Dr Zoe Lambert
LecturerResearch Overview
My research in creative writing (research as practice) has been in short fiction and short stories, as well as linked short story collections, novels in stories and composite novels. I'm also interested in writing and disability, with a focus on carers and caring, as well as speculative fiction, especially work that plays with genre boundaries and how this can be used to write about climate breakdown. This is on hold until I've finished my current research in memoir and autofiction.
Current Teaching
I teach the BA modules on the short story, including Crew 204: Short Story and Crew 308: Advanced Short Story, as well as the MA module: The Contemporary Short Story, expanding the form.
Career Details
Since 2005 I have worked as an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Bolton and Edge Hill University. I have also facilitated creative writing workshops around Manchester and the North West on a freelance basis. My most recent workshop was with English PEN and Help for Heroes at Tedworth House recovery centre.
Over the past few years I have published my short stories widely in the UK. My sequence of short stories was published by Comma Press in 2006, and my full length collection of short stories, The War Tour, was published in 2011.
I have given numerous readings at literature festivals and events over the past few years, and continue to do so.
Thesis Title
When I Get Home: A Collection of Short Stories and Accompanying Critical Commentary
Current Research
I'm writing a fragmented memoir, which explores my experiences of growing up as a Jehovah's Witness and my relationship with my mother, generational trauma, as well as religious and purity trauma. Rather than writing from a position of authority on one's life, I'm trying to use the present tense to explore moments of lived experience, as well as diaries and journals. I'm taking a dive into writing monologues, and turn this writing into a one woman show.
Connected to this, my impact work is on writing for wellbeing, and I'm developing a series of workshops for survivors of religious trauma on how to use writing in their lives to enhance their wellbeing.
Web Links
www.zoelambert.org
http://www.commapress.co.uk/?section=books&page=TheWarTour
http://www.rcwlitagency.com/Author.aspx?auid=1522
twiter: @zoeflambert
instagram: @fluffnbooks
Qualifications
BA English Hons, English, First Class, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2000.
MA Creative Writing Unversity of East Anglia, 2002.
PhD Creative Writing, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2010.
PhD Supervision Interests
I am interested in supervising projects in short stories, linked short story collections, 'novels in stories' and 'in between' forms. I am interested in writing that has a political focus, as well as novels that merge genre and literary fiction, as well as writing which explores issues of disability and caring. My other area of interest is speculative fiction, especially work that attempts to engage with current science and issues of climate change, as well as writing about religious trauma, high control groups and interesting ways of writing about personal experience.
Writing for Wellbeing
01/08/2018 → …
Research
Digital Threads:Towards a Personalised Craft Production in Malay Cottage Industries
14/02/2017 → 13/02/2019
Research
FASS Funded Project with Young Carers
01/05/2015 → 15/08/2015
Other
Cape Town/ International: The Preparation of a Memoir.
Examination
Writing for Wellbeing Workshops with the Birchall Trust 2024
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
The impact of Cubism on Gertrude Stein and the short story cycle between 1905-1924
Examination
reading from I'm Having Sex and I will Die
Oral presentation
The International Cultic Studies Association Conference 2024
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Lancaster Litfest 2024
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
literary advisor
Non-governmental organization
Lancaster Litfest
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Writing Sexual Violence in the Age of #MeToo
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
reading of my story inspired by Joy Division's song, 'She's Lost Control'
Invited talk
Stand Up Comedy
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Writing Autofiction
Invited talk
Litfest Autumn Weekend 2023
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Writing for Wellbeing Workshops with The Birchall Trust
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Reading from 'Her Voice When She Loves Me'
Oral presentation
PhD by publication
Examination
Lancaster Litfest
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Lancaster Litfest 2023
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Dear Diary: A performance about growing up as a Jehovah's Witness
Invited talk
reading from 'Her Voice When She Loves Me'
Invited talk
External examiner MA Programme in Creative Writing
Examination
Women and Rebellion
Invited talk
reading and discussion from Resist: Stories of Uprising
Invited talk
National Association of Writers in Education (External organisation)
Other Membership
Not Hope But Planetary Magic; Elemental Engagement with (Chinese) Digital Infrastructures in An Age of Loss
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Levy Fringe Festival
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
short story reading at Manchester Grammar School
Invited talk
Resist Stories of Protest at the Hay Festival
Invited talk
The New Humans and writing about the future
Invited talk
'Translating Chronic Pain', Podcast with pain charity Pain Concern
Other
Launch event of the anthology, We Were Strangers
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
European Association of Creative Writing Programmes
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
workshop on writing about pain
Types of Public engagement and outreach - Festival/Exhibition
Led an AHRC-funded Creative Writing Workshop in Manchester
Other
Creative Summit
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
writing endings in short stories
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Writing About Caring
Oral presentation
Launch of Headland: Ten Years of the Edge Hill Prize
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Talk on Writing Refugees with Cambridge Student PEN
Invited talk
Short Fiction: The Visual Literary Journal (Journal)
Editorial activity
Writing on the Wall (Publisher)
Editorial activity
Writing for Liberty
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
After Dark: Lancaster's Festival of Sleep
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Disabilities Studies Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Short Fiction in Theory and Practice (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Short Fiction in Theory and Practice (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Short Fiction in Theory and Practice (Journal)
Editorial activity
Best Paper Honourable Mention Award ACM CHI 2019
Prize (including medals and awards)
The Edge Hill Short Story Prize
Prize (including medals and awards)
- Creative Writing
- Literature, Science and Medicine
- Literature, the Arts, Media and Performance