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  • Five Ways to Decolonise the Teaching of Creative Writing

    In April 2025, I had the joy of welcoming back Carinya Sharples—a former student of mine from the MA in Creative Writing and Education I lead at Goldsmiths—for an unforgettable session on Decolonising Creative Writing Pedagogies. Carinya held the space with grace, rigour and radical care, sparking vital conversations about power, voice, and language. In this blog, I share five key strategies that emerged from her talk and my own experience—practical, powerful ways to rethink how we teach creative writing. If you’re ready to challenge norms and embrace liberatory practice, come explore more with me by reading the blog.

  • Creative writers and marketing: some thoughts and observations

    Marketing isn’t just about selling books—it’s about finding the right readers, refining your creative process, and sharing your work with confidence. In this blog, we explore marketing in the publishing industry through the lens of the writer as a healer, teacher, researcher, and reflective practitioner.

  • Using publishing tools to create thriving creative writing communities and cultures

    Publishing isn’t just about books—it’s about shaping identity, community, and activism. This blog explores how the MA Creative Writing and Education at Goldsmiths uses publishing as a pedagogical tool, from internal dialogues between the Writer, Publisher, and Healer within us, to global projects like GlobalGRACE and Creative Voices, which use storytelling, theatre, and art to amplify marginalised voices. Discover how publishing extends beyond the page to empower writers, challenge dominant narratives, and foster creative communities. Read more about how publishing can be a process of transformation, resistance, and education.

  • Learning to write, publish and teach, all in one go!

    This blog explores how learning to write, publish and teach can help creative writers in multiple ways; they can hone the craft of their writing and pedagogy by using publishing as a pedagogical tool. A truly innovative approach…

  • Towards a methodology for creative writing educators to use publishing to develop their writing and teaching

    An article which discusses how creative writing educators might develop their own methodologies so that they can become fruitful creative writers who use publishing to develop the literary and pedagogical practices that work for them.

  • Four lessons I learnt from the late Canon Christopher Smith

    A short article on the lessons I learnt from my late godfather, Christopher Smith.

  • The History of Publishing in 7 Objects

    This article explores the Publishing Industry in 7 objects. It starts with the dawn of humanity to the present day.

  • Five key lessons about S.E. Hinton’s ‘The Outsiders’ and publishing

    This article explores how and why outsiders, in the form of writers, readers and texts, came to shape the publishing industry, particularly Young Adult novels.

  • Will Labour’s policy of adding VAT to private school fees improve educational standards?

    This blog post briefly explores the benefits of reducing spending upon private education and boosting spending on public education. It includes an interview I did on LBC’s Iain Dale programme, December 2024.

  • Entering Viola’s Room: four key lessons I’ve learnt from Punchdrunk’s Immersive Theatre

    An article which explores 4 key things I’ve learnt from experiencing Punchdrunk’s Immersive Theatre events.

  • Four ways ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is therapeutic — and two ways it is not!

    This blog post explores the therapeutic effects of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, and its non-therapeutic effects as well.

  • Two reasons why school trips go wrong

    This blog explores the issues involved with school trips, considering the reasons why problems happen. It follows an interview I did about the matter on Talk TV, December 2024.

  • Towards boundary crossing: primary and secondary school teachers teaching creative writing and its redrafting

    This academic article, written by Professor Tom Dobson and I, explores the research we did looking at primary and secondary school teachers attitudes towards creative writing and redrafting. This is a rare piece of research which compares primary and secondary school teachers’ approaches to teaching creative writing. It shows that primary school teachers can be formulaic in the way they teach creative writing, using product approaches. However, in secondary schools the picture is different: teachers, particularly those, who are writers themselves, give students more agency in redrafting and shaping their writing. This indicates how professional development should involve primary and secondary school teachers in dialogue with one another to cross boundaries of practice.

  • A vibrant green coastal marsh (in Oregon), with curving creeks joining and flowing towards the ocean.

    Four reasons there is a Connected Curriculum at Goldsmiths

    Why bring all the students at a university together to learn critical thinking and research skills?

  • Four reasons we should all learn about Green Careers (+ some top job hunting tips!)

    A recount of the Green Careers event that I co-ran (with Widening Participation, the Horniman Museum, and Lewisham’s Young People’s Climate Network) in May 2024 at Goldsmiths University.

  • Of Note- Four Ways Taking Notes have Enriched My Life

    Notes have helped me remember; they’re my safe space; they’re therapeutic; and they’ve liberated my imagination

  • Freeing Creative Voice

    An anthology investigating how educators, creatives, and learners can liberate and uplift their voices through writing, teaching, investigating, and intentional everyday living.

  • Creative Power: Investigating Creative Writing & Its Value

    An instructive and inspiring collection written by Masters’ students at Goldsmiths’ university, and pupils from South London schools. Essential reading for anyone interested in finding ways of thriving in a fractured world.

  • Diversity and Inspiration: a fantastic anthology for creative writers & teachers

    This book contains many tips for helping teachers of creative writing, written by my students on the MA Creative Writing and Education at Goldsmiths.

  • Four ways education can make the world more socially just

    Abstract or Description This article enumerates four ways that education can make the world more socially just, drawing upon the expertise of the educationalist in the Department of Educational Studies at Goldsmiths. Reference: Gilbert, Francis. 2024. Four ways education can make the world more socially just. Educational Studies blog, [Article] TextSocial Justice Feb 2024.pdf – Accepted VersionAvailable […]