Tracey Emerson

Before turning to writing fiction, Tracey worked in theatre and community arts. As well as acting, she ran drama workshops in schools and hospitals, focusing in particular on adults with learning difficulties and mental health issues.

Her short stories have featured in anthologies and literary magazines and her debut novel, She Chose Me, will be published by Legend Press in 2018.

She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh’s PhD Creative Writing programme and has taught on the university’s MSc Creative Writing course. She is a freelance literary consultant and a mentor for the Womentoring Project. She is also the Creative Director of The Bridge Awards, a philanthropic organisation that provides micro-funding for the arts.

Credentials

Tracey Emerson in 60 seconds

When did you start writing?

2003 Edinburgh, Scotland.

What do you love about short stories?

The precision they demand. The opportunity they provide to explore any idea, no matter how outlandish.

Do you write in other forms?

Novels and screenplays.

What distracts you from writing?

Reading.

Outside of writing, what are your other passions?

Travelling, walking, reading. Good food and films.

What is your favourite book?

Impossible to pick just one. Short story collections I'm currently enjoying are: I Wish There Were Someone Waiting for Me Somewhere by Anna Gavalda; The Beautiful Indifference by Sarah Hall.

Who are your favourite writers?

Doris Lessing, Douglas Coupland and Milan Kundera

Where is your dream location?

Anywhere by the sea.

What one item would you put into Room 101?

Mainstream news programmes.

Do you have any advice for new writers?

Dare to get the first draft down, however lousy it seems. Take it from there.