Jackie Kay

Writers & Readers is about what it sounds like: something for writers, something for readers, and it doesn't hurt that any writer is, in a big way, a reader.

The idea was to follow up Writing Fiction, which Jenny Newman, then late of this parish, and I ran between 1996 and 1999. That series was nothing but workshops with writers for writers, workshops led by fiction writers who also taught at least some of their time in universities. Patricia Duncker took part and so did Michael Carson, Charlotte Cory and David Almond.

With Writers & Readers I wanted to develop the format: writers' workshops with a reading followed by a question and answer session. For the launch event, we were very fortunate to be able to book a strong double-bill. Jackie Kay has won the Forward Poetry Prize for her collection The Adoption Papers and the Guardian Fiction Award for her first novel, Trumpet. She came to us hot on the heels of her latest publication, the short story collection, Why Don't You Stop Talking. James Friel won a Betty Trask Award with his first novel Left Of North, and has published two further novels. Both our guests are experienced writing tutors.

Robert Graham

What do you call people who participate in these kinds of event? 'Delegates'? 'Writers'? Whatever they're called, there were 30 of them, including members of local writers' groups, undergraduate and postgraduate Writing students from Edge Hill and recent graduates of our MA in Writing Studies. They had a busy, stimulating time in the morning, packing in one workshop with each of our guests. After lunch, Jackie Kay gave a spirited reading in the Rose Theatre. Sometimes she was poignant; sometimes she made us laugh. I think it's fair to say that she charmed the socks off her audience.

It was good to get the first one out of the way - and Julia Hedley and Lisa Ratcliffe made that possible - but now we've found an audience for Writers & Readers, I suppose there has to be a second one.

We've managed to book Bernard MacLaverty for Wednesday 30 October 2002. MacLaverty's novels include Cal, which was filmed starring Helen Mirren, and Grace Notes, which was shortlisted for the BookerPrize. He has recently published The Anatomy School, to great acclaim.

The format will be similar to the last time. For further information or to book a place, contact Julia Hedley, Humanities Office, Edge Hill, St Helens Road, Ormskirk L39 4QP, telephone 01695 584506 or email hedleyj@edgehill.ac.uk

Alison Berriman

Alison, news presenter on Rock FM's breakfast show, graduated from Edge Hill with a media degree in 2000. During her studies she secured work experience at Rock FM then later, after completing a postgraduate course in broadcast journalism, she was offered a job by the Preston-based station.

Alison shared her experience with second year students working on a radio production module and encouraged them to seek work placements and make industry contacts - both essential for anyone hoping for a media career.

She said: "Coming to Edge Hill was probably the best thing I have ever done. The course here is really highly thought of in the industry because it covers so many areas. It is not just radio and not just television. Now I have to get up every morning at four o'clock but I love it. It doesn't feel like work."

Lecturer Tony Turjansky, who organised Alison's visit, said: "Our Media and Communication department, which now includes degrees in Media, NewMedia and Journalism, marries a sound theoretical approach with an increasingly strong emphasis on professional skills, and graduates like Alison have certainly benefited from this.

"We're pleased to include a number of highly experienced media practitioners on our course team, and by supplementing these with industry visits, work placements and visiting speakers like Alison, we are making Edge Hill's academic provision in media more vocationally relevant for our students."