At City Academy, we love celebrating the incredible journeys of our students. One such inspiring story is that of Margie Mitchell, who embarked on her writing journey with us back in 2018. Margie’s passion for storytelling led her to our Level One Writing Course, and from there, her path took her through self-discovery, resilience, and ultimately, literary success. Recently, Margie won the prestigious Bridport Memoir Prize for her deeply personal and moving work, her memoir The Matter of my Sister. We connected with her to learn more about her writing journey, the challenges she faced, and the lessons she has to share.
Discovering a Writing Community at City Academy
Margie first learned about City Academy through a friend and decided to take a leap into creative writing by enrolling in our Level One Writing Course. Reflecting on her experience, she recalls:
“That was the best move ever as I was lucky enough to be placed in a small group – just four of us, and led by the spectacular, amazing Tracey Hammett. We bonded instantly as a group and let go of our inhibitions, revealing our vulnerabilities. It was a very intense six weeks, and I think we all learned a lot about sharing our work, listening to critiques, and giving carefully thought-out opinions on each other’s writing.”
A Turning Point in Scotland
Like many writers, Margie found inspiration in her surroundings. During the first lockdown in 2020, she found herself in Scotland, living in a cottage within the breathtaking Garden of Cosmic Speculation. The quiet, rural setting gave her the space to reflect and, ultimately, confront a tragedy she had long struggled to process – the murder of her sister, Alix, when Margie was in her late teens.
“The combination of the rural environment and the time and leisure to reflect led me to writing about my life. It just poured out of me. I kept returning to an unresolved tragedy that happened when I was in my late teens. My sister was murdered in France. I came from a close family, but we just couldn’t talk about her death, and that’s when I decided I had to try and confront the past.”
Drawn to Life Writing over Fiction
Margie’s deep connection to life writing led her to pursue it academically. She enrolled at Birkbeck during the second year of the pandemic and completed a Master’s in Creative Writing. It was there that she found another supportive writing community that encouraged her to keep going.
“I met more wonderful people in the writing community who propped me up and encouraged me to keep going on the topic of the life and death of my sister Alix. At the end of the course, I completed my dissertation on the same topic and passed with a distinction. I was always drawn to life writing more than fiction.”
Overcoming Writing Challenges
Writing about personal trauma is never easy, and Margie acknowledges that there were difficult moments. However, the support of loved ones played a crucial role in keeping her going.
“The difficult moments were nearly always overcome by my family and friends, who weren’t afraid to share the moments of grief I was expressing and to prevent me from falling into a pit of despair.”
By embracing both the joy and pain of storytelling, she was able to push through moments of doubt and continue writing.
Finding Your Writing Voice
When asked about advice for aspiring writers looking to find their own voice, Margie emphasises the importance of routine and self-discovery.
“For me, it took a while to find my creative moment – when and where I worked best. I like sitting at my desk, staring out the window at the familiar view, and getting up quite early in the morning to write. Sometimes, when I got really stuck, I dipped into London Literary Salon, where you log into their site and sit in companionable silence writing. If you can’t think of anything to write, you stare into space or journal, but you don’t turn off your computer until the hour is up!”
Margie’s Journey Continues
Margie Mitchell’s writing journey is a testament to the power of storytelling, perseverance, and community. From her early days at City Academy to winning the Bridport Memoir Prize, her story is an inspiration to aspiring writers everywhere.
To those considering taking the leap into writing, Margie’s experience is a powerful reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a single step-enrolling in a course, finding a supportive community, and letting the words flow.
Would you like to start your own writing journey? Explore our writing courses and begin your creative adventure today!
