In defence of my subject

Today I write in defence of my subject. Not “English” or “English Literature” itself, but literature and art in all its forms. Only for a little while, of course, for we cannot spend forever apologising. But neither can we sit here mute against the tide of condemnation, of tweets telling us that our subject is…

Mental health problems in creative industries

As a writer, and a literature student, my life is full of anecdotes about people who only became famous after their death, or who had to wade through endless rejections before becoming successful. Any creative person will be used to these little anecdotes, the ones like "Beethoven was once told he was unmusical", seemingly meant…