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Claire Malcolm

@clairemalcolm.bsky.social

CEO of New Writing North, proud publisher of The Bee. Literary entrepreneur and innovator. Here for truth, love and understanding.

193 Followers  |  92 Following  |  10 Posts  |  Joined: 01.12.2023  |  2.0967

Latest posts by clairemalcolm.bsky.social on Bluesky


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Congratulations to @newlands.bsky.social for this deserved recognition.

Tom was on our Writing Chance programme for working-class writers in 2024, and we are very proud for him.

13.11.2025 22:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A little taster of the full episode, which we'll be posting on on Monday.

14.11.2025 18:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The Working Class Library Episode 5: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ยพ by Sue Townsend Richard and Claire are joined by novelistย David Nichollsย to consider Sue Townsendโ€™s 1982 novel The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ยพ.

We're proud and excited to say our Working Class Library podcast episode about The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, featuring David Nicholls, is now available on all good podcast platforms, and on our site. We loved doing this, and hope you like it too ๐Ÿ

17.11.2025 19:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Image shows the writer Zadie Smith with a quote: ""Class is a complicated thing. Itโ€™s not about money or job title. Itโ€™s something more slippery, something less tangible. But thereโ€™s no getting away from the fact that, when you grow up working-class, youโ€™re constantly aware of the ways in which you are different from people with money, people who donโ€™t have to think about where their next meal is coming from."

Image shows the writer Zadie Smith with a quote: ""Class is a complicated thing. Itโ€™s not about money or job title. Itโ€™s something more slippery, something less tangible. But thereโ€™s no getting away from the fact that, when you grow up working-class, youโ€™re constantly aware of the ways in which you are different from people with money, people who donโ€™t have to think about where their next meal is coming from."

04.09.2025 12:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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The Working Class Library Episode 4: Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson Richard and Claire are joined by novelistย Sarah Hallย to consider Flora Thompsonโ€™s memoirย Lark Rise to Candleford.

We wanted to do this book in our Working Class Library podcast for a long time, and we were very pleased that the novelist Sarah Hall could join us โ€“ one of the best writers in on wc rural life out there.

Listen on your favourite platforms or here: thebeemagazine.com/the-working-...

05.09.2025 15:30 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Best of luck, important for us all to keep this a live topic.

28.08.2025 20:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
You're invited to Class Assembly Bradford - Thu 4 Sep 2025

mailchi.mp/rtyds/invite... hi - I'm afraid I can't help with actors but was sent info about this which might be of interest.

28.08.2025 20:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Jenny Knightโ€™s in Ascendence The award-winning working-class writerโ€™s debut novel treats female desire and relationships with incredible honesty and originality. We caught up with her to talk sex, ambition โ€“ and the solace of gar...

"โ€œHaving been raised by women who fought for equality, and that famous 90s โ€˜women can have it allโ€™ lie," says @jennyknight.bsky.social, "Women now actually want to see it in action.โ€

The Bee in conversation with the top-notch working-class novelist๐Ÿ๐Ÿ

02.08.2025 14:18 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 12    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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Mark Gatiss, the boy that Dr Who books made Theย League of Gentlemenย star and creator ofย Bookishย on his work, snobbery in the arts, and advice for working-class writers.

Often mistaken for a middle-class Oxbridge graduate, much to his annoyance. In fact a great champion of working-class talent, and supporter of what we're trying to do. This interview seems to have pleasantly surprised a few people, hope you enjoy it:

24.08.2025 12:29 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 110    ๐Ÿ” 26    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 3
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Class & the Health Lottery Why canโ€™t all the fat, lazy, poor people be as healthy and successful as right-wing political commentators?

We're proud to publish @darrenmcgarvey.bsky.social on the UK's health lottery & why health inequality is a political choice.

Right now there's a lot of bogus blaming in the news that distracts from real issues like this.

This is an honest assessment, based on real experience.

26.08.2025 19:24 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 4    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
A photo of a copy of the 1991 reprint of the Virago Modern Classics edition of Angel by Elizabeth Taylor. The cover art is "A Portrait of Madame Lacroix" by Giovanni Baldini.

