5 (or so) Questions with Folly Short Story Prizewinner, George Titheridge

George is a non-binary playwright, editor, and copywriter from Christchurch, New Zealand, and is currently based in Berlin. Their work is unfiltered and therefore doesn’t necessarily fall into the high. brow genre. They write in a direct, exciting, and honest way about real life and sex. George's story, "I'm Obsessed with You," secured the top prize in Folly's Inaugural Short Story Competition.

As a writer with New Zealand roots who now calls Berlin home, how has the dynamic city of Berlin influenced your writing journey and creative expression?

Berlin is chaos. And sometimes it's too much. But then I remember why I like it here. I am always seeing weird stuff. I have met some amazing people and often have life experiences that fire me up and make me want to write. There is also a very open community of artists who are keen to meet and do things together. I have also discovered how my writing skills can be applied to paid jobs here. Lol. Which is no small thing.

Congratulations on winning the 1st prize in Folly Journal's competition! Can you share with us a little about yourself and your journey as a writer/artist?

Ah, thank you so much! It's so nice to have found a home for this story with Folly Journal.

Okay. So, I started writing poems at University. I was studying acting then, and it was basically an excuse to perform my writing. We used to host some very weird open-mike poetry nights in Wellington. Then I wrote a play for a competition in NZ, and then, with some friends, we put on our first show at the Fringe in Wellington. From there, I got a bit hooked and just kept writing and putting on shows. I have been focusing on short stories for the past few years, and I still enjoy performing them live when I can. I get the feeling my writing works best out loud.

How do you approach your creative process? Do you have any specific rituals or routines that help you get into the right mindset for writing/creating?

I don't have any structure for how I work. I just kind of do it the way I feel that day. It can be hard to sit at the computer and write or find the time because I work as a copywriter and editor all day. I actually wrote this story in the bath. When I am stressed, I have excessive baths and feel totally relaxed. So I wrote this on my phone, chilling there.

When I work at the computer, though, I am lucky to have a studio. It's such a luxury to be able to get out of the house and have a dedicated space. I often listen to weird ambient music and have regular dance/skipping breaks. I don't think of writing as work, it's fun. Until the editing part.

As an emerging talent, what advice would you give to aspiring writers / creators who are looking to share their work and get noticed in the creative community?

Enter prizes. Lots of prizes. Residencies too. And try not to be discouraged. The whole thing is so objective. It's a hustle. Rejection is a daily thing as a writer, and somehow you have to push through. I don't always believe what I say here, but that's on bad days.

Also, find your people. Other writers who have your back and understand what you do. I think a lot of people think writing is a solitary job. Which it is, to a point. It's much more difficult to make good work in a silo.

Folly Journal is committed to celebrating diverse voices. In what ways do you think literature/art can contribute to a more inclusive and empathetic society?

Really, really, really important. Literature and Art can give us insights into a diverse spectrum of lived experiences. The fact that your reaction to them can often change over time and through discussion means they have the power to challenge and alter your preexisting notions of ‘how life works’. They let you see inside the heads and ideas of someone or something different from you and your ideas of how life works. Kind of makes you wish it was valued more as a profession and better funded everywhere!

Lastly, can you share some of your favorite writers who have influenced your creative journey and why they are meaningful to you?

Some NZ writers I love are Janet Frame, particularly her short stories. She's a depressing ratbag with a great sense of humour. I also love Patricia Grace. Miria George is an amazing playwright I admire. Tusiata Avia is the first poet I saw read their work that really blew me away. Kurt Vonnegut was a big influence on me when I first started writing. I also need to shout out to some Berlin writers whose writing I love and who have really supported me, Susan Finlay and Elvia Wilk. I am also so into scriptwriting and am really inspired by British TV writers for their style of dark humour, like Michaela Coel, Sharon Horgan, Jesse Armstrong, Chris Morris, and Julia Davis. I could go on. I'll stop, but I'm happy to talk for hours about TV.