Summer General Issue – Kingdom of Plantae

Following the launch of each of our issues, we cajole one or more of the contributors into a mini interview with the Trash Cat.
Here they will reveal some writing wisdom and tell you what trash critter they identify with most. Important stuff like that.

Today, we have repeat bin offender, Zoë Davis.
You can read her emotionally charged short story, Roots Gripping Bone HERE

---

Q: What piece of writing advice/ crafting rule would you trash?

A: Write what you know. While you should absolutely enjoy and feel encouraged to write about what you know, don’t limit yourself to only writing about things that are comfortable. Let language challenge you. If you normally write stories, try some poetry and vice versa. If you like writing fantasy, try some CNF instead. Use calls as a chance to research and explore new things that purposefully put you outside of your comfort zone. It’s the best way to learn and grow as a writer.

Q: Which writers and magazines do you go to to find treasure to read?

A: I love Pithead Chapel. It’s one of my favourites and I look forward to it every month. The writing is always so sharp and has something to say about the world. I also enjoy Underbelly Press, their work is a bit darker, grittier and the magazine is always well curated with lovely supportive staff at the helm. As for writers, I’ve made friends with some lovely people recently, who are all incredibly talented. Ian Johnson, Madeline Armstrong and Vicky Health have all wowed me with their work lately. I’m also a huge fan of pretty much anyone who is published by Mythic Picnic. If I want to find new people to follow, I always attend the picnic 😉

Q: What trash animal do you most identify with?

A: I think I identify most with the red panda. Being from the north of England I’m pretty adept in cold climates, I come out at night to do my writing, and rather like bamboo shoots. And if I could get away with sleeping 17 hours a day I would.

Q: When your writing mojo is trashed, how do you recharge?

A: When my mojo is fried, I go and play wheelchair rugby league. I train twice a week with matches at weekends. Smashing the heck out of other people really clears the head. I also find that some of my best story ideas come when I’m swimming, just going up and down the lanes lets my brain destress and just cycle through all those possibilities. The only problem is, I can’t take a notepad into the pool and my memory is shocking…

Q: If you could offer three tips to writing short treasures, what would they be?

A:  
1 – I’d say make sure your main character is memorable. Give them something that makes them unique. A curse, a gift, a problem to solve – give the reader a reason to care about them and what happens to them.
2 – Also, don’t be afraid to use surroundings as a character too. The setting should be equally as important to set the tone.
3 – And finally, make dialogue count. If you’re working to a word limit make sure everything your characters say matters. Use short sentences to show directness or irritation. Use internal thoughts to add to the story. Think of all the ways dialogue can help bolster both character and setting, and you’ll be onto a winner.

Q: What is one thing, if spotted in a crowded charity shop/thrift store, you would just have to buy

A: My favourite treasure thing is boxes. I love a box, or a box of boxes…. is that technically a cupboard? I don’t know, but boxes. Plain boxes, jewelled boxes, boxes with keys, boxes without keys. I used to have one with shells all over it. It was tacky as anything but it was also magnificent in the fact it was probably the most impractical thing I have ever owned.
I like boxes because you can’t really collect doors. Doors are cool…. wait wasn’t there a Terry Pratchett character who collected doors or had a door? …. Reg Shoe. That’s it. I’ve gone off on a tangent but I’m leaving this in as it’s a nice random insight into the way my mind works.

Zoë Davis is a writer from Sheffield, England. She’s a stubborn FND sufferer and fights what her body says she can’t do by playing wheelchair rugby league. She writes poetry and prose, and especially enjoys exploring the interaction between the fantastical and the mundane, with a deeply personal edge to her work. You can find her words in publications such as: Ink Sweat & Tears, Strix, Roi Fainéant and Red Ogre Review. You can also follow her on X @MeanerHarker where she’s always happy to have a virtual coffee and a chat.