A photo of a copy of the 1991 reprint of the Virago Modern Classics edition of Angel by Elizabeth Taylor. The cover art is "A Portrait of Madame Lacroix" by Giovanni Baldini.

"She had never cared much for books, because they did not seem to be about her, and she thought she would rather write a book herself, to a pattern of her own choosing and about a beautiful young girl with a startling white skin, heiress to a great property, wearing white piquรฉ at Osborne..."

17.08.2025 08:14 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 17    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
15.06.2025 06:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The spectre of Grenfell haunts my familyโ€™s area Growing up in inner-city London, I know that the fire was a manifestation of decades of systemic contempt for the areaโ€™s immigrant and working-class residents.

Looking back on the eighth anniversary of the Grenfell tragedy, with this piece by Elias Suhail, a local, who was on our Writing Chance programme:

www.newstatesman.com/culture/a-wr...

14.06.2025 18:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 14    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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โ€˜The risk was worth itโ€™: All Fours author Miranda July on sex, power and giving women permission to blow up their lives The artist and authorโ€™s hit book had so much in common with her own life that even her friends forgot it wasnโ€™t real. How did this revolutionary portrayal of midlife desire come to inspire a generatio...

Brilliant interview with an extraordinary artist about a culture shifting novel that should have won the Women's Prize.

www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ju...

14.06.2025 10:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Well done @mcsweeneys.net - perfect summary of romantic movies ๐Ÿ˜‚

12.06.2025 06:46 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New Grub Street by George Gissing The Working Class Library ยท Episode

Enjoyed Ep 1 of @clairemalcolm.bsky.social & Richard Benson's 'The Working-Class Library' podcast. It was fascinating to listen to Professor Simon James discuss George's Gissing's 'The New Grub Street'. Looking forward to reading it - & listening to more episodes!
open.spotify.com/episode/3gjN...

28.05.2025 18:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So glad you enjoyed it Louise and thanks for spreading the word.

29.05.2025 05:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The International Booker Prize 2025 Ceremony Livestream YouTube video by The Booker Prizes

If you do one thing today please listen to Max Porter's speech - a rallying cry for the free movement of books and ideas www.youtube.com/live/_OFR6ey...

21.05.2025 07:34 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The Working Class Library Podcast ยท New Writing North ยท The Working Class Library is The Beeโ€™s podcast. Each month Richard Benson, editor of The Bee, and Claire Malcolm, CEO of New Writing North, invite a writer to discuss a b...

I have a new podcast! Brought to you by @beelitmag.bsky.social - The Working Class Library open.spotify.com/show/7lu7Hzn...

19.05.2025 19:33 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Congratulations Stu! Excellent work.

15.05.2025 16:23 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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We're launching The Bee magazine today because the UK publishing and writing industries have a bit of a class problem.

05.05.2025 09:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1022    ๐Ÿ” 442    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 33    ๐Ÿ“Œ 53
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Confessions of Nothing How I invented a revolutionary mascara technique at the age of seven, my mumโ€™s lack of appreciation of which still troubles me to this day.

Read Nosaโ€™s short memoir Confessions of Nothing, about discovering, aged seven, a revolutionary mascara technique that her mum failed to appreciate, here: thebeemagazine.com/confessions-...

06.05.2025 12:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 7    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Weโ€™re un-bee-lieveably delighted to congratulate Nosa Novia, whose story Confessions of Nothing we published yesterday, on being longlisted for the @womensprize.bsky.social 2025ย Discoveries prize.

06.05.2025 12:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 25    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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UK-wide initiative launched to tackle marginalisation of working-class writers New Writing Northโ€™s literary venture The Bee includes magazine and podcast, and is supported by Michael Sheen

UK-wide initiative launched by @newwritingnorth.bsky.social @clairemalcolm.bsky.social to tackle marginalisation of working-class writers. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...

05.05.2025 07:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 44    ๐Ÿ” 16    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Come and hear Adelle and I discussing 80's hair and big life stories.

11.03.2025 07:01 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Hello world, glad to be here!

01.12.2023 21:29 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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