We are delighted to have Bep representing Nottingham in the Slamovision final after their success in the GOBS local heat. Ahead of the final, we were lucky enough to catch up with Bep to find out more about their experience so far in Slamovision and discover more about their writing background.
Keep reading to find out what Bep had to say.
How does it feel to be representing Nottingham at the Slamovision international competition?
My ego is very large right now, I can’t lie. I could probably do with being knocked down a few pegs. But in all seriousness, I’ve really enjoyed the last few years of Slamovision, so getting to take part this year is very cool. I love Nottingham and am very proud to be its face for three minutes.
What first inspired you to start writing? Was there a particular catalyst?
I’ve always been a big reader. I stole more books from my local library van than anyone else in my school growing up. I loved story telling, the immersion of a good narrative.
I started writing stories when I was very young, including a 12 part series called ‘Kate and the Prince’, so if you think about it, eight year old me predicted our Royal family’s future.
As a teenager, you can probably tell, I had a tumblr account. Everyone was writing poetry on there and I could stop up all night reading it. But seeing slam performances by Button Poetry was a huge push at around 16, which is when I first started taking writing seriously, going for publications and the like. I won the Universe Prize at that age and decided that I was in fact famous and destined to write, so here we are.
Do you have any advice for young people who are unsure where to start with their writing?
Read. Read, read, read. Language is a craft. The more you examine words in and out, back to front and upside down, the more intuitive it feels to get a bit fancy or clever with different techniques and narratives. It’s a skill rather than an innate talent, and anyone can learn it. It’s also great to find writing groups and communities – feedback and support is so vital when you’re not sure what your next step is.
What drew you to the GOBS collective initially?
I was taking part in a project with Nottingham’s Creative Artist Network, and one of the project leads let us know applications were open. It was a free 8 or 10 week programme to enhance writing, meet other creatives, and showcase your work on NottsTV. Total no brainer. GOBS has been a huge part of my poetry journey. I’d been quite uninspired before this, but their enthusiasm and creative approach to wringing the poetry out of folks keeps me going.
How else do you get involved in Nottingham’s literary scene, for instance with Speech Therapy, and how has this impacted your writing?
I’m a big yes person. If someone invites me to something or offers me an opportunity of some sort, I’m almost always going to say yes. Saying yes has a lot of power. Ten little yeses accumulated to Speech Therapy. I said yes to Nottingham CAN, then to GOBS, yes to some open mic events. Then I think there was a chain of about five performances of both music and poetry before Keith, the man of the Speech Therapy house, asked me to co host with him. So every month I get to meet with writers, hear new and inspiring words, and I can always sneak a poem of my own on if I want to see how an audience reacts – great for editing (or scrapping entirely!). But in short – Nottingham is always advertising free creative events and opportunities. Get stuck in.
Who or what would you say has had the most influence on your writing?
It’s a toss up between my mother and Stephanie Meyer. My mum always made sure we had books in the house growing up. Always made special library trips if we wanted. It was an accessible pleasure growing up, even where times were hard, there was a way to get a book for us. I will always be very grateful for that.
But also Stephanie Meyer wrote the Twilight series which was the first larger set of books I ever read. I think I was 7 or 8 when I read the first one. It made me want to read, to write, to find and create that same immersion. Team Edward, by the way.
Photo by Mihai Bircu
Do you have a favourite author or piece of writing (whether that’s a book, poem, essay)?
Choosing just one is so hard! I could give recommendations forever. I’ve rated 29 pieces as perfect in my whole reading life to date (I keep a spreadsheet) – one novel in this list is Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. Wholesome and tragic at the same time, unique, creative fantasy you get totally lost in. Real story telling.
For poetry, one of my favourite collections is Swallowtail by Brenna Twohy. She’s a performance poet too and the way she holds an audience is so powerful.
For a stand alone piece, the 2022 winner of the National Poetry Competition, My Dead Father’s General Store in the Middle of a Desert by Lee Stockdale has never left me since I first read it. I want poetry to wound me, for some reason. It’s a test of the craft if a person can make a room of strangers cry like that in less than three minutes.
Alongside being a writer, you’re also a musician and performer – how do these aspects of your creative output influence each other, are they complementary?
Definitely complementary. Nottingham is such a nurturing city for creative people and by being a part of one event, you find your way into the next. Music and poetry are like the same food type but different flavours. They’re both cheese, but one is brie and the other is like gouda or something. All art is milk I guess.
Singing helped my performance confidence a lot, and poetry helped my music writing craft. The two experiences are like sisters who get excited for each other. Sometimes you like one kid more than the other but they’re both your kids.
In December you’ll have a chance to bring the Slamovision crown back to Nottingham after Cara Thompson and Abíọ́dún Abdul’s previous wins in 2021 and 2022. What would it mean to you to become Nottingham’s third Slamovision world champion?
Firstly, I have to say how much I loved Cara’s and Abíọ́dún’s entries. They’re both amazing writers and performers, and it’s an honour to have my name in a list alongside theirs. Unfortunately though, Cara is a good friend of mine, and if I don’t win she will have material in any future banter for the rest of our lives. So this means a lot to me.
But on a serious note, I am immensely proud to represent Nottingham, and to win would be so special to me. Nottingham has given me so much, it’d be really cool if I can bring something back home.
Make sure to keep updated on Bep’s progress in the Slamovision final on our website and socials!
Read more about the GOBS Slam from one of our judge’s perspectives