciting and innovative, and who cares as much as I do about typefaces, dashes, and the usage of while vs whilst